Seller Resisting Return - not giving up.

[jma2815]

I’ve mentioned this on other threads as I had a ‘feeling’ about it. After years of happy buying, selling and chatting on here it seems I have for the first time come across a bad apple of a seller. 

Seller sent me a designer garment (I collect one particular, now defunct brand) which to my surprise I could see immediately was a studio sample that had been mutilated to prevent resale - with filthy old labels from a completely different garment tacked over the damage (also collar covered in undisclosed makeup stains but in the circumstances that hardly matters). 

I submitted a not as described return request stating the above which the seller replied to, telling me that a return would ‘simply’ not be entertained and that they would appreciate it if I would get eBay to sort it out.  Can’t be any clearer than that, can you! Being of the opinion that messaging us usually pointless I have had no other contact with the seller. 

Three days on - I escalated the case and received a ‘closed in my favour’ with a return label within minutes. This morning I got an angry message from the seller saying how dare I continue with this, never had a return before etc, ending with a request for me to send the parcel to a different address in a town about 50 miles away to the one eBay have on file as that’s an old address. 

Now I’m not stupid. I’m obviously not going to do that and I know that the return will be logged automatically once the parcel is tracked as delivered. 

What I don’t want to happen, given the way this is panning out - is for the seller to claim that I somehow damaged or sent a different item to the one I was supplied with, thereby getting a courtesy refund or being given the opportunity to reduce or stop my refund.  The amount paid was £375.00

My question is, will the seller be given any control over the refund once it arrives back and is it worth reporting these concerns re: being asked to send to a different address, continued resistance to accepting the return - to ebay before sending the parcel? 

Thank you for reading! 

[vintique*violet]

Sorry you are experiencing this... 

Is the seller private or a business seller? 

You have done the right thing by escalating to eBay... please do NOT send the return to a different address, only post with the return label address. If you post to a different address I think that would void your MBG claim. 

Personally I would photograph the dress ( as many as possible) and  compare with the sellers photos on the listing.. package it " with care" for the return,  and give CS a call to explain how the seller has conducted themselves and your concerns.

Hope it all pans out well for you, I think you will receive your money back as eBay tend to favour buyers.

@jma2815   

[jma2815]

Private - and, dare I say it, both addresses I’ve been given suggest its someone very ‘fancy’ who would have no need to behave like this. I suppose it takes all sorts!

The label is valid for two weeks. I’m not given to messaging (except here!) so tempting as it is becoming to tell the seller what I think of them I will rise above it, contact CS and try and get the dodgy attempt at redirection noted on Monday. I do think it points to further attempts to get out of refunding. 

I don’t think I’ll photograph the garment or the parcel though. I put two pictures of the areas of concern on the NAD case and am pretty sure that any other photos of the condition or package would not be taken as proof of anything. 

[vintique*violet]

Shame I think you are right, as genuine honest private sellers will honour and especially as the garment is not as described... 

I only suggested photos as an extra precaution as the seller could show a different section you may not have to compare, it is for your peace of mind really and to cover yourself in case , like you said the seller could say you have damaged it etc etc.  

You have done right by not messaging the seller now, leave it with eBay, share your concerns with CS and post your return parcel as soon as you are able so that it can be sorted. 

Good luck. 

Edit.. spelling again, sorry. 

[jma2815]

Thank you for the moral support. Its nice to have somewhere to get these things out in the open without venting my spleen at the seller as there’s nobody in my real life to talk to when considering what to do about ebay matters!

My point about not wasting more time photographing the return parcel was that it I think wouldn’t in fact cover me for anything, and I don’t need photos for my own piece of mind - I knew what I’d received had been tampered with to make it appear something it was not and had no business being for put up for sale as soon as I unwrapped it. I just don’t understand what this seller thinks they’re playing at. 

[vintique*violet]

When faced with a " situation" which seems unjust I tend to go over it in my head and find writing it down helps, if that fails " screaming into a pillow" works wonders 😆

Photographs of the garment not the parcel... in case there are areas which the seller claims have been " damaged" on return ? But you do what is best for you, and if it was obviously tampered with you have a good case. 

Unfortunately there are some sellers who do not care to provide a genuine item and service, it is all about the money , it is nothing new sadly.  Hopefully it will all come good in your favour,  and a lesson will be learned by the seller, maybe? . 

Keep us in the loop, would be interested to know the outcome and take care, try not to worry. 

[jma2815]

You are right about some sellers, sadly. Its why the MBG has to exist, unpopular as it is. 

