Returned item soiled and cut

[beetle01jo]

I have just received a item from a buyer who wanted to return it. I am disgusted with ebay for reimbursing the customer prior to the return being delivered and it arrived soiled with something brown! And cut with a knife through the sleeve. I phoned eBay to file a complaint but they keep saying it needs to be taken up with the buyer or mail service. How can this be the case, please when, the item left me in good condition and has been returned in a un-sellable condition?   What do you think I should do? 

[red_magpie]

If you read eBay's money back guarantee policy, you will see that there are numerous assurances to sellers that buyers must return items in the condition supplied. They even refer to sellers being able to reduce the amount refunded where items are not returned in the same condition.

In practice, these reassurances appear to be meaningless. We often hear from sellers who complain that buyers have returned items that they have damaged, removed parts from or simply switched to return another item.

EBay has reported;y told some sellers that as they do not see the items involved, ether as received by the buyer or as returned to the seller, they are unable to determine who "has the valid case", and can't take sides. EBay's idea of not taking sides is to apply its default policy in case of uncertainty, which is to make the seller refund the buyer!

You can report the buyer for abusing eBay's money back guarantee; this might lead to action being taken against them if other sellers do the same. But it's unlikely to change the outcome of your case. EBay has become an absurdly unsafe place to sell things, with every sale being a gamble whether the buyer will abuse eBay's money back guarantee.