Disputed buyer return request

[marisac0009]

I sold an item that was as listed and photographed. I have 100% positive feedback and Ebay rate me as an above average seller. Fifteen days after receiving the item, the (new) buyer asked for her money back. She has not replied to my requests to be told what she is saying is wrong with the item. I have until tomorrow to agree to a refund.

I don't want to give her the money back as the item was as described and photographed in the listing and I have no knowledge of what she is saying is wrong. I suspect that, as a new Ebayer, she has simply changed her mind.

If Ebay refund her, I will be substantially out of pocket (cost of item plus overseas postage and return overseas postage.I really think there is nothing wrong with the item.

I would appreciate any advice please. How can Ebay favour a buyer who has failed to answer my reasonable request  to be told what she thinks is wrong with the item.

Thank you.

[arkwebus]

I am assuming that the buyer has opened a "not as described case".  The buyer needs to do no more.  

You need to issue the return label now otherwise tomorrow eBay will close the case and you will not get the item back.  Sorry but that is the system; it's harsh but there is nothing you can do.  EBay does not look at any "evidence" in most cases and simply accepts the buyer's view.

@marisac0009 

[jckl1957]

Buyers are not under any obligation to explain the issue with the seller.

Even if you think the claim is false, you can't prove it and Ebay will accept the buyer's claim.

You say you sent the item overseas.

Did you send it directly to the buyer?

Getting items returned from overseas is tricky as you have to either supply a label or potentially pay the buyer the cost of a tracked return label.

Depending on the cost, it might be better to offer a partial refund or simply refund without requiring the item back.

If you don't accept the return, and try to facilitate the buyer returning it, the most likely outcome is that Ebay will refund the buyer from your funds and you will get a selling defect on your account.

None of this seems fair.  Unfortunately, Ebay policy, and the Money Back Guarantee, do favour the buyer.

[marisac0009]

The item was sent to Belgium via Ebay  Global shipping. 

This is why i will be substantially out of pocket, ebay expect me to refund the cost of the item plus all shipping costs, which increase the price from £40 to nearly £70.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[papso22]

If you used global then you only refund what you received,  I.e the item price and domestic postage to the UK hub.

Ebay refunds the international element.

[marisac0009]

That is interesting. I received £42.75 (£40 for the item, £2.75 postage) but when Ebay notified me that the buyer had asked for a refund, the amount  I was told to refund was £67.40!!

Thank you

[red_magpie]

Until relatively recently eBay didn't get involved in the return postage costs for "not as described" overseas sales. Basically, the return was at the buyer's expense.

All this has changed since eBay started to require the seller to meet all shipping costs for the return. In fact, I think I'm correct in saying that they require the UK seller to actually arrange the return.

This is still fairly new, but we are already hearing from sellers who believe that some overseas buyers are opening false "not as described" cases in the hope that the cost and difficulty of arranging returns will lead sellers to simply refund the buyer and let them keep the item for nothing.

[jckl1957]

The total refund may be that amount.

But you will not be asked to refund amounts you have not received and which have not gone through your account.

Can you copy and paste, or create a screenshot, of where you are getting that amount from?

[marisac0009]

Yes, I think this is what has happened here.

[marisac0009]

Sorry, I got the amount slightly  wrong. 

It was in two places. Red ink on the email from Ebay saying she wants a refund (since removed). Said "amount of refund requested".

The second place (see attached image ) is on my sales page.

[*vyolla*]

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@red_magpie wrote:

Until relatively recently eBay didn't get involved in the return postage costs for "not as described" overseas sales. Basically, the return was at the buyer's expense.

All this has changed since eBay started to require the seller to meet all shipping costs for the return. In fact, I think I'm correct in saying that they require the UK seller to actually arrange the return.

This is still fairly new, but we are already hearing from sellers who believe that some overseas buyers are opening false "not as described" cases in the hope that the cost and difficulty of arranging returns will lead sellers to simply refund the buyer and let them keep the item for nothing.

---

This is nothing new, eBay have required sellers to arrange and pay for the return cost for not as described items for years. I stopped selling internationally nearly a decade ago when this happened to me with an expensive item sent to the US that I didn't get back (even though I was compliant and PayPal'd the return postage cost to the buyer, as suggested by eBay). It's a system open to 100% abuse. 

[jckl1957]

The image you sent isn't there - did it have the details of the buyer?

If you can post it again showing the figures but not identifying the buyer, that should be ok.

Otherwise, if you have made a decision about what to do, you could contact Ebay Customer Services and check how much you will have to refund.

To be honest, I would refund in full without requiring the item to be sent back. I know it's not a cheap item, you think the claim is fake, and it seems very unfair, but getting items sent back from overseas is tricky and expensive.

Link to get a callback from Ebay below:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/eua?id=5190