Handling Returns when incorrect reason for return is selected

[6530walter]

Hello,

Recently I have had a trend of returns where buyers have incorrectly categorized returns. For example I sold a phone recently which was advertised to be locked to a prepaid carrier. The user then opened a return for an item not as described because he was not happy it was not unlocked. 

After I explained that nowhere in the ad was there a promise of the phone being unlocked did he admit it was something he overlooked. I called ebay to explain and once they read through the case messages they agreed it was a buyers remorse case. However they told me that since the return reason was "Item not as described" I had no choice but to accept the return.

This makes absolutely no sense when they agree the return reason select is incorrect. Has anyone else had this issue and have any recommendations of how to deal with this issue. Having to accept these invalid returns seems unfair as I have had buyers abuse the return program by purposely using the wrong return reason when its a buyers remorse case

[jeannicho22]

---

@6530walter wrote:

Hello,

Recently I have had a trend of returns where buyers have incorrectly categorized returns. For example I sold a phone recently which was advertised to be locked to a prepaid carrier. The user then opened a return for an item not as described because he was not happy it was not unlocked. 

After I explained that nowhere in the ad was there a promise of the phone being unlocked did he admit it was something he overlooked. I called ebay to explain and once they read through the case messages they agreed it was a buyers remorse case. However they told me that since the return reason was "Item not as described" I had no choice but to accept the return.

This makes absolutely no sense when they agree the return reason select is incorrect. Has anyone else had this issue and have any recommendations of how to deal with this issue. Having to accept these invalid returns seems unfair as I have had buyers abuse the return program by purposely using the wrong return reason when its a buyers remorse case

---

Welcome to eBay. 

Once a buyer opens an item not as described, it doesn't matter what the real reason is.  eBay sellers are plagued with false INAD claims every day.

ETA.. and if you get too many of these false claims, eBay will raise your FVFs by 40%.  Surely you say... this can't be right... it is.

[buyselljack2016]

It has been posted by eBay "blues" that the policy is to no longer change the reason for return even when it is stated in messages that the wrong reason was selected because errors could be made when changing. Therefore they put a stop to it. NO CHANGES is the official policy.

[kensgiftshop]

---

@6530walter

---

When a seller does not take returns and buyer is not satisfied with their purchase, they know they can file an INAD  to get their money back.

When they file an INAD, even if it's a false one, there's not much a seller can do but accept the return.

[6530walter]

Is there anyway to bring this up to ebay so they can address the issue?

[johnrj1226]

You can  join this chat forum - done once/week

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Weekly-Chat-with-eBay-Staff/bd-p/weekly-chathttps://community.ebay.com...

[monster-deals]

---

@6530walter wrote:
Is there anyway to bring this up to ebay so they can address the issue?

---

Yes, make it financially painful for them.

Other than that they won't listen to reason.

[night_runway]

Ebay did it to me also. The customer gave the reason Doesn't work or defective. Here is what she wrote for the reason:

"I thought this was free people. that is what I was looking at when this popped up. My bad. not the quality I thought"

Ebay actually sent my customer a return label and charged me for it. I have free shipping on the item, so now I'm out $8 on a $17 sale. 

That's an easy way to show your stock holders an increase in earnings! They forgot to mention it was through theft, no return of FVF either.

[heathersthriftyfinds09]

Unless policy has changed in the past 30 days, you can still fight these cases & win but you have to be set up properly beforehand. 

You must set your account to No Returns.

If you allow Returns eBay will make you accept them no matter what the reason. No recourse for false claims.

If your account is set to No Returns you can indeed fight false claims.  (I have fought & won 2 cases this year).

I used to offer Returns on my NWT items but too many people were filing INAD for Buyer Remorse (almost always due to fit issues, even with measurements included in the ad). I confirmed with eBay that even tho I could prove the INAD was false that,  because I allowed Returns, I had to accept it for whatever reason the Buyer filed. This meant eBay was encouraging Buyers to make false claims so they could avoid paying return shipping. 

With shipping rates going up every year I cannot afford to pay for people to basically "try on" my clothes. 

My sales have taken a bit of a hit but I don't think it has to do with my No Returns policy (it only covered 10% of my items to start with).

I have fought every case where I thought the Buyer was misusing the system & I have won all of them. If I make a mistake I correct it but I will not be taken advantage of, I will not reward Bad Buyer Behavior.

[erikbuc_0]

Good to know!  I have been hit with the same situation and will file a dispute once the case is closed.  Luckily, I set my posts to no returns but, never thought a seller could file for return, under the wrong category. Thank you, again

[tracdea1]

When buyer's LIE about the reason for return, it's really important that you report them for it. this is how ebay keeps tracking (internally) of user habits and behaviors. If a buyer is consistently abusing the MBG and the returns process, that buyer will lose protections first, then will be removed from the site (up to and including the IP address). When a buyer has habitually misused and abused the system, and has defrauded a large amount of money from ebay and from sellers, that buyer can feasibly be brought up on fraud charges, which is a felony - btw.
Fed does not like fraud. Fed will look the other way on treason, murder, assault and robbery, but they do not play with fraud.