How does one defend oneself from a buyers claims when ebay doesn't want to hear the seller's side?

[longtimealaskan]

I sold a faucet repair kit on ebay.  I identified the item in my listing as a product made by the company Danco to repair leaky Delta faucets.  There are about 6 others on ebay selling the identical product.  The buyer says the product is "not authentic".  I'm not sure what he means.  It's not manufactured by Delta, it's manufactured by Danco as I stated in my listing.  He said it doesn't meet Delta's specifications.  I don't know how he would know that but again, I never stated that it did.  I stated in my listing that it was a Danco repair kit to fix Delta faucets.  It says that right on the package.  I state in my listing that I do accept returns but I do not pay return shipping unless the item is not as described.  I never claimed it met Delta's specifications nor did I claim it was authentic.  I simply stated it was a Danco faucet repair kit to repair Delta faucets because that is exactly what it is.  So I get an email from ebay stating the buyer "let us know something is wrong with Delta/Peerless Faucet Seats/Gaskets & Springs Repair Kit by Danco.  As a result they requested to return the item for a refund.  Note that if you accept the return, you should provide a return shipping label.  Wait a minute.  I can accept a return without paying for return shipping.  Ebay is automatically assuming I am wrong and the buyer is right.  So my question, how do I defend myself when ebay thinks I'm guilty and hasn't even asked me about the case.  I am perfectly willing to accept a return but I'm not going to automatically pay the return shipping without somebody proving my item wasn't as described.

[1tuna]

the buyer des not have to prove a thing when they file an item not as described

ebay is not goig to help you becaue they do not care about a seller story,its only a story and is not going to make any difference

if you send a return label it will be good for you.if you do not send a label you will be in for a bad ending

stubborn sellers end up losing all the time...........your case will be no different

its all spelled out in your last sentence

[vintagecraze50]

Send them a free shipping label or Ebay will do it for you, or worse will award this customer a free kit it you fight this return. People on here can tell you everything and anything about an item they do not want like etc.

[48hrs-clothing]

Return is requested and you have no option but to accept the return, send a pre paid return postage label and hope and pray that you get your item back.

If you don't do this by the specified date then case will be closed with a full refund to buyer and your account will be debited and buyer does not have to return the item. You will have no item and no money.

eBay is a selling platform and abides by rules and regulations some of which are imposed on them and others of their own making. eBay is not making a judgement otherwise you will be suspended due to selling counterfeit items.

eBay is simply advising you of what is in their MBG and in their declared policy. 

You are accused of selling a counterfeit item by your buyer not eBay and it is you who has to prove to your buyer that item is in fact Authentic. We have all heard the mantra innocent till proven guilty and prove that I committed a crime and burden of prove is on the accuser but this is what is required by courts.

All sellers are required to prove that items they sell are authentic and accepted evidence is your purchase Invoice from the brand owner or their official distributor and eBay have the right to ask for this evidence and failure to produce will lead to removal of listing and possible suspension.

If you have purchase invoice and your Bank statement or credit card statement showing payment then you could message your buyer and ask him to advise you details of their legal representative to enable your lawyer to send evidence proving that item you supplied is authentic.  

This does not change anything regarding return which is open and must be dealt with in accordance with eBay's rules.

I fully understand your frustration when you know that item you sold is authentic.

[longtimealaskan]

Thank you everyone.  I managed to get the case closed in my favor.  I called ebay and asked how I could submit information to support my side of the case.  I explained what I wanted to submit and he told me to read it to him slowly and he would write it and add it to the record.  So I read him what I wanted to say and he wrote it down or presumably wrote it down.  When we finished he asked me some questions and then told me  that he would close the case in my favor.  He closed the case and sent me an email to that effect.  He also told me he was going to refund the money to the buyer through ebay.

The really strange thing about the case:  I've sold several of this item.  When I was first notified of the return request the return request was associated with my most recent sale as shown on the My Ebay page.  So I contacted that buyer.  When the case was closed the return request was removed from that sale item.  This morning I noticed a return request attached to the sale of the same item but now with a different buyer and a date over 2 weeks ago.  First I thought I had another return request but then realized it was the return request that was just closed.  I called ebay to tell them it was the wrong buyer.   He said that was the buyer that started the return request.  I said it was originally ragged to a different buyer on a different date.  He said that wasn't possible.  I told him I know what I saw.  I also told him when I first called ebay about the return the person I spoke to tried with great difficulty to pronounce the guys name and  asked if that was the case.  I told her yes.  I recall the conversation because of the difficulty she had pronouncing his name.  Yet the ebay guy I was speaking with said it wasn't possible.  I told him to go pull up that telephone conversation and listen to the young woman trying to pronounce the guys name and then tell me it wasn't possible.  He ignored my comment.  Over the years I've seen  a number of errors by ebay.

[postingid7659]

A disclaimer in the listings stating that the item is not made by Delta would help in any potential future case.

But buyers lie all the time.  I have a return coming now I'm fairly sure the buyer purposely broke the item because he didn't want to pay $100 for it and hoped I'd just refund him and let him keep it.  Because there's no damage to the box and no way for the item to have broken the way he claims.  

The only good news is if you send a return label through eBay you get a greatly discounted shipping price typically.  So I am out much less than I could be on this piece.  

[sharonsvintagefinds]

I could not find contact information for eBay