Buyer lodging a claim for refund who clearing didn't read the listing - will I have to refund?

[love-me-two-times]

I've had a really great run on ebay for about 18 months. No issues buying or selling. But in the last 3 days I have been hit with a buyer who wants a refund because her item hasn't arrived and she chose to have untracked mail as a domestic letter - my listing gives options for tracked mail but she obviously decided to take the risk and save the money - now I've got to refund the lot and lose the CD and the postage.

And tonight I have a buyer who wants to return a parcel of CDs because he did not read the listing or review all the photos. The listing and photos clearly show what the CDs are. He has admitted he didn't see all the photos and wants a full refund. Am I going to be forced into this by ebay or get a poor rating?

It seems your refund and return policies as a seller are meaningless and all the 'power' is with the buyer even when they are at fault or in this case a buyer has changed their mind but lodged a claim as an item not matching the description.

Suggestions/ recommendations please?

[jellybirddesigns]

In the first case - I never let a buyer decide on which type of postage to choose as it is often open to abuse. Anyone looking to scam a seller will choose this option on purpose. Not saying your buyer is scamming, but you have no way to know. Because there is no tracking, you will just have to refund.

In the second case, you can try tell the buyer to return the CD's at his expense as this is a change of mind return. You can also mention that you can only refund the original cost of the item when you get them back, but not any postage as the items were as described and not faulty or damaged. Send a friendly, polite message to this effect and see what happens. Don't encourage him to open a case.

[sugar249]

I have many items that can go as an untracked letter,   But I don't offer it as an option, and if anyone asks I kindly refuse or block them.   I would rather miss out on a sale then have items go ''missing''.

[love-me-two-times]

Sadly they both opened cases which is the only way I found about there were issues. I can see I will be refunding the first case but in the second case, the buyer has offered overnight to post the items back to me, an acknowledgement I guess that they didn't read the listing or view the photos. So that's a good outcome - can still leave negative or neutral feedback I guess.

I mainly sell single CDs - the options for postage are a $2.20 letter versus a $4.95 tracked letter. I have rarely had an issue and I get lots of CDs myself via untracked mail - but sadly can see the opportunity to scam and say an item never arrived. I am trying to bundle now so once more than 3CDs it needs a parcel anyway.

Thanks 🙂