I have been a seller on Ebay since July 2002. I have 342 postive feedback comments and, up until only this week, it was 100% positive. I now have been left 1 negative feedback by someone trying to defraud me using the Ebay Money Back Guarantee program designed by Ebay to give the buyers more comfort and assurance they will be looked after in case they feel they are taken advantage of by a dishonest seller. Unfortunately, this program permits and encourages ALL sellers to be victims, or soon to be victims, of being defrauded by dishonest buyers. There is absolutely no protection for the buyer at all, and this buyer incentive policy provides Ebay ZERO accountability and $0.00 out of pocket expenses to honour it.
My personal ongoing example:
I have sold a Brand New-Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro-13.3"-Computer-Projector-New-Sealed in plastics and sealed In Box during the month of March. The customer received it and has stated that it looks like it was dropped as the corner of the box is pressed in a bit, and was received with no plastic on the box. Hmm...how can this be? This was NOT what I shipped nor what my friend witnessed when visiting me.I even have a purchase receipt from Lenovo.
The buyer also stated that they could have bought a REFURBISHED unit much cheaper, etc.. Wanted a considerable discount or threatened to blackmail me with negative feedback, as well as force Ebay to remove me as a seller, credit him back, as well as Paypal, etc. This buyer has buyers remorse or is just a dishonest, opportunistic scumbag. Not sure which yet.
A claim was filed for receiving an item not as described. He has provided pictures of a tablet in box that DOES NOT have plastic on it, and a box with edge wear. NOT WHAT I SHIPPED TO HIM. Most likely a picture of the refurbished unit he bought. We have been back and forth with each other for over a month and still at this moment, unresolved.
Ebay's responses:
Depending who you speak to, you will receive a different response or slightly different response, and trust me, I have had to call Ebay MANY TIMES for this same issue, and waste countless hours of my time with still no clear answer to reassure me, or resolve this issue.
Ebay: You don't want to get negative feedback on your account, so we work with sellers to ask them to allow the item to be returned to you, and if it is not what you sent him, then you can dispute it.
Ebay: Even though you have a no returns policy in your ad, you will still have to accept this item back.
Ebay: If you don't accept this item back, Ebay can force you and refund the buyers purchase. You will be responsible for the shipping fees duties, etc of the item being shipped to you from the seller. Also, STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR EBAY FEES!
Ebay: There is nothing you can do about the negative feedback. Why don't you leave the buyer a POSITIVE feedback but just leave a negative comment?
Ebay: Don't worry about the negative feedback with this buyer, we will just remove it if they leave you one since you have had a stellar record on Ebay.
Ebay: You will have to wait until the dispute has been resolved before we can review the negative feedback and decide if it is worthy to remove
Ebay: If you wait long enough, this claim will just drop off the system and you will have nothing to worry about.
Ebay: I understand why you are frustrated....blah blah..
Ebay: We protect our sellers in cases like this...(really? I'm not convinced)
The classic Ebay statement that makes me feel that I the seller is screwed either way:
Ebay: If you want this case resolved you can either wait 30 days for this case to drop off. If the buyer hasn't escalated it, the case will be considered resolved by Ebay.
If the buyer escalates, then Ebay will step in and have you accept the item back to inspect, and you the seller pay for the shipping fees, customs, still have to pay Ebay final value fee, final value shipping fee, and ultimately refund the item cost as well as the shipping fees you paid in the first place
If you ask us to step in we will have the buyer send the item back to you for you to verify that this item is not what you sent him and he will have to pay for shipping there.
Conclusion:
I have provided pictures and my description of the item clearly showing it DOES NOT match the item he has shown and described. If I can't prove a case with pictures and the fact the item I sent is sealed brand new in plastic compared to an unsealed item with no plastic wrap at all and a box with edge wear, how am I going to be able to convince Ebay this item I receive is not the one I shipped? This all seems to have a very bad smell to it.
If this investigation does not go in my favor, and my confidence right now in a fair process is lost, then the below is what as a seller I will be defrauded.
Brand New-Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro-13.3"-Computer-Projector-New-Sealed
Sold: Lenovo $400.00 + $30.00 Shipping
Total received before Ebay fees= $430.00
Cost of Fraud:
Lenovo -$400.00 Shipping $55.00-Customs $52.00-Original shipping $30.00 + Receive an item I can't sell.
Total Fraud Refund= $537.00
*unclear if Ebay seller fees will be refunded or not. If not, add the loss of an additional $44.00
If the seller protection, or lack of, allows this to happen to me, as well as other sellers, then my selling choices and preferences will change immediately.
I will update once complete.
