The most foolish answer I have ever received from eBay

[chasearooauctions]

"We gave the buyers an option to return the item as we don’t want the buyer to contact his bank for a chargeback which we know will not require the buyer to return the item for a refund. If there’s nothing wrong with the item, you can still put it back for sale."

This was the reply I receive when challenging an appeal for an item that was returned (I had to pay for the return) as defective when the list and category clearly titled it and described it as defective. I'm attempting to get the return postage cost refunded to me as everything was described correctly, but eBay "bots" see "defective" as the reason for return but don't see that "defective, for parts/not working", was the category and in the description. That reply just goes to show the challenges within eBay for sellers. 

[hurryagain]

Oh boy...

Welcome to the world of NAD cases.  When a buyer opens an NAD case, they are almost always going to win.  Even if you listed an item that was perfect and the color of the item was gray---the buyer can open a not as described case and say reason for return: the item is GRAY and they STILL get to return the item.

I would think that you already know this but just in case...If you try to fight the return and the buyer escalates the claim, eBay will then refund the buyer (charge you for it) AND THEN not require the buyer to return your item which means the buyer gets BOTH - your $ and your item - woo-whoo!  Do NOT let this happen.

When you get the item back...Then challenge the ruling and REPORT HIM for falsifying the return.  I hope that you might get some resolution like maybe he will get debited for the shipping cost of the return.  Even when you do not see a direct result of your report, eBay will have that "buyer" on their radar and if he continues in his buying behavior, eBay will eventually sanction his acct but that will not happen unless sellers report the offending buyer.

REPORT HIM (after you get your item back.)

@chasearooauctions 

[southern*sweet*tea]

You offer FREE RETURNS. This means that you accept and pay for returns for ANY reason, or NO reason at all.

That is what free returns means.  ANY return, no matter how wrong or frivolous.  If you are no willing to do this, you need to go to buyer paid returns (and you are still going to pay for a SNAD return, be it legitimate or not).

Now, if you feel the buyer is misusing the money back guarantee, you report them first, then you can withhold up to 50% of the refund if the item is damaged. You can also withhold the original shipping, but ONLY if you have buyer paid shipping. You cannot withhold original shipping costs for a "free" shipping item, because the line item shipping cost to the buyer was zero.

[tdumonde2014]

Are you fraudulently using TRS+ to deceive your buyers? Why would you advertise "Free Returns" and then have an issue with it?

[hurryagain]

OOO...Ouch!

I did not go to your site and look at your listings.  You offer free returns?  Why are you complaining?  I could see if you did not offer that service but you do...sooo...???

I do not offer that service in my listings.

[releasethekraken_1]

You didn't understand what that "free returns" thing meant, did you? Did you think it only applied if the item wasn't as described? ALL eBay sellers offer that; it's a requirement for putting up a listing. You offered something extra.

[chasearooauctions]

Who said anything about "FREE RETURNS"?  I offer 30-day returns for all my items. On items that I list as defective/not working I offer 30-day returns BUYER PAYS. 

[chasearooauctions]

Who said anything about "FREE RETURNS"?  I offer 30-day returns for all my items. On items that I list as defective/not working, I offer 30-day returns BUYER PAYS.