My first return with buyer stating ' I just didn't like it', what to do and expect ?

[dafern65]

I got a return the other day on a private account and the buyer has returned and  posted it I can see that according to the tracking code that it's on it's way back. This was a board game (not an expensive one, only £26) but it was sold sealed in the shrink wrap and brand new, it's rare to find new these days though as it's an 8 year old game.

The question is how much could I reasonably ask for if the board game has been opened and used (i.e. if card board tokens unpunched rom the cardboard holder inside and playing cards have been unsealed and used in play) ?

I think I read somewhere that I can claim up to 50% of the sale value if I find that to be the case.

Should I do an unboxing video when I have the item returned (I heard that eBay don't bother looking at those).

What is the procedure ? do I have to message the buyer and say 'hey you used that and because of this I cannot offer you a full refund only a partial refund, does x amount of a partial refund sound ok ?'.

If the buyer disagrees then what evidence if any can I provide to eBay if there's a conflict between myself and the buyer ?

I'm thinking that some of you will say 'It's only £26, just let it go, refund the full amount and block the buyer' but I'm thinking that this could be a probe to see if I'm a soft touch and then the buyer will then get his friends to try it on with a more expensive item I have for sale. It could be that the buyer has harvested components from my board game because he had the game but had lost components that he needed and he just wanted them for free. The buyer account is over 4 years old but he has little to few purchases over the years although they are all positive.

For me, this is more of a learning exercise  for the process more than anything (this is what  I am principally interested in). Also there's the danger of the buyer marking my currently unblemished 100% positive feedback I guess if I don't give him a full refund after he decided to use my item like a rental item maybe and lower it's value in doing so.

Any tips, advice on the process and what I should expect and prepare for with this process would be much appreciated.

[pegr-834437]

Pretty sure on private accounts you cant do partial refunds, thats for business accounts only. I may be mistaken but you have to report the buyer for sending back the item in a different condition. It was one of the very few advantages of being on a business account.

[plpmr]

Adding to the advice already given -

eBay won't be interested unless the buyer has opened a case, have they don't that and what type of case.

Otherwise exactly what has this buyer done?

[dafern65]

So as a  UK private seller (under the eBay ToS) buyers can just use your items and therefore devalue them and then just return them and if the item is returned to the seller in whatever condition the seller is expected to issue a full refund ? 

That's a bit open for eBay UK to be used as a free rental service provider for consumer goods, right ?

As far as this buyer is concerned I am assuming that the item has been open and used and then sent back, I will be lucky to be able to sell it at half of the price that I sold it to them now, because it's been opened and the components used (again an assumption). 

There is the 'harvesting' scam on eBay where someone wants some components from a rare item that you can no longer buy new from the shops, they buy it from eBay, steal the parts and return the left overs - there is no guard against this in the actual return process going on now with the item I sold, other than to report the seller ?

[department28]

I don't think you would be obliged to fully refund for a new item that has been returned opened/unsealed, or used. 

Do you know if they have actually opened the game, or could it be that they just have changed their mind/buyer's remorse, & don't want it? 

[missdollydaydream]

Any help and advice you will receive depends weather or not the buyer has opened an eBay case and what sort of case.

If they haven't opened a case, don't do anything. If they have, follow eBay guidelines, don't communicate with the buyer except through eBay. Add them to your blocked bidder list. If they leave negative feedback, leave a calm factual response.

[kyanyama]

You will need to wait until you receive it back and what condition it is - hopefully in the same as sent - but you also need to clarify a few things first.

Did the buyer open a case and what kind was it?  I know you said 'they just didn't like it'.

Think it's only business sellers who can do 'partial' refunds.  And the only people who say, 'Just let it go' aren't the ones losing their money!

When you receive your item come back for the info you require.  I certainly can't afford to 'give away' £26!  Don't worry about yr feedback at the mo - more important you deal with the return problems first.  I also hate a red mark on my feedback but not as much as being ripped off.

[4_bathrooms]

An eBay return for "I just didn't like it" is a remorse return. Private sellers are not obliged to accept returns for remorse reasons but can choose to do so when listing. If you have an actual eBay return in progress with that reason indicated it means you either agreed to accept returns when listing the item or the buyer initiated a "request" that you accepted. As you're not posting from the account that sold the item I can't tell you which situation is the most likely.

A private seller can only deduct an amount for an item returned used or damaged if they offered free returns in the listing; i.e. the seller pays the cost of the return shipping label. As it doesn't sound like this is the case (i.e. the buyer purchased the label) you won't be able to deduct an amount from the refund but you will be able to report the buyer if they return the item in a different condition to what you sent it in. 

[style_wise]

Just to clarify a bit further...

Only Business Sellers can deduct up to 50% from refunds.

