I have a buyer who is complaining about the quality of a used item, however I did my best to describe and photograph the wear on the item.

[classictruckman]

I have a buyer who is complaining about the quality of a used item, however I did my best to describe and photograph the wear on the item.

The buyer wants either a refund or to use buyer protection.

What should I do? I don't think I should give them a refund.

[dmil8030 · Accepted solution]

Did the buyer offer to return it?  I am not sure what the buyer means, "or" use buyer protection.  Perhaps he means if you do not give him back his money, he will open a 'not as described' case.  You want to avoid that if you possibly can.

Was the item very large or heavy?  If a buyer files a 'not as described' claim, he has to return it to you with Delivery Confirmation.  That is ususally an expensive way to ship.  Otherwise a seller may say the returned item never arrived, so once a dispute is opened, the buyer needs the Delivery Confirmation number to win a case.

Did you ship the same way, - with Delivery Confirmation?  Otherwise a buyer might say the item never arrived and file a false 'not received' claim, and if you cannot enter a Delivery Confirmation number into the claim, you will lose the case.

And losing a case looks very bad on your selling record.

I would say ask him to return it to you, and when you get it back (if he sends it, you'll get it.  Things don't really get lost in the mail), refund him.  If you wish to let him keep it, you do have the option to offer a partial refund if you see fit.  In my view a lot of requests from buyers for partial refund are really just discount seekers.

There are, on the other hand, no shortage of sellers willing to describe items as 'new' when they are ripped, stained, well-worn, torn and scratched.  The buyer is then faced with having to return the rubbish at his own expense, and that makes buyers who buy in good faith rather cross.

Only you knows if there is any validity to the buyer's complaint, but in my opinion it is best to keep communication pleasant as possible and work something out with the buyer.  At this point you want 2 things, - you want to avoid a case, and you want to avoid a negative.  Your correspondence with the buyer will be the best indicator of how to proceed.

The following link tells about how some of these processes work:

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/buy/item-not-received.html

[scifan57 · Accepted solution]

Despite having the returns not accepted notice in your listings,you are required to refund the buyer's original payment along with the original shipping cost if the buyer opens and wins an item not as described dispute. It's better if you agree to refund the buyer on receipt of the returned item.

[reallynicestamps · Accepted solution]

Two sales and one negative.

I agree, you have to understand that if you take Paypal (and you have to take Paypal) you accept returns.

And be aware that if you say No Returns, Paypal may take you at your word, refund your customer, without making him return the widget*, and then come after you for the money.

In addition, even if a buyer loses a PP dispute, he can make a chargeback against the credit card he has attached to his PP account.

So. Man up.

Tell the customer to return the item for a full refund. If he does (and it is expensive to ship these things as you are already aware) refund promptly. Standard Practice is to return the original payment. Best Practice is to confirm the buyer's complaint about the quality and if he is right to refund also his return shipping cost.

When you can see your Detailed Seller Ratings you will also learn that they are much more important to an eBay seller than feedback. EBay will restrict or remove a seller whose DSRs drop below 4.3.

It takes a strong man to admit when he is wrong.

*There are a few sellers who are basically trying to get rid of stuff and others for whom the cost of the item is so low, it is more expensive to accept a return than to write it off. So this policy is not as nutty as it first seems.

[classictruckman]

Thanks guys, I offered them a refund if the shipped it back to me.