Buyer scam using fake photo to dispute quality of item

[sian2025]

I sold a genuine leather belt for a fraction of what it cost me at the beginning of the month. I had only used it once or twice as it had studs on it and I grew out of my rock-chic look quite quickly! It had one small scratch about a centimetre long that I uploaded a photo of to ensure all potential buyers were aware of the fault. Other than this, the belt was in perfect condition.

Buyer sent me a message saying he wanted a refund as it was not the quality as shown in the photos and that, when his "wife" had put the belt on, the top layer had deteriorated. Having owned other belts that are genuine leather, I was very confused by this as genuine leather does not deteriorate in this way.

He sent a photo showing his "wife" wearing the belt, but this belt was clearly not the belt I had sent the buyer. It looked like it had been AI generated to look like my belt or like a photo of a woman wearing the belt had been manipulated. The belt area was very pixelated in the photo he sent compared to the rest of the photo.

Buyer raised a formal dispute a couple of weeks ago. I was unable to respond to the dispute despite trying for ages to find a way to respond to the dispute. Instead, I raised a concern with eBay. I have received no response from eBay with regard to my concern.

Buyer has forced a chargeback, and I am being asked to refund the buyer the cost of the belt and postage as well as pay eBay a dispute fee.

How is this even fair?

The photo the buyer sent of the belt being worn by his "wife" looks nothing like the belt I sold. I cannot locate that photo in my messages either so don't know if he has removed it or whether eBay has removed it.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I have been selling on eBay since 2017 without any issues, and I am now very concerned and uncomfortable selling on eBay if these kinds of scams are going to be found in the buyer's favour. 

Would love some suggestions as to what to do. I have written to eBay again to dispute the findings of the dispute. I am also thinking of taking all my items off eBay as the stress this has caused me over the last few weeks is not worth it.

[plpmr]

You had/have no possibility of winng a not as described case/chargeback.

You sold it as “New without tags” here you say “I had only used it once or twice”. That means the belt was used not new.

[papso22]

You should have asked the buyer to open a case through eBay and paid for the return.  Then refunded when you got it back.

It was misdescribed. 

[jckl1957]

As it was a chargeback, the issue has been resolved by the buyer's payment institution rather than Ebay.

Disputing the findings with Ebay won't do any good as they took no part in making the decision.

[sian2025]

The belt was sold "as new". The photos I posted clear;y show the condition the belt was in.

The issue I have is that the buyer has used an AI generated photo, or a photo that has been manipulated, to make the belt look like it is deteriorating. How can that be acceptable?

[sian2025]

I have received an email stating that the payment will be taken from my account and that  have to pay eBay a dispute fee.

I'm raising a concern with eBay because the photo that was used to dispute the condition of the belt is AI generated, or manipulation of a photo to make the belt look like it is in a deteriorated state.

[jckl1957]

If a buyer opens an 'item not described' case through Ebay, they have to supply a single photo - this could actually be a photo from the original listing.

Irrespective of the quality or content of the photo, the best way to deal with a case opened through Ebay is to accept the return, provide a label and then refund the buyer when the item is returned.

I am not certain that your buyer opened a return through Ebay which you did not deal with.

Any photo that the buyer provided to you is largely immaterial.

There is no point raising a concern through Ebay as the matter has been dealt with through the buyer's payment provider, not Ebay.  Ebay may note your concern regarding the buyer and may, possibly, take some action.  However, they won''t tell you what action if any they take and you will still have to refund the buyer in full.

There is a nasty scratch on the belt that I can see but you did not mention that in the description, describing the belt as 'new'.

I would have returned it if that obvious damage had not been pointed out in the listing.

[plpmr]

unfortunately your listing states - Condition: New without tags.