I have one - Chronic INR Refund Buyer! What to do?!

[teenytrinkets]

I ship mostly cosmetics and about half my sales go to the US using cookie jar insurance. I've had one item go missing in the past year (and that was to the UK during the strike). Honest buyers, for sure.

From time to time, I sell video games. That (to me) is a bit more high risk to ship without tracking, bit meh, what are yah gonna do?

So of course a buyer from NYC messages me today to say "it's been a few days since he's bought the video game he ordered, and he still hasn't received it". Try 3.5 weeks since I notified as shipped and left positive feedback.

I go check his feedback and it's LITTERED with "full refund given" and "sorry about your shipping problems" comments, so it's even more obvious now that the guy is a scammer (or his mail is being stolen...right.....).

Should I just refund him immediately so he doesn't open a case? Or, should I force an INR so this bugger has it recorded?

Is there any way to report him to ebay, or is it a waste of time?

[brettjet38 · Accepted solution]

Call eBay CS and explain to them the situation and point out all the iffy feedback, once they see all the comments they will pull up the Members file and will see for themselves all the `claims` for INR.

Do not refund the Buyer, let them open an offical `claim` many do or will not, they attempt to get refunds without having to open a INR claim by using messages and even `negative`feedback as a ploy.

If they have opened many claims then the eBay rep will see this and pass it on to the investigations team, fast track to suspension or blocked returns if they file many claims.

No matter what you do the best thing is to call and talk to a eBay rep first, they may actually prevent the Buyer from making an offical request or they may contact them...

[wmlkelley]

No tracking = give the refund and call it a day.  Buyer wins here sadly and he knows it, that's why he buys from sellers that do not use tracking.

[hlmacdon]

You can go ahead and report the buyer after you lose a case but at the end of the day unless they exceed the unknown threshold for INR claims, which I assume ebay has set sky high, it only carries some anecdotal weight given there is nothing that can be evaluated objectively with untracked parcels unless the buyer contravenes policy somehow via their messages (ie feedback reprisal threats). 

This is an area where it would be nice if ebay was more transparent on how they score and monitor problematic buyers but the counterargument is always that revealing that allows for abuse. In my own experience they do very little about these sorts, even when you show accounts with admission of credit card fraud in their messages and abusing site policy by having multiple linked accounts. For better or worse ebay sees ever single customer, regardless of how terrible they are, as having a high value since they have to appease investors with their user growth numbers and the fact they monetise problematic customers and transactions. Eventually Wenig will learn that decline listing inventory is directly tied to unfriendly seller policies in an environment that is awash with bad actors. 

If you believe in the cookie jar philosophy then you have to take the hit, otherwise for anything of a sufficient value I'd look at third party insurance, but knowing that they will cut you off if your claim rate is too high. Personally I've found that things go missing with tracking at a lower % per year, but they still happen. 

[teenytrinkets]

Thanks BrettJett - I called eBay and when I reported the buyer the CSR went, "Wow - yes, they do have a lot a of INR and refunds".  She has flagged the buyer and it's been sent to the investigation team.  Based on the other comments I've read here, it's likely that his INR threshold will likely still be too low for him to be suspended, or even contacted, for that matter - but I feel better knowing that I pointed him out.

I know I'll still have to refund the guy, but I am going to let him file an INR - I can easily take the seller performance hit.  Taking one for the team, so to speak...

My only concern now is negative feedback.  Can he still neg me?  And if so, can I get it removed?  Can I leave a follow-up feedback to warn other sellers, and if so, how do I do that (without getting negative feedback, too!).

[reallynicestamps]

I think you should push for the formal INR as you planned.

The more of those that are on record the more likely the CSR's comment is likely to be acted on.

We each do our bit to protect each other.

[pjcdn2005]

I also think it is a good idea to wait for him to open an inr.  Yes you can still get a negative and it’s unlikely to get removed unless the buyer has given tons of negatives and even then, it would probably be tough to get it removed.  But if you suggest that he open an inr “as eBay suggested that’s how you refund him”, he has less reason to give a negative. 

[hlmacdon]

---

@teenytrinkets wrote:

My only concern now is negative feedback.  Can he still neg me?  And if so, can I get it removed?  Can I leave a follow-up feedback to warn other sellers, and if so, how do I do that (without getting negative feedback, too!).

---

Yes negative feedback can be left. Sometimes it can get removed, depending on the nature. The best way to handle a situation like this is to be polite, follow the rules and procedures of the marketplace and communicate to your buyer to do the same as appropriate. The hope by doing so (if you have a bad actor) is that they get frustrated with having to go throw the motions rather than having someone cave to them and they then trip themselves up in their messages or feedback left. In other words, make a jerk look like a jerk without appearing like a jerk yourself.

Things that contravene the rules and procedures of the marketplace and get reflected in feedback left are easier to get removed than something which can just be objectively seen as the opinion of the buyer. In some situations sellers will leave positive feedback with negative comments about the buyer, but that is something that should be done as a last resort after you have exhausted all of your avenues. Keep in mind that the feedback you leave buyers reflects upon you as a seller as well and appearing argumentative may effect future sales.

All you can really do is contribute to the number of people who report a buyer and hope that in aggregate that counts against them in the future when they open cases or ultimately have their account reviewed.