Return “item not as described”

[jmo1234567]

I sold 5 bottles of toothpaste priority and posted a lot of pictures and everything. I paid for priority shipping for the lot. The buyer received it yesterday and 5 min after it was delivered he opened an “item not as pictured/described”. In the comments all he wrote was item not as described. I sent him a message and he didn’t respond. I’ve already lost 8$ to priority shipping and he paid me 18$ for the lot. I’d be losing so much money if I have to pay for the return shipping and refund him. He has 0% as his rating as I just figured he was new to eBay. I’ve never done a refund before. I’m pretty sure he’s trying to abuse the system. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks. 

[myangelandmyprincess]

You will only be out the return costs if the buyer uses the label 

[simba6]

Sorry to say, yes.   Have them send it back. Many buyers never get around to returning items.

[mtgraves7984]

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@jmo1234567 wrote:

So there’s really no way to win at all? I’m basically forced to either just refund his money back with no explanation from the buyer? Otherwise eBay will get involved and do it for me and I get dinged?

The buyer has to escalate the request to eBay manually, correct? If he doesn’t, then that’s one way I could be saved?

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There's really no way to win at all. You either send a return label (at your expense) and refund the buyer when the package comes back to you, or issue a full refund without requiring a return.

If you don't do one of those two things you will get dinged... plus eBay will force the refund from you.

The buyer does not have to manually escalate the case. It's on a timer. Sorry this is happening to you.

[madech2]

Don't listen to these people sayihg give in. If the item was as described and you tried to work it out with the buyer, as soon as the 3 days is up, YOU ask ebay to step in.  Select that you disagree with the buyer's reason. Say you'll accept a return if the buyer pays for shipping. Should go in your favor. 

[myangelandmyprincess]

That's really bad advice.  Even when a buyer puts the reason of not as described as something that is clearly as described a seller doesn't have much chance of winning.  The buyer filed an item not as described even with not responding eBay is going to consider the buyer is being honest that it's not as described and decide in the buyers favor giving the seller an unresolved strike plus the risk of refunding the buyer without requiring a return.   Now the seller can choose to take that risk   the other option is to accept the return provide the label and perhaps the non responsive buyer still doesn't respond or return.  Which is the route I would take.  

[shhboom]

You will lose no matter what, so the goal might be to lose the least. If you accept the return, you'll have your item back but will  be -$16 in the hole for shipping both ways (which you can't possibly make up for if you resell the  item). Maybe offer him a $10 partial refund, explaining to him how sorry you are that he doesn't like the item, but by accepting your offer, he would essentially be getting the item for free, paying only for the postage. You will lose your item but with no loss in money (and I see you have more of the item to sell, so consider this solution in view of how much you paid for the items).

[ma-647837]

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@madech2 wrote:

Don't listen to these people sayihg give in.

as soon as the 3 days is up, YOU ask ebay to step in. 

Should go in your favor. 

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When @madech2 the seller

1. sees the buyer claims not as described, but

2. won't accept the return request, and

3. does not provide a return shipping label

and instead the seller asks eBay to step in, eBay follows these rules:

In some instances, we may not require that an item be returned to the seller. In these situations, we refund the buyer and may seek reimbursement from the seller, for example if:

1. The return request was opened because the item was not as described
2. The seller chooses not to accept a return request

3. The seller did not provide a return shipping label or funds for the buyer to return the item

So how do you think that'll turn out, matching Every. Single. Reason. in the list?

[jmo1234567]

Thanks for your help. I transferred my funds from PayPal already into my bank account and just checked and PayPal now has that transaction as pending and subtracted the amount from money that I had sitting in PayPal. 

if I were to just refund the buyer from the return request page will it have done so from my PayPal? It seems like PayPal already took the money from me anyway. And if I refund him will the return request close on its own or does he have to close it manually? I have no contact with him since he won’t respond to my initial message 

[soh.maryl]

When any buyer opens an item not as described case, there is no eBay requirement that he prove his claim.

The seller's options are fairly narrow: he can accept the claim, send the buyer a prepaid return shipping label and refund in full when he receives the item back OR he can just refund totally and tell the buyer he can keep the item.

Specifically, your "I don't think you should have a problem" is incorrect.

[soh.maryl]

Why would the buyer have to pay return shipping on an item that's not as described?

[soh.maryl]

Where do you get your information?

If just disagreeing with a buyer's claim could let the seller off the hook, don't you think there would be more sellers doing it?

[jmo1234567]

I transferred my funds from PayPal already into my bank account and just checked and PayPal now has that transaction as pending and subtracted the amount from money that I had sitting in PayPal. 

if I were to just refund the buyer from the return request page will it have done so from my PayPal? It seems like PayPal already took the money from me anyway. And if I refund him will the return request close on its own or does he have to close it manually? I have no contact with him since he won’t respond to my initial message 

[lilbama911]

RE:  You are not TRS, you do not offer 'returns' so you have no choice but to 'refund 100%', with or without the return, that is your only 'options'.

Your comments are very confusing.   What are you saying?

Are you really saying eBay provides sellers with TRS Status fantasy protection against SNAD's buyers,  while non TRS sellers only option is to get scammed?

Seriously?  

[bonjourami]

"As soon as the 3 days is up, YOU ask ebay to step in. "

More bad advice, any time a seller asks Ebay to step in, Ebay will rule in the buyers favor, and the buyer wont be required to return the item. Ebay considers asking them to step in as the seller offering no resolution to the buyer.

[corvettestainless]

@lilbama911 

Yes; TRS sellers can deduct up to 50% from a return if the item is not in the same condition as originally sent. TRS sellers have proven themselves to be honest and therefore do not need to show reason or cause to use this 50%. Note that it does state it cannot be used for 'shipping cost recoup's' or 'stocking fees' and the seller should 'report' the buyer for returning an item that is now not worth what it once was (a box of rocks, their 'old' part, they 'broke it' etc.). If this were abused, I'm sure that particular seller won't be able to do it anymore. Also note I've used it twice, and both times the buyer 'opened another case' and it was immediately closed, only after ebay gave that buyer the other 50% back out of their pocket, not mine

So, to answer your question, yes, TRS does have some 'protections' over 'non TRS sellers'. It's all in the brochure (new seller protections issues last fall)