Sold a working gaming cable but buyer said not working - option?

[melisashop2009]

Hi,

I tested and was working before I sent the item, but buyer claimed not working. 

From what I understand and what I have read from the old posts here, I would have to refund no matter what I say. 

Instead of paying more to have the item back, can I request to buyer to destory the item with proof of pictures before providing the full refund? Is this something I can enforce? I know some compaines do that for warranty claim.

[pjcdn2005]

No you can't enforce that.  You can either refund without requiring a return or pay for return shipping and refund once you have the item back.  

[teenytrinkets]

Here's a trick I use that's the next best thing to destroying (for cheaper returns): print a tracked label to a return address closer to the buyer. So for a US customer, I ship to my US pick up place - but you could ship to any reshipper and just not claim it.  If CDN, ship to a relative or UPS store, etc. There's no guarantee they won't ship back a rock, but at least it's better than just telling them to keep the game. I think it's worth the $4-$10 to end the transaction this way (if you smell a scam, anyway).

[byto253]

But will the reshipper just do a return to sender if not picked up after a while?   

[femmefan1946]

How much does a gaming cable cost? $5? $50?

Electronic things stop working erratically. So he may even be right.

If you send a return shipping label (Shippo will sell you a USPS* label) and it is not used, you win the Dispute and eventually the cost of the label is refunded.

*Americans don't know this, for the most part.

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

eBay doesn't act as an arbitrator with each individual return. They work on the honor system with each buyer. If a buyer says an item is defective, not as described or arrived damaged, the buyer is entitled to a full refund. 

You can report a buyer after you issue the refund. You should only do this if you have reason to believe they are not acting in good faith. If enough sellers report a buyer, they will eventually be removed from the buyer protection program. This doesn't help you resolve your return. It is only a mechanism you can participate in after the fact to keep eBay "safe for sellers".

For low cost items, the pragmatic thing to do is to refund, (and if applicable report+block), and move on. For items under $30, a return will cost you 15-20 for a label, along with the time spent facilitating the return. With that said, depending on the type of items you sell, it might be cheaper to provide a return shipping label because the buyer won't always follow through with the return, and you can refund the label when the return is closed. If the buyer doesn't return the item after you provide a label, they do not receive a refund, even if they claim it was defective. If the buyer is honest, they will return the item, and receive a full refund - so they are taken care of. If the buyer is fishing for a partial or full refund without a return, they won't return the item, their attempt to extort a refund will fail, and you can get a refund on the label from Shippo or Canada Post.

You can ask the buyer to provide proof that they destroyed the item. They might play ball, but they aren't required to in order to get a refund. The buyer stating the item is defective is enough for eBay to require you to provide a refund (with or without a return label that you pay for, your choice). If you do not provide one, eBay will refund the buyer, charge you for the refund, and you will receive a defect. 

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

Not that it would ever be reported, but would that not be some form of mail fraud? I am not saying someone is going to get 30 years in prison for telling a buyer to return an item to a fake address that didn't solicit the package like a UPS store. It just seems potentially sketchy. 

It is a creative idea that would be smart if you have family or a friend in the US who would knowingly receive the package. 

With that said, if someone has a return where they think there is a reasonable enough chance that the buyer is fishing for a refund, it doesn't matter how much the label costs because the buyer isn't going to use it, and you will get a refund. If you're encountering situations where buyers are usually using the label, then you're probably off refunding without a return than spending a few dollars on a US label to nowhere gambling on the buyer being a scammer.

[intimewithmusic]

Wicked  but impressive!

IT

[intimewithmusic]

Electronics have become the riskiest category. Many of us sell even brand new products "ForParts" As Is. That said they are priced appropriate to their actual condition.  There is simply no way to close loopholes with electronics. 

[teenytrinkets]

Yes, that's the idea: as Femmefan mentioned, the buyer will likely NOT return the item, and you get a shipping refund on Pirate Ship (I've done this before a few times - successfully!). So, you're placing a bet - and for a $4 USPS shipping label, it's a no brainer, IMO. I've did have one legit return - buyer shipped back a product to my friend's address in the US (she checked it and it was a legit damaged item). I still think the buyer wanted to keep it (it was still usable - but reluctantly returned it because she wanted the refund more).

@byto253 
Unclaimed items at reshippers, pick up places, and PO Boxes, are typically destroyed. They are generally not "return to sender" once successfully delivered. This is what my local US pick up place does anyway. Probably depends on the location. You might have to contact them to ask them to destroy it. 

Also, their address isn't "fake". I make sure to have my US addresses listed in my Ebay account for that very reason. Whatever the case, there's nothing wrong with shipping anything to a reshipper address - if you have an account, and the "intent" to pick it up, who's gonna care? And keep in mind, the package will only really be delivered in the unlikely event your scammer bothers with the return in the first place.

I love that the scammers need to "do work" - they usually don't bother... but if they do return, they have wait a week or more for their refund after the delivery is confirmed.  Hahaha...!

It's obviously a more expensive gamble to do this for a tracked shipment in Canada... not sure it would be worth it, unfortunately.