September 2 a buyer purchases a large lamp from me for 100.00 plus 43.00 in shipping. The buyer receives the lamp on the 7th. On the 21st I receive a return request that the item arrived damaged. They send photos and there is no way that the damage in the images could have happened during shipping. The buyer is aparently very aware of eBay policies because the message they sent along with it did nothing but bash my shipping abilities and say I used inferior packing materials and boxes. Leaving out key details about how I shipped.
This seemed very odd to me because A. I take great pride in my shipping and for this particular item I used over 200 sheets of packing tissue, 40+ feet of bubble wrap (it was a big Easter Island Head lamp made of heavy plastic over 1 inch thick) The bubble wrap was 2 inches thick all the way around and with the tissue was unable to move in the box. The images provided by the buyer show the entire lamp base was completly broken in two. Not possible by how it was packed. And B. Why wait two weeks to contact me about a damaged item. When I asked for more photos of the box the Buyer got very angry again bashing my shipping and took staged photos of the lamp in a box with maybe 10 pieces of paper around it and demanding an immediate refund or else.
I offer 60 day returns and will gladly pay return shipping. When the buyer was so quick to get angry and beligerant in his email demanding an immediate refund I felt like I was being scammed. I was willing to give the refund and move on but thought I would contact eBay first to see what they said.
I spoke with a CS rep and told him what happened. He told me that it was not my fault and that eBay would pay the buyer and I should wait until the case runs out and let eBay may the decision on the 25th and then contact eBay on the 26th. I thought this was odd and asked for clarification twice just to make sure. He assured me this is what would happen and that since the buyer was so harsh to send him an email to let him know that all further questions should be directed at eBay. He said he would make notes so that when I called in the next CS would know what we talked about and that it would be fine.
Called on the 26th and spoke to another CS he escelated the case to eBay and again assured me that I would not be paying for this and that eBay would take care of it. He then asked if I received the item back. I told him that no I did not because the lamp was broken and I didn't want to pay another 43.00 to have a broken lamp shipped. No problem it will take 5 days (again weird) and that all would be fine. I hang up and 5 minutes later he calls back. Now he says the case will not be in my favor and that I should appeal and all would be well. Two hours later I get a notification that an e Check has been issued in the amount of 143.00. I'm confused so I call and the 3rd CS rep says she will look into in and get back to me. I get an email and hour later saying they found in the buyers favor and the appeal was denied?!?!?!?!? What?!?!?!?! I call today and the CS I speak after being on the phone for an hour tells me sorry nothing I can do. I tell her how does that work your CS gave me advise told me what to do and what would happen next and then everything he says is apparently a bold face lie and there is nothing they can do about it. I had no issue refunding to begin with but when I call for advise and follow it to the letter from eBay who I thought would know then I am told everything was wrong I take issue with that. She says she will look into it and that extra training would be given to the CS. She also mentions all he put into notes was Not Sellers Fault broke in transit. No mention of the refund or anything else he said. I asked if the recording of the call can be reviewed. She says it will and that they will speak to the CS and that I will not find out what happens. I ask to speak to a supervisor and she won't let me.
I work full time in sales. If I give my customer a price too low we honor it. If I tell my customers the process to fix something and it is wrong we do everything we can to make it right and compensate the customer if we can't. eBay basically told me I was S.O.L. Is that the case? As I said I had every intention of just refunding until I followed the CS' advise. Now I gave bad service to my buyer, I leave myself open to negative feedback and at the end of the day I am still out 143.00 for a broken lamp I'm 90% sure the buyer broke. I know this is long and I could have gone into even more detail but I am just looking for advise and if anyone knows a way to contact a supervisor at eBay since apparently asking to speak to one doesn't work.
