Buyer opens return/replacement request for damaged item and no pictures

[triplecgirl]

I have been selling on eBay for over 20 years and am an above standard seller. I used to sell china so I  package incredibally well, lots of packing and double boxed. I currently sell craft punches which are basically indestructable, but I still package like china.
I have had two buyers open a request refund or replace item without sending me a message first.  One said the punch never arrived, but  Fedex had the picture of delivery so that dispute was closed immediatley in my favor.
The other was a  0 feedback buyer  saying the punch was broken on arrival, and wants a refund or replacement.  No damage to box on Fedex delivery  picture, and I had opend and tested it before shipping. Perfect condtion. I have asked for pictures of damage , and the buyer responds only by sending my  message back to me  with no response of her own. Total scammer here.  I am waiting to see how this gets resolved.
What concerns me is that both buyers do not want to return the item, but rather keep it and even get another item sent out. 
Anyone else having this happen to them? Once ok, but two funny requests in a few weeks has me wondering if others are being tested to see if they will send out free stuff???

[pjcdn2005]

Buyers are not required to send pictures but it is nice when they do so.  Has the person who claims damage opened a return?  If not there is nothing you need to do other than tell them to return for refund.  If they have opened a return claiming damage and you don't accept the return and prove a return shipping label OR refund without a return,  eBay will refund the buyer on your account and  may or may not require a return.  You will also get a defect on your account. 

Most buyers are honest but there some who are not.  EBay tends to assume that the buyer is telling the truth and expects the seller to solve the issue. 

[recped]

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@triplecgirl wrote:

I have been selling on eBay for over 20 years and am an above standard seller. I used to sell china so I  package incredibally well, lots of packing and double boxed. I currently sell craft punches which are basically indestructable, but I still package like china.
I have had two buyers open a request refund or replace item without sending me a message first.  One said the punch never arrived, but  Fedex had the picture of delivery so that dispute was closed immediatley in my favor.
The other was a  0 feedback buyer  saying the punch was broken on arrival, and wants a refund or replacement.  No damage to box on Fedex delivery  picture, and I had opend and tested it before shipping. Perfect condtion. I have asked for pictures of damage , and the buyer responds only by sending my  message back to me  with no response of her own. Total scammer here.  I am waiting to see how this gets resolved.
What concerns me is that both buyers do not want to return the item, but rather keep it and even get another item sent out. 
Anyone else having this happen to them? Once ok, but two funny requests in a few weeks has me wondering if others are being tested to see if they will send out free stuff???

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Opening a return request IS a "message".

Why should buyer message a seller direct when all they are going to be told is to open a return request or with some sellers told they are a lying scammer.

[reallynicestamps · Accepted solution]

Accept the Claim.

Send the return shipping label

When the punch* is returned, refund promptly.

• You can ask that the customer use your packaging "so you can see where the problem came in". Don't expect them to use it though.

If the item returned is not what you sent you can deal with that at that time.

If you argue at this point, you may lose the Claim.

The buyer get a refund from eBay, which then gets it from you.

You get a Defect for not cooperating.

Defects mean your fees may rise, you may have further restrictions on the number and value of your future listings, or even have your selling account closed.

both buyers do not want to return the item, but rather keep it and even get another item sent out.

Even if you have a No Returns policy, you have the right to demand return before refunding.

You will pay for the return shipping label.

If the buyers are in the USA, you can buy USPS labels through Shippo and eBay.

If they are too lazy to take the return back to the post office, which might easily be the case since they want replacements shipped  to them, they lose the Claim, cannot leave feedback, and you keep the payment.

Sending replacements is a mug's game for both parties.

Get the original back, refund, and put them on your Blocked Bidder LIst.

*Because these punches can be used multiple times from what I can see, there is a possibility that the second buyer really did have a problem. If that's the case, when you get it back,  you can refund and encourage them to buy again.

[triplecgirl]

The parcel was insured. If the buyer claims the item arrived broken, then they are not obligated to show pictures for insurance purposes so the seller can initiate a claim? How perfect  for scammers...I have one on the line..or wait, they have me.  Beware honest eBay sellers.

