Buyer says item won't work and insists on returning without opening a return

[themastershands-nm]

I sold a vintage embroidery transfer that was about 70-80 years old. It is unused with only a test pattern cut out and with a tear through one design both of which I photographed and described. The buyer received it and about 3 hours later sent me an email saying:

"?Disappointed in product. Am returning in same envelope with note and product. Sorry Nothing came out . not even a sample. Do not want replacement"

I responded with: "I'm sorry you aren't happy with it. Please feel free to open a return."

To which she replied

"returning package with notations on the product. used your envelope to return. Sorry"

I have a very bad feeling about this. My guess is she is trying to return it as if she "refused" it when it was delivered. I'm expecting it to show up cut to pieces, thus destroying much of the value or to be an entirely different transfer. I've sold a number of these old transfers and I've never had a complaint before. Maybe because most people understand that vintage transfers don't always transfer well and know what needs to be done to get them to transfer or because they are collectors. The value of the item is low, but I don't like having a buyer try a scam like this.

Should I insist on making her follow the return process? Will I be able to withhold my 50% for it being damaged/used if I don't? What other actions can I take besides reporting her when it arrives, if it ever arrives?

Thanks

[themastershands-nm · Accepted solution]

After pushing the buyer to open a Return, she emailed me through eBay that she doesn't want her money back. Why go through all the problems of complaining and shipping it back to the seller and then say you don't want either money or a replacement (which I don't have or offer anyway)? I'm still guessing attempted scam and now she is realizing I'm not going to be a pushover and she's changed her mind.

[donsdetour]

So far their returning it is costing them not you.

When you receive the item back, and it was what you sent:

Scratched this line due to you say they do not want a refund..

Wait and see what goes on is my advice at this point.

[monster-deals]

Just let them return it and forget about it.

BBL your buyer.

[pargran3]

Why do you want a return on your dashboard?????

Really not getting your logic at all.

Radine

[pargran3]

I also do not get why this buyer needs to be on a BBL. Could it be that the buyer is just trying to be polite and ... well, whatever. Why always think the worst? Please do not do that.

Radine

[lamber9347]

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@themastershands-nm wrote:

After pushing the buyer to open a Return, she emailed me through eBay that she doesn't want her money back. Why go through all the problems of complaining and shipping it back to the seller and then say you don't want either money or a replacement (which I don't have or offer anyway)? I'm still guessing attempted scam and now she is realizing I'm not going to be a pushover and she's changed her mind.

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Unless this was an expensive item, and that is subjective to everyone, I don't understand why you pushed for a return case to be opened. All returns will sit on your selling account for 1 1/2 years, even simple returns have sat on my account for exactly 18 months to the day. 

This buyer can also still leave you negative FB so frankly you should be apologizing to her and wishing her well with your fingers crossed. You seem more intent to prove you are in the right but is that honestly necessary? Do you know her? Is she someone you will be dealing with again? Will your paths cross ever again? 

No need to respond to me, but I hope you feel good about whatever thoughts went through your head while reading these comments. Best of luck to you.... 

[themastershands-nm]

I pushed for a return because this seems to be a very shady buyer and I wanted to document her as much as possible for my eBay case when I report her. Numerous threads on this board also strongly recommend pushing for a buyer opening the return when it seems shady. I rarely get returns so it really doesn't matter to me if it sits on my account or not for 18 months, it won't affect my TRS or anything else in my case. Furthermore, since the item IS AS DESCRIBED if she opens a SNAD, she will be lying and I can prove it when I get the item. Thus documentation to help eliminate an bad buyer which every seller should appreciate. Negative FB will be removed by eBay when I open the case against her which I have enough right now to do. I'm only waiting until I get the item back, if I ever do, for further documentation of her actions. I know I'm in the right. I can prove it. My intent is to document what she is doing to help build a case against her and hopefully eventually remove her from eBay for the benefit of ALL Sellers. Even you!

You are welcome.

[vintagecraze50]

You cannot force a buyer to anything on here. They cannot return this as return to sender becuase they already accepted the package. If they do not buy tracking for this item and they return it that way there will be no proof of return delivery and I hate to say this, but you owe them nothing technically if they do this. Using the Ebay system to return protects the buyer not the seller if they do not buy tracking.

[themastershands-nm]

I am absolutely going to block her. I'm only waiting until I get the item and report her so she isn't blocked from emailing me. I want to document her as much as possible. I've been selling on eBay nearly 9 years and on Amazon for a while before that. I know a shady buyer when I encounter one. This is one of the shadiest I have ever seen. I strongly suspect she originally intended to return a different transfer for a full refund. She started saying she didn't want anything after I pushed her to open the return. That is a sign of someone who is trying a scam. An honest buyer would say, "sure, if you really want me to open the return, I will" because the benefits of opening a return are nearly all for the buyer, not the seller. Of course if a buyer is trying a scam, and they open a return using false information and claims and the seller can prove it, they get penalized by eBay. My guess is she has done this before and has a record with eBay already and doesn't want to get another mark against her. But I already have enough to open a case against her so she will be getting that as well. The BBL is so I will NEVER have to deal with her again, at least under that name.

[themastershands-nm]

I rarely get returns, so one now and then is no problem for me. The idea of pushing for a return is to see if she would agree to do it. Since she didn't, that tells me she is probably trying a scam. Opening a return would tell me she is honest because she gets several benefits by opening it. Refusing to do so tells me she is almost certainly trying a scam and trying to keep off eBay's radar while she does it. When I pushed, she responded by saying she didn't want anything from me. Just more proof that she was trying a scam. An honest person would be asking for a refund not saying 'just forget it'. So no return on my dashboard, just more proof she is a scammer which I can use when I report her.

[themastershands-nm]

At this point your comment is a "well, duh" comment. Just sayin'

[themastershands-nm]

At this point your comment is a "well, duh" comment.  It might have been helpful a few days ago, but since it's now....

[themastershands-nm]

Yep, another "well, duh" comment. I kinda figured this out and that is kinda why I did it. Expose the scammer and whatnot.

[fragilememories]

As a side note, if item returned item is damaged or not the original one, you don't have to process full or any refund and can report the buyer.  Been there done that.  I would also put a disclaimer in  your listings that vintage transfers may not produce desired transfer result and that buyer assumes that when purchasing the item.