Sold a bike,buyer opened "return request " I am grateful for any advice

[sahara2608]

Make a long story short I sold my son's kona bike who moved far away on Ebay .it was only the chain broken I couldn't manage it as a lady over 60 years old to replace it & if I don't have any tools or knowledge to do it. A young lady contacted me to meet somewhere about the Corona virus & picked up the bike she inspected & I asked her if she is happy she said clearly yes it is a lovely bike but I don't know anyone to replace the chain for me. She sent me a message after she went home saying " was nice to meet you& thank you but do you know how many links missing on the chain & how to do it?" I answered I don't know & sent her a you tube video & advised her to have help from friends....etc who has knowledge.
After 2 days she opened a " return request " & a long story which is not true that the wheels are not right , break.....dangerous to use the bike. I answered the case " including WhatsApp message to proof that she was totally happy with the bike asking her why she didn't see the whole damaged which she reported to Ebay by inspecting the bike & refused to receive it & ask for a refund? Instead to accept it & turn off & open a case. Also I told her that a little baby will see the all damage she reported by inspecting the bic.She answered " I am 17 have no knowledge & experience & took the bike as only the chain was broken but I went to the shop & they told me it will cost £350 to get it right . I answered how you can open an account if you are under 18? & reported the case to ebay.
She won the case" as expected " and Ebay decided to return the bike first to get a refund. She just sent me a message saying:
(No you are completely wrong! 'A little baby' would not see that the damage on the bike would require £350 to fix. I took you at your word that the only thing that needed fixing was replacing the chain. The bike would be unusable with the advice you have given. It takes an expert to assess the full damage to the bike. I have a written report from a reputable bike repair shop who has advised me to put the bike in the bin. Only you know the full history of the bike and it is therefore disingenuous of you to try and get away with selling me the bike saying that the only thing that was wrong was a broken chain. Since you will not admit that this bike is not as described on the bay site, I am now going through the legal route with eBay. I will also be contacting my credit card holder to report this as a fraudulent sale. In the meantime, if you want your bike back, please let me know where to meet you. If I do not hear from you, I will take the advice of the bike repair shop and bin it. ).

I called Ebay & they told me that I don't have to meet her & she has to return the item using a label because the item is heavy & big. I am not sure about Ebay advising me to don't answer her question to meet ....etc & let the case close automatically ( to buyer favour on the 16 of june) & appeal for buyer doesn't want to use courier to return the item but wants to meet me. Ebay Also advised me to send her a return label which I don't want to do it because I expect a bike back as a scrap & I don't want to pay extra cost. Ebay told me that I can apply for return cost afterwards????? Which it says return on seller cost after she won the case
I would be grateful for any advice. Many thanks .

[red_magpie]

I would be grateful for any advice.

It's very easy, and you don't have any choice.

EBay almost always supports the buyer. They never even see the item, and simply take the buyer's word for faults.

Once they've supported a claim, you MUST send the buyer a prepaid return label. This is the only decision in which you have any say. If you don't, eBay enforce the refund without requiring the buyer to return the bike. You gave them this power when you accepted the user agreement.

Don't believe anything that eBay customer support told you about applying for the return costs afterwards. That is only relevant in a tiny minority of cases where even eBay admits, for whatever reason, that the return was unfair on the seller. The bottom line is that eBay is unregulated, with no right to any independent appeal, and does NOT care about the seller.

[arkwebus]

To short-circuit this saga eBay has apparently decided that you shall send the label to get the bike back and - as you say - this will be difficult to arrange but you must find out how to do so.   There are probably - for all I know - speacialist carriers for cycles.

In theory as this was a collection item this should not be happening but I would guess that the buyer paid with Paypal.   If buyer used a Credit Card through Paypal then the Credit Card company should not intervene in any event.  Section 75 does not apply.

If you do not go through with getting the bike back then eBay will refund and you may well lose the bike as well.  As you seem to know "eBay always finds for the  buyer".  Sending message copies will not help.  I am not sure of the advice to a seller to "let the case close naturally".  If you do that then they will find against you. Only if you sent the label and the buyer did not return might you win the case.

Do not worry about the Credit Card threats. It is not a fraudulent sale [whatever that may be].  

There may be some more expert members who can see some positive way through this.  Part of the problem is that the Customer Service at eBay is blocked due to the current circumstances so you cannot get easy advice.

@sahara2608 

[sahara2608]

Thank you for the answer I don't understand it is a private sale with no return accepted& as far i know she picked it up self - inspected it- confirm on WhatsApp that everything is ok.....asking for my help to replace the chain...etc .i mean it is not a reason for return special by " collection only" I provided ebay the copy of her second satisfaction confirmation with the item but didn't help . As far i know by second hand goods once the buyer inspected & accepted & took it home it is a buyer responsibility & not a the seller because she could damage the bic/ changed parts after she pick it up.

[sahara2608]

Yes she paid with PayPal using other male person details ( her boyfriend or whatever) because she is under age ( as she shared her age self- 17 years old) but Ebay account on her name ( don't understand how Ebay allows underage to be registered??)

[papso22]

Ebay doesn't allow under 18s to have accounts. Have you made eBay aware of this?

Normal laws are overiden by the eBay MBG, buyer's get much more rights through eBay..

[sahara2608]

Yes I understand Ebay doesn't allow BUT she is selling + buying ( may be with false birthday/ year) . I reported the buyer account to Ebay already as UNDERAGE registered as a member as they could see that she shared her age self in the conversation on " request a return" but nothing happened they desided against me as a seller & allowed her to return the item.

[tobiasd4]

Suggest you contact ebay 1st thing in the morning, you should get Dublin, so can explain situation better,
make sure they know buyer was under 18.

[sahara2608]

You have only 1 option @ the moment with ebay to ask them to call you back which I did today. They know already 2 days ago & sent me a massage as I reported her that action been taken on her account BUT they still telling me on the phone today if she underage or not i still have to accept the return I really don't understand it. The deal is right from the beginning is NOT right as a person underage broken Ebay rules & bidding on item.

[tobiasd4]

I still think it is worth contact Dublin, at least they speak English.

[sahara2608]

Tobiasd4
first of all many thanks for your advice & help you are quite right I could hardly understand the lady on the phone today but how should I contact Dublin please?. I only know the option to let them call you. I have 2 number (08003583635- 03453553229) & both is only an answer machine

[tobiasd4]

Scroll to bottom of this link for contact options:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/buying/search-tips/advanced-search?id=4049&query=1455&st=GENERAL_SEARCH