Item returned as defective but it worked fine | Member To Member Support

andoherty28 · 2025-10-20T11:51:52.798000Z

Hi, I sold a large, fragile overhead projector (OHP) recently having tested it rigorously before packaging it very carefully. I don't accept returns. The buyer started the returns process within a few days of receiving the item, stating that it was defective. When repeatedly pressed for further details, they only said that it didn't work and that they weren't a technician. It seems I had no alternative but to accept the return and hope the item didn't get damaged / further damaged on the way back to me. First question - was this my only option? eBay made it appear this way. The item was delivered back to me today and works perfectly. So I think the real reason for the return was a change of mind rather than an actual defective item. It's good that I can relist the item and hopefully sell it again but I'm out of pocket for the return delivery costs. I reported an issue when processing the refund and uploaded a photo of the working OHP but had no way of escalating to eBay or getting my return delivery costs deducted from the total refund amount. Second question - in the circumstances, was my only option to process the full refund? If so, it seems grossly unfair. Why are eBay charging buyers a Buyer Protection Fee when I've ultimately ended up out of pocket here?

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Item returned as defective but it worked fine | Member To Member Support | eBay UK