eBay

ikrananka · ‎05-14-2018

I have been an occasional buyer and seller on eBay for the past 15 years with 100% feedback but that is now in jeopardy due to a bogus Not As Described claim from a buyer.

I recently sold an old used PCI card for a PC for 99 cents + shipping. I only sold it on eBay because I didn't want to throw it away and thought someone might get some use out of it. The title and description for the card included the make and model number and the exact same descriptive text that the manufacturer uses on their website which is also the same as shown on Amazon and Newegg for this item. This description includes the term "Low Profile" to describe the fact that the card is low profile, however the backplate on it is full size. I included photos of the card in my listing that clearly show the low profile nature of the card and the fact that the backplate is full size. Just in the exact same way the manufacturers website, Amazon and Newegg do.

However, the buyer is claiming that it won't fit in his PC because it isn't a low profile card and is requesting a full refund. The buyer clearly didn't do his homework and check that this specific card was suitable for his PC.

So, looking for advice on what to do. Everything I read online about claims of this sort point in the direction that eBay will ALWAYS side with the buyer regardless of how in the wrong the buyer may be or how much in the right the seller is.

Is it a done deal that eBay will side with the seller? Is it worth fighting or do eBay even provide a mechanism for me to fight back (I'm not aware of one).

I have messaged the seller via the Return Request providing links to the websites and stating that he should have checked the photos and also checked that the make and model of this card was suitable for his PC. No response and I'm guessing he's just going to wait a week and then escalate the case and get his automatic refund.

What should I do?

ikrananka · ‎05-17-2018

Update!!

Yesterday I tried to prod the seller into conversing with me by sending another message via their refund request. No response again.

So, being absolutely convinced that the buyer was simply waiting for a case to be automatically opened and resolved in their favour I decided to speak to a CS rep today, this being the day that a case would be automatically opened. After much discussion, and erroneous recommendations by the rep on the action I should take, the rep realised that the total value of the transaction was less than US$10. She then proceeded to say that because of this she could speed this along and wrap it up right now. She said she would initiate a case on my behalf that would be resolved in my favour, however the buyer would still receive a refund but it would be paid for by eBay and not by me.

I asked repeatedly if this would be considered as a "seller failed to resolve" case and if I would receive any defects/strikes on my account and she reassured me each time that there would be no defects on my account as an outcome of this. I sincerely hope that is the reality.

In fact, I just received the case closed email which states:

"eBay opened a case because of an issue with an item purchased from you. We reviewed the case and have decided to issue the buyer a refund of C $10.77 without any impact to you.

This case is now closed. You are not required to reimburse the buyer or eBay, and this case will not be counted in your seller performance evaluation."

I must say that this was much less painful than I was expecting, I guess due to the low value of this transaction.

One thing that is nagging in my mind though is that the CS rep told me that despite a listing having a "No Returns" policy, this doesn't mean that the buyer can't force a return on me if they have buyers remorse. Now I can understand my having to accept a return if I as the seller did something wrong, e.g. not as described, but for buyers remorse - that's ridiculous!!!!!

One other thing I'm still concerned about is if the buyer could still leave me negative feedback (despite having received a refund). Is this still a possibility or will he be prevented from doing so because the case is closed?

View solution in original post

marnotom! · ‎05-14-2018

How much was shipping?

Right now my instincts are that for a 99 cent sale, I'd probably just take it back and leave an appropriate response to the buyer's feedback, should he leave any. But then, it's been a while since my wife and I have done any selling on eBay.

ikrananka · ‎05-14-2018

Shipping was a little over $9, so just over $10 in total.

The money's not really the issue seeing as it is such a small amount and I really don't care to pay to have a 99 cent item returned to me. I just want to know is there any point me even considering trying to fight this or is eBay's policy so totally skewed towards the buyer that I have no hope even if the item is exactly as described?

