dipmicro wrote:
Ebay mandatory remedies are minimal requirement for every seller selling on Ebay. You can increase customer goodwill by going above and beyond.
I agree that going above and beyond for buyers is good business. I was referring to protections and remedies for sellers against fraud, scams, etc. during the usual transaction and follow-up period. I don't see how being past the 2 month mark is really an assurance that you're dealing with an honest refund request. In fact, at that point there is no way to ever know. You are on your own, and must take the buyer's word at face value.
My point was that I think most buyers who have a problem with a transaction -- either they don't receive an item within the expected timeframe, or are truly disappointed, will contact a seller fairly promptly.
I would actually be rather cautious about someone requesting a refund after 60 days -- they would have to have a very plausible explanation, and it would have to be an item of only moderate value. What would a seller do with such a request on, say, a $300 item? Refund after 60 days - why? You might never see the item returned to you, and the buyer wouldn't have to worry about any consequences to his buying record (not that I think eBay is especially diligent in weeding out scammers, but that's another story). On an item of that value, after the 60-day point, I would suggest to the buyer they should simply re-sell it on eBay.
A clever fraudster will know that if he/she can prevail upon the seller to refund after 60 days, that refund will be made entirely "outside the system" so to speak - no recourse for either party. We obviously have opposite views of what a refund request after 60 days would signify. I see it as a risk that would require careful assessment in the particular circumstances.
What kind of "bypassing" you had in mind ? You cannot really "bypass" Ebay remedies, because you agreed to let Ebay mediate disputes, so even if you disagree with particular Ebay decision, you signed carte-blanche agreement that you always accept their decision.
What I meant by "bypassing" was bypassing time limits, i.e. taking steps in a transaction beyond 60 days. EBay certainly isn't perfect in applying its policies, nor are they even consistently effective, but having some policy is better than being in a place where no policy applies at all (for either party to a transaction).
