eBay automatically refunded buyer although I have generated return label and is awaiting item

[clickycatdeals]

Hi,

On Nov 27th this buyer bought a brand new iMac 2024 from me. The item was delivered to him and a few days later, he opened a case saying that the item was defective. (No idea how a brand-new iMac can be faulty). Then I accepted the return and provided him with the label. Today, eBay stepped in and issued a full refund to the buyer without me confirming that I received an item first. Here is the screenshot of the case. What did I do wrong here? How can I claim this is a false return?

[robbie31415]

Buyers are not required to use the tracking label a seller provides.

A buyer can go buy their own label and ship it then contact CS letting them know it was delivered.

The CS agent will check for basically 2 things. 1) status is 'delivered' and 2) the zip code matches.

If both do then the CS agent will refund the buyer by escalating to a case and instantly resolving it in buyer favor.

The seller never gets access to the tracking # since it was provided directly to the eBay CS, so the return will just continue to show it was never shipped.

[gurlcat]

Why doesn't the buyer's label tracking then replace the unused seller-provided one, in the Return Details? 

If it really works like this .... like it wasn't an employee screw up but just standard operations, then I just can't ......  I don't even fully believe you because I can't see how they would be so willing to let the seller get screwed over that bad.   I've never seen it stated in the MBG policy language.

[robbie31415]

Becsuse eBay doesn't replace it.

The CS just internally reviews and decides on the case.

This wasn't an employee error, this was a scammer exploiting the system error.

Same would be if they altered the buyers label so it delivered to the local Walgreens. The CS would see the delivery and zip match and close case for buyer.

So for the system the seller has no access to investigate.

The part i don't know is if the seller can contact CS to be given the tracking so they can investigate.

[gurlcat]

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@clickycatdeals wrote:

At least eBay should let me have time to provide the refund manually

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-Don't even think a thought like that.  Without this inventory back in your hands, you don't owe this person one penny.  This insane thing is going to work MY nerves until you report that eBay gave you your money back.  Because here's the thing -I not only don't want you to get screwed, but every success a scammer has with a new scam ... they tell their friends, then they tell theirs, they make Youtube and Reddit tutorials abut it, and then it's rampant.  1000?  -You're probably missing some zeros there.  What we see here in the forums is only a drop in the bucket of what sellers in the whole platform experience.

[gurlcat]

Even if they alter the label to be delivered to Walgreens, at least it still shows the scans where the seller can see them.   And more importantly, they can then use that tracking number to contact USPS and see if they can get GPS coordinates.  I refuse to believe the seller can be denied access to all of that from start to finish.  There is just NO WAY that it can occur so externally that the seller doesn't even know when it will close, receive a message stating it was deliverd or anything.

[robbie31415]

Yes, there is a way. It's how the procedure is done when a buyer doesn't use sellers provided label and ships on their own.

You can continue to refuse to believe.

The only possible way you might get the tracking is if the eBay CS will provide it based on internal notes.

But won't help you stopping the buyer to be refunded. That will be decided when the buyer contacts CS.

So in this situation it's all about seeing if eBay will refund out of their pocket. Need evidence for that and need eBay to give the evidence since the seller has no access.

Buyer already won the item and money. No changing that.

[gurlcat]

Once again your cold heart is breaking mine.  I really do think we should try marital counseling - I know you think it's just for the couples hitting each other and having the aftermath of trying out 'swinging' and what-not, but that's just not true!  It's for good, smart people like us too, we all just need a little help sometimes Honey. 

For real though, let's try to help this poor seller get that courtesy refund, whatever it takes.

[robbie31415]

Don't think i agree with it. I think it's a horrible system.

Not only did they lose their money they lost their fees and got a defect.

Added insult to injury. I loathe scammers. I'm just saying how the system is.

What i believe should happen is this...

Buyer contacts CS that they sent item back with their own label and didn't use the free label in the system. Then the CS should update the return with the new tracking number and prompts seller to refund within 2 business days.

This gives seller time to investigate and have the tracking number and voluntarily refund.

