American Buyer Trying To Get a Partial Refund

[major-d-clutter]

Hi everyone - Thanks in advance for any comments.

I sold an old mirror to an American buyer. It went GSP. Buyer asked and received a reduction in the price prior to sale.

I packed well and sent it away.

Buyer got in touch to ask me about the mirror. I told her what I knew as it was a relatives but that I didn't know the exact age.

She got back wanting a partial refund as she said it was in too good condition to be original. Never had this complaint about an item being in too good condition before. She said the photos were too dark in the listing to see how good the condition was and she thinks the frame is made of rubber. It is nuts but I have to deal with this lady.

She's now saying it's too heavy to be original - just crazy stuff.

I asked her if she wishes to raise an Item Not As Described Case with Ebay. She hasn't answered that but asked if I would accept a return and full refund. I don't do overseas returns.

It is quite depressing as I feel there's veiled threats in her emails.

HELP!!!!

[4_bathrooms]

Personally I would block the buyer, then I would make sure that blocked buyers couldn't contact me. The buyer's only means of communication after that would be to actually open a case.

If the buyer has a habit of abusing the Money Back Guarantee eBay may have already restricted their ability to use it; that might explain why they're so reluctant to open a case. If they did open a case you would need to ask them what the cost of a return label was (or even better - find out for yourself) and only send an amount that would cover the cost of a return label. If the buyer didn't send the item back they wouldn't have any way to obtain any further funds back from you.

In my opinion their first warning shot was when they asked for a price reduction prior to purchase; especially when "best offer" was already enabled on the listing. @major-d-clutter - what does their "Feedback left for others" look like? Are there any red flags (or rather, red dots) there?

[insidethe93]

You may not even have a human dealing with a case, just eBay's automated systems including AI.

An eBay human may become involved depending whether, or how far, a case gets escalated, by which point some harrassed anxious sellers have chewed their fingernails to the quick.

[major-d-clutter]

I stupidly told the buyer I had reported her to ebay, she has now opened an INAS case. I told her to do this right at the start. Ebay are telling me to send her a shipping label, This was dealt with through GSP so I don't see how I can provide an US buyer with a shipping label. 

[papso22]

You can't provide a label through ebay.

You either find a way to do it outside ebay or send her the equivalent in funds.  She will need to give you her address for you to see the cost.

[4_bathrooms]

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@major-d-clutter wrote:

Ebay are telling me to send her a shipping label, This was dealt with through GSP so I don't see how I can provide an US buyer with a shipping label. 

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Ask the buyer for her address; you can then get the cost of a shipping label. For example, you could try UPS here. You can then either purchase the label yourself or send the funds so the buyer can purchase it. Either way I would suggest you take a screenshot of the page showing the cost of the label in case you need it later.

Ideally you want to purchase the label yourself so you can declare the value and indicate it is a "return of goods" on the customs form.

[vinylscot]

Don't be put off by the apparent difficulty of getting a shipping label to the buyer. It really is very simple, if you follow the suggestion made by @4_bathrooms  above.

And don't be browbeaten by either the buyer or eBay into making a refund before you have the item back in the same condition as when you sent it. You do NOT need to make a refund until you have the item back.

[major-d-clutter]

Ebay have refunded the buyer and have told her to keep the mirror. I have lost my money and the mirror. I was told twice by ebay not to worry as they had my back as the mirror had gone through GSP. Now it appears that this is not the case. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

[*vyolla* · Accepted solution]

I think it was explained earlier that if an item arrives damaged and this is the exact reason that the buyer selects for the return then, via the GSP, eBay are responsible for refunding the buyer and the seller keeps the payment.

However, as your buyer selected a not as described reason you needed to supply a returns label. If you didn't do this then the buyer does get their money back and still has the item.

[rusmi]

I registered with ebay 20yrs ago but it has gone banana recently, there is no protection for seller, I had a similar case and ebay closed the case in favour of a scammer buyer. Very frustrating but I decided not to sell anymore on ebay

[major-d-clutter]

I'm sickened. I was told that Ebay had my back - obviously they don't. I was told two different stories and I am just so sickened. It's fraud basically backed by Ebay. I shall look elsewhere to sell as this is no fun anymore.