buyers who claim something is missing

[farmershija]

I had a buyer claim a transfer cable was missing from PC Mover. I listed it as an open box but cd and cable were sealed. I remember mailing the cable because I put the cd in between the cable and bubble wrap to protect it. The package weighed almost 4oz so I printed a 4oz label. I didn't have a receipt to prove the weight because I mailed it from home since we had had recent flooding. (I'll never do that again. That would've proven he was lying because without the cable, it weighed about 2.7oz.) I thought something was fishy from his first message because he asked if I was sending it separately, which seems like a ridiculous question. Since he insisted it was missing, I thought that maybe I was crazy and left the cable out this time. (I had sold a few others.) I told him I wouldn't mind if he opened a case because I wanted Ebay to know my side of the story. He didn't reply to that, which made me think he was guilty. After a lot of back and forth messages, I finally said I would send him another one. I had even offered him a refund but he wanted that cable even though he said he had transferred his files using another method. The most suspicious thing was that on the 27th he said he was still waiting to use the software, but according to Laplink, he had installed it on the 25th. They told me his email address, username, names of 2 computers used, date, and time. I sent him a copy of what they told me, and he replied, "What gives you the right to hack into my account to see if I installed or moved files?" I told him I didn't and that I didn't know how to do that. I just asked Laplink when the software was installed and they sent me the information. I also told him it's not about the money. It's about being honest.

I wish ebay would keep count and post how many times a buyer has returned or claimed something is missing so we can block them before they have a chance to buy from us. Sorry so long. Any advice would be appreciated.

[livadia]

Well, here's the deal @@farmershij.   Regardless of whether you have a "No Returns" policy or not, any buyer can file a SNAD complaint (Significantly Not as Described) for any reason.  If/when they do, you have two choices:

1) Tell the buyer to return for a full refund and move on

2) Try to reason/argue with them, ticking them off in the process, for which you will earn a defect on your selling account, most likely negative feedback, and possibly will be out the money plus your product.   

Which do you think is the better choice?   

It may seem unfair, but unfortunately that's the way things work around here especially in cases like this one where it's your word against his and eBay always sides with the buyer.

So, where are you at on this now?   Has the guy opened a case?   Did you send him another cable?   In the meantime, don't continue to communicate with him -- all the back and forth, insinuations, and finger-pointing isn't helping.