topic Re: Extortion attemtp in Selling

Extortion attemtp

itncseconds — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 04:34:12 GMT

I have a buyer who has addmited at first contact, that they have damaged the item I have sent them, themselves. It's clearly there in the ebay message.

They then asked if they could return it at my expense, but I said I am happy for them to send the item that is now used/damaged by them (I know, I know, I should have said, you broke it, its your problem, right from the begining. I'm just too nice) , but it has to be at their expense as per our returns policy on the listing.

They refused to pay the postage themselves, even though its in our return policy, so they opend a return request saying that the item was defective (this is a change in story, as they clearly said initially, they damaged it themselves).

Now as per the retur request our only thee options are to; offer partial refund / buyer keeps item, offer full refund / buyer keeps item, or contact buyer, which im getting nowhere with. They no longer want to work with me outside the return request. I have the evidence that it was working when they got it, and that they broke, it clear as day in the messaging thread.

They are now trying to extort me into giving them the item AND a full refund for the item AND I loose the postage that I have had to pay and cant recover because of ebays "free postage" option.

I have left it to them that I refuse to be railroaded into their return request for the "defective" item when there is clear evidence and admission, that they broke it them selves by forcing a different brand attachement into it, and I have said I'm still happy to give them a refund if they post it back to me.

Does anyone have some advice on what to do now? Will ebay favour the buyer regardless?

Cheers in advance.

Re: Extortion attemtp

digital*ghost — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 04:50:02 GMT

Contact ebay (best option is to request a callback via the help and contact link at the top of the page, they usually call back in a minute or two, but you might be on hold for a bit).

They will be able to access the buyer's messages, so if the buyer clearly indicated they damaged the item, the rep will be able to see that and will hopefully be able to assist (ideally, they'll close the case straight away in your favour, since the case was opened under false pretenses, but you might strike a rep who still thinks you have to do whatever the buyer wants - if so, ask to speak to someone else, eg a supervisor).

Re: Extortion attemtp

designers*n*more — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 10:40:38 GMT

I agree with Digi - request a call back rather than call them, for some reason you get better help!

good luck, hope it works in your favour! Let us know the result!

Re: Extortion attemtp

transport-posters — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 12:54:11 GMT

Good luck, hope you get somewhere with it.

Another example of eBay's system being too over-engineered and easy for buyers to waste sellers' time dealing with something which has nothing really to do with the seller.

Re: Extortion attemtp

davidc4430 — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 22:37:03 GMT

how do you think you would get on if when driving your brand new mercedes home from the dealers you pranged in into a tree. would you get a full refund if you towed it back to the dealer regardless of who paid for the tow? seems to be the same principle but totally different outcomes between mercedes and ebay.

Re: Extortion attemtp

itncseconds — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 23:04:58 GMT

Thanks digital*ghost. I did call them. They just said wait for the buyer to escalate it, and I have nothing to worry about with my feedback, as they can remove it if they see what I say is true. After 4 days of not hearing anything, the buyer did just that and then eBay immediately gave them a full refund and got to keep the item which was easily fixable. So for them the outcome was in their favor, so they think they got away with it, which annoys me. EBay paid them back, without taking the money off me, so I guess it was in my favor as well. And yes it was a lot of time spent with emails back and forth, and and the buyer got what they wanted the whole time. I've learnt the buyer is always right even when they are wrong, eBay will side with them to encourage them to continue to buy on eBay. The interesting thing is the buyer had their own store and they were a seasoned seller, and were so brazen with their demands, so I guess they knew full well how to work the eBay system. So you can buy something, break it, or say you broke it (there were no pictures for evidence) and then get a full refund and keep the item!

Re: Extortion attemtp

lyndal1838 — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 23:22:47 GMT

Congratulations, you have just seen ebay's Shoplifting 101 in action.

Re: Extortion attemtp

itncseconds — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 23:47:47 GMT

I'm actually astounded! The refund was immediate, as if it was automated. Surely this cost eBay a lot of money over time? What's to stop the buyer from doing it again? Who knows how many times they have done it before? It's a joke!

Re: Extortion attemtp

twyngwyn — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 00:35:53 GMT

eBay is like the bank.....they escalate fees to pay for fraud they cannot/refuse to control

Re: Extortion attemtp

*tippy*toes* — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 08:37:05 GMT

As soon as either buyer or seller ask eBay to step in and help, the case is immediately closed in the buyers favour, with a full refund and they get to keep the item. Are you sure it came out of eBay's money and not yours? Did you check PayPal to make sure? If they've left you feedback, I'd be replying to it mentioning what they've done and naming them so others can see who they are and what they've done. (e.g <username> broke item then claimed a full refund saying it was faulty. Shoplifter.)

Re: Extortion attemtp

itncseconds — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 12:22:41 GMT

Yep, money has not been taken from me, and still have 100% feedback.

Re: Extortion attemtp

davewil1964 — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 12:32:28 GMT

@itncseconds wrote:
Yep, money has not been taken from me, and still have 100% feedback.

Yet. If eBay continue to refund online shoplifters, then you and all other sellers WILL pay more to cover the loss.

Re: Extortion attempt

itncseconds — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 21:28:49 GMT

Further to all this I checked the sellers listings a week later and guess what? There was the item listed on their own listings complete with the pictures and content coppied accross from my own listing!!! I callled ebay and they said they would look into it, but could not tell me the outcome because of privacy. I then also filed an inapropriate listing report, and the item remained up there for a couple of weeks then was sold!!! Yep the buyer is always right, and then they can steal and resell and get away with it. I am still astounded to this day! I come accross people all the time who are a bit worried about buying high priced items on ebay, and I tell them if they pay by paypal, they have not a thing to worry about! I use this blatant theft as an example. It was black and white in the messaging that they admitted to causing the issue with the product, and they still got a refund, got to keep it, and was allowed to re-sell it!!!

Re: Extortion attempt

transport-posters — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 21:42:06 GMT

*shakes head* Incredible... didn't happen to me but it annoys the begeezus out of me.

Re: Extortion attempt

davewil1964 — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 06:56:38 GMT

@itncseconds wrote:
Further to all this I checked the sellers listings a week later and guess what? There was the item listed on their own listings complete with the pictures and content coppied accross from my own listing!!! I callled ebay and they said they would look into it, but could not tell me the outcome because of privacy. I then also filed an inapropriate listing report, and the item remained up there for a couple of weeks then was sold!!! Yep the buyer is always right, and then they can steal and resell and get away with it. I am still astounded to this day! I come accross people all the time who are a bit worried about buying high priced items on ebay, and I tell them if they pay by paypal, they have not a thing to worry about! I use this blatant theft as an example. It was black and white in the messaging that they admitted to causing the issue with the product, and they still got a refund, got to keep it, and was allowed to re-sell it!!!

It might have been more topical to report back last April, rather than this February.

Re: Extortion attempt

lyndal1838 — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 07:56:13 GMT

This is the OPs first visit back to the boards since he started the thread.

Re: Extortion attemtp

knewdoors — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 21:23:53 GMT

had a scammer try to say a refund hadnt been paid despite all of the transactions being recorded on paypal..and this buyer wasnt an ebay newb..point is keep all of your records..they backed down immediately after they knew the facts..never ceases to amaze just how far people push the envelope..