ebay sucks / no seller support or protection

[megadeals2022]

A buyer had "buyer's remorse" and wanted to return a large expensive item.  I told the buyer they could return it if (1) they returned the item at their expense and did not get refunded the original $39.95 shippinmg charge, and (2) they returned the item in new condition so that I could reselll the item as new.  The item was returned damaged and I expect to get approx. $150 less for the item now.  Well, eBay incorrectly and automatically refunded the buyer their purchase PLUS the $39.95 shipping charge.  eBay made me pay $87.90 in "postage due" to get my item from the post office since they did not provide the buyer with a correct return shipping label (even though I had purchased athe original FedEx shipping label through eBay with correct weight and dimensions for $60).  On top of that, eBay refuses to allow me the proper process of disputing the return item condition so that the buyer can get a partial refund.  I've sold $20,000 on eBay the past 3 months and this is how they now treat a seller with 100% feedback.  Shame on them!  They do not protect their sellers and only care about driving as many sales as possible to line their own pockets.  All these new commercials about being the ideal place for stay at home moms to start their own eBay business is a pile of dung...just lipstick on a pig.  BEWARE of eBay if you are a seller.

[bonjourami]

Sounds like the buyer opened a snad case? Not buyers remorse? If so, Ebay would refund her,plus her shipping cost.Did she claim it was damaged when she received it? Feedback doesnt matter for a seller, nor the length of the sellers history here.

[mtgraves7984]

Sorry this happened to you. It reads as a comedy of errors.

I checked a few of your sold (and active) listings. Without knowing which listing it was, I can't address which Return Policy you listed. Some of yours offer 30-Day and some offer 14-Day. 

If you are a TRS and offer 30-Day Returns, you have the protection  to reduce the amount of the buyer's refund by up to 50%, since it was returned to you in a degraded/de-valued manner, than in the state that you shipped it. This wouldn't happen on dispute... it would have happened as you refunded (reduced) after return.

When you say that "eBay incorrectly and automatically refunded the buyer their purchase PLUS the $39.95 shipping charge", it makes me think that you didn't close the return before it was escalated. Was that the case?

It sounds like the Return wasn't handled properly. I know that you couldn't be made whole, but a 50% hit is easier to take than a total loss. If you are a TRS with 30-Day Returns, please take advantage of that one seller protection in the future. After all, we have so few. Good luck!

[kiyoroppi]

I feel your pain. Same experience. Ebay doesn't care about sellers. Their system is severely flawed and there is no support protection for sellers. Everything is automated and buyer is always right. Sellers always get screwed in the end. Scammer just end up increasing

[megadeals2022]

No, it wasn't snad (not as described), it was sellers remorse...and eBay STILL gave them their original shipping back.  And I've had eBay agents not know their own policy and tell me buyers ALWAYS get their shipping back when we know that is wrong...and they want to argue with me on that when I tell them they are wrong.  And no, the buyer never claimed the item was damaged, so eBay can't say "we have no way of knowing what the original condition was".  eBay won't even allow me to appeal their bad/wrong decision that doesn't follow their own process.

[megadeals2022]

"If you are a TRS and offer 30-Day Returns, you have the protection  to reduce the amount of the buyer's refund by up to 50%"....eBay wants sellers to offer FREE 30 day returns...this is total **bleep**.  The item in question cost $790 and shipping cost me $60 FedEx ground and since eBay only uses USPS for returns, the return shipping would be $90....so eBay wants me to eat $150 in shipping cost for an item like this if the buyer "changes their mind".  Who in the world would want to offer that?  It makes absolutely no sense for me to offer that!

"When you say that "eBay incorrectly and automatically refunded the buyer their purchase PLUS the $39.95 shipping charge", it makes me think that you didn't close the return before it was escalated. Was that the case?"...no, that is not the case.  eBay instantly refunded the buyer BEFORE I had posession of the item, and NEVER gave me an opportunity to appeal for a partial refund due to the item being damaged. 

If you work for eBay and can help me in this matter, please contact me directly.  I have ideas to make this right for both of us.

[megadeals2022]

AMEN!  You are so right.  I've sold $20,000 the past 90 days, made eBay $600, and this is how they provide seller support to 100% feedback sellers.  I will definitely be ramping down my eBay business in the next month or two and going elsewhere as soon as I have the time to do so.

[bonjourami]

Unfortunately, seller feedback doesnt matter anymore,and neither does a sellers history..

[mtgraves7984]

@megadeals2022 

"....eBay wants sellers to offer FREE 30 day returns..."

            ^^^ I'd never offer that, either. ^^^

Are you TRS and did this item have your 30-Day (buyer pays) Returns policy? I'm still scratching my head...

[elm498]

Where else can we go to sell our items? I just got screwed with a buyers remorse case too. I wish I knew about the discounted return amount before the case was closed. I agree, eBay SUCKS anymore!

[ne1uo]

Buyer/Seller since the 1990's & NOW ?!?!?!?   you  can't even talk to them on the phone?  We can't even find a way to CANCEL our accounts due to their horrible help system!   . . . . . at least we won't have to continue wasting TONS of time - trying to figure WHY they are trying to milk us for $16 to $30 a month when we stopped buying & selling over 3 months ago ... while we try to figure out why they keep billing our account.  The mental person who started this horrible policy?  when they pass ... consider us members as laughing w/ glee.

[kh-vince]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread HERE if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.