eBay flawed policy facilitating overseas international buyers to obtain goods for free.

[depo_tech]

A product has been selling for years it’s a passive casting like a coffee mug over 1k sold in last 3 years with “0” issues.  International shipping is enabled. Returns is unticked. The cost of international returns well exceeds the cost of the item, so not worth having it send back.

eBay policy of when international return is not offered.  It said except for when “goods not as described”

So here we have a buyer in a faraway land called Thailand bought 3 of same item. Order goes out and as soon as it is delivered buyer hit the refund request and select “goods not as described”, eBay will ask you to repatriate the item. The only option is FedEx or DHL.. which cost allot more than what the item is worth and upon receipt of the return item, you be up for the full refund of what the buyer paid + the cost of return shipment.  And so, you are better off let the buyer keep the goods at his disposal and be down the full amount the buyer paid.

Very happy buying experience for the buyer. Very aggrieved seller.  eBay customer refuse to consider the selling history of the product, 3 years not even one complain..  they just refunded the lot to the buyer.    

Many buyers are aware of this policy which facilitate overseas international buyers of getting goods for free all they have to do is tick “not as described”  and the goods remain at their disposal for free, regardless of the selling history of the product.      

[davewil1964]

You got it.

Maybe don't offer international sales?

Or just wear the cost of the odd shonky buyer.

As you stated, this is the first issue from many thousands of sale. So a couple of cents per, averaged.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

reminds me of PJ's 10c self insurance jar.

@depo_tech, up your prices on listings by 10c.  Every time you make a sale you put 10c in a jar.  After 1K sales you'd have $100 in the jar to cover a lost case.

[jellybirddesigns]

Unfortunately you're always going to get a situation like this sooner or later.

I don't think the international aspect of selling determines a bad buyer - plenty of those within Australia!

The number of sales you have had of a certain item is irrelevant to ebay and disputes are automated for the most part. 

Sorry this happened - so definitely put the buyer on your blocked list and in general, make sure that your blocked list requirements are up to date as this will help with weeding out some buyers.

Lastly, I always check out my buyers before I send anything. There have been a couple of times where the buyers feedback for sellers has left me feeling that it would be a risk to send, so I cancel the transaction. You should have a look at the buyers feedback left for sellers and see if there were any red flags to have picked up on beforehand.

[depo_tech]

For all transactions eBay is the gatekeeper and policy maker.  Had a long conversation with eBay's customer service but they refuse to review selling history of product.   The “Not As Described” grants the buyer automatic, no question ask full refund without any recourse, facilitating overseas international buyers to obtain goods for free.  Partial refund is not and option, eBay will refund the full amount regardless.

This particular case the amount was $275.- shipping included, return FedEx $120.- . Repatriating would amount to a total payout of $395.  Net resell value $90.

Seller down $305…   

The gatekeeper is a referee, you’d expected prudent and fair assessment. 

“Not As Described” should include subject to sales history. Before granting the full refund, the eBay’s robot can quickly check the product (code) history for any passed “Not As Described” cases, if there aren’t any, the case should be referred to customer service for final decision.

[jellybirddesigns]

I agree that it is not fair to encounter dodgy buyers like this, especially since return postage can be costly to yourself. 

Ebay does not take the selling history of an item into account, because whilst you might sell several thousand of a particular item successfully, what happens one day if one those is faulty/defective when delivered? Buyer would rightly open a dispute and get their money back. Doesn't seem to be case here, but it just illustrates my point that Ebay has no way of determining whether the 3 items that were actually delivered were perfect or defective. For all we know, all three of them were duds!

The only suggestion I have is to write it off in your taxes as a loss.

[papermoon.lady]

It does sound like the buyer is trying to scam you. 

Didn't the buyer have to provide photos/proofs etc.?