eBay CS fail - They don't follow their own set rules. Proof.

[oldwestgold]

Vent # 3,018

I sold a PCGS certified coin item a month ago. Here are the facts:

#1. Listed $210. The buyer made an offer for $150 I reluctantly accepted. Big discount.

#2. The buyer receives the item. 2 days later opens a return - found cheaper. Buyer remorse. I accepted HIS price offer. DUH.

#3. eBay fail #1. eBay automatically approves the return. I contact ebay and a Returns Supervisor agrees with me that this should NOT have been an automatic return and that I should have had the option to approve or disapprove the return. Documented in the chat transcript received. eBay removes the return from my seller hub as I no longer see it and I do nothing more other than to send the buyer an eBay message that it will not be accepted if returned and explain why.

#4. 2 weeks go by and nothing more. Today I receive a message that the item is at my PO but a scan shows that it was received in damaged condition. I go up to review the damage, the PCGS certified sealed holder is crushed. No insurance was purchased by the buyer because eBay provided him the label, NOT me. I had no knowledge of this until now. I do NOT pick up the item but return home to call eBay for guidance.

#5. eBay fail #2. I talked to CS, he reviews all the notes to verify the past eBay communications. It should not have been automatic - confirmed. The buyer complained to eBay and eBay sent the return label with no insurance. eBay's stance has always been whoever mails the item they are responsible for filing any claim. eBay CS admits this but rules that in essence I am offering FREE returns with this case! REALLY?!? I DO NOT offer free returns and never have. I offer free shipping. The buyer pays for returns, especially since this was a buyer remorse return. To have it re-holdered by PCGS it will cost between $30-$50 including postage both ways not to mention my time and a 2-month turnaround. 

I am ALWAYS cautious about eBay newbies as this one had 0 FB when he purchased this. Luckily I only receive about 1-2 returns a year, if that. I blocked his eBay ID as I don't need these types of customers. I'm sure some sellers do, but I don't. That is up to each seller on how to run his or her business.

So, I will be holding back up to 50% as the CS told me I could to cover the damaged return that eBay incorrectly approved. Their words, not mine. Just why is it eBay makes the rules and can't follow them? If they screwed-up they should have the professionalism and courtesy to do the right thing and own it. Is that too much to ask? In this case, the answer is an obvious "YES". I will step off the podium now as I have vented enough. 

Be safe, don't run with scissors, don't eat yellow snow, wear a face mask, and whatever anyone else tells you to do. Just don't depend on eBay to follow their own rules. Have a good day.

[gwzcomps]

Buyer related policies don't apply to buyers.  Be sure to report them to eBay if you haven't already.

[coffeebean832 · Accepted solution]

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@oldwestgold wrote:

#2. The buyer receives the item. 2 days later opens a return - found cheaper. Buyer remorse. I accepted HIS offer. DUH.

#3. eBay fail #1. eBay automatically approves the return. I contact ebay and a Returns Supervisor agrees with me that this should NOT have been an automatic return and that I should have had the option to approve or disapprove the return. Documented in the chat transcript received. eBay removes the return from my seller hub as I no longer see it and I do nothing more other than to send the buyer an eBay message that it will not be accepted if returned and explain why.

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I had a buyer do the same thing to me a few months ago- return for price when they were the ones that made an offer. It's annoying.

You lost me on #3. Do you have a no returns policy or do you accept returns? If you have a no returns policy then I get what you're saying- but if you accept returns then you wouldn't have the option to decline a remorse return request filed after 2 days.

You said CS closed the return after the first time you called- well, i'm assuming you meant it was closed because you said it was removed from Seller Hub- so how are you in a situation where you now have to refund? Was the return somehow re-opened? 

I know you're just venting because the situation stinks and CS is notoriously unreliable. I'm just wondering how the return was re-opened since it's new to me.

Requiring RMA numbers on returns prevents labels from being automatically issued so you can send your own label with insurance for high value items. That doesn't help you on this case but it might for the next one.

[oldwestgold]

eBay stated I did not have to accept the return AFTER they auto-accepted it. This confirmed by a returns specialist which is documented in the chat transcripts. I don't generally have an issue with any return even though it costs me money, especially with insurance. That has been my problem all along though with eBay supplied return labels. The item is NOT insured. What if this had been a $10,000 coin that got lost in the mail system in the return process? The seller would be out?!?! Heaven forbid. Something for every seller to think about when it comes to returns. No matter who generates the label. If insurance is not obtained the seller will be out.

The return must have been reopened by eBay as it showed closed for 2 weeks. Then today it shows back up on my seller hub as 1 open when it showed 0 before.

I wasn't aware of the RMA issue you stated. That's good info which I will implement.

Thanks!

[oldwestgold]

Where do you require an RMA #?  In the return itself and with each individual return or is this a setting somewhere?  Thanks for your time.