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎05-14-2018

I would just give them the refund for the full amount. Really not worth the expense to return. On the return form make sure to note item was as described and that they would be keeping the item so you have everything documented. Cut your losses. Sadly this happens from time to time on here.

-CM

ikrananka · ‎05-14-2018

If I do give them the full refund, does this avoid an eBay strike on my account? What if they give negative feedback after I send a full refund - can I get eBay to remove it?

momcqueen · ‎05-14-2018

As the others have said, I agree. Accept the return, send them their Return label via Shippo. Give them their stinkin' $10-refund, and then BLOCK them as a buyer from future purchases for all the satisfaction it will give you. Even if you are in the right on this, I don't think it's worth fighting. If the buyer cannot read because he is stupid? Well, you cannot fix stupid. I have a hard time picking my battles when I know I'm in the right but with this one even I feel it's just not worth it.

The irony in all this is that I firmly believe through anecdotal evidence is that the less you ask for an item, the less people value you and it.

I have seen WAY more negative feedback for 99-cent items than $99-items and you might think it would be the reverse but low prices attract bottom-feeders such as which you have encountered. Low prices equal lowbrow buyers, period. The ones who don't read and won't care about trashing your reputation over a stinking' dollar.

My apologies for being blunt and rude about it.

momcqueen · ‎05-14-2018

"If I do give them the full refund, does this avoid an eBay strike on my account? What if they give negative feedback after I send a full refund - can I get eBay to remove it?"

Only if you give them a refund before they escalate it, yes. Give them their money back, or send them return postage and tell them to send it back and then send their refund. I would do the latter, even though it's throwing good money after bad, because I'd want the item back. Also, if they really don't want it, I don't want them to keep it.

As to any negative feedback, it really depends on what they've said and when they said it.

dutchman48 · ‎05-14-2018

@ikrananka wrote:
Shipping was a little over $9, so just over $10 in total.

The money's not really the issue seeing as it is such a small amount and I really don't care to pay to have a 99 cent item returned to me. I just want to know is there any point me even considering trying to fight this or is eBay's policy so totally skewed towards the buyer that I have no hope even if the item is exactly as described?

Another buyer / scammer will get a free item.

Selling 99¢ items on Ebay with $9 shipping is asking for problems

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎05-14-2018

Like I've said in other posts I miss the olden days when sellers were responsible to list their items accurately with actual photos and NOT be forced to use a catalog card and buyers were responsible for READING the whole listing and their bid was a COMMITMENT to purchase. Anything else that happens after that was an honest mistake with nothing done with intend for the 2 parties to be held hostage for. As Momsqueen stated, have observed so many completed listings for el cheapo items that weren't delivered because of the service chosen or available. Things do get lost or walk away just due to the volume of mail the postal systems handle and parcels being dropped off in full view of the world. Getting to the point where feedback is totally meaningless and customers that would complain about anything even when they made how shall we say, a "poor" buying decision.

-CM

PS. There really needs to be several alternative options added for the 2 parties when they are going to use the NAD dispute system so the situation can be described accurately. I had a customer previously ask for a return (NAS) for something I had packed up less than 2 hours before I got their email. Was still in my house to go to post office. They had decided after the fact the 30.00 they just spent wasn't in their budget. Had to wait 25 days and several emails to SHIPPO for the credit(not a refund) for postage to be processed for nothing I had done wrong.

ikrananka · ‎05-14-2018

Thanks for the replies everyone - very much appreciated.

I hadn't realised the issues associated with selling something at 99 cents. That was my first and last time of doing so. So much for trying to be environmentally responsible and not throw an old PC card in the bin ! ! ! BTW - the shipping was $9 as it was airmail to Florida from Alberta.

I'm surmising by the replies that I'm correct and have no hope of fighting this even though the description was accurate. As was said earlier, you "can't fix a stupid buyer". And it certainly seems one can't fight the buyer biased eBay rules.

