Buyer left negative feedback & immediately opened a dispute - not sure how to handle.

[katlover1952]

I sold an bracelet that I purchased from an Avon dealer - it was new and unworn. (Item # 261514720375) Buyer received it and sent me an email saying it was "not as described - that it had scratches & rust spots on it". These are things I think I would have noticed when I packed it - looking at the pictures in the listing I could see nothing wrong with the item and I did know that it was new at the time of purchase. Buyer immediately left negative feedback and 8 minutes after contacting me by email opened a dispute. I contacted her by responding to the case asking for pictures of the problem as I certainly could see nothing in the listing pics. Got a reply tonight saying she had taken close up pictures and added them but there were no attachments. I contacted her again asking if she would resend the pics as they were not there and asking if she wanted a refund. When I looked at the case last night there was a message saying I should provide eBay with the "tracking information or they might find in the buyers favor" - I assume as the buyer obviously had the item this would not apply (did not send by tracked mail) although it is my assumption in reading forums etc that they usually always find in the buyers favor anyway. What I am wondering is should I request that the item be returned for the refund or what? I already have negative feedback left although if you read it you will be confused as it looks positive. I have not found myself in this position before and would like some advice from other wiser sellers out there who have had similiar problems. I really don't think there is anything wrong with the bracelet but think I may be between a rock & a hard place - have only ever had one negative FB in past and was unaware of any problem (broken item) till FB was posted. Comments please. Thanks.

[pjcdn2005 · Accepted solution]

It's odd that they would ask for tracking information if the buyer filed a not as described claim.

If the buyer hadn't already opened a case and left a negative,  I would try to work with the buyer and if the pics showed damage (assuming you eventually receive pictures) I would probably refund without asking for a return.

But in this situation, the buyer has already done the damage so I would state in the claim that they should return the item for refund.  If you do that, a couple of different things might happen...the buyer may return the bracelet or you may not hear from her again. Or..she may escalate the claim but since you would have already stated return for refund, she would have to do that to get a refund.......OR...ebay might just decide to refund her out of their own funds. They have been doing a lot of that lately.

[Anonymous]

Strange comment for a negative feedback which is so positive!!  Not making senses.  More like a buyer's remorse.

[pjcdn2005]

I agree that it is a really strange feedback....I meant to comment on that in my other post.  Perhaps they are trying to be sarcastic?

[katlover1952]

I really think that she left me the wrong feedback as she refers to "them" & it was just the bracelet and also to a "bonus" which I never sent anything additional. Hopefully she did not leave negative feedback for the other seller with the comments she meant to leave for me!? I am still awaiting the pictures but if not received by tonight guess I will take your advise and just ask her to return the item for a full refund. Will she pay the postage to return or do I get stuck with this?

[mr.elmwood]

Perhaps she is completely wrong on everything?

An open dispute and you select return for refund, return costs are on her.

if she has the wrong seller, and it has happened to me, ask for a FB revision.

[mdf_jersey]

It seems to me that she accidentally pressed Negative when she meant to give positive.( Mind you if you were to get a negative , thats a pretty good one.)

When she first received the item, she was very happy with it. You said it was 8 hrs later that a dispute was opened? She most likely took a closer look and found some problems.

As Far As the tracking info Ebay wants, most likely it has been escalated to a claim where Pay Pal would ask for the tracking #. Have they asked you to respond?

[mdf_jersey]

if she has the wrong seller

have you looked to see how much purchases she has done? Could be the wrong seller.

[katlover1952]

It was actually 8 minutes after she contacted me that the "item was not as described" that I received the email regarding an open case from eBay. She must have the right seller cause she posted the pics to the case. I looked at them & could not see the scratches - what she called rust is on the inside of the bracelet  and it may be light tarnish not sure but it was there when I bought it and I had purchased 2 and it was on the other one also. These would have been considered new old stock but never worn. I actually think she put the comments on my feedback that she meant to leave for someone else as she referred to "them" and a "bonus".

At any rate I am not sure she has a legitimate complaint but must deal with it - she wrote me back and complained that if she opted to return for refund that it would cost her half the refund to purchase the return label from Paypal. I offered her 2 options - return for full refund or keep as is and I would refund 50%. I felt this was being very fair especially in light of the fact that she has already left neg FB which can affect my seller rating without giving me any chance to respond. She has not gotten back to me yet. I do appreciate all the comments. I have rarely run into this problem but guess I have just been lucky.