[coffeebean832]

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@oldwestgold wrote:

The return must have been reopened by eBay as it showed closed for 2 weeks. Then today it shows back up on my seller hub as 1 open when it showed 0 before.

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The Seller Hub overview has been wrong for over 2 weeks because of yet another site glitch. It was just fixed today-

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Seller-Hub-shows-zero-returns-open/m-p/31044397#M1614685

Unless you went into the actual return to confirm that it was closed then it probably  never was.

Definitely look into RMA numbers though. That's the only way you can avoid automatically issued eBay return labels and instead purchase your own insured label and upload that to the return.

[coffeebean832]

It's an account level setting.

https://www.ebay.com/rtn/Return/SellerRules?returnId=0&rmvHdr=false&action=showSellerRulesList

[kensgiftshop]

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@oldwestgold wrote:

eBay stated I did not have to accept the return AFTER they auto-accepted it.

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If you accept returns, Ebay has started approving them automatically.

I don't why they said you can decline the return, when accept returns.

When you accept returns, they can return for any reason.

[coolections]

How about fact #3019. Buyers can make a returned regardless of what you say.

[mam98031]

#3  That is a normal thing for Ebay to do since they started the Simplified Returns in October of 2018.  You don't have the ability to approve or disapproval a Buyer Remorse return, even when it is properly filed, when you offer a 30 day return policy.  However if properly filed it as a BR claim, with your stated return policy, the buyer should be paying for return shipping.

#4 Now you have something here.  The responsibility is to the person paying for the shipping on getting it to the recipient safely and without damage.  So if Ebay paid for the return label, I'm not at all sure how that works as I've never been involved in a claim like that before.  But if the buyer paid Ebay for the label, then it is the Buyer's responsibility to get it to you undamaged, just like sellers are when shipping to a buyer.

I'm sorry you got some incorrect information along the way.  I'm going to tag this post as I'm not at all sure that the best you can do is the 50% reduction.  If the item lost more value than that due to the damage, that is suppose to be on the buyer as they shipped it to you.  But I'm not at all sure of what you need to do.  

tyler@ebay 

brian@ebay 

[oldwestgold]

Nice try but an eBay Returns Supervisor says otherwise, not me. eBay overrules any seller thought process, even yours.

[oldwestgold]

#3. I would have agreed with you but an eBay Return Supervisor stated this and confirmed it with 2 others in returns.  I have the chat transcripts. Yet, it wouldn't be the first time anyone gets conflicting information directly from eBay, which is my main point, I guess.

#4. Yes, I would agree. With my return policy which is allowed by eBay, the buyer manages the return process, including payment.  It becomes the buyer's responsibility. But when eBay stepped in which I was totally unaware of since they had closed the case, it is not right that I would have been responsible for any loss or damage.

Confusion within eBay by several CS people caused problems on both sides. As I said, I don't have a problem with returns no matter what the reason. This one just got messed up with misinformation by eBay.

Thanks for your concerns and points. Much appreciated. Please have a good day.

[coolections]

You you already said you lost. Just because YOU think a customer is not allowed a return doesn't mean Ebay does. CS agents are trained to tell you whatever you want to hear to get you off the phone.

[oldwestgold]

Take a pill and relax. You make no sense "You you". I didn't lose anything. Can you read? eBay sided with me and admitted they were wrong. I held back from the refund the costs to have it recertified including the original shipping. You have 2 feedbacks, no transactions for at least the past 12 months, and no listings. Are you lonely by trolling the posts here?  I have better things to do so troll someone else. Get a life kid.

[mam98031]

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@oldwestgold wrote:

#3. I would have agreed with you but an eBay Return Supervisor stated this and confirmed it with 2 others in returns.  I have the chat transcripts. Yet, it wouldn't be the first time anyone gets conflicting information directly from eBay, which is my main point, I guess.

#4. Yes, I would agree. With my return policy which is allowed by eBay, the buyer manages the return process, including payment.  It becomes the buyer's responsibility. But when eBay stepped in which I was totally unaware of since they had closed the case, it is not right that I would have been responsible for any loss or damage.

Confusion within eBay by several CS people caused problems on both sides. As I said, I don't have a problem with returns no matter what the reason. This one just got messed up with misinformation by eBay.

Thanks for your concerns and points. Much appreciated. Please have a good day.

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#3  I understand that, but they were wrong in what they told you which is clear by how things turned out for you.  Chat transcripts or not.  The ONLY sellers that can decline a Buyer's Remorse return are those with a No Return policy.  ALL sellers are required to have a return policy that meets or exceeds the MBG.  And yes you are right, it happens far too often that we get conflicting and incorrect information from CSRs.

4.  This point I have lots of questions on which is why I tagged the guys.  Hopefully one of them will stop by tomorrow and explain that a bit further.  I too don't think you should lose 50%.

Yes I agree, this one got a bit complicated.