Item arrived damaged, buyer wants a refund.

[musicyouneed]

I sold a brand new CD, the CD is OK but the digipak packaging was damaged in transit.  He sent me a message that it arrived damaged and he wants a refund.  He sent pictures.  Do I just refund the whole amount including the shipping?

 

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Would it be possible for you to send them a replacement digipak liner?  Do you have spares around? It can't hurt to ask. Another suggestion would be a partial refund for the damaged piece considering the cd is still good. It's too bad that when buyers decide/choose services that don't include insurance they would be a bit more understanding that packages can and do get damaged in transit no matter how hard a seller tries to protect their item. But that's only my 2 cents Canadian opinion.

-CM

[musicyouneed]

No, I don't have a replacement liner.  The buyer also is in Germany and he has asked for a refund.  If he had asked for a partial refund, then I could work with that.

I am thinking that I just have to bite the bullet and refund it all.  It's not like it is just a jewel case, but the digipak has been damaged.  I put it between 2 pieces of cardboard and then in a bubble envelope.  But things get crushed.  

[recped]

---

@musicyouneed wrote:

Do I just refund the whole amount including the shipping?

---

Yes! Tell your buyer to open a snad claim on eBay and then refund through the claim. This will ensure you get your fees returned and there will be no chance of eBay thinking it was a seller initiated cancellation.

[musicyouneed]

Perfect, I knew coming to the boards, I would get valuable information.  I sent him an email for him to open a case and will refund him from there.  

[momcqueen]

Yes, what recped and c. monk said with my additional two cents. Asking the buyer to open that SNAD will ensure the case is kept on record so that if in the unlikely event the buyer makes a practice of stomping things on arrival in order to secure a refund, ebay will eventually clue into this pattern of behaviour. 

[momcqueen]

Or, also. If he had a wrecked one already... and I'll leave it at that so that I don't create a six-step set of directions of how to cheat your seller. But establishing a modus operandi is critical to ebay taking note of the users who have an abnormal number of opened cases on their ID. 

[musicyouneed]

Good points.  However another of the pictures showed the CD still in wrapping sent to him crushed at the top.  It was purchase at A&B Sound from Vancouver so I know it was the one I sent him.  He might have crushed it himself, but I don't think so.  He sent 5 pictures to me, that was good, so in this case I believe him.  

[momcqueen]

I'm relieved to hear you don't have doubts about this particular buyer. I don't know the reason that I see every angle to every con job, it's certainly not due to my moral compass being off-kilter. I'm pathologically honest. Being on the boards puts me at a state of High Alert for these matters. That's the reason I stress it's good to have buyers log their cases. It protects sellers. 

[musicyouneed]

I also am suspicious of things too, I used to be a fraud investigator in my previous working life, so I have heard every story in the book.   

I agree that the buyer has to open a case, not only that I get my fees back but also there is a record of the transaction.  

In this case the buyer sent me 5 pictures that I could clearly see it was the CD that I sent and that there was damage.   So unfortunately in this case, I am out the money, for the CD and shipping to Germany which was $10.41.

It is the buyers that tell me that they didn't receive the item that I am suspicious of.   

[femmefan1946]

Are you using Cookie Jar Insurance (self-insurance)?

[musicyouneed]

Yes, fem, I am.  

[musicyouneed]

Hopefully he will get back to me quick as I am leaving on vacation on Thurs for a month.  I will be on the ocean so no access to internet. 

[pjcdn2005]

You’re on the ocean for a month?  Where are going?  I think I’m jealous!!

[musicyouneed]

Going on a cruise from Ft Lauderdale to Vancouver. 

[momcqueen]

“Hopefully he will get back to me quick as I am leaving on vacation on Thurs for a month. I will be on the ocean so no access to internet.”

Cruise ships offer WiFi, but usually at a cost. You won’t be truly incommunicado unless you want to be. But better not to worry about work. Enjoy your trip.

[zee-chan-jpn-books]

Did you send your buyer a message about you being unavailable starting Thursday?

[mcrlmn]

Typically, cruise ship internet speed is very slow and access is quite expensive.
On Princess, 'Elite' status provides about 4 free hours of usage per week.
Good enough to send emails and communicate with family and friends, particularly for us that don't pay for long distance call phone plans.
Personally, I leave the phone on the kitchen counter and have no use for the internet on any vacation. My wife or daughter on the other hand...
Don't know why anyone going on a month long cruise would need, let alone want to hang about eBay.
Shut 'er down, walk away, and have a great vacation!

[pjcdn2005]

That would be through the Panama canal??? Now I am definitely jealous!  🙂

Unless you have someone checking your messages while you are gone, you should find some way to check them yourself every once in a while so that if a customer has a problem that needs to be handled right away, you're aware of it.  Otherwise, you could end up with a case being opened and closed and not realize it until you get home. 

[momcqueen]

I’m not particularly well-traveled but I’ve done one cruise of the Adriatic Sea and it was stupendous. That being said, this was about ten years ago so I bought into the ship WiFi package as well as spent top dollar on data so that my daughter, age 8, was able to maintain contact throughout with the other side of her family. It was expected of me. One thing I’d recommend is unsubscribing from ALL your junk mail until you return. As much as you might like to know what’s on sale at The Bay, it hardly matters when you’re a continent away and just wastes your time when you check in for important matters. Like INR cases or whatever. Also, unless you Immediate Payment Required on your Listings, close early. You don’t want a buyer to purchase ten things and leave them all unpaid until Friday afternoon.