Kazumi,
This sounds very much like an abuse of the process. The fact that your buyer specifically asked you how much you declared on the item is highly suggestive that the buyer was hoping or expecting that you undeclared the value. Why would a buyer ask such a thing unless something of that sort was in his/her mind?
Under the MBG:
❝Fraudulent claims and abusive buyer behaviour
Buyers who engage in activity as described in the Abusive buyer policy may be subject to a range of actions, including warnings, being blocked from requesting returns or refunds on eBay, being blocked from opening claims, loss of eBay Money Back Guarantee coverage, and account suspension.
Activity that is not allowed includes, but is not limited to:
- A buyer opening duplicate requests using other buyer protection programs
- A buyer colluding with a seller to misdeclare an item's value for customs
- A buyer filing a chargeback after receiving a refund
- A buyer claiming an item was not received when the Order details page shows proof of delivery to the buyer's address
- A buyer falsely claiming an item was not as described
- A buyer returning an item other than the original item received
- A buyer using or damaging an item and then returning it.❞
(Rubrication mine.)
It appears that the buyer attempted to collude with you (after the fact) to misdeclare the item's value for customs, and upon finding that you had declared the value correctly, the buyer subsequently decided to falsely claim the item was not as described in order to get a partial refund that was suspiciously similar for the import duty payable on the item.
Were I you, I'd get onto eBay Chat immediately and explain the situation in those terms, quoting from the policy above. Ask if they can close the dispute immediately on that basis. You may not have any luck (because you did cave in and offer the partial refund), but you could claim that it was made under coercion, as you believed that your options were limited under the buyer's manipulative behaviour and false claim.
At any rate, try it. I have zero sympathy for false claims of this sort where a buyer attempts to defraud a seller into paying the import duty, when it's very clear that the buyer is the one responsible for paying the import duty, as clearly stated in the same policy:
❝The buyer is responsible for paying any customs and duty fees for international postage.❞
You can report the buyer for abusive buyer behaviour as well. If the buyer has done this to you, it's odd on that he/she has done it previously.
I'm sorry you've had this rotten experience and felt pressured into giving in to the buyer's manipulation. In these times, when there's a deadly pandemic creating havoc and loss all around the world, such acts of greed and selfishness strike me as so petty... Where is your buyer's integrity? Flushed down the closet of nihilistic excrement?
nG!!nU~$(KGrHgoOKi8EjlLm(rUzBKcZn2z!7Q~~_7.JPG "*kazumi*"){kind=avatar}
