Bought locally now seller wants item returned to China

[sunnysmummy]

Hi,

I recently bought a iphone listed as NEW on eBay for my FIL (he chose it and gave me the link and asked me to buy it for him). The items location was listed as NSW and it was shipped from NSW. When I received it the packaging looked fake so I looked up the serial number and I found it was a preowned refurbised phone from the USA. I contacted Apple and they advised that it was first activated in December 2014. I tried to open a INAD despute but eBays procedures just directed me to the seller. The seller have reluctantly agreed on the return but have asked for me to ship it to China. I have come back to the seller and told them to given me an address in Australia. I am pretty sure they are doing this to be difficult. Can anybody please advise the next step to ensure that I get all my money back.

Thanks

[springyzone]

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@sunnysmummy wrote:

Hi,

I recently bought a iphone listed as NEW on eBay for my FIL (he chose it and gave me the link and asked me to buy it for him). The items location was listed as NSW and it was shipped from NSW. When I received it the packaging looked fake so I looked up the serial number and I found it was a preowned refurbised phone from the USA. I contacted Apple and they advised that it was first activated in December 2014. I tried to open a INAD despute but eBays procedures just directed me to the seller. The seller have reluctantly agreed on the return but have asked for me to ship it to China. I have come back to the seller and told them to given me an address in Australia. I am pretty sure they are doing this to be difficult. Can anybody please advise the next step to ensure that I get all my money back.

Thanks

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I think you need to persist and open a formal INAD dispute.

You've tried step 1, which was to contact the seller & by the sounds of it, they are asking you to ship to an address that may be different to the one they have listed on ebay?

You seem to have some evidence-maybe emails or photos etc. Persist & open a formal INAD.

[janeababe]

DO NOT SEND IT TO CHINA!!!

you will lose your $$ and your phone, and your INAD case.

Open the INAD case with ebay. Only message seller via ebay messages or through the messaging system once the case is opened, (not through your private email) .
Follow the instructions of the INAD case.

Do not fall for the old.... send it to us and we will refund you costs plus postage ..... its a scam.
Do not fall for anything the seller says..... they are trying to fob you off .... ( to go past the time a case can be opened. )

Go the correct channels, and you will be fine.

can you please list the item number?  (not the sellers name though)

[janeababe]

Ok, so.. i have found your seller... but without the actual item number, i cant look at the product description exactly as you saw it....

HOWEVER:....

your seller is based in China.

Even though the item location was listed as Botany, it clearly says in his *contact us* details, Bejing and their opening times.

that being said.... I think you may have to return it to China  BUT dont do anything until you open an INAD

ALSO:  

in his item descriptions, he does say :

Why choose from us:

1.100% Authentic.

2.Brand new (Unless the description says used), first quality, with all original parts and authentic.

Original manufacturer's serial numbers intact.Not refurbished, factory seconds, or replica products.

4.Have a 1 to 5 year warranty program.

.....so unless he described it in YOUR PURCHSE as NEW... (please look for any small print saying its refurbished)  then and only then can you claim INAD.

[sunnysmummy]

Hi, thanks for you reply. Item conditions definately says "New- never used" definately no mention of refurbished or preowned. It also doesn't mention it isn't Australian stock

It also says item location: Botany NSW on the ad.

I also found in ebays guidelines under item location.

Not allowed: 

• Setting a return location in your return policy that is different to the original item’s location resulting in higher costs or confusion for buyers.

  Hopefully this means I shouldn't have to send it back to China! However I can't escalte this through eBay until Thursday, I am meant to negotiate with the seller until then. I haven't done a INAD for years and I want to ensure that I do it correctly to get my FIL money back.
  Regards

[padi*0409]

If that phone has a Lithium battery be aware that it can only be sent by "road only" with AP, so if it has to be sent to China it would have to go via a specialist courier, which is horrendously expensive.

You would need to let Paypal/eBay know that if they insist on sending it back to China, and get a quote for it, then get the seller to agree to paying for that return postage. 

[janeababe]

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@sunnysmummy wrote:

Hi, thanks for you reply. Item conditions definately says "New- never used" definately no mention of refurbished or preowned. It also doesn't mention it isn't Australian stock

It also says item location: Botany NSW on the ad.

I also found in ebays guidelines under item location.

Not allowed: 

• Setting a return location in your return policy that is different to the original item’s location resulting in higher costs or confusion for buyers.

  Hopefully this means I shouldn't have to send it back to China! However I can't escalte this through eBay until Thursday, I am meant to negotiate with the seller until then. I haven't done a INAD for years and I want to ensure that I do it correctly to get my FIL money back.
  Regards

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Yes, item location says Botany... he obviously has someone/or a warehouse/ or is a dropshipper at Botany. If you actually click on your sellers ebay ID, it will take you to his personal page and it clearly says, seller is located in China....

On Thursday, open the INAD....  make some claim that is contains dangerous items as in accordance of the Australian Postal Services (or something like that) and due to the battery being considered as a dangerous item, it is neither cost effective, nor time efficient to post if back to China, and suggest that it be sent back to the Botany site where it was dispatched.
If Ebay finds in your favour, the Seller will be made to pay return post.
Make sure it is sent via a trackable postal service. This is important.

can you please send me (PM) the item number so I can check the listing myself.... This seller might need reporting for false advertiising.
I found his ebay listing to be very LARGE....  hard to navigate!

Cheers

xxj

[janeababe]

Hi again 🙂

Ok, so he definatley lists the phones as NEW: NEVER USED.

Sooooooooooooooooo..... on Thursday, open your INAD case, take photos of the mobile and serial numbers etc, and upload them into your case.
Mention that you rang Apple and what they said.

Then it will be a waiting game for a while, but I think you have a great chance of winning this.  

ALSO:  Your seller has neg feedback relating to iphones.  Known for sending **bleep**py / fake mobiles..  I noted that some are listed in GBP and are shipped from the UK   

Best of luck 

xxJ

[phorum_junkie*]

It is impossible to send a mobile phone with its battery to Australia using Royal Mail, it will not be accepted over the counter.

[*tippy*toes*]

Have you actually opened a dispute? With buying on Aug 22, you should be well and truly able to open one now. Escalate it as soon as you can (keep checking). Remember, if all else fails and eBay lets you down (which they shouldn't), you can open a dispute in PayPal. If you need to open a PayPal dispute, sign up for the free return offer before you open anything. That way they will pay up to $45 for the return postage.

As mentioned, DO NOT send to China. If eBay wants you to return it, ONLY send it to the address they give you, ensuring you send with tracking.

I searched that listing from top to bottom and everything points to it being new, never used. Yes, they have other listings for refurbished phones, but your listing definitely says new. There have been no listing revisions stating change of condition.

Open the listing and up the top should be a link to view the listing exactly how it looked when you bought it. Take a screenshot showing that it was listed as being new. Just in case the seller (or eBay) pull it down, you want proof.