Sad reality that isn't eBays procedure to handle this.

[robbie31415]

They need to do as wastingtime said and contact CS. Preferably facebook. (I think x is outsourced now)

Explain and let us know what happens.

If CS refuse to help then you move to file a dispute with eBays legal team.

It's basically eBays next step.

http://p.ebaystatic.com/aw/help/legal/Notice_of_Dispute.pdf

[mam98031]

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@clickycatdeals wrote:

That's the shipping label I provided to the buyer through eBay. After I accepted the return, I provided him with the label on November 30th. He has not shipped any items back yet, and today, suddenly, the case was opened and closed within 5 minutes (I did not have time to react), and the funds were issued back to him.

At least eBay should check the return or let me proceed the refund etc some how. This is just ridiculous.

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@clickycatdeals 

I thought there was a Request for Return opened by the buyer so they could return the item to you and then you issued them a return shipping label on that return request?  Did I misunderstand you?

Above you say that another case was opened and then closed in the buyer's favor in about 5 minutes.  Buyer's can have TWO Requests for returns open on the same transaction.  So either one wasn't opened originally when you issued the return shipping label or something else is happening.

It is likely just in word choices that are making this a bit unclear.  Just prior to the Ebay refunding your buyer, what kind of emails did you get?  If a case gets opened against a seller, Ebay sends an email to the seller explaining what is happening.

Did Ebay just put your money on hold?  When they do that, the buyer is NOT refunded yet.  Ebay is holding the funds until there is a determination made on the Request for Return claim.

[robbie31415]

It's really not unclear. Buyer opened a request. Seller issued a label. Buyer sent something back without using sellers label. Buyer contacted CS with delivered tracking asking eBay to step in. When eBay steps in, the original return request is closed. A new case is opened. Since they have delivered tracking, they instantly resolve it, closing case and issuing a refund to buyer.

[fbusoni]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

Best guess:

Buyer contacted eBay to say they used their own return label and gave eBay a tracking number. And it was a scammer with a fake tracking number.

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@wastingtime101 

So there is yet another hole in eBay's highly sophisticated software through which scammers can drive an 18-wheeler.

One would think -- given the well-established electronic connections between eBay and USPS -- that it would take literally a few seconds for eBay to be able to validate whether a tracking number was authentic.

I mean, we can see on our seller hub whether packages have been delivered, right?

My wish for 2025 is that this wretched website catch up to the rest of the online selling industry.

[fbusoni]

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@gurlcat wrote:

If eBay allows returns to have "secret" tracking that the seller can't see ... ESPECIALLY if it's something expensive that could be stolen from their porch because they had no idea what day it would arrive, not to mention the obvious scammability factor .... I mean that's the level of thing where I'd be one of these "lawsuit"-raving, "I'm LEAVING"-screaming posters.  That would be beyond crooked. 

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@gurlcat 

You mean, like "incompetent"?  

It's a simple computer coding fix:

When buyer submits his own tracking number ---> validate electronically with USPS.

If invalid ---> terminate buyer initiated process.

Same coding principle can be applied to a buyer who files an INR and then seeks to file and INAD so he does not have to pay return shipping.

I too was flummoxed and astonished when I read what @wastingtime101 wrote above about the possibility of a fake tracking number.

Yet dollars to donuts this too will remain unfixed.  

[ittybitnot]

@clickycatdeals 

To what city/state did you ship this product?  Was it to a Freight Forwarding service?  In what country is your buyer registered? 

What you are describing is a typical ploy used by less than honorable buyers that often use that shipping method.  If it was, you have other options that DO NOT involve another appeal or dealing with the CService agents you get on an eBay call back or chat. 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@clickycatdeals wrote:

I accepted the return within the time limit and provided the buyer with the return label. 

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But did you? 

Am I mistaken here? When a buyer opens a case, doesn't the seller have just 3 days to respond? According to @clickycatdeals 's screenshot, the return was accepted on day 4. Is it possible that that's why the buyer got the refund without a return? 

But then, I can't explain the second "case opened" and closed on December 7.