Return

[gatefittingsdirect]

Evening all, 

I had a return request today from a buyer who purchased two identical items 45 days ago from us. 

I have spoken to eBay today, and we do not have to accept the return as its well over our 30 day returns policy as clearly stated in the item description.

The reason for return is totally his fault (he has admitted that, item won't work for what he wanted it to do) I'm tempted not too accept the return, but very concerned he'll give me a negative feedback and we work extremely hard to maintain our 100% score. 

Just wondering what you would do in our postion, both items total £140.

Many thanks

[cobwebcottage]

Far too late to ask for a return. If you do get a neg, appeal it. 

[eastern-lights]

Ebay feedback removal policy, quote it to them [Ebay] if necessary:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-policies?id=4208

under "Return Issues":

Returns issues

We remove neutral/negative feedback when any of the following occurred and this is what the buyer is referencing:

• The item was returned used or damaged and the seller deducted an amount from the refund
• The seller declined a change-of-mind return request, as the listing didn’t offer returns [in your case you don't offer returns beyond 30 days]
• The buyer changed their mind and was liable for the cost of an eBay return label
• The seller offers free returns, handled the return and issued a refund

[signs_and_vintage]

Wish that was there the last time I got negged for refusing a CoM request. But, at least it IS there now.

[m25jet]

In my opinion you should refuse the buyer's request for a refund given that it's well beyond your thirty day returns policy.  If you haven't already done so make sure that you add the buyer's User ID to your Blocked Bidders List in order to prevent him from purchasing anything else from you again and causing any further problems in the future.

In the event that the buyer leaves you negative feedback in relation to the transaction contact eBay Customer Services as soon as possible and ask them to remove the buyer's feedback.  Although there is no guarantee that eBay would agree to do so, if you point out to them that the buyer left it until after the thirty day money back guarantee period had expirerd they may agree to remove the feedback for you.

[gatefittingsdirect]

Thanks for all your replies and advise. We have decided not to refund his items due to being so far over the return policy deadline. 

I wil send him a message expalining our decision and hope he'll not send us a negative, but as many have said, we will appeal it if comes. 

Best wishes

[rjwilmsi]

I wouldn't care about the risk of a negative -  it will likely be removed automatically within a day.

I would care about the risk of a chargeback. If you decline the return on eBay then you may find that a determined buyer will suddenly find a fault with the item and submit a chargeback to their bank/card provider. You most likely won't be able to win the chargeback (you can't prove there isn't a fault), and eBay won't cover you as the buyer's reason for return was different on eBay versus the chargeback. You might be able to offer for the buyer to return the items at your cost before refunding, but would still lose eBay fees.

My overriding concern is chargeback risk, so I think I would be inclined to accept the return because then I should only lose outbound postage, whereas the chargeback could be a total loss.

[gatefittingsdirect]

Thank you. 

So, the 30 day returns policy is worthless? Buyers could in reality just send items back months after purchase? 

[rjwilmsi]

---

@gatefittingsdirect wrote:

Thank you. 

So, the 30 day returns policy is worthless? Buyers could in reality just send items back months after purchase? 

---

That is one perspective, and probably about what I agree with in reality for business sellers.

Effectively (others may provide more precise information), under the Consumer Contract laws, businesses that sell goods are liable for faults present at the time of purchase that are found/develop within the first 6 months (if the fault means the item is no longer fit for purpose or unsafe or similar). It is on the seller to prove that there is no fault, or to prove that the fault wasn't present at the point of purchase (or it's misuse by buyer, fair wear and tear etc.). The buyer could take the seller to court over it, the seller would have to prove those points in court. I think effectively for the chargeback window (180 days) the buyer's bank will enforce that on buyer's behalf against the seller. So if between 30 and 180 days the buyer says there is now a fault and wants a return/refund/replacement, can you as the seller prove they are wrong? Normally you cannot, that is how the law is set up. I expect for most goods sold on eBay repairs are infeasible, so it effectively becomes a 180 day return window (especially if the buyer is willing to be dishonest).

[signs_and_vintage]

eBay have no issue passing on the chargeback to private sellers, too, I've never had one before outside of credit card fraud in 20 years (and each time I didn't send the item in the first place) but only yesterday a very unpleasant buyer (no joke, 100 negs left for others by this piece of work) pulled one on me.

How this can happen with a private sale of second hand goods is beyond me. Yet another reason to exit this hellscape.