Dodgy request that I change the return address and ignore prepaid label

[mark.wooba]

Bought a "new" mobile phone from a "location in Sydney" that turned out to be a drop-shipped, refurbished phone from Taiwan. As soon as I opened it, I could see it was not new. 

Started a return. Seller pretends to be shocked and gives me a prepaid shipping label, then sends me a message, outside the return process, asking me to send it to a DIFFERENT address, presumably at my own cost.

Please disregard our previous address and ensure to return item to the address below:

K***y Y***g #(((RMA 12231)))
PO BOX ***** WETHERILL PARK NSW 2164

Please ensure to return to this address to avoid any refund delay. Thank you for your attention.

I asked them what's going on ... no reply yet. Hate this sort of dodgy stuff on eBay...

[enigmabear]

Does the seller's feedback show a habit of this sort of thing?

In any case, the seller is obviously dodgey as so go directly to opening an item not as described dispute through eBay ,regardless of what bs the seller comes up with next

You may need to use the 'have us call you' option and ask to speak to a supervisor if the seller keeps sending you such messages 

[twyngwyn · Accepted solution]

Speak to eBay....go to help at top of page & have them look at message

[mark.wooba]

Will call eBay now. This seller is one of the biggest sellers of mobiles on Oz eBay, with 99.6% positive feedback and 46570 transactions.

[twyngwyn]

Let us know how you go

[mark.wooba]

Nice eBay lady in the Phillippines is going to send me a corrected shipping label.

Thanks for the advice to call, it was the right thing to do.

[twyngwyn]

Before sending - take a photo on a set of scales for your 'file'....just in case

[mark.wooba]

I'll go one better, a full video of me packing it up. It pays to document everything these days, and with every phone a videocam, not difficult to do either.

[repentatleisure1952]

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@mark.wooba wrote:

I'll go one better, a full video of me packing it up. It pays to document everything these days, and with every phone a videocam, not difficult to do either.

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And doesn't prove anything.

[mark.wooba]

It does, if you first show the phone powered on and reset to factory settings, so working and in order, then turn it off, pack it up, and append label all in one sequence on camera. Yes, in theory I could then pull it out, off camera, and send an empty box, but eBay are unlikely to suspect me of that when I have been a member for nearly 20 years and bought some very high value items, and never tried to cheat. Moreover I would not present the video unless the seller did something underhand, like claiming a "re-stocking fee" because I had not reset it to factory, as they threaten to do in their listing. My video would knock that out.

In any case this is all academic, because when eBay sent me the label they had effectively taken over the return, and as soon as the tracking shows delivery I will be automatically refunded.

Thanks for the responses.