Buyer Made Lies About Condition Received

[synthracker]

I've been selling for over 15 years on eBay (this is not my first account) and this is actually the first time I've EVER had someone want to do a return. I've always listed items honestly and accurately. The person received the item and claimed it was damaged and wants to return it. I know the item isn't damaged because I personally used it. To make matters worse, I've already withdrew the funds from the sell. I've opened a ticket for eBay to step in, does anyone have experience with this? Does eBay ever side with sellers? I have a lot of documentation of the item working before, thankfully.. but I've never been in this position. I'm so irritated with this experience, and much worse I'm dealing with a person who is making subtle and creative excuses about the item. Hopefully eBay sides with its sellers when sufficient evidence is provided.

[rebell45]

Unfortunately, you are better off accepting the return, send a return label,  and refunding when you receive the item back. If this was electronic equipment sometimes just the rough handling in transit will shake something loose. If you fight this, your are liable to end up with no item, no money and a defect on your account.  

eBay buyers protection, MBG, trumps your no returns policy for items Not as Described or Not Working.  

[toysaver]

Ebay sides with buyers.  How do you know it did not break or receive damage in shipping?  That is your responsibility to pack with utmost care.  Was it double boxed with bubble wrap?  If you dropped it on the sidewalk would you be worried or comfortable?  Packages get handled by machines and humans plus are dropped, thrown and jostled about. 

Of course it's just as possible you are being scammed,  accounts with less feedback as a seller can be targets for scammers.  You really have no choice other than to accept the return.  When you get it back you'll see what's what.  Did you photograph or make the serial number part of the listing?  I'd recommend that on electronics.    If it was yours and you used it and enjoyed it you will really only be out the shipping, not like you'd bought it just to sell and make a profit.

[lilbama911]

Rarely, does eBay sides with the seller.  Although, sometimes eBay Customer Care, as they call themselves now, leads the seller on by giving them false hope that a case will be decided in their favor.  Anyway, while the seller is still happy from the news, eBay Customer Care, closes the case in the buyer's favor.

Should you case have a happy ending, please let us know.

[synthracker]

I'll be sure to update this thread on the outcome.. I did pack the item properly and I am quite aware of how rough things can be in transport. The general rule is packaged items should sustain a drop from the shipping trucks. I just think it's unfortunate a buyer can handle electronics irresponsibly and then the seller could result in a loss with something irreparable and without value. What I sold is pretty expensive, so I'm concerned. Seeing the replies here isn't giving so much confidence.. We'll see, sellers are equally important as consumers on eBay since they provide the listings and give eBay funds from the fees associated, ect.

[ste-9405]

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@synthracker wrote:

I've opened a ticket for eBay to step in

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Unfortunately, you just nailed it.

You can't follow any of the good advice now. Instead, eBay will issue a return label which you'll pay, force a refund moments after the return is returned, and you got a case closed without seller resolution defect.

[pickapaper]

What the others have said is correct:  you're better off to accept the return, send a return label, and refund when you get the item back.

It's possible the buyer just doesn't like the item.  Most of the time, if a buyer doesn't like the item or changes their mind (buyer's remorse), they have to pay for the return shipping.  So,  unfortunately, many buyers will claim there is something wrong with the item (not as described) just so the seller will have to pay the return shipping.  Then when the seller gets the item back, there is nothing wrong with it.   Not true in all cases, but frequently.

Hopefully, when you get this back there will be nothing wrong with it and you will be able to relist it. 

[fab_finds4u]

eBay wants the seller to solve this by  offering a replacement, a refund, or a return.  If the seller does neither and the buyer asks for help the seller gets a defect for having a case unresolved by the seller and the buyer will get their money back.  Whether or not you get your item back depends on your policy.  No returns  doesn't mean no refunds.  eBay says there are times when they refund and the item isn't returned.  This happens when the seller doesn't offer to accept the return or provide a return label.

Asking  eBay to step in is a bad thing.  You'll get a defect for having a case unresolved by the seller. eBay will see your policy is no returns and you haven't resolved the buyer's claim so they'll step in and force the refund and tell the buyer they don't have to return the item.

So if you don't want to lose the item accept the return and provide a return label. eBay doesn't decide who is telling the truth. The buyer doesn't have to show or prove damage and you can't prove it's not damaged. 

[synthracker]

Is that true? How can they not be made to return the item? That's like theft..

[mtgraves7984]

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@synthracker wrote:

Is that true? How can they not be made to return the item? That's like theft..

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They won't have to return the item if eBay steps in. The refund will be forced. YOU need to approve the Return and issue the shipping label if you want the item returned to you.

Agreed... allowing eBay to handle your business feels a bit like allowing theft.

[rebell45]

It's kind of eBay's way of punishing the seller for not giving good "customer service". Sometimes a seller will decide it cost to much to pay return shipping and will just refund the money and write it off. In your case, the item was expensive so you need to decide if you want it back. It's a tough decision, because you may get junk back. It does, however, give you more time to get the funds together.

I usually sell my surplus electronic equipment locally. Might not get quite as much for it, but the buyer sees it working, pays cash, and can't return it. 

[dandfmarinesalvage]

You have been given some very sound advice by the above posters. Unfortunately its VERY RARE that I'll ever ask ebay to step in on anything. When in a spot like yours. You just have to hope that the correct item does get shipped back to you and maybe you'll be fortunate and it'll will actually be buyers remorse and the item still works. I do not sell any type of electronics on ebay. Anything like that, that I may have gets sold locally or on another venue. Unfortunately electronics tend to draw more buyers who are professional scam artist. You just have to hope that when you do get the return that it IS THE ACTUAL ITEM that you sent. Honestly all a scammer has to do is ship SOMETHING back, doesn't even have to be what you sold them. Can be a rock out of their driveway that weighs close to the same. There's a well known ebay seller who every once in a while will put out a video of the different ways he's been scammed. For instance he sold a cell phone that was to be returned. Except when it came back it was simply 4 AA batteries that were taped together and the buyer kept the phone. Then it becomes sellers word vs buyers word and we know how that works out. Selling electronics here is very risky business to say the least, ESPECIALLY if they are of higher value (same can be said for nearly any category though with higher value items).

[twk]

On the one SNAD return I had a few years back that is exactly what happened.  The buyer found the same item cheaper so they opened SNAD on me for an clean, like new teapot.  When I got it back it was all stained from tea and chipped!  Definately not the one I sent out.  On processing that the item I received back as not the one I had sent and was chipped and used, I was told by the eBay customer care team member that too bad, they don't know what the buyer received to begin with!  This even though what was shown in my offering pictures and the pictures of what I got back showed I was scammed.  Nothing hurts more than to be taken advantage of by the "Customer care team member" as well las the scammy buyer.

[twk]

BINGO!  It is the ebay way for buyers to purchase items on approval.

[synthracker]

I have an update on this, I received my item back. I'm relieved it's not damaged. It's working properly as I sent it! I had it set to no returns. However, due to ebay policy, if an item is reported defective you must accept the return. Now I have the item WORKING in my possession. What happens next? I had to pay extra for shipping to handle the return! That's totally not right. I am trying to contact ebay, but their chat support has no number for me to call. Any advice on here?