Refund

[runway_classics]

I sold a dress mid December.  Item was delivered and buyer asked for a refund which I accepted telling them once dress was returned I would refund in full.

There was  no communication from buyer and on the fourth of January they opened a case. There was no communication and EBay sent me an email saying case was closed as there was no communication from the buyer. Today I received a cheap and nasty little black dress back not the white dress I sold them and eBay have refunded the buyer. What can I do

[kopenhagen5]

Call eBay during business hours.

Select help at the top of the page, scroll to contact and ask for a call back.

[runway_classics]

Thank you. I have already spoken to eBay twice this afternoon and they are not being very helpful

[davewil1964]

it probably won't help now, but what you should have done is take pictures of the returned item, and uploaded them to your appeal of the dispute resolution along with pictures of the sold item.

At least then you would have had more than heresay to support your position, and also grounds to take the matter further.

[runway_classics]

I did take photos eBay saw them I also sent the photos to the buyer. Guess I will have to put this down to bad luck

[countessalmirena]

@runway_classics,

Try the Have us call you option again, and explain at the beginning that you'll be recording the conversation. Get permission to do so, of course... and make certain that you are using an external recording device (so phone must be on speaker).

Before you call again, though, read through this post and also through the posts to which I've linked (recording calls with eBay., and the pattern of what to do before calling and during calling is here. Adapt it to your situation.).

Again - before you call - make sure you have read and noted the relevant policy wording to support your case. You have to be up-to-date with the relevant sections, because eBay have a frustrating habit of rewording their policies without any warning. For example, the Money Back Guarantee policy has been reworded recently. The relevant bits for your case are:

❝The buyer is responsible for:

• Returning the item using the postage label or other reasonable return method supplied by the seller
• Returning the item in the same condition in which it was received.

[...]

After confirming that the item was returned to the seller, we will refund the full cost of the item and original postage to the buyer.❞

❝Item significantly not as described

[...]

• The buyer must send the item back to the seller no longer than 5 business days after the return request is accepted.❞

Read through Report an issue with a buyer. Of particular interest for you:

❝When to report a buyer

You should only report a buyer if you think they're violating our policies. Here are a few examples of when to report a buyer:

• The buyer is demanding something that wasn't offered in the original listing
• You believe the buyer is making a false claim
• You believe the buyer is misusing eBay Money Back Guarantee or the returns system❞

Read through Abusive buyer policy. Of particular interest for you:

❝Don't misuse returns

Not allowed

• Returning an item other than the original item received
• Using or damaging an item and then returning it
• Returning an item with the reason that it was not as described when it was described accurately❞

Also read through the Seller protections page. In particular:

❝An item is returned after it was used or damaged by the buyer

Listings which offer free returns are eligible for this protection

• Before you ask us to step in and help, you can deduct up to 50% from the refund to recover the lost value of the item.
• We'll take care of any issues associated with the item being returned by working directly with the buyer and by including removing any negative and neutral Feedback, defects and open cases in service metrics.❞

If you go about this with full preparation, quoting relevant policy, and ensuring that the eBay CS rep with whom you speak is brought to an agreement with each point as you present it before you move on to the next point, you should - I hope - be able to obtain the desired outcome. Buyers abusing the return process do not deserve to get away with it.

If you're not sure how to put together your points in preparation for the discussion, I reiterate that you need to have read through the links that I've included above (in the second paragraph).

Best of luck.

[runway_classics]

Thank you. I did do the call back but will call back and do a recording. I think this buyer just wanted a free dress

[brerrabbit585]

Report them to ACORN as well, and make sure you let the buyer know you've done it. If they did it to you it's just as likely they've done it to several others, and even if ACORN doesn't get you your money back, it might make the buyer scared enough to stop doing it.

[runway_classics]

Many thanks I will do that

[runway_classics]

Thank you so much, I went in armed with all your info and had a win 😊