eBay Service Does It Again! Improper Return Request Reason

[stuff4divas]

I am the seller. Just got off the phone with eBay CS, who was very nice, but seemed a little inexperienced, so I kept repeating everything and have him repeat back to me to make sure all went smooth. 

I, the seller, called to escalate a return request because the buyer inappropriately opened as INAD, which he agreed was a 'remorse' case. Here are the details:

Mar. 31 : The case was resolved

Mar. 31 : Case opened

Mar. 31 : You sent a message

Comments: Transaction ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mar. 31 : You sent a message

Comments: Received bag yesterday, will refund your $000 less restocking fee = $000 for a balance refund due $000

Mar. 30 : You sent a message

Comments: Hello, may I have the tracking number plz, thank u

Mar. 28 : You sent a message

Comments: Hello, do you have the tracking number? Thanx!

Mar. 26 : You sent a message

Comments: (address given here)

Mar. 26 :The buyer sent you a message

Comments: whats the address where i return this to??

Mar. 24 : You sent a message

Comments: Did you send the bag back yet? If so, what is the tracking number? thnx

Mar. 22 : You sent a message

Comments: I understand, but photos alone cannot tell you the size, which is why I listed it as a MEDIUM size and also included the measurements 19" x 16". I charge the 20% restocking fee, which is on the listing as well, partially because I had to pay for the free shipping to you and because i may be out the availability to sell to someone else and because I may have to pay again to re-list and because of my time involved in this process and … I refuse to be held responsible for buyers who do not read the information given on listings. What are the measurements of the bag you thought this was? Thank you.

Mar. 22 : The buyer sent you a message

Comments: I was looking for the small one and saw that the picture fits the exact one I was looking for so I chose to order from you. Why a 20% restocking fee?

Mar. 20 : You sent a message

Comments: I'm sorry, but in the item specifics section, it says the size is 'medium' and it gives the measurements: 19" x 16". So your return request reason is improper. If you want to return, that is fine, as long as it is returned in the same condition as sent- tags attached, wrappings, etc. You'll have to pay for return shipping and I charge a 20% restocking fee. Thank you.

Mar. 20 : The buyer requested a return

Comments: I Wanted the small and received big one

I received the bag back yesterday, in its original condition, buyer paid for return shipping label, so I gave an instant refund, minus the restocking fee, over the phone with the CS on the line to verify all would go smoothly. B4 hanging up, I reiterated all the info. I even said to him, remember, I am the Seller, NOT the Buyer. He said he understood. This is the message I got on the closed case:

"Here's the case outcome: You don't need to do anything else.

You issued a refund after the buyer contacted us to review the case. In the future, please resolve issues with your buyers prior to the case being escalated. You don't need to do anything else."

REALLY? I, the SELLER, escalated the case, NOT the buyer. Now I have to be paranoid this will count as a defect for an unresolved resolution, transaction defect or who knows what else?!

[myboardid]

It truly never goes well when the seller escalates the case.  Most of the time the seller does get a defect when that happens.  You were going along just fine with the buyer, why did you call eBay into it?  I can't say for sure if you'll get a defect but it is possible you will.  You can check on your dashboard to find out. 

[couldabeenworse]

I, the SELLER, escalated the case,

I am missing why that wouldn't count as a defect, since you asked eBay to step in?

[stuff4divas]

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@couldabeenworsewrote:

I, the SELLER, escalated the case,

I am missing why that wouldn't count as a defect, since you asked eBay to step in?

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eBay closed the case saying the BUYER escalated the case, which usually results in a defect, but the buyer did not escalate, I, the seller did.

[tofu107]

if the buyer just said he wants to return the item,there is no need to get Ebay involved unless you refuse his return?

it sounds like your buyer pays for return shipping and you receive it in good order and refund according to your policy,so why get Ebay involved?

[tofu107]

I see,the buyer open a case of INAD.
he did not use the return label but got his own,if he did not upload tracking ,there should be no record he has returned anything,so why do you call Ebay?

[stuff4divas]

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@tofu107wrote:

if the buyer just said he wants to return the item,there is no need to get Ebay involved unless you refuse his return?

it sounds like your buyer pays for return shipping and you receive it in good order and refund according to your policy,so why get Ebay involved?

