Recently, we sold a brand-new, high-value item worth approximately $5,000 to a buyer. The buyer used the item and then falsely claimed it was "not as described," returning it to us in completely unacceptable condition. Normally, we are reasonable with return cases as long as the item is in good enough condition for resale. However, this case was beyond anything we could tolerate.
The buyer returned a totally damaged item—the lens was missing, the entire device was covered in dirt, and even the control panel was seriously damaged. Given the high value of this item, we took extra precautions and recorded the entire shipping and return process. We have clear video evidence showing the item being packed, shipped, received, and unboxed. We were fully prepared to provide this evidence, confident that we had done everything necessary to protect ourselves.
But guess what happened?
After discovering the damage, we opened a case and immediately informed eBay that we had undeniable proof. However, they never provided clear instructions on how to submit our evidence. A few days later, without reviewing any evidence, eBay ruled in favor of the buyer—just because the buyer had "fulfilled their responsibility" by returning a package.
We escalated the issue and spoke with a representative from eBay’s so-called "High-Value Team." To our shock, we were told that photos and videos are not considered valid evidence to prove that the buyer returned a damaged item. Seriously? After a 30-minute conversation with eBay support, it became clear—buyers get 100% priority and protection, while sellers are completely defenseless.
If this logic stands, what’s stopping a buyer from returning an empty box or a completely different item? The answer is nothing. eBay will still side with the buyer because, apparently, even with solid proof, sellers have no way to defend themselves.
This is an outrageous failure of seller protection. eBay needs to fix this broken system immediately.
