Disputing a return

[razzie505050]

I sold a used Gameboy Advance SP that I put in a new shell and replaced the screen from another old Gameboy (I did say this in the listing, I was very honest about what I'd done to it), and it was delivered on 26th April but I have just received a return request today, so 15 days after it was delivered. The buyer says the battery life is poor but he can't change the battery because the screw is rounded, and then says there are marks on the screen and the backlight is really dim. 

I feel like I'm going to have to accept the return, but at the same time I'm questioning why it has taken so long to notify me of marks on the screen and the backlight issue, as they would be evident straight away. I had used the Gameboy with it's original screen which had a line down it, so I changed it for another used screen and I didn't see any difference in the backlight at all, and it is the model of screen that the backlight is notoriously bad on if you know your gameboy advances. There were no marks when I sent it either. I'm not a business seller, I've never experienced this before, and I'm going to lose money from the postage etc when I don't really think there's an issue other than a rounded screw.

Any tips on how to respond to the buyer? Do I have to accept the return?

[red_magpie]

I feel like I'm going to have to accept the return

Correct. eBay accepts the buyer's word against the seller's for faults.

As for the time delay, eBay gives buyers 30 days in which to report that an item isn't as described.

Sellers can be thankful that PayPal has reduced it's claims time limit to 30 days, the same as eBay. PayPal used to give buyers 180 days to claim that an item was faulty, but this now only applies to non-delivery.)

(Remember that you don't even know how a buyer has paid these days, so you may still be liable to refund for issues reported weeks, or even months after the sale, depending upon what protection the buyer's payment provider provides. Sellers may have to refund buyers without any evidence and without the item even being returned. Buyer protection is a wonderful thing - for buyers!