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you need to read all the messages, buyer opened a fake INAD return so they wouldn't have to pay return shipping or restocking fee, so I had to call ebay so they could look at my listing to determine that it was a remorse return, entitling me to the restocking fee, so buyer received a partial refund instead.

[stuff4divas]

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@tofu107wrote:
I see,the buyer open a case of INAD.
he did not use the return label but got his own,if he did not upload tracking ,there should be no record he has returned anything,so why do you call Ebay?

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They only used their own return shipping label after I told them they would have to, you need to read all the messages to know the full story

[ryanrobyn]

I have been told numerous times that the seller automatically receives a defect if they escalate a claim even if it is ruled in their favor and this has happened me.
Why? Because Ebay believes the seller should work it out themselves and give the money back considering it a business expense. The system is terrible and Ebay loves to give defects because over time it results in them paying higher fees.

[creoleorchid]

The problem is, you are telling the buyer all this in comments and messages. You needed to have called eBay and pled your case (no guaranteee you would have prevailed) before the buyer returned it, not after. As far as eBay was concerned, you ignored the case by not issuing a return label.  So when you called,  the CS rep sees it returned, bodda bing full refund. And probably an unresolved case to boot.

I know this is after the fact and not to pour fuel on the fire, but you may have poked the bear by continually asking them for the tracking number. They may have just decided to keep it.

[stuff4divas]

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@creoleorchidwrote:

The problem is, you are telling the buyer all this in comments and messages. You needed to have called eBay and pled your case (no guaranteee you would have prevailed) before the buyer returned it, not after. As far as eBay was concerned, you ignored the case by not issuing a return label.  So when you called,  the CS rep sees it returned, bodda bing full refund. And probably an unresolved case to boot.

I know this is after the fact and not to pour fuel on the fire, but you may have poked the bear by continually asking them for the tracking number. They may have just decided to keep it.

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This is what I know 'for a fact' as it has happened to me over the years I've been selling/buying:

As far as the messages sent, eBay considers this as 'NOT ignored' and encourages buyers and sellers to resolve b4 getting eBay involved. Once eBay gets involved, they consider all emails and messages on the return/case relevant to their decision.

You should read the original post, this way u would know the case was resolved by being 'closed' and they returned it, paying for their own label, etc which is y i called ebay to do the partial refund.

Thank u for ur input, no defects on my dashboard 😄

[stuff4divas]

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@ryanrobynwrote:
I have been told numerous times that the seller automatically receives a defect if they escalate a claim even if it is ruled in their favor and this has happened me.
Why? Because Ebay believes the seller should work it out themselves and give the money back considering it a business expense. The system is terrible and Ebay loves to give defects because over time it results in them paying higher fees.

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No defect as of a few mins ago on my dashboard 😄

[stuff4divas]

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@myboardidwrote:

It truly never goes well when the seller escalates the case.  Most of the time the seller does get a defect when that happens.  You were going along just fine with the buyer, why did you call eBay into it?  I can't say for sure if you'll get a defect but it is possible you will.  You can check on your dashboard to find out. 

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As of a few mins ago, no defect on my dashboard 😄

[city*satins · Accepted solution]

You won't get a defect.  When the case is escalated but resolved in the seller's favor, the seller does not get a defect.

[glgenterprise]

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@ryanrobynwrote:
I have been told numerous times that the seller automatically receives a defect if they escalate a claim even if it is ruled in their favor and this has happened me.
Why? Because Ebay believes the seller should work it out themselves and give the money back considering it a business expense. The system is terrible and Ebay loves to give defects because over time it results in them paying higher fees.

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I don't know who keeps saying this - I have escalated a handful of claims as the seller over the years and have never received a unresolved by seller defect.  I am in the middle of one right now that I am still holding my breath that it will not close as unresolved - regardless of how many times I have gone back and forth with the buyer and with eBay CS.

Normally I'm fine with eating a small amount of remorse masquerading as SNAD claims, but not when it's an international sale. And not when he's sent email after email stating that there is nothing wrong - it just won't serve his purpose. This one alone, along with inevitable march toward forced free returns has killed my will to sell international anymore.  Once we hit the June date for the returns if we want to keep TRS, I'll be removing international shipping from all my listings.