Buyer resold my item, and wants to return because their seller claims it’s faulty

[climbaroo]

Hi there, I sold my first item on eBay and was quite inexperienced.

I ended up selling it to a reseller, who resold it to another person. Now the reseller’s (my buyer) buyer claimed that the item is faulty, so my buyer wants to return. I asked for the serial number to confirm that the buyer didn’t swap it out with another device. And also pictures showing the fault, I did not receive any. Unfortunately I also didn’t keep any evidence that it is working fine, although I tested it before sending.

What should I do, should I accept the return or waiting for them to provide more evidence? Do resellers violate eBay policies? When they resell, the seller has no visibility of the end buyer, which adds risks to the transaction 

[myriad*seller]

If your buyer is still within the 30 day deadline to claim a refund then yes, they can open a case.

If they have passed the 30 day deadline they can open a case but can never escalate it to force a refund

Reselling it doesn't change anything, you still have to refund if within the timeframe. 

[vintique*violet]

How do you know that your buyer resold  it to another? 

How much time has passed since it was sold to your buyer and for them to resell? 

If you have proof of them reselling,  I would contact customer services direct and explain the situation for further advice. 

[climbaroo]

They are within the 30 day.

It sounds a bit unreasonable, as there is little protection for the seller. What if the buyer damaged the item so that they can return for free shipping? It makes it riskier when the buyer resells, since when I sell it, I can’t see the review of the end buyer.

Are there anything that I can do? They are providing me with no evidence, no picture of the serial number. I am ok to take the return as long as they didn’t damage it, but if they swap it out with another faulty one (mine was working when I dispatched) , does eBay protect my rights?

[vintique*violet]

Have they opened a case? 

[climbaroo]

They told me they resold it on messages, they are within 30 days.

[papso22]

If when you get it back you can prove it's not your one, then come back here immediately,  don't refund first. 

There are steps you can take, but only if it's not your item, not if it's simply faulty.

[vintique*violet]

Are they  private account or a registered business? 

I still would contact customer services direct and explain the situation.. speak to a human. 

[4_bathrooms]

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@climbaroo wrote:

They told me they resold it on messages, they are within 30 days.

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Technically your buyer lost their Money Back Guarantee protection when they resold the item as the item was sent to another address after original delivery outside of an eBay programme such as GSP.

I think the best course of action is to contact eBay via live chat (not by telephone) pointing out your buyer's message where they stated they resold the item and also provide a link to eBay's own policy. You will find that you really do need to point eBay's own policy out to them in situations like this.

Just for clarity has your buyer actually opened an eBay "item not as described" case?

[climbaroo]

They haven’t opened a case. I’ve been trying to communicate, asking for evidence that the item is faulty, picture of serial number (to see they’ve not swapped it with another) etc, but not getting any response. Hence why I’m concerned.

If they don’t respond to me before the 3 business day deadline, do I have to accept the return?

[tressygirl]

I believe @4_bathrooms  is correct and hit the nail on the head here.

If a buyer receives an item then sells it on,  eBay's 30 day MBG,  applies to the first sale,  and not to any future sales for the same item.

Otherwise,  in a 30 day period logically , it could be resold 3 or 4 times, hence when does the MBG stop?  It stops with the first sale,  yours.

@climbaroo 

[4_bathrooms]

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@climbaroo wrote:

They haven’t opened a case...

...If they don’t respond to me before the 3 business day deadline, do I have to accept the return?

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If the buyer hasn't opened a case there is no deadline.

Note that eBay might call a case a "request" - if you have a message from eBay asking you to either provide a return label or issue a refund your buyer has indeed opened a case. 

[game_raid]

It will all depend on how the item was sold, if they had listed on eBay or any other site and it sold after a week or so the return would still stand, the buyer is free to do as they wish with the item, as far as eBay are concerned that sale has been completed.

The MBG would only apply if the buyer had requested to use a mail redirection service or third party carrier as stated in the policy, our obligation ends as soon as its been delivered to that address, what ever happens after is the buyers responsibility and the service they used.

This is what protects us from the storage places that are used to send parcels in bulk internationally, parcel hotels they are commonly known as.

From what the OP has said the buyer bought and then resold, which I guess whoever they sold it to has opened a return with them and now they are returning the item back to OP.

They have seen an arbitrage opportunity, bought cheap to sell high and pocket the difference. 

If this is the case there is much you can do except accept the return and if they have damaged it report the buyer to eBay, as someone said come back and get advice on what to do once the item has been returned.

[tressygirl]

Just to add to my post.... if your buyer was just Thinking of selling the item on , and had not yet done so, and Then found a fault within 30 days, they'd be covered,  and could receive a full refund from you.

