eBay

avenueshopswapsell · ‎02-01-2016

Buyer bought and paid for an item Dec 22nd. I shipped the item and tracked it; it arrived Jan 2.

I heard nothing from the buyer until today, he has opened a return stating the item was damaged and "the worst packing he has ever seen in 15 years on eBay."

I carefully packed this item, and his pictures show a smashed item, unbelievable damage. The item was not an extremely fragile item, the damage looks like something threw it down on a cement floor and stomped on it.

I just can't see how this would have happened, majority of my buyers comment on the excellent packing. This was an expensive item, so I really did pack it carefully. Anyone think the buyer has buyer's remorse and wants his money back, so he smashed the item on purpose? Why wait so long to contact me?

Two questions:

Why would the buyer wait a month to open the return?

Do I have ANY options here?

sylviebee · ‎02-01-2016

You've piqued my curiosity. Any chance of posting a photo of the item?

Waiting a month to contact you about an item that arrived damaged is cause to be suspicious for sure.

How did you ship?

avenueshopswapsell · ‎02-01-2016

Well, good news!

I called eBay and spoke with Jennifer from customer service. I explained to her that it seemed suspicious that the buyer would take so long to contact me regarding an item damaged in shipping. The item was shipped Canada Post Expedited. She reviewed the case and agreed that the buyer would have contacted me earlier if the damage was legit from shipping. She looks at the pictures and agreed that the item would not have sustained that damage from shipping....

The case has been reviewed and eBay has decided in my favor! I can't believe it!

Whew...

I can't find the pictures the buyer sent now, but I will post if I can find them.

sylviebee · ‎02-01-2016

OK.

You're right. That is good news.

triber · ‎02-01-2016

That's great, it's refreshing to see that sellers sometimes win!

pjcdn2005 · ‎02-01-2016

That's unusual, I'm glad that it worked out. However, the buyer may still file a claim on Paypal and the result on ebay doesn't usually have an effect on how they rule on Paypal.

It's very possible that the buyer damaged the item on their own but it's also possible that they just kept putting off contacting you and/or opening the parcel. I'm a horrible procrastinator so I know firsthand that not everyone does something as quickly as they should.

mr.elmwood · ‎02-01-2016

In the past, I have been known to be away for 5-6 weeks.. The length of time is inconsequential.

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katlover1952 · ‎02-01-2016

If it was mailed Canada Post Expedited there should be insurance coverage of at least $100 if damaged in transit. I would think though to make a claim you would need a picture of the damaged shipping container too. Wonder how Paypal will handle if he does in fact go there. Let us know if anything further comes about on this one - hopefully it is now a dead issue.

sylviebee · ‎02-01-2016

You're right. If the buyer goes to paypal and makes a claim which the buyer wins, then the way to go is to make a claim with CPO, but that's only true if a refund is issued first.

avenueshopswapsell · ‎02-01-2016

Yes, the item does have $100 insurance through CPO.

In the background of the pictures, (which for some reason I cannot see anymore) was the box, intact...

This item was not something that could smash just from dropping even IF it was poorly packed. It appeared to me as if someone had smashed it intentionally, the top of it was crushed, but the box looked fine to me.

Fingers crossed that it is done now, but I will keep you updated if something else does occur.

Could the buyer appeal through eBay?

sylviebee · ‎02-01-2016

@avenueshopswapsell wrote:

Could the buyer appeal through eBay?

Yes, the buyer could appeal the decision.

It's been my experience that when a buyer appeals, eBay very often (not always) steps in and reimburses the buyer themselves at no cost to the seller.

momcqueen · ‎02-01-2016

Is it possible the buyer bought two similar items recently and is attempting to blame you for what another seller was responsible for? Or that they had it on-hand already and needed a replacement that they thought to get for free? Was the item shipped in a new box? Any cardboard that has borne the brunt of a prior crash won't be as strong as a new one. Did the pic show damage to the surface of the box in any way?

avenueshopswapsell · ‎02-01-2016

This was a unique item, so I doubt that the buyer bought another one recently, but he could have been searching for a replacement....this item was numbered, I wish I could look at the pictures again to see if I could see the numbers.

I think he had buyer's remorse or needed money for some reason and decided this was his best bet to get a full refund.

The box was recycled, but sturdy and it was from my own personal stash, so I know where's it's been so to speak. The picture that included the box showed no damage at all to the box, and the buyer clearly blamed me for the damage, stating "the worst packaging I have seen in 15 years on eBay". It's this statement that makes me the most suspicious. I am fastidious about packing items carefully. I know I packed it well, and it wasn't a highly fragile item to begin with. I have shipped mush more fragile items with no issues. If you check my feedback, a lot of buyers actually comment on how well the items were packed. From what the pictures showed it would have had to get run over by a truck to sustain that damage, and again, the box appeared to be fine.

mr.elmwood · ‎02-01-2016

@avenueshopswapsell wrote:
This was a unique item, so I doubt that the buyer bought another one recently, but he could have been searching for a replacement....this item was numbered, I wish I could look at the pictures again to see if I could see the numbers.
I think he had buyer's remorse or needed money for some reason and decided this was his best bet to get a full refund.

The box was recycled, but sturdy and it was from my own personal stash, so I know where's it's been so to speak. The picture that included the box showed no damage at all to the box, and the buyer clearly blamed me for the damage, stating "the worst packaging I have seen in 15 years on eBay". It's this statement that makes me the most suspicious. I am fastidious about packing items carefully. I know I packed it well, and it wasn't a highly fragile item to begin with. I have shipped mush more fragile items with no issues. If you check my feedback, a lot of buyers actually comment on how well the items were packed. From what the pictures showed it would have had to get run over by a truck to sustain that damage, and again, the box appeared to be fine.

I wouldn't put much stock in the statement. We are living in an age of over the top hyperbole where doctors are furious, supermarkets are terrified, everything is jaw dropping, guaranteed to be heart stopping and breathless.

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i.am.vivian · ‎02-02-2016

@mr.elmwood wrote:

I wouldn't put much stock in the statement. We are living in an age of over the top hyperbole where doctors are furious, supermarkets are terrified, everything is jaw dropping, guaranteed to be heart stopping and breathless.

Hyperbole is THE best thing ever! 😉

mr.elmwood · ‎02-02-2016

@i.am.vivian wrote:
@mr.elmwood wrote:
I wouldn't put much stock in the statement. We are living in an age of over the top hyperbole where doctors are furious, supermarkets are terrified, everything is jaw dropping, guaranteed to be heart stopping and breathless.

Hyperbole is THE best thing ever! 😉

FDPMSL!

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pacificwinds6875 · ‎02-04-2016

Here's mine - actual tire marks! What postal employee would have the stones to actually present this for delivery??!!

"Wrecked it cause I paid too much" - yes I do believe this does happen

maximus7001 · ‎02-06-2016

Too small to see.

Anonymous · ‎02-07-2016

This morning I got the message from the buyer saying that she received the item damaged. I mailed a thick magazine putting it in a protection sleeve with tapes as not to let the magazine slip out of the protection sleeve and put it in a UPS flat rate envelope with two sturdy cardboard inserts to prevent it from bending and put it in a manila envelope.

She claimed that the protection sleeve split open and that the top to bottom and bottom end of the magazine is bend. I asked her how was the manila envelope and the UPS envelope and she replied no damages to them! So how the heck can the magazine inside the UPS envelope and manila envelope get the damages while the outside items (UPS envelope and manila envelope) are not damage?!!!!!!!!! I smell a scammer!! Thank goodness for my being obsession to use mail service with tracking number and insurance, I am covered fully.