If your buyer did not open a case, but just returned at their own expense then when the item comes back document any issues (e.g. removal of seal, damaged items, missing items) and message them through eBay with photos to say you can only take a return in original condition. See if you and the buyer can come to a reasonable agreement. Make it clear you are doing this as a courtesy.

If your buyer did open a case. Similar process open, document, but call eBay before doing anything and ask them what you should do because the item was not returned in the same condition / was returned damaged.

[4_bathrooms]

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@style_wise wrote:

Just to clarify a bit further...

Only Business Sellers can deduct up to 50% from refunds.

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As per the link I provided earlier private sellers can also deduct up to 50% but only if they offer free returns and are not rated "below standard". The following is found under the "Protections for all sellers" section:

[jckl1957]

The sold item is not showing on your account which makes advising you quite tricky.

You were asked if the buyer had opened a return case.  Did the buyer open a return case through Ebay or have they just messaged you and returned the item?

Did the item have returns accepted on the listing?

If not, you did not have to accept the return.

What was the item number?

[dafern65]

I cannot see a 'free returns setting' on this item I sold. Reading the original listing I see the following description on the returns associated with it:

14 days return. Buyer pays for return postage. If you use an eBay delivery label, it will be deducted from your refund amount.

So I guess  I will have to refund him 100% and that's that. And if it comes back utterly destroyed and / or with components damaged or missing then it would be up to me to contact eBay as soon as I receive it to see if anything can be done about it.

Contacting the buyer will achieve nothing, me demanding compensation payment via Paypal doesn't seem the correct way to handle it. But I am more interested in the procedure rather than the outcome. It's only £26 but I just would like to see what steps to take just in case someone tries to pull a fraud on me for a more expensive item, harvesting components out of the sales item etc and returning the main item with pieces missing, rendering it practically worthless etc.

[tressygirl]

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@4_bathrooms wrote:

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@style_wise wrote:

Just to clarify a bit further...

Only Business Sellers can deduct up to 50% from refunds.

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As per the link I provided earlier private sellers can also deduct up to 50% but only if they offer free returns and are not rated "below standard". The following is found under the "Protections for all sellers" section:

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That's great to know  @4_bathrooms ,  but as a Private seller I cannot find the free returns setting on my listing form,   can you show us please where that is,  thank you 🤗

[department28]

All you can do is wait & see what state the item is returned in. They may not have opened it.

I really don't see how any buyer can expect a refund if they have opened a new, sealed item. You couldn't take an item back to a shop and ask for a refund if you'd opened it/removed tags etc.

[4_bathrooms]

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@department28 wrote:

I really don't see how any buyer can expect a refund if they have opened a new, sealed item. You couldn't take an item back to a shop and ask for a refund if you'd opened it/removed tags etc.

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If it is a distance purchase from a business (i.e. an online sale) you can open the packaging to inspect the item and are still entitled to return it if you have changed your mind. The only specific exclusions are sealed audio recordings, sealed video recordings, sealed computer software and where the item is unreturnable due to health protection or hygiene reasons (like opened cosmetics or food/beverage packaging).

I realise the OP isn't a business but if they chose to accept remorse returns (or accepted a request for one) the same would apply. 

[4_bathrooms]

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@tressygirl wrote:

That's great to know  @4_bathrooms ,  but as a Private seller I cannot find the free returns setting on my listing form,   can you show us please where that is,  thank you 🤗

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Do you have postage policies? If you accept returns you should be able to select who pays for the return postage (buyer or seller):

Changing "Buyer" to "Seller" would show free returns on the listing.

[tressygirl]

Well I never !!!  Yep,  big thank you @4_bathrooms   never knew / saw that, and Always thought Private sellers could Never make a partial refund when a case was opened !

When I was  selling,   stopped now SD was just too much for my Post Office to handle, I had a No Returns so didn't investigate that avenue.

Now I know ! 

Always a first day at school here!  🙄

Thanks again ! 🤗

@4_bathrooms 

[4_bathrooms]

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@dafern65 wrote:

I cannot see a 'free returns setting' on this item I sold. Reading the original listing I see the following description on the returns associated with it:

14 days return. Buyer pays for return postage. If you use an eBay delivery label, it will be deducted from your refund amount.

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That means you did accept remorse returns for up to 14 days after delivery. If you did not accept (remorse) returns that section of the listing would have shown "No returns accepted".

[jckl1957]

So, you sold the item with remorse returns accepted.

You don't offer 'free returns' and the buyer has to pay to return the item.

You are unable to deduct anything from the refund and will need to refund the full amount paid by the buyer.

[department28]

'You are unable to deduct anything from the refund and will need to refund the full amount paid by the buyer.'

If the item is returned opened/interfered with, I assume the seller can appeal? A new game that has had the shrink wrap removed would be massively 'devalued'.