Returns - international buyer did not read item description properly

[brian_saw]

Buyer, based in Spain, purchased item from the UK platform, clearly described as "not working" - "for spares or repair". Buyer subsequently initiated return process because "item not working" and incorrectly claimed that the description stated that the item was working.

Buyer refuses to pay return postage and ebay is no help whatsoever - currently requesting that I send a (very expensive) prepaid return label to the buyer.

This makes a shambles of the listing process and transfers all financial responsibility to the seller even when the buyer is clearly at fault.

Any suggestions?

[myriad*seller]

Sadly, you have two choices

Send a return label, or refund and do not send a return label

If you refuse, eBay will refund the buyer from your funds without asking them to return the item 

[lucy_farmer]

Was it in the 'spares and repairs' category?

If not, there's not a lot more you can do about this. (Doesn't matter what you put in the description...)

If it *was* in the correct category, get hold of CS and *try* to get them to understand, but don't get your hopes up.

(There have been cases where ebay will side with the buyer even though the item was in the correct category, which makes it risky to sell anything that isn't working; especially overseas with expensive postal costs. sorry to be a bit pessimistic...)

[brian_saw]

Yes the item was in the repairs & repairs category but trying to communicate with ebay is impossible - no phone contact details, messages get diverted by bots to useless articles. Ebay CS is a joke.
Since the cost of international postage is more than the original purchase price I might as well wait for an eBay fine!
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[lucy_farmer]

If the postage is more than any money you'd get back, I'd just refund the buyer *then* ask them to close the case as 'resolved'.... this may prevent you getting a slap from ebay?

[jckl1957]

Take the advice from @lucy_farmer and refund without return.

If it is the item you listed for £1, you are better off cutting your losses and refunding the buyer, even if it is through gritted teeth.

If you want to see what Ebay say before you do this, use the link below to get a callback.

You never know, they might actually look at the listing and see you are right!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/eua?id=5275&mkevt=1&mkpid

[moldosgifts]

Funny they just called me its very easy

follow link get them to call you eBay Customer Service

[myriad*seller]

Use the callback link below to get a phone call from eBay, it's very easy, not sure why you had problems. The callback is virtually instant in most cases, and generally within 5 minutes of requesting it. 

They will tell you the same as us, though, that you have to refund

[pillarboxred · Accepted solution]

Put your foot down and don't send the label. What can happen? EBay will refund him and let him keep the junk. EBay's automated Help uses so-called AI and is not good at understanding issues a human person would easily discern. Have you spoken to a human person? Read out your full listing to them and all the correspondence. 

Leave good feedback such as "thank you" which is true and fair as the guy paid you. Then follow up explaining what he did next. That can be factual but damning: "Item sold  "not working". Refund by eBay because it was not working!!!Sellers beware"

EBay's policy on this is undermining trust in the company as a safe place to transact. Because of the risks of International postal costs and eBay fees, focus on UK selling: make less and eBay makes less but there is less hassle.

[myriad*seller]

If you mention refund and eBay the feedback will be removed 

I would say "sorry you did not read the listing which stated for spares and repair"!

If OP forces eBay to refund they won't get a listing fee credit and would get a defect, it is better to refund willingly, get your fees back and no defect.

[brian_saw]

Thanks, your link was helpful in principle but unfortunately it connected with (an English speaking) agent who was not able to understand the Return request - which was submitted in Spanish through eBay.es. Complete shambles - but thanks to all on this forum for your helpful inputs.

[m25jet]

If you have not already done so by the time you read this response refund the buyer's money in full before he/she has the chance to escalate the case to eBay and get them to force a refund, as if the buyer were to do this then eBay would refund the buyer in full and hit your account with a damaging defect.

With regards to leaving feedback for the buyer I would say that the best option would be to hold off of leaving any feedback whatsoever.  There is no point in leaving the buyer a false positive, as if the buyer reported you to eBay for doing so then he/she could easily get the feedback removed and you'd end up getting penalised by eBay for doing so.

In the event that you haven't already done so make sure that you add the buyer's User ID to your Blocked Bidders List so as to prevent the buyer from purchasing anything else from you in the future and causing you any further aggravation.

[brian_saw]

Thanks for the suggestion - but there isn’t any way I can find of sending funds to the buyer. Since eBay took over all matters related to cash flow they have removed the possibility of communicating through PayPal.

[4_bathrooms]

---

@brian_saw wrote:
Thanks for the suggestion - but there isn’t any way I can find of sending funds to the buyer. 

---

If the "request" is not on hold there should be a "Refund now" or similar button that is usually quite prominent. When you go into the request/case - which you should be able to find here - what does it say is currently happening? If the refund button isn't there it should state something like "We are waiting for the buyer to..." or "This case is on hold because..."  

[m25jet]

@brian_saw wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion - but there isn't any way I can find of sending funds to the buyer.  Since eBay took over all matters related to cash flow they have removed the possibility of communicating through PayPal.

eBay got rid of PayPal years ago as a means of selllers receiving payment, although they still allow buyers to pay for items via PayPal.  However, you should still be able to refund the buyer, as if there was no option to do so via the case then all sellers would be getting hit with defects as a result of buyers having to escalate the case to eBay in order to get their money back.

If you're stuck as to how to refund the buyer's money contact eBay Customer Service and explain the situation to them.  The link for this is:  https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/eua?id=5275&mkevt=1&mkpid and the lines are open from 8:00am to 10:00pm from Monday to Friday and from 9:00am to 6:00pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Once you have clicked on the link scroll right down to the bottom of the page and click on the blue box to have an eBay representative call you.  It is best to do this first thing in the morning as you will have a greater chance of receiving a phone call from an eBay representative based in Ireland, as opposed to receiving a phone call from an eBay representative based in eBay's Phillipines-based call centre.  If you can get a call from somebody in Ireland then there is far less chance of the call being hampered by trying to explain your case to somebody who only speaks English as a second language, and whose fluency in English may well leave a lot to be desired.

[brian_saw]

The status is “awaiting decision” - there is no option for me to do anything except send a returns label.

[4_bathrooms]

In the case there should be a timeline of events - what's the last event that triggered eBay's need to make a decision?

It actually sounds like either yourself or the buyer clicked the "Ask eBay to step in" link.

[brian_saw]

Yep, the buyer asked eBay to step in - I’m now being bombarded with incomprehensible emails in Spanish. What a way to run a business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dch2112011]

The problem you face is that when an overseas buyer purchases from you the purchase is made on their local platform therefore any returns etc are being dealt with by the local site not the UK site therefore all decisions are made outside of the UK -  absolute madness but it is the way ebay work - this means UK CS are unlikely to be able to do anything - the only choice would be to remonstrate with the Spanish site - good luck with that !

[sml192]

As the buyer has now escalated to eBay you won't be able to issue a refund manually now.

As you have already been advised, because it was a overseas purchase the case is being handled by eBay.es rather than eBay.co.uk but might still be worth requesting a callback from eBay first thing in the morning so that you get someone from the team in Ireland as they are more knowledgeable and have greater authority.

You can use Google Translate to translate the emails you have received.