03-31-2021 12:44 PM - edited 03-31-2021 12:45 PM
I had a chainsaw for sale at $250 and a buyer was interested, they sent me message asking if the saw runs good and things like that, I replied that the saw runs good and has no issues, which it doesn't. So the buyer sends a message offering $225. I said alright, send an offer through the listing with "make an offer", so they submits an offer for $220 for some reason, but I didn't question it. Then I get another offer immediately after from another account with the same address for $220, so I figured maybe the buyer was logged into the other account on another device and they didn't know they were on the wrong account. I really wasn't sure, but the address was the same so I accepted the offer from the original account that had contacted me. Payment was received and they sent me a message asking when I was going to ship it, I told them the next day. A few days later the buyer sends me a message saying "The Saw I Order Don't Come To my Home I Won't Discount." So obviously there is a language barrier which I discovered early on. I didn't understand what exactly they were trying to say but I replied saying that the Fedex tracking says the saw will be there in a day or so, I gave them the exact "expected delivery date". They then reply with "It won't come to my house like you said when I buyed it go postal office that don't get mail at." I reply that it is your responsibility to have the correct address on the account, and I shipped it to that address. They reply "That is my address but you said that will come to my home but it don't it come to the my postal office." While contacting the buyer I never mentioned anything about the saw going to a different address or a post office, so I was very confused. I didn't get back to the buyer but the next morning they ask what year the saw was, I replied with the year and they said "thanks", but they never brought up the discount they wanted for the shipping, or the post office issue. So I didn't know what to expect, I just waited until the Fedex tracking said delivered. I get a message a day before the expected delivery date and the buyer says "I think I should get 10% back because it didn't Delivery Today like post to". I reply saying I have no control on how fast it gets there, I shipped the saw the next day after payment was received with the service they paid for. At this point I am frustrated and very confused with the buyer. The day after the saw was delivered I get a message saying "That saw was no good what you said about it I want refund back on it." I asked them what exactly is wrong with it. They said it was leaking. I asked what exactly is leaking and they never gave me a straight answer, they just kept saying it was leaking and doesn't run good. I asked for maybe a picture or something of the leak and they said "Why I'm going show you that it not run good?" I went back and forth all day trying to get an explanation from the buyer but they wouldn't give me one. The next morning they ask "What are you going to do about this saw?" I don't get back to them immediately and a couple hours later they submit a return request saying that I shipped it to the wrong address, and in the message portion, the buyer writes a different address from the one on their account.
So I'm really not sure what to do. I'm not sure if the buyer has the saw or lied about having it and said it doesn't run good so they get a refund and don't return it cause they never got it in the first place.
What is my best course of action?
03-31-2021 02:58 PM
Personally I would call eBay before accepting anything from them. Explain the nonsense messages for days, the possible extortion for a discount, the multiple incomprehensible complaints. If you accept this return it’s likely you won’t get back what you sent anyway. Also mention to eBay that you requested photos of the issue and were refused. You might get an intelligent rep that can see this persons history. I doubt you are the first person they’ve played this game with.
03-31-2021 04:26 PM
Wow. This is almost impossible to read without paragraphs . Just one big wall of words. You might want to revise that in order to get some help.
04-01-2021 10:40 PM
In theory it should be easy for eBay to see you shipped it to the address on the account and to make out enough that they did in fact get the saw. You may want to call them and get a human to walk through it with you.
Which is what it boils down to, the first 7/8ths of that doesn't mean much other than the buyer is a problem buyer. The key is they claim they didn't get it, but their previous emails indicate they did get it. Which also should be your response to the return request "previous email communication with buyer indicates they received item as described, but demand a discount for it".
There should be no argument with the buyer. Each reply should have been "you must show me what is wrong with the saw if you expect to be able to return for refund." or just "return for refund" plain and simple. Sometimes "as a seller I must follow the rules eBay has set out for me, so you must also follow them" helps.