Refund Paid, Will I get My Valuable Item Back from Buyer? Seems Unsure.

[devonattic22]

Hello, My buyer put in a Return Request, but was really angling for a HEAVY part-refund stating the (already repaired) antique pot had been further damaged. No obvious evidence provided, so offered refund/return. However, buyer's many emails seemed to reject my refund offer. Implied would not send it back! Kept pestering for a big part-refund, with some veiled threats. Tried reasoning with buyer, but buyer eventually asked eBay to step in. Story short, eBay “found in buyer's favour”, and auto refund paid. However no mention about RETURN (from USA) of my item (worth £150) in eBay email, or at Resolution Centre. Announced: CASE CLOSED. Very worrying. Can you advise what should normally happen next? I seem to have no right to reply, and left in the dark. Thanks.

[red_magpie]

There's nothing fair about eBay's money back guarantee to sellers.

EBay wants sellers to refund buyers without arguing. They penalise sellers savagely if they dispute a buyer's claim for a refund, and fail.

EBay itself admits that it never sees the item, and usually has no way of knowing who's correct. When this happens, their default policy is to support the buyer, without requiring any evidence. This is bad enough, but if eBay finds in favour of the buyer, they penalise the seller for even trying to put their side of the case - which by eBay's admission, may be the correct one - by placing a default on their account, witholding any return of their selling fee. As you didn't agree to accept the return, now that the case is closed it's doubtful whether they will even require the buyer to return the item.

It would be difficult to imagine a system more institutionally biased against the seller. But eBay is unregulated, so there is no right to any independent appeal, and the user agreement requires us to accept their decisions on all disputes.

[tressygirl]

When a case is opened unless there is an obvious option there to send an agreed partial refund,  it is opened for a FULL refund only.

If a partial refund was discussed and agreed the buyer should have closed the case,  accepted the item and the partial.,

An open case  gives you the seller 8 full days to refund the buyer.  If it was opened for a case of item not as described the case enforces you to pay for that fully tracked retun postage,  and you do not have to refund until you get notification that the item has been posted,  your label when scanned registers that tracking and posting.

That would usually give you 48 hours to refund ,  because of Covid you are given 5 days to refund ( may be longer for an internationally posted item,  not  sure ),  if you did not,  the buyer escalates the case and that's when eBay step in and fully refund the buyer,  sometimes the item here then does not have to be sent back.

If any of the above was not followed,  you may lose the item , and the cost of the item, postage, pay a seller fee , and get a damaging defect on your account.  

[devonattic22]

Thanks for reply. When the buyer asked eBay to step in, The Resolution Centre said I should WAIT, while they contacted the buyer for more information, meanwhile I was given NO opportunity to present my side of things. Fair? On top of this, a later screen told me to >> “HANG ON we're still reviewing your case. We'll be in touch with you soon”. (quote) You appear to imply my rights timed out. How come the buyer has all the rights, and the seller has to suffer a huge financial loss? Without any opportunity to put my case.