Buyer returned item lost in mail. Arbitration or escalation process?

[chrishjones20]

I sold a laptop to a buyer. I recorded video of the laptop working moments before I packed it to ship it. The item was received by the buyer with no apparent damage. The buyer then said the screen didn't work. 

They requested a refund but I selected the option to not allow refunds. eBay approved the refund without ever giving me an opportunity to show in the video that the laptop was working fine. The buyer asked if they should verify the return address and eBay said they didn't need to. 

They returned it to an old address I had on file with Paypal and it was returned to sender. If eBay had let the buyer check with me I could have verified the address. The USPS has lost the item in transit and they say they only include $50 in insurance. 

Buyer is not responding and customer support is just telling me to file the claim for $50. 

The laptop is worth $600 and now I'm only going to get $50 from the USPS for it. eBay seems liable here for multiple reasons. Is there executive escalations? Should I initiate arbitration with the AAA or just file a small claims court case? 

[mschacha]

There is no such thing as no refunds on ebay. You have to give refunds. Should have checked "refund after return of item". That way your item would have been shipped back to you because it would have had your return address on the label. Did you insure it for $600? If you did, you would have been covered. If the item was returned with just an ebay label the priority insurance coverage is $100.  It is unfortunate that you sold an expensive electronic item. Those are the items that the scammers go for.  Sorry for a hard lesson learned.

[bonjourami]

First, Ebay doesnt accept videos of items that are sent or received for proof of anything, they can be doctored.As for the return address, it was up to you to make sure your PP address was correct, the buyer can only return the item to your registered address, to retain their buyer protection.Never select refuse return on a snad complaint, because you also received a defect for that response.Most of these problems you had are on you.I dont see you winning any kind of monetary claims against this buyer.

[ed8108]

With respect to your video prior to shipping showing the item was working, you really can't rule out that this Item may have sustained damage during transit

Ebay's MBG requires a buyer to be refunded when an item is received not as described.

Did you fail to provide your correct mailing address to PayPal & ebay ?

Is it possible USPS may still locate this mail article in transit ?

What are you seeking from this buyer within a response ?

[chrishjones20]

How can I insure the return of it when eBay is the one that generated the shipping label and sent to the buyer directly without my involvement? 

eBay is now telling me I can't file a dispute because it's been more than 30 days when in a previous message they told me I have to wait until the USPS finishes their investigation which takes 30 days. 

I'm filing a claim against eBay in small claims court on Monday. In their last message the eBay representative even addresses me as a different user selling a fork lift. Complete clown car of stupidity. 

[chrishjones20]

"Keep in mind that the condition of the item you send back to the seller is important, so repack it carefully. If you return the item used, damaged, missing parts, or damaged during return shipping because it wasn't packaged correctly, sellers may deduct from your refund to cover the loss in the item's value. For more information, see our Condition of returned items policy."

The wrong address doesn't even matter because the USPS lost the package along the way. I was not given the opportunity to deduct from the refund to cover the loss. 

If I was the one to send the shipping label to the buyer and I didn't properly insure it, then this would be on me. 

[chrishjones20]

ed8108, the box showed no damage when delivered. I talked to the manager at the post office that had it last, it's definitely lost. 

I want the original payment due since I can't have the laptop back. The buyer said that eBay provided the label and there never was an option for additional insurance. 

[7606dennis]

If the buyer opened a return request using a not as described reason, you are required to pay the return shipping.  A no returns policy can only be applied in the case of remorse returns.  Failure on your part to comply with the MBG will most likely result in the buyer receiving a full refund, at your expense, plus if the buyer escalates the case a defect on your account.

Photographic and video evidence showing the item being shipped is totally irrelevant since it is the condition of the item on arrival to the buyer that is in dispute.  

[ed8108]

Selling on ebay

In my opinion you should have provided buyer with a return label with full insurance coverage & also updated  your current address on paypal

[bonjourami]

You provided the wrong return address to this buyer..but you are suing Ebay in small claims court because the pkg is lost? Ok.

[cream_couture]

Your address wasn't current on file, so unless you have proof that you updated it and eBay had a glitch or purposefully changed to an old address I don't see you winning or it even being worth time to file a small claim case. 

I understand you are upset and it is a bad situation, but I would file the insurance claim with the post office for the $100 and move on. Honestly, I would have filed an insurance claim when it arrived damaged. Even if the packaging isn't damaged, the product inside could be. 

[wastingtime101]

You're pretty much out of luck on this one @chrishjones20. Any court claim filed will be a waste of time and money - it  will be tossed because eBay followed their policy which you agreed to. File the insurance claim for $50 on the lost package because unless the package turns up that's the most you'll get back here.

eBay provided the return label on your behalf so you are responsible for the label and what happens to the package.

If this happens again, this is what you should do:

• Accept the return
• Depending on the value of the item either have eBay issue a return label,  or purchase your own label that's insured for the value of the item and upload it to the return request (there is an option to do that within the request)

If you haven't done so already, go into your eBay account settings and update your return address. The return label generated by eBay did not use an address from PayPal, they used the address on your eBay account. You'll see within the link I provided that there are separate addresses for registration, shipping, ship from, return & payment and pickup address.

If you have a wrong address on PayPal you'll want to update that, too. Even though it wasn't related to what happened here, it could cause issues for you in other ways.

[vintagecraze50]

When you get a situation like this with an expensive item, the only way it can get insured properly with a return as far as I know at this point, is for you to send them a shipping label yourself by purchasing it on USPS.COM and then emailing that label to the buyer via their regular email, not Ebay mail. If I a wrong and there is a way to do this on Ebay, then please someone chime in here. Then, you cross your fingers that they will use it to sent the item back. 

[vintagecraze50]

I think the really frustrating issue for them is that they did not know that the buyer could not generate a return label with adequate insurance coverage. You cannot expect a buyer to pay extra for that insurance it has to be sent via seller buying it on USPS.COM and sending it to the buyers regular email address not ebay email. 

[chrishjones20]

I'm going to let a judge decide. I didn't ok the return and wasn't given any opportunity to be involved with the return. eBay did it without my authorization.