Advice needed on condition description with bought item - what to do next

[zanadoo_56]

The vinyl record I bought was described as plays excellent. The actual wording was:

THE VINYL IS NEAR EXXCELLENT , VERY  BRIGHT AND CLEAN, PLAYS EXCELLENT

It looks excellent but it plays with noisy static from start to finish on both sides. My turntable is new and has barely been used, the stylus is new. All the static is from the record.

I am not impressed because there is no way the record condition matches the description.

Under Contact Seller should I opt for:

# I have a question about using my item or I want to send the seller a message, or

# I received an item that wasn't as described

Not as described seems to take me directly to request a refund.  The seller is in the UK, and he had accepteed my offer for the record (now I know why!)  The total cost (item and postage) is $55.65.

[jellybirddesigns]

You don't need to negotiate with the seller by contacting them.

Just open a case for Item Not as Described.

Since the seller is in the UK, they will have to refund you, as they cannot send a postage label.

Under no circumstances allow the seller to persuade you to send the item back at your expense.

[zanadoo_56]

The seller will accept a return of the record and said he would reimburse me for the postage costs if I send it.  But after I made enquiries at Aust Post about the cost of posting it to the UK I found is it is an expensive proposition....about double what postage cost the seller from UK to Oz.  So he then offered me a partial refund (10 GBP - half the value of the item) and said I could keep the record.

I don't know what to do about posting the item back because I have since read it has to be done within a certain time frame and I am housebound and dependent on help.  My carer/cleaner will not be at my house until next Tuesday and there's no one else I can call on.  Also who refunds the money for the purchase of the record and original postage to me?

I'm beginning to feel it might be easier to accept a partial refund - though it doesn't cover any of the cost of the original postage charge. 

I don't really want to accept the partial refund but I'm not sure I can carry out all that is required to fulfill the conditions required by eBay.  For instance if I take it further and have eBay step in, providing photos of grooves in a black vinyl record are not going to help prove my case at all.  On a photo the record looks fine, sound-wise it is another story.  The seller can't provide a postage label so I imagine I will be initially paying for postage and hoping he will send me the promised refund.

Despite years of buying on eBay this problem is all new to me.

[kopenhagen5]

Rather then spending any more money on the return postage which you probably won't get back, maybe best to accept the partial refund.

[jellybirddesigns]

@zanadoo - you didn't read my message. I explained what you need to do.

Just open a case and DO NOT send the item back at your expense!

The seller is messaging you with an offer that you do no need to accept and you do not need to communicate with them. Ebay gives you the tools you need to deal with this to ensure you are fully refunded for an item that was not as described.

[zanadoo_56]

Thanks I know.  I couldn't figure out how I ended up at returning the item instead of not as described....until late last night it occurred to me I hadn't taken the cursor off the options and had must have opted for returning the item by mistake.  Sigh.  It's not the first time I've skated down options and ended up at the wrong one, but it's a first for me that this was more than just looking for info.  I'd put in motion an option I wasn't intending to open.  The seller is naturally replying to what I mistakenly requested.  In light of that, what do you advise?