eBay Customer Service Representative Gave Incorrect Advice

[dragon121211]

Apologies if this is the wrong section as I'm new to posting here.  Long story short, is there any specific path or person to talk to about customer service representatives giving wrong information? A customer service representative recently gave me advice that directly lead to a lost case in the resolution center. Normally, if a case doesn't go my way, I'd just accept the result and move on, but in this instance the rep advised me to do something that directly caused the case to be found in the buyer's favor. Now I've got a lost sale and an item (a sports trading card) that has depreciated over $100 in value since the sale was initially made.

I've been an eBay member for over 15 years and am a Top Rated Seller. I'd like to know if there's any way to be made whole due to the representative's mistake or if there's at least a place to file a complaint.

[gwzcomps]

Unless you made a note of the rep's name I don't know what you would be able to do. I have frequently gotten bad advice from eBay's CS over the years. Your only defense in situations like this is to make multiple calls to see if they give you consistent info and have them point you to the specific policy in question.

[dhbookds]

I would try to contact ebay via facebook for business page and explain........and see what happens........  READ THE RULES....... 

[andrew547]

What do you think the odds are that ebay's ToS leaves ebay open to responsibility when an ebay employee gives incorrect advice?

I'd say 100-1, but only because I'd pay $3 for the entertainment value of seeing if I could win $300 on the off chance ebay legal missed that issue in its 25 years of operation.

I initially said I'd bet $5, but then I revised it to $3, because basically, it ain't going to happen.

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

@dragon121211  

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@dragon121211 wrote:

Apologies if this is the wrong section as I'm new to posting here.  Long story short, is there any specific path or person to talk to about customer service representatives giving wrong information? A customer service representative recently gave me advice that directly lead to a lost case in the resolution center. Normally, if a case doesn't go my way, I'd just accept the result and move on, but in this instance the rep advised me to do something that directly caused the case to be found in the buyer's favor. Now I've got a lost sale and an item (a sports trading card) that has depreciated over $100 in value since the sale was initially made.

I've been an eBay member for over 15 years and am a Top Rated Seller. I'd like to know if there's any way to be made whole due to the representative's mistake or if there's at least a place to file a complaint.

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Sorry, you received bad advice.  It's best to always ask for help from the community first before contacting customer service.  We know eBay's policies AND how they apply them.

If the buyer SAYS an item is not as described then you MUST accept the refund request and pay return shipping if you want the item back.  Then refund the buyer 100%.  

If you offer FREE RETURN SHIPPING on your listings then you can reduce the refund amount by up to 50% if the buyer returns a different item OR reduces the value of your item due to negligence or abuse.  

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-protections?id=4345&st=12&pos=2&query=Sel...

[gwzcomps]

It is worth noting 30-day buyer pays returns is eligible for TRS protections and deductions. That is what I currently have on my listings.

[coolections]

I doubt the advice given would have made any difference anyway. If the buyer wanted a refund they would have gotten it. Sorry but sports cards lose value all the time. Sorry your card is no longer in demand and lost value.

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

@gwzcomps   

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@gwzcomps wrote:
It is worth noting 30-day buyer pays returns is eligible for TRS protections and deductions. That is what I currently have on my listings.

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Thanks... I should have pointed that out.  The OP isn't TRS so I was lazy and didn't type it out.  🙂  

[gwzcomps]

Just to make sure I am not confused I thought OP was TRS based on their feedback page?

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

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@gwzcomps wrote:

Just to make sure I am not confused I thought OP was TRS based on their feedback page?

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I don't know what I did wrong but of course you're right.  

[koohaj_0]

Reason #1,703 why I almost never call CS.

Par for the course my friend, you hit the sand trap, tough luck they will say.

[gwzcomps]

I was wondering 😉 Probably didn't load right. Pages have been loading weird recently.

[dragon121211]

The buyer initially labeled the item not as described before the item had even shipped to them. The entire case was unbelievably convoluted, but in short, two separate customer service reps advised me to wait to ship my item until eBay resolved the case (as an item could not be as described if the item had yet to be sent to the buyer).

The case closed in the buyer's favor because the item wasn't delivered. I'm upset because based on my "conversations" (very loose term here) with the appeals department, the case would have settled in my favor if the item had been shipped to the buyer.

[dragon121211]

I do have BOTH reps' names who advised me incorrectly, the date and times of the calls, and even an instance where I explained what the rep told me in my eBay feedback survey. I don't know where to take this information as the appeals department seems completely unwilling to acknowledge it.

[dragon121211]

So your solution is essentially to sell on another platform?

Thank you for letting me know that sports cards lose value! I thought they only went up.

In all honesty I have moved the majority of my sports card sales to StockX. No mysterious INAD returns or buyer's remorse.