[triplecgirl]

I only contected the buyer to thank them for thier purchaes and then to ask for pictures to prove damage as the parcel was insured.  If damage is shown to me, then no problem.  IF there  is no damage, then it says right in the listing buyer pays return shipping. I know a scam when I see one and I was targetted.  I have been a seller here for 20 years. Beware honest Ebay sellers.

[triplecgirl]

Punch was new and packed like fine china would be. No problem there. If for whatever reason I can be shown a picture of  damage, then all is good.   Insurance claim.  However, no one is sending pictures. 
Because I would have to pay return shipping, the buyer is banking that I will just cut my losses here and they get to keep a nice item for free....good scam for sure.
I am always professional with cusstomers. However I have blocked buyers with little feedback. Not worth the risk.
Thanks though, for your reply. I know now what the procedure is.

[reallynicestamps]

Do you know the effects of a Defect though?

This is business not personal.

If you do not cooperate with the Claim-- and DO tell the buyer to open aClaim "to keep the transaction on the record"-- not only does the buyer get their refund and keep the punch but "

• your fees may rise
• you may be restricted in the number and value of your listings
• your selling account may be closed for a set period or permanently.

again

This is business not personal.

Get the Claim opened

Follow instructions about sending return shipping

Get the item back.

Refund.

Put the buyer on your Blocked Bidder List.

If the punch is fine, relist it.

If it is broken, which is doubtful, you will want to see why.

Also, third party insurance is basically useless unless the package is late or lost. Damaged parcels are either delivered with an explanatory note, which does help with your insurance claim, or will likely be refused as 'poor packaging'. And again this is business not personal.

Here in BC the minimum wage is 25c a minute.

At that wage, have you spent all the potential profit on this transaction in stewing and arguing?

[triplecgirl]

You are right. It is business. I am going to follow the rules.  I will not allow the buyer to keep the punch, and will get it returned.  They can actually make money on it by selling it again. What a great scam. It is too bad. I just also declined potentially an order worth maybe 200 to 300 USD's becasue I will not deal with low feedback buyers ever again. Sad really, but necessary. I like to give poeple a chance. Not anymore.

[triplecgirl]

Yes, I have the return shipping label ready to go. I think it should be mandatory to send pictures when there is a damage claim and the original shipping box arrives  pristine. When not sent, it most certainly is very suspect, especially when communication is over an iphone. Scammscamscam...oh well. 

[triplecgirl]

I have been nothing but prefessional with the buyer.

[triplecgirl]

Yes, all good here. Just very sad.  You are correct.

[ricarmic]

RE: "I just also declined potentially an order worth maybe 200 to 300 USD's becasue I will not deal with low feedback buyers ever again. Sad really, but necessary. I like to give poeple a chance. Not anymore."

Just a note to running like a business, whilst it is VERY hard to do, one needs to somehow separate the emotions from the facts.

You've been selling for 20 years, you've seen a lot, you've sold to a lot of buyers, presumably a lot of low to no feedback buyers over that time.

A big problem with one low feedback buyer doesn't mean all low or no feedback buyers are bad. I of course could be wrong but it looks to me like the emotional respose to the one hopefully rare problem impacts negatively the busines aspect when a couple hundred $$ sale is dropped.

I see this (and feel it myself as a note) when someone from a rarely sold to country has an INR, one's immediate response is to block the country. Israel is a very good example. I have had problems with Israel in years gone by, in the last year I've sold many 100s of $$$ of stuff with so far no losses (of course till now when I proclaim it!). I really considered whether selling there was really worth it, but I've accumulated a couple regular repeat buyers that I would not have had if I'd blocked the country.

My personal guess looking at what you sell is that the average kind of buyer is closer to mine (we both sell "stamps" so to speak! 😉) so "statistically" even if this is a scoundrel, the odds of others is a lot lower than with other categories.

I think it is very common for us all to over-react to these extremely frustrating and sometimes expensive situations because of our emotional response  as opposed to a "mathematical" response.

This is why I do my "cookie jar insurance" stats each year, it reminds me that it is nowhere near as bad as it "feels" each year....

My 2cents, may be useful, may not be....... personally I'd contact that 200-300 potential buyer again and cement a deal, but that's just me!