Ebay loophole for seller, maximizing profit

[alicialph]

I hope ebay could impose some new regulations for sellers found sending "wrong item" to buyers

Scenario

1. buyer buys item (postage included) cost AUD 8.60

2. seller intentionally send wrong item to buyer as they do not have stock for "listed item". With this seller can still make good profit.

An honest seller could have just contact buyer and provide full refund.

3. buyer receives "wrong item". Buyer opens dispute. Seller is aware that buyer will need to return "wrong item" to them for full refund. Now, the issue is, postage is not cheap when it is international to any other countries. Buyer may need to fork out the amount he / she paid for the item to ship it back to seller just to get a full refund.

4. due to (3), seller can take advantage of buyer and offer only minimal refund of 10% from purchase price

could there be anything done to protect buyers? Why unscrupulous practice allowed? does that mean seller can get away from sending wrong item and maximize profit all time?

will buyer be always at the losing end, needing to pay for item they are not able to use at the expense of "seller's mistake"? and of course from what i saw in their feedback, it is not the first time seller making such "mistake" for buyers.

Many buyers forsake refund due to high postage cost, deemed not worth it to pursue the matter with seller.

[lyndal1838]

Why should ebay impose any other regulations than they already have.

If a buyer receives the wrong item and the seller is reluctant to fix the problem the buyer just has to open a dispute in ebay.  Unless the seller "fixes" the problem to the buyer' liking then the buyer just asks ebay to step in.

If the seller requires the item to be returned then they either issue a return postage label or send the buyer an agreed amount through paypal to pay for the return postage.

The buyer sends the item off and uploads the tracking details into the dispute and receives a refund.

If the seller does not require to return of the item then the buyer is refunded and keeps the item.

How much more protection does any buyer require?

[lyndal1838]

Just looked at the seller's feedback.....why on earth would anyone buy from them and expect a smooth transaction.

Their feedback is terrible.

[lane-ends]

~Ebay encourage sellers to send wrong item if out of stock. cancelling due to lack of stock or even damage noticed post sale to item results in a defect for seller, if they cancel. If they send wrong or faulty item, then buyer raises dispute, and some wont, seller then fixes problem and does not recieve defect.

~If a buyer receives wrong item then open case as not as described and any return costs are on seller. Ebay will side with buyer and force refund and tell buyer to keep it if seller does not come to the party. Often even before seller has had the chance. Even without any proof that indeed there was a problem in the first place.