Seller threatening about return request?

[melissche94]

I bought an iPad 2 from a seller on eBay, and the listing stated that the iPad was in great condition (no cracks in screen, battery in great condition, etc.) When I received the item in the mail yesterday and opened the box, the iPad had a crack in the top right-hand corner and some chipping at the sides that may have been previously present or due to poor handling. I opened up a return request, and attached photos of the damage and the shipping label on the box.

"Hello, I received the item early in the afternoon today on May 29th and did not open it until I returned home from work at 9PM tonight. I was delighted at the fast shipping and extremely careful packaging, but upon opening the box and unzipping the case for the iPad, I found that there was a crack in the upper right-hand corner of the screen along with chipping at the bottom right-hand corner. I am uncertain if this was previously present and not mentioned in the listing, or if this was due to a mishap in the process of handling. I have attached photos for reference. Thank you."

The seller responded:

"Hello This is not my I pad or the one I shipped you. Mine did not have scratches or cracks as you can see from the listing. The I T associate at my company varified this and has a tracking device installed. I will ask him to disable the I pad in the morning. You must have mixed them up? I would hate to ask police to investigate this matter. But I will this report this fraud if I have to. I will open a case with eBay and refuse your refund. You are very mistaken."

Upon seeing this message, I called eBay customer service and they told me that they're only able to monitor the case since the seller "hasn't responded" to the request yet. I'm just now seeing that the seller approved the return request, so I'm not sure what that means in terms of this whole ordeal.

[chinohighcowboys1963]

The seller must pay for return shipping of the Ipad, either in the form of a pre-paid return label, or by sending money to cover shipping to your Paypal account.

If, after four days of you opening the not as described case, the seller has not done this, you need to go back to the details of the case and choose the option to have ebay step in and take over. ebay will see to it that you get your refund.

[couldabeenworse · Accepted solution]

It sounds like the seller got help with his response from the Seller board.... 

Anyway, just follow eBay's Buyer Protection steps and remain calm.  Hopefully the seller has seen the light, since he has approved the return.

[southern*sweet*tea]

And sellers wonder why Ebay has become so heavy handed when it comes to returns.

[missjen831]

---

@couldabeenworse wrote:

It sounds like the seller got help with his response from the Seller board.... 

Anyway, just follow eBay's Buyer Protection steps and remain calm.  Hopefully the seller has seen the light, since he has approved the return.

---

I was thinking the same thing. The constant suggestions to report every buyer for everything under the sun and treat them all like scammers is getting really old. Sorry sellers I love that board but some need to chill out.

[melissche94]

Seller responded to the claim, so it looks like they accepted my return: 

We have sent you a shipping label to return the item. If the serial number matches the I Pad we shipped you there should be no problem. We only had one I Pad associated with our Apple account and it is the only I Pad we ever used. There is no way we could have shipped you a broken or chipped I Pad. If the serial numbers match I will submit a claim to the USPS as it was insured. Why would someone sign for it if the package looked damaged? It would take quite a beating to cause those chips and cracks the way we packaged it in the two inch thick foam lined box, with bubble wrap all around the item and with the I Pad inside a soft neoprene case. Why didn't you take a picture of the start page? Why is the I Pad suddenly smudged when I cleaned it with a soft alcohol cloth before packing it? Please return our case and charger as well. eBay has updated their policies to protect sellers as well as buyers and I have opened a case. Please return the item within six days.

Just as a note, I opened the package and there was little to no padding on the sides, and the case was half unzipped with the part damaged being exposed. Smudging due to me handling the iPad to take pictures. I didn't really think that was such a big deal, but it seems to be so?

Are sellers really normally like this on eBay? I'm not digging the toxicity over something that was likely because of the post office being rough with the package, and I'm not trying to scam anyone. I just wanted my iPad 2 for me and my friend to use for watching Netflix and schoolwork as well. The package came in looking just fine on the outside.  I sent the seller a message just now asking for the serial number ahead of time, so they can't claim that the serial number "doesn't match" when they receive it and refuse a refund. Is there any way for me to report the seller for being so hostile and rude, and is it called for in this case?

[airsheep]

The only real way to report the seller is in Feedback, and save that until the item is back with the seller and you have your refund. Then do not refer to cases or asking ebay or Paypal to step in; those can cause your feedback to be deleted.

[castlemagicmemories]

---

@missjen831 wrote:

---

@couldabeenworse wrote:

It sounds like the seller got help with his response from the Seller board.... 

Anyway, just follow eBay's Buyer Protection steps and remain calm.  Hopefully the seller has seen the light, since he has approved the return.

---

I was thinking the same thing. The constant suggestions to report every buyer for everything under the sun and treat them all like scammers is getting really old. Sorry sellers I love that board but some need to chill out.

---

***********************************************************************************************

Yes, the old every buyer is a scammer and there is no such thing as a legitimate SNAD.

[castlemagicmemories]

---

@melissche94 wrote:

Seller responded to the claim, so it looks like they accepted my return: 

We have sent you a shipping label to return the item. If the serial number matches the I Pad we shipped you there should be no problem. We only had one I Pad associated with our Apple account and it is the only I Pad we ever used. There is no way we could have shipped you a broken or chipped I Pad. If the serial numbers match I will submit a claim to the USPS as it was insured. Why would someone sign for it if the package looked damaged? It would take quite a beating to cause those chips and cracks the way we packaged it in the two inch thick foam lined box, with bubble wrap all around the item and with the I Pad inside a soft neoprene case. Why didn't you take a picture of the start page? Why is the I Pad suddenly smudged when I cleaned it with a soft alcohol cloth before packing it? Please return our case and charger as well. eBay has updated their policies to protect sellers as well as buyers and I have opened a case. Please return the item within six days.

Just as a note, I opened the package and there was little to no padding on the sides, and the case was half unzipped with the part damaged being exposed. Smudging due to me handling the iPad to take pictures. I didn't really think that was such a big deal, but it seems to be so?

Are sellers really normally like this on eBay? I'm not digging the toxicity over something that was likely because of the post office being rough with the package, and I'm not trying to scam anyone. I just wanted my iPad 2 for me and my friend to use for watching Netflix and schoolwork as well. The package came in looking just fine on the outside.  I sent the seller a message just now asking for the serial number ahead of time, so they can't claim that the serial number "doesn't match" when they receive it and refuse a refund. Is there any way for me to report the seller for being so hostile and rude, and is it called for in this case?

---

Sorry, OP, but this is how things can go.

[melissche94]

Seems so. Thank you for the input, everyone. I sent the return package out and hopefully I'll get my money back.