How to open a new return case after closing an incorrect one?

[jessie70xia]

I received an item that broke out of the box, so I contacted the seller for a refund. He agreed to one on the condition that I change the return reason to "Doesn't fit". I couldn't find a way to change the reason in the return case so I thought I could just close this case and open a new return case, but once I closed it, the item disappeared from my purchase history, and now wouldn't let me open another case. Now I'm scared that the seller wanted me to close the case to avoid going through proper channels. Is there anything I can do?

[padi*0409]

eBay will be very reluctant to reopen a case that you've closed. Your only chance is to go to "ebay help" at the top of the page than scroll down for contact options, as soon as you can, ask to speak to a supervisor and show them the messages from the seller. They might reopen the case but you'll be fighting an uphill battle to get them to do it.

[jellybirddesigns]

The seller played you.

Why would you even listen to a random seller? The means for resolution is to follow the correct procedure outlined by Ebay. By opening a case the onus is put onto the seller to either send you return postage/shipping label if they want the item back, OR they need to refund you. Simple. It doesn't matter what the seller wants or asks you to do - once you change/close the case, you lose all leverage.

You can't open another case once you close it on Ebay. 

If you paid via Paypal, they offer 180 days to open a case, so they would be the next stop.

You can also try your bank for a chargeback if Paypal fails

[papermoon.lady]

Sorry, but it is never a good idea to close a case before an issue is resolved.

I hope you paid via PayPal, and if you did and can open a case in their resolution centre, do not close it if the seller makes some new unsubstantiated promises.

[countessalmirena]

Furthermore, “doesn’t fit” is a whole other ball game. That’s not a refund/return based on the item being damaged (INAD or SNAD, meaning it’s not as described and the seller MUST refund you and pay for return postage), but rather it’s a COM (change of mind/buyer’s remorse) reason, and the seller may not even have to accept the return and pay for return postage or even refund you.

As the other posters have said, never close a case until it is fully resolved to your satisfaction (that is, the refund is done and dusted).

[papermoon.lady]

Countess, unfortunately it seems to be a common trick these days to blame the buyer in order to avoid a defect. Many buyers here for example have received emails saying "they" had cancelled when they had not... Even if it does not affect a buyer's account, I find it quite annoying.

[countessalmirena]

Papermoon.lady, that wouldn’t worry as much as suddenly finding I could only get a refund upon returning a damaged item and paying for return postage myself… 

… or finding that the seller could now reply “No” to my return/refund request.

I know the “buyer requested cancellation” must be irritating. I’ve never had it happen to me, but yes, I can imagine it would rub the wrong way. Yet I realise that sellers just don’t have a good array of reasons that fit the cancellation scenario, so I think I’d probably make a dramatic “never mind” gesture and just look for the item from another seller or source.

[davewil1964]

There seems to be a possible lack of attention to detail here.

The OP stated the item broke out of the box.

If it arrived intact and was broken during removal from the packaging, that is hardly the seller's fault.

I would require significantly more information before pillorying the seller.

[countessalmirena]

Hmm. I admit I thought the OP meant that the item was already broken/cracked so that when he/she removed it from the box, it was in a non-intact or non-working state.

You’re right, davewil, in suggesting the OP could have meant he/she broke it in the act of removing it. That would be a different broken kettle of fish.

[davewil1964]

Indeed. Kettles can be cracked, like mirrors, or even broken, spewing shalotts everywhere. Fish definitely aren't generally transportable without special containers.