How to deal with a shyster buyer? Don't quite know and need advice

[higherlank]

Almost two weeks ago, I sold an iPhone X which had gone wrong on me. From one moment to the next the screen developed a black stripe down the side. I listed it on eBay with a buy-it-now price of £90 (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387502013331).

Apart from the screen the phone was in great order. I had forgotten to check battery healthy, but from memory I thought it was 78% and said so in the listing. Turns out it wasn't, it was only 73%, and mistaking a 3 for an 8 is not unusual.

Within about five minutes the phone was snapped up by some guy who, I later discovered, buys them, then sells them on (presumably with a mark-up). A little earlier today he emails and tells me the battery is only 73% and suggested I pay him a partial refund. I smelled a rat and told him to stuff it and go through official eBay channels to return an item for a full refund. We've now done that.

I might be wrong - but I don't think I am - but this guy strikes me as just trying it on. I think he expected me to cave in and pay him his 'partial refund' but I refused. I am *bleep* because in his 'reason for refund' he has listed the phone as 'defective' and  'that it was damaged in transit'. 

But the ONLY defect was the bad screen which I had highlighted (with a screenshot even) and in an email he claimed the black stripe must have spread in transit. Well, I pointed out I can't be held responsible for that! The phone was double-wrapped in thick bubble-wrap and brown paper.

I checked this guy's feedback and it does not make happy reading, quite a few negative comments. My reason for posting to the community is simply to point out is is shysters like this guy that make eBay at times and unpleasant experience. Why can't folk just keep it straight!

[red_magpie]

This is the reality of selling on eBay.

You buyer claims that the item was not as described (which you admit anyway, even if it was only a typo). Not that it makes any difference, they could have claimed any fault - eBay doesn't check. So if they want a return, they will get it.

Your buyer can invite you to consider a partial refund, hoping that you will agree rather than meet the cost of a full refund plus return label. If you feel they're just trying to get an unjustified discount you can call their bluff by insistng on them returning the phone for a full refund (under eBay's money back guarantee) and sending them a prepaid return label.

It's your call. If you tell them to return it just be thankful if you get it back in the condition supplied - or even the same phone. This is also one of the risks of selling on eBay.

[papso22]

I think you were asking for trouble listing the phone as anything other than for parts or spares. 

You were lucky to get it back in the same condition. 

There is no way to actually deal with this member other than what you did.

[higherlank]

That’s exactly what I did: return phone get your money back you pay for sending it back. I DO think this guy was trying it on. For one thing I was puzzled as to why it took him over a week to decide the phone was defective. He says - vaguely - that he had to get a new screen before he could check the battery life. But that is nonsense. As i found out trying to find out what was wrong with the phone, a screenshot of what’s on screen - in this case showing the battery health - does not actually involve the screen. So any screen defect would be irrelevant. And as a guy who has sold 18 iPhones in the last month along (from his feedback) I think he would have known that. And THAT is why I think he was trying it on, trying make a few quid out of me.

[higherlank]

Point taken, and when i do resist it, I shall make it spares or repairs. In my listing I thought I had covered that point by saying ‘although the screen etc . . .the phone is in good nick’. But that came back to haunt me, so I agree with you. But I am still miffed that some dishonest shyster tried to get one over me.