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Seller Frustration - Out of Pocket
I recently sold a keyboard and fully tested all functions before dispatch. Everything was working correctly at the time it was sent.
When the item arrived with the buyer, they claimed it was faulty. The wording of their message immediately raised concerns. I advised the buyer to return the item if they were unhappy.
When the keyboard was returned to me, it does not appear to be the same unit I originally sent. The backlighting is not functioning and the Bluetooth connection does not work. These issues were not present prior to dispatch, as all features were tested and confirmed to be working.
In addition, the buyer failed to package the item appropriately and returned it only in the original retail box, without any protective outer packaging. As a result, the box itself has been damaged.
Despite this, eBay refunded the buyer in full. I have paid for shipping in both directions and am now left with a faulty item, damaged packaging, and out of pocket for postage costs.
Seller protection anyone?
red_magpie
Mentor6 months agoSeller protection anyone?
We often hear from sellers that buyers have returned items that they have damaged, removed parts from or even switched for another one.
Typical responses that other sellers claim to have received from eBay include "we do no actually see the item so do not know what your stock was like when it was posted" and "As we did not see the item, either as received by the buyer or as returned to the seller, we are not in a position to determine who has the valid case, or take sides".
In every case, eBay's idea of not taking sides was to find in favour of the buyer, and require the seller to refund them.
You can try appealing the case, if this option is available. Or you can report the buyer for allegedly abusing eBay's money back guarantee - which won't benefit you, but might result in action being taken against the buyer if enough sellers report the same experience.
Sellers are not guaranteed protection as buyers are. eBay is a risky place to sell things.
zapporchi
OP6 months agoThank you for explaining this, it’s frustrating to see how often sellers end up with a loss, especially when there’s no way for eBay to verify an item’s condition. I always take pictures when packing my items and I uploaded these together with the conditions in which I received the keyboard, expecting eBay would at least review these before releasing the refund, but no.
I’ve reported and blocked the buyer, and noticed the account was only a couple of weeks old, which could suggest this may not be their first rodeo.
It’s been a frustrating experience, but definitely a learning one, and I’ll be more cautious going forward - though I’m still figuring out how best to protect myself against situations like this!
tressygirl
Mentor6 months agoIf eBay stepped in and refunded, the case was escalated, if you think the decision for the refund unfair, you can appeal, link below shows the process.
I'll admit it's not easy, eBay do not see the item in question and they do tend to side with a buyer's view, but worth a shot appealing.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/appeal-outcome-case-seller?id=4369
@zapporchi
zapporchi
OP6 months agoThank you for reaching out. Unfortunately, I’ve already issued a refund and the case has now been closed. This was the first time I’ve encountered a situation like this, and I wasn’t fully aware of the proper process, so I selected that there was a problem, assuming the funds wouldn’t be released until eBay had a chance to review it. I would never sell a damaged item, especially knowing it was in perfect working condition before sending. It’s frustrating how dishonest some people can be, and have absolutely no regard for the other party. Alas, I guess it’s the nature of selling to unknown buyers online. Just wish eBay would do more to protect sellers!