I'm going to do the refund and leave the item with them. I really don't want to throw good money after bad to ship it back when the item is worthless to me.

ikrananka · ‎05-14-2018

And yes, I will be BLOCKING the buyer.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎05-14-2018

In the future if it's an item of no great value you are listing either start it as an auction at 99 cents and anything you make is a bonus or use buy it now with best offer accepted using a similarly listed item price. I always include in my listings if I have tested or unable to test to be upfront and then I know I am not being misleading in any way.

-CM

ricarmic · ‎05-14-2018

As Momc said, 99c sales have a higher propensity to attract problem buyers.

This is why I stopped starting auctions at 99c. I put the start bids up to $4.99 and that seemed to get rid of the problem.

In my world as well, if something that is properly described that should sell for $10 sells once for 99c and once for $15.00, one is very much more likely to get a complaint from the person that paid 99c for the item.....

femmefan1946 · ‎05-14-2018

As the others have said, I agree. Accept the return, send them their Return label via Shippo.

I did this recently.

The buyer, who had been fishing for a partial refund, did not use the label.

He lost the case.

I kept his original payment.

Shippo, eventually, refunded the cost of the label.

So there's that.

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-14-2018

@momcqueen wrote:
As the others have said, I agree. Accept the return, send them their Return label via Shippo. Give them their stinkin' $10-refund, and then BLOCK them as a buyer from future purchases for all the satisfaction it will give you. Even if you are in the right on this, I don't think it's worth fighting. If the buyer cannot read because he is stupid? Well, you cannot fix stupid. I have a hard time picking my battles when I know I'm in the right but with this one even I feel it's just not worth it.

I haven't used the return process in a while but I believe that there were at least two choices with a not as described claim. One of the options is return for refund and the other one is just to refund. When the seller clicks on refund the buyer get their money back and the claim is closed. Since the seller does not want their item back, why bother clicking on return for refund and then send a label? Even if the seller clicked on return for refund rather than just on refund, a return label wouldn't be automatically sent so the seller would have to manually do it through Shippo. Why bother when they don't want the label to be used?

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-14-2018

@femmefan1946 wrote:
As the others have said, I agree. Accept the return, send them their Return label via Shippo.

I did this recently.
The buyer, who had been fishing for a partial refund, did not use the label.
He lost the case.
I kept his original payment.
Shippo, eventually, refunded the cost of the label.

So there's that.

But you wanted the item returned, the op doesn't so unless I'm missing something, there is no need for a label at all.

femmefan1946 · ‎05-15-2018

Actually the guy was demanding a partial refund.

Homie don't play that game.

The item was as described and scanned. He just wanted to pay less.

If he didn't want to pay for it, I wanted it back.

Even if I would lose money on it with the return postage.

I am a crabby old bat.

But there certainly could be times when the seller realizes she is at fault and the immediate refund is the best solution.

momcqueen · ‎05-15-2018

I guess I’m a crabby old bat as well. Even if my item sold for 99 cents, it’s the principle to me. If the buyer gets their money back, I want my item back, period.

toysandstuff2015 · ‎05-15-2018

I sympathize. I am having many of these problems now too. In the last 22 items I have sold almost all have made false claims or refuse to support their claim with images or assist with Canada Post/USPS investigates. In all cases I have been forced to give refunds. When I do get items back they are almost always missing the most expensive pieces with no recourse from ebay accept to side with buyers - many of whom contradict their claims in their return or resolution process emails.

femmefan1946 · ‎05-15-2018

That's very high.

Most sellers report less than 1% of transactions having problems.

I don't see anything awful in your listings, so I wonder where the problem is.

Are you asking the customers to open a NAD dispute?

While I'd rather settle 'out of court' myself, having a third party is sometimes useful.

For example, eBay and Paypal want to see proof of return* before they will authorize a refund.

*The seller can voluntarily accept a photo of claimed damage. And while eBay insists the seller pay for return shipping** in a NAD, Paypal makes the buyer pay for this.

**We can now buy USPS return shipping labels through Shippo, which makes that part of a Dispute easier.