Returns

[paray-3179]

Hi can someone help me out please I sold an item as new with tags, the item has come back worn marks scuffs and without tags and they are requesting a refund what can I do and where do I go to solve this please as I can no longer sell this item as new ?

[tressygirl]

You need to act fast before the buyer escalates the case,  I'm  presuming one is opened.

Contact eBay Customer Services,  explain the item sent back is in a different condition than that sent out, so not  re saleable.  You can explain the condition received.

  The buyer is then abusing eBay's 30 day MBG policy to receive a full refund.  The item is not deserving now of a full refund.

To Contact Customer Services, I find the quickest way to contact them, either for a Live Chat, or you can select to speak and request a Call Back, to click on this link:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/eua?id=5275&mkevt=1&mkpid

On weekdays lines open between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.

On weekends they open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

[myriad*seller]

Unfortunately, now the buyer has sent it back you have to refund in full

You can then appeal the return with eBay who may refund you, but you cannot do this until you have refunded the buyer first 

[4_bathrooms]

At the bottom of the case there should be a link that says "Report a problem". You need to click on that and select "Item returned in a different condition" then follow the instructions.

Note - this is not the link that says "Ask us to step in" - do not click on that one!

[4_bathrooms]

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@myriad*seller wrote:

Unfortunately, now the buyer has sent it back you have to refund in full

 As I understand it once a seller has volunteered a refund without first reporting the buyer that's it - eBay will wash their hands of all responsibility towards the seller.

[jckl1957]

You are correct @4_bathrooms 

It certainly implies that in the terms and conditions, stating that you can only appeal if Ebay have stepped in:

'If you don't agree with our resolution when we've stepped in to help resolve an issue, you can appeal by providing new information within 30 calendar days of the case being closed.' and 'You can appeal cases that were "closed without seller resolution" from the transaction defect report in your Seller Dashboard.'

In the interests of giving correct advice, I queried this with the Community Support Team and was told that, if you refund voluntarily, you cannot then appeal the decision to refund.  Meaning sellers are caught between a rock and a hard place and need to contact Ebay CS as soon as they get the item back, before the buyer can ask Ebay to step in.

[tressygirl]

@myriad*seller 

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@myriad*seller wrote:

Unfortunately, now the buyer has sent it back you have to refund in full

You can then appeal the return with eBay who may refund you, but you cannot do this until you have refunded the buyer first 

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Oooh I don't think that's right .

I always thought this, and  I always informed buyers to complete a case for INAD that is refund first,  and then I sent the link to appeal.

However,  in recent Weekly Chats with our eBay Managers,  they confirm ,  that if you refund then you are agreeing to the return. 

So,  Once an item is received and is in a different condition to that sent out ,   before you refund , you should contact eBay Customer services.

Inform them of the different condition of item received,  to confirm buyer has abused eBay's 30 day MBG,  returning an item not in the same condition as sent out,  and then , as we know , it's in their hands  how to complete the case.  Either to refund,  fully,  partly,  or not at all.

Refunding first, seems to negate,  any option to then disagree with any refund given.

[ian_w42]

Do not issue the refund, contact customer service and explain the situation. There is an alternative resolution available where you can refund less than the value that was paid due to the condition it has been returned in.

[4_bathrooms]

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@tressygirl wrote:

So,  Once an item is received and is in a different condition to that sent out ,   before you refund , you should contact eBay Customer services.

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There should be a link at the bottom of the case that states "Report a problem"; once clicked one of the options for filing the report should be "Item returned in a different condition" (or something similar). As I understand the process this closes the current return case and opens a new case.

Personally, I wouldn't bother contacting eBay's customer service reps as they are just as likely to misunderstand who is calling them (the buyer or the seller) as they are to actually sort anything out. Unless you're very lucky when you call and get Dublin the chances are the call will be answered by someone in the Philippines who can only regurgitate the closest answer shown on their screen to the actual question being asked.

[4_bathrooms]

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@ian_w42 wrote:

There is an alternative resolution available where you can refund less than the value that was paid due to the condition it has been returned in.

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Yes, the seller can reduce the refund by up to 50%. As per eBay's policy the buyer must be reported for the seller to be eligible for this protection.

[myriad*seller]

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@jckl1957 wrote:

You are correct @4_bathrooms 

It certainly implies that in the terms and conditions, stating that you can only appeal if Ebay have stepped in:

'If you don't agree with our resolution when we've stepped in to help resolve an issue, you can appeal by providing new information within 30 calendar days of the case being closed.' and 'You can appeal cases that were "closed without seller resolution" from the transaction defect report in your Seller Dashboard.'

In the interests of giving correct advice, I queried this with the Community Support Team and was told that, if you refund voluntarily, you cannot then appeal the decision to refund.  Meaning sellers are caught between a rock and a hard place and need to contact Ebay CS as soon as they get the item back, before the buyer can ask Ebay to step in.

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Yes, I forgot about that nuance, I stand corrected. 

[dejunk2015]

I tried this with an item sent back with tags removed and obviously worn.  I gave a refund of 70% which the buyer appealed and eBay just gave them the difference and charged my account.

[myriad*seller]

I did the same as a buyer; seller sent the wrong item, I returned it at their cost and they refunded minus postage, so I contacted eBay and they refunded the postage cost and charged the seller. 

[tressygirl]

I agree with all you have said, @myriad*seller   and I'm sure others were equally shocked that you cannot appeal a case After you have refunded ,  most would be worried to keep a case open  too long for fear it's escalated.

Now this link at the bottom of an INAD case is new to me,  and if it works then yes , brilliant.

It's such a shame that peeps get different responses/answers,  from CS worrying too, as it can end up costing a lot of money in some cases,   but I agree again it happens all the time.

[4_bathrooms]

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@dejunk2015 wrote:

I tried this with an item sent back with tags removed and obviously worn.  I gave a refund of 70% which the buyer appealed and eBay just gave them the difference and charged my account.

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In nearly all cases there are only 4 options when dealing with an INAD case and the buyer returns the item in a different condition to what it was sent in:

1. Send a return label and voluntarily refund in full upon return.
2. Voluntarily refund in full without sending a return label.
3. Argue/due nothing until the buyer escalates the case and receives a full refund.
4. Report the buyer via the case.

1 & 2 result in the buyer receiving a full refund and there is nothing a seller can do to appeal once the refund has been issued. 3 may have an appeals process but as the buyer wasn't reported before eBay were asked to step in any appeal is likely to be ignored. 4 is the only way a seller has a realistic chance of not having to refund in full and if eBay agrees with the report the buyer will be on eBay's radar should they make a habit of abusing the returns process.

The thing to remember about eBay's returns process is it is almost entirely automated. eBay will use numbers when making decisions such as how many times the seller reports buyers, how many times the buyer has been reported, the history of both accounts etc. Reporting a buyer isn't guaranteed to result in the seller only being required to give a partial refund but it is the only way a partial refund is going to be likely and it is the only way the buyer will ever register on eBay's radar if they are habitually abusive.