Even if I photograph every inch of the garment before returning it there will be nothing to stop the seller damaging it in some dramatic way and claiming I did it to get a courtesy refund?

That was my thinking in asking whether it would be worth trying to get it noted now that the seller is still trying to get out of this (asking me to send to some other address) even after the case is closed. 

[vintique*violet]

Yes , agreed...please call CS so it is recorded on file for the garment and about the sellers " conduct" particularly them asking you to return to a different address... 

[myriad*seller]

Yes, point this out to CS before you post it back

If the seller tries to give you a partial refund (only certain sellers can do this), it can be overridden by CS anyway, in my experience.

Seller tried to give me partial refunds but when I contacted CS they ensured I got a full refund 

[jma2815]

Thanks. Its a private seller, rare vintage high value items (no electronics), seemingly one listing at a time with no knowledge of what they’re actually selling . 100% seller feedback - on the strength of this experience I’d be surprised if that wasn’t because they’d had the bad ones removed. 

CS just told me its fine for the seller to ask me to send to a different address, I should just ask for extra postage to be added to my refund to cover it 🙄. 

I’ll be using the label provided through the case and calling them again first thing on Monday. I’ve a feeling it will be a long day. 

[myriad*seller]

Ignore that advice from CS

You MUST post to the address on the label and nowhere else 

[susapric-68 · Accepted solution]

Never ever send to an address just given to you even if CS say it's ok, CS are well known for not knowing the rules of eBay. You will void your buyers protection and the seller will get both your money and the item when it's delivered to their mate and they claim they must have been hacked and then blame you for not knowing ebay rules.

[moldosgifts]

CS just told me its fine for the seller to ask me to send to a different address, I should just ask for extra postage to be added to my refund to cover it 

. 

Was this the Irish call centre?

Sound like a foreign one to me who first language isn't English they often do not understand the problem.

I've had great advice but when your problem has allot of variables Dublin are best.

Was this a prepaid label the seller sent you i'll assume it was at this stage.

Just send to that address it is down to the seller to keep their details up to date.

If it goes walkabout it is down to them, you will be covered, but may need to talk to the Dublin call centre first.

[jma2815]

You’re correct, I got India. I’ll be trying again first thing Monday in the hope of getting Ireland but I don’t hold out much hope. 

I will be using the prepaid label provided through the case (as this it happened about a minute after opening the case, the seller can’t have sent it)

And I won’t be messaging the seller even if it means sitting on my hands all evening. I’m at the point of being tempted to tell the seller what I think of them but I am a firm believer that back-and-forth gets you nowhere. 

[susapric-68]

I would just send it back and not worry about phoning anyone, you have done the right thing and eBay will side with the buyer 99.9% of the time if you're worried about what they will claim once it turns up. Truth is there's no way of proving what you sent back even if you have photos, videos and the PM writing a letter of confirmation but eBay goes by trust and will take a lot to prove you didn't send it back, especially as the seller has already tried to get you to send to a different address. You will end of with a full refund

Seller only gets charged for the return postage once it has been handed over to to courier so i would just ignore any more messages from them and once back escalate the moment you you're able too if they have not refunded you and leave it at that. If you leave negative feedback for the transaction do not mention the case or eBay stepping in as the seller will be able to get your feedback removed.

Problem with some Private sellers is they think no return means every sale is final but buyers do still have rights to return an item if INAD

BTW if they leave you false positive feedback just contact ebay and they will remove it

[vintique*violet]

PM writing a letter of confirmation

 Oh this did make me 🤣😂🤣

Thank you, needed a good laugh today, well probably since yesterday. 

@susapric-68 

[jma2815]

‘Hey Kier, can you write me a note for eBay?’ 💕

[vintique*violet]

😂.............✍️

[department28]

'Private - and, dare I say it, both addresses I’ve been given suggest its someone very ‘fancy’ who would have no need to behave like this. I suppose it takes all sorts!'

It makes you wonder how someone has the nerve to send off an item in that state. They would certainly be complaining loudly if someone did that to them..!

I think some sellers (perhaps especially the more upmarket/privileged ones?!) genuinely believe they can do no wrong, & react very badly to criticism...

It can be both time-consuming & stressful dealing with this sort of thing, so I hope your case will be quickly & satisfactorily resolved. 😊

[myriad*seller]

Just send it back, you only have to prove attempted delivery, so if they refuse the parcel or it does go to their old house you will still get a refund

If they only sell one item at a time they probably don't even qualify as a seller who can make deductions from the refund, so you should just be given an auto refund as soon as tracking shows delivered or delivery attempted/parcel refused. 

It all gives you a refund regardless.