I'll preface this with that I'm in Managed Payments...so eBay directly controls the revenue I make from sales. I posted about the return misrepresented as an INAD before, so I'll give a summary. Item was sold (legitimately) as a "For Parts or Not Working" "No Returns". I wasn't selling the item as Used under the guise of FPNW to prevent returns. Took great pictures, detailed all of the flaws in the listing (to the point of trying NOT to sell it), and how the item would be disassembled for shipping...multiple times. Buyer gets it and files an immediate INAD. First claimed parts were missing, then admitted in messages that he received both packages but was upset that it had been disassembled and the fact it (in his opinion) was a "piece of junk" (duh? Parts or not Working???). We refuted his claim point by point. We eventually asked eBay to intervene. They agreed that we were in the right (as far as pictures, item description vs INAD claim), but let the buyer return the item anyways. Of course, the buyer simply threw a 30+ lbs item in a thin shipping box and mailed it back. When it arrived, it was damaged to the point where I can't resell it. I immediately had the Managed Payments Customer Service team call me. (Even with the current COVID situation, if you are enrolled in Managed Payments and use the Help Page for MP help, they will call you back). The CS representative tells me that it's not an MP issue specifically and that I need to email under Returns Help. So, I email. Get a "canned" response telling me to "Work things out with the buyer", "Offer partial refund". I email back explaining eBay approved the return and the item has been damaged beyond resell. Again, "Offer partial refund". By the time I was sending a third email telling them the item had lost all value because of poor packaging, I get the message telling me they are releasing MY funds that they withheld (from later sales) to the buyer. I haven't had a return in nearly 5 years. But back then, this case would have died on the vine. They would have looked at the messages and instead of telling me that I "was in the right, but had to accept the return", they would have told the buyer that the description and photos were exactly inline with what he was complaining about, and refused the return. To add insult to injury, eBay under-insured the item for return. USPS agreed to pay the $100 maximum insurance for Priority Mail, and eBay is giving every excuse (we can't see the damaged item, we weren't there when the buyer packaged it, YOU should have sent a return label yourself) and refuses to reimburse the balance of $299.99 (item originally sold for $399.99). I apologize for going on and on...but eBay refusing to protect sellers is entering a new phase of absurdity. Now I have a boat anchor that I can't possibly resale.
