Payment dispute

[technics-sales]

Hi,

A buyer opened up a payment dispute, I was given the option to challenged the dispute or refund the buyer, at this point there was no option for a return. To be covered by ebay seller protection in their terms and conditions I had to challenge and provide evidence. I lost the dispute and the buyer was refunded but also keeps the item!! The value is £809. So I'm down £809 with no return. Ebay says im not covered. The buyer will not return the item as they don't have to. How can this be the case and how can ebay let this happen? Is this some sort of loophole for scams. I'm very worried as I  have no protection from ebay and followed their instructions in regards to seller protection. Any advice would help. 

[jckl1957]

Payment disputes are very difficult to win.

If the buyer claims the item has not been received, then adding tracking proving delivery will win the case in your favour.

For other claims, the evidence you can provide is listed here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/getting-paid/handling-payment-disputes?id=4799&st=3&pos=1&query=...

However, the final decision is made by the buyer's payment institution and there is very little Ebay can do.

What was the reason for the payment dispute?

[technics-sales]

Hi,
It was for item not as described, had the case been opened on ebay I would have been more than happy for a return, but with the dispute i had no option to challenge. I sell many a week and have 100% feedback. The buyer has made it pretty clear he is not returning the item. I just can't understand how this is possible. Surely this opens ebay up to scams.

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[papso22]

You can't win item not as described chargebacks.

I think it's Ebay's biggest risk for sellers.

[red_magpie]

how can ebay let this happen?

eBay has no power to prevent it.

Chargebacks are made against eBay by a buyer's payment provider, usually their credit or debit card issuer. This happens because buyers pay eBay, not the seller direct. So any chargeback is also brought against eBay itself.

eBay can pass on any evidence you provided to challenge the chargeback, but it is the card issuer and not eBay that decides whether to accept it. If the case is found against eBay they are required to return the payment they received from the buyer's credit or debit card. You, in turn, are required to reimburse eBay for this cost, and to pay their admin fee. You accepted this in the user agreement.

eBay provides its own seller protection against chargebacks in limited circumstances involving payment and delivery. This doesn't apply to claims that an item was faulty or not as described.

This isn't a "loophole" for scams, but like eBay's own money back guarantee and other forms of buyer protection chargebacks are open to abuse.  Returning the item doesn't seem to be required in chargebacks. Unless anyone here remembers otherwise, I don't recall any case where the item has had to be returned.

[technics-sales]

It still seems like it's wide open to dishonest people, I'm out of pocket for £809 due to something that I feel you should be covered by. In theory this could happen again and again. And in theory I or anyone could do this to someone else.
I understand it's probably not a loophole but this is the sort of thing you don't expect from ebay. I generally feel safe trading on here, but I fear if it's that easy to buy an expensive item and open a dispute as 'not as described' and you are almost guaranteed to get your money back and keep your item this is going to be a big problem.
I have told people about this and they are absolutely amazed that this is possible.

Sent from Outlook for Android<>

[red_magpie]

It still seems like it's wide open to dishonest people

All buyer protection schemes are open to abuse - and none more so than eBay's own money back guarantee. These are risks which sellers have to accept to sell on eBay.

In fairness, there are also situations in which gaps in buyer protection leave buyers exposed to abuse by sellers. eBay, as I often say, is a jungle.