RECEIVED GLOWING POS FB, and then SNAD from SAME BUYER. IS THIS A NEW SCAM TO GET REDUCED PRICE?

[m.rbell]

Is this a new pattern of behaviour from buyers?  Received great pos fb from buyer about "exquisite piece of crystal".  So I return pos fb to buyer.

Next thing, she opens a SNAD claim "doesn't seem authentic" stating that the top is not silver, but silverplate.  Also said that it is only 6" tall and wanted a bigger one.

Item description clearly stated that the top is silverplate and that the item is 6 1/2" tall.  There should have been no confusion.

So ebay only offers these solutions:

Accept return, pay for return shipping, then send full refund

Full Refund and buyer gets to keep it

Partial refund and buyer gets to keep it

Here's the rub:

Is this a new buyer scam?  Are buyers waiting to receive pos fb from the seller and then open SNAD claim with the aim of getting a partial refund offer order to get to keep the item at a reduced price?

Has anyone else had this happen to them?

Yes, I have reported the buyer to ebay, just in case this is an established pattern of behaviour, or if she continues to do this to other sellers.

She has been blocked.

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

It can be-- but it's not new.

The way to combat it is to tell the complainant to return the thing for a full refund.

And include a Return Shipping Label*.

If she doesn't use it, she loses out on the refund and eventually the cost of the label is refunded.

Yes. You might be out the shipping cost both ways, but you get your FVF back and have the thing to resell.

Or her clever scheme is rendered useless.  No return, no refund.

Mwah hah hah hah.

Also,

Buyers don't read.

(For that matter, a lot of sellers don't read either. Many have trouble with the concept that No Returns does not mean No Refunds.)

If more than 30 days have passed from delivery, she can still Dispute, but she has to go to Paypal for this and PP insists that the Buyer pay for return shipping before refund is possible.

*If your customer is in the States, and a lot of these quasi-literate fussbudgets are, she may think you can't send her a label, and will have to either let her keep the thing and send a refund.

Hah!

You can send a USPS shipping label using Shippo.  If she doesn't use it, she loses out on the refund and eventually Shippo refunds you. 

[esclyons]

unfortunately, positive feedback can't be used against a buyer, if they say they absolutely loved the item, then say i don't like it, the feedback message means nothing..

You now have to deal with the return request.. either you accept it, or you don't..either way you are going to lose something..

I agree with previous, tell them if they are not happy return the item for a full refund.

if they don't use the return label you will get your money back for that, plus they will lose their case against you..

[m.rbell]

Even if the return is a flat - out lie?  Then sellers have no hope of eBay seller protection.  

[m.rbell]

Wow! Thanks femmefan1946. Your info is extremely helpful and an eye opener. I will certainly take this into consideration if this happens again. 

The fact that a buyer can say anything that is in direct contradiction to what is stated in the item description and still have eBay back the buyer is wholly disheartening. There is NO seller protection from eBay.  Their excuse is that because they do not have the actual item in their hands, they cannot determine in the seller’s favour, so the buyer always wins. But eBay has NEVER had any of the items in their possession to inspect to determine the outcome of a claim, so it’s a load of hogwash excuse. 

[m.rbell]

In my 20 - plus years as a seller, this is a first for me. I’d be interested in hearing if this has happened to any other sellers. Unbelievable.

[reallynicestamps]

If you have ever worked in a B&M store, you would realize that most of the time even mom'n'pop businesses take returns for the most specious reasons. The only difference is that with online selling there are shipping costs involved.