If they actually Actioned that onward sale, posted it to another person,  eBay's MBG protection for them, your buyer, stops.

@climbaroo 

[dch2112011]

Do a search of your buyer's sold items and see if they resold on ebay - if so take a copy of the sold listing and listing number.

Contact ebay  with this evidence along with the message confirming it has been resold -  the point to make is that having sold it to your buyer, who was happy with the product and the way it was described so much so that they resold it to another buyer who was dissatisfied with the item, the dispute should therefore be between the other two parties as any fault or damage occurred between the original buyer who resold the item and his customer.

By default the original buyer having received and approved the item as described tried to sell it, the second buyer was relying on your customer's description and representations which are not your concern and you should not be held responsible for the sale or contract between the buyer and his customer, this should be for them to resolve without your invovement

[game_raid]

I don't believe that to be correct sorry.

The MBG only applies to the order/item number not the actual item.

There will be instances when someone will buy something get their use out of it for 2 weeks then sell, this then ends their protection because it has been sold on and the new buyer will have their own 30 day MBG linked to their order number.

The MBG will never stop no matter how many times its sold, each new buyer is protected, it's like saying an item can only be sold once and if resold there is no protection.

[myriad*seller]

Customer services will tell you what you want to hear, but if YOUR buyer bought less than 30 days ago, yes, they CAN open a case for a refund. 

They will need to get the item back from their buyer or have their buyer send the item straight back to you (by emailing them the pre-paid return label you will have to provide if they open a case), but the MBG DOES apply, and YOUR buyer can ask for a refund if they get the item back and return it to you via a case.

eBay CS may tell you  "oh you won't have to refund" but if your buyer (the reseller) opens a case and returns the item they resold, they WILL be refunded. eBay won't care if YOUR buyer or the resellers buyer returns it, all they want to see is a status of "delivered" or "delivery attempted". Doesn't matter where it is sent from, its only the "send to" address and tracking status that matters. 

Reselling the item doesn't exclude YOUR buyer from the MBG 

[tressygirl]

Oh my,  well I stand corrected, thank you @game_raid   always happy to learn!  🤗

 I mistakenly then thought an item bought then  resold, is using  another address  obviously to send to and MBG stops.

For example say an item sold to buyer number 1.  It is  then sold on, buyer number 2 says item faulty, all this within the original 30 day MBG,  is the onus for the refund then transferred to seller No 1 ? 

A case for INAD is opened,  is the return label provided by seller number 1 item returned to them , for them to make that refund ? Surely seller number 2 's details are on the return.  Where and  who pays for the return label to go back to original seller number 1 to make that refund?

Maybe not  enough coffee  had here for me to get my head around this!

@game_raid 

[myriad*seller]

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@tressygirl wrote:

Oh my,  well I stand corrected, thank you @game_raid   always happy to learn!  🤗

 I mistakenly then thought an item bought then  resold, is using  another address  obviously to send to and MBG stops.

For example say an item sold to buyer number 1.  It is  then sold on, buyer number 2 says item faulty, all this within the original 30 day MBG,  is the onus for the refund then transferred to seller No 1 ? 

A case for INAD is opened,  is the return label provided by seller number 1 item returned to them , for them to make that refund ? Surely seller number 2 's details are on the return.  Where and  who pays for the return label to go back to original seller number 1 to make that refund?

Maybe not  enough coffee  had here for me to get my head around this!

@game_raid 

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Original buyer opens a case.

OP sends return label to this buyer.

This buyer (the reseller) emails the label to their buyer.

Second buyer returns item using OPs label to OP.

OP will then be required to refund. 

eBay don't care where the returned item is posted from. They only care that delivery to seller is shown by the tracking. 

[game_raid]

For example say an item sold to buyer number 1.  It is  then sold on, buyer number 2 says item faulty, all this within the original 30 day MBG,  is the onus for the refund then transferred to seller No 1 ? 

No, it would be a completely new order under a new number.

Buyer 1 has bought then resold - they have the MBG from the transaction with the OP

Buyer 2 has bought it from buyer 1 - Buyer 2 has the MBG from the second seller.

As long as buyer 1 can open a return get it back to the OP they will be covered of course the return has to be opened within the 30 days, then they x amount of days to ship the item.

Morally it's totally wrong what has happened, they saw a way to make a few quid, the items developed a fault and fortunately for them they have a quick turnaround so they can then return and get a refund.

I really wouldn't expect eBay to do anything with this, all they will be interested in is the case of the faulty item.

If the item was drop shipped then it would be totally different.