How to prove when buyer claims I