returning an item that was sold as collection only

[mop_the_flop]

I sold a guitar that was collection only. We checked the item before selling it and noted all the issues. The guy that bought it lives 2.5 hours away from me and was prepared to collect it. As it happens I was driving near to his house so we agreed to meet at a service station in the morning where the hand over happened. The guy took it out the case, looked at it, wiped it all over, put in his car and then we said goodbye. I stayed while he did all this. the next day he tells me that he has taken the strings off and he noticed when going to put them on again, that the bridge lifted. This is quite possible as it was a 45 year old guitar (which he knew). He now wants to return it. what are the rules regarding this? I am not arguing about refunding him even though he did spend time looking at the guitar when we met up and from the pictures he sent me, this would have been very noticible so not sure why neither of us noticed before. My main issue is what happens regarding returning the item. It was sold as collection only due to the issue of posting musical instruments. I will not refund fully without the item returned due to the cost. I have already told the buyer that I will refund but he needs to do it through ebay so fees etc are returned. he has yet to do it even though 3 days have passed.

[john1297576]

How did he pay?

If Cash no right to return, if Paypal then you will have to accept, and provide a Prepaid Return Label, if you don't buyer can escalate to ebay who will at your expense.

You do realise that if paid by paypal he could get a refund just as easily by claiming not received. You cannot produce any tracking to show delivered, so a not received case and you would end up having to refund.

Any refund must be a FULL refund, there is no provision for making any deductions.

[red_magpie]

He now wants to return it. what are the rules regarding this?

That's a very good question! If you get an answer to it from eBay, do please let us know.

Assuming that the buyer paid by Paypal (if they didn't, eBay's money back guarantee wouldn't apply anyway), eBay's MBG policy page says nothing about returning items sold for collection. If you bought something from a shop, and it was faulty, you would be expected to take it back. Logically, the same should apply to items that are collected.

Whether eBay will require the seller to pay for the return, as they do when items are delivered, is unclear. This would be seriously unfair on sellers. The cost of courier returns for many heavy, low value items sold for collection would be absurd. Some buyers would undoubtedly cash in on this by inventing faults, counting on the cost of return being so high that the seller would have to refund them and let them keep the item.

My guess is that, as usual, eBay will support the buyer and make the seller pay. But they may prove me wrong.

This is another reason why it's so much better to try to hold out for payment in cash when items are inspected and collected. That way eBay's money back guarantee doesn't apply.

You can read eBay's full money back guarantee here; see what you make of it: http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/money-back-guarantee.html

[makeup_babes]

thanks red_maypie, he offered money on collection and I agreed but he then paid via PayPal anyway. He was concerned I would resell item as he wasn't able to get to me for about 4 weeks and wanted me to store it.
Funnily enough, I tried discussing this with eBay. the guy I spoke to said I could use an eBay return label which I would have to buy to send to him, when enquiring on price he told me it would cost no more than £3. I don't think he knew what I was talking about. he just kept on about the fact I was thinking of the worse case scenario of having to arranging return when he might just not bother. was quite frustrating. Oh well, I guess it is just a waiting game to see if he does try to return the item. I don't think I would want the hassle of wrapping up a guitar suitable for posting (that's why I never offered to send it in the first place).