How do I refuse a not as described return?

[theregoesatenner]

How do I refuse a not as described return?   Searching Ebays help section hasn't helped at all!  Do I contact Ebay and explain the items do match the description and the photo?   

[pg_kicks]

In short, you can't you just have to accept it otherwise eBay will allow your customer to keep the item and refund them from your funds.

[theregoesatenner]

I thought there was some sort of seller protection? been with Ebay for years but never really had to do returns so at a bit of a loss as to the procedure.  Items sent (books)  exactly match description and the photo so surely I can argue my case, especially as buyer says on the return case they made a mistake.  

[pg_kicks]

You need to accept it back then report the buyer for misuse of the returns procedure and hope eBay give you the postage back. I'm guessing you had returns not accepted on the listing so the buy thought they could just claim there was an issue and return them, its annoying but eBay use the line they never see the item so they cant step in, even if like you said the buyer admit its.

[tressygirl]

There is an appeal process but once a case for item not as described is opened,  it's all automated,  no human contact, and as advised if you do not accept the case within 3 days the buyer can escalate and here they will get to keep the item too,  as well as receive a refund as you did not send  a tracked return label.

Accept the case within 3 days issue that label,  and refund only when the item is back with you,   you have 48 hours to do so.  Stick within those timelines and your seller performance will not be affected.

Then you can appeal the decision for the refund this explains the process:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/appeal-outcome-case-seller?id=4369

What the result will be I will not lie,  it usually falls in the buyer's favour.  However, you have the chance to put your side forward with photos remember eBay cannot see the item sent or received.  The buyer may have a record of doing this,  this would go in your favour.

Annoying when this happens,  a risk taken when selling,  thankfully not happening too many times !

@theregoesatenner 

[theregoesatenner]

Postage was over £7 to send so will be out of pocket even if Ebay do refund the return, how is that right? Does seller protection mean nothing then?  There is no issue with the items and Ebay can clearly see that without having to see the items. The reason being, I listed 14 Famous Five books and there was a photo of the 14 books clearly showing the titles buyer would receive.  Buyer is returning because books are not in number order!    

[myriad*seller]

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@theregoesatenner wrote:

How do I refuse a not as described return?   Searching Ebays help section hasn't helped at all!  Do I contact Ebay and explain the items do match the description and the photo?   

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You can't.

All sellers must accept  not as described returns.

The Money Back Guarantee ensures that buyers can return all items that they claim are not as described for a full refund.

You agreed to this when you signed up to sell on eBay.

[myriad*seller]

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@theregoesatenner wrote:

I thought there was some sort of seller protection? been with Ebay for years but never really had to do returns so at a bit of a loss as to the procedure.  Items sent (books)  exactly match description and the photo so surely I can argue my case, especially as buyer says on the return case they made a mistake.  

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Seller protection is against false "item not received" claims

Not item not as described, or scammers would have a field day! Think about it! 

You can't argue it, the refund is automatically given (by a computer)  as soon as the tracking shows the item has been delivered back to the seller, or that delivery has been attempted. It's an automated system. 

[myriad*seller]

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@theregoesatenner wrote:

Postage was over £7 to send so will be out of pocket even if Ebay do refund the return, how is that right? Does seller protection mean nothing then?  There is no issue with the items and Ebay can clearly see that without having to see the items. The reason being, I listed 14 Famous Five books and there was a photo of the 14 books clearly showing the titles buyer would receive.  Buyer is returning because books are not in number order!    

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Have you read the terms and conditions you signed up to?

[*vyolla*]

I'd just accept the return, relist the books and add that buyer to your blocked buyers list.

Buyers have 30 days to return an item that they consider is not as described under eBay's Money Back Guarantee, and if your buyer has already opened or opens an eBay item not as described return, they'll be required to send it back to you for a full refund of their original payment, and you'll need to provide them with a pre-paid returns label (if you don't provide a label, the buyer can escalate the dispute and get one from eBay, who will re-charge you for it on your next invoice).

You will get a defect against your selling account if you don’t accept the return and the buyer escalates the dispute to ask eBay to step in, which they can do after 3 days.

Once you get your item back, if you feel that your buyer has misused eBay’s Money Back Guarantee you can use the Report Buyer link next to the item in your My eBay. This won't affect the outcome of the return case though.

Guidance for responding to a return request can be found on this eBay page:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115&st...

[myriad*seller]

Link to seller protection guidance

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-protections?id=4345

eBay want happy buyers, so they assume the buyer is telling the truth when deciding cases.

Once the books are returned, they will not reverse the refund as the seller cannot keep the books and the money

They may refund the return postage label cost, but don't hold your breath

Make sure the return postage label you send the buyer through the case is adequate for the size and weight of the package, and make sure you send it before the deadline, or eBay might issue the refund to the buyer and tell them not to return the items 

[theregoesatenner]

Thank you for all your replies. Can I report them before issuing a label?   

[myriad*seller]

No, you have to refund them first and then you can report them 

It won't change the case outcome though, they will still get a refund 

Whatever you do, don't delay issuing the label if you want the books back

[*vyolla*]

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@theregoesatenner wrote:

Thank you for all your replies. Can I report them before issuing a label?   

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You can, but as already mentioned it will make no difference to the return. It basically just logs it and if the buyer has past form of doing this then eBay may take some action.

You've a couple of options there to choose from - 

• You believe the buyer is making a false claim
• You believe the buyer is misusing the eBay Money Back Guarantee or the returns system

'https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084&st=3&pos=1&que...

[theregoesatenner]

Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice.  

[*vyolla*]

It's not that common to come across an unreasonable buyer, but every now and then one does come along, and the best thing to do is to get your item back and just move on. It is galling, and you can spend ages trying to work out how to highlight the injustice of it, but it's best just to accept the return, report the buyer and then move on.

There really is nothing in place to take it further. eBay don't see what the buyer receives so give them a 30 day money back guarantee.

You can't appeal because, in order to do that, you have to let eBay make the decision and decline the return. It would be found in the buyers favour in this instance.

[buffster1963]

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@theregoesatenner wrote:

Postage was over £7 to send so will be out of pocket even if Ebay do refund the return, how is that right? Does seller protection mean nothing then?  There is no issue with the items and Ebay can clearly see that without having to see the items. The reason being, I listed 14 Famous Five books and there was a photo of the 14 books clearly showing the titles buyer would receive.  Buyer is returning because books are not in number order!    

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When you re list them, it may be an idea to list all the titles and what number they are in the description so that this does not happen again. It seems that by just listing as 14 books the buyer has assumed it was the first 14 and not 14 books in a random order. 

[myriad*seller]

Yes, maybe do a photo of them next to each other as if on a bookshelf, so buyers can see the spines with the numbers on. Put them in order so they can see which numbers are present/missing and so they can see it is not a "set" of sequentially numbered books  

[johnwash1]

@theregoesatenner 

You can include up to 24 photos in your listings.  You used just a single slightly blurry photo of all 14 together.

Do I need to say more?

[laura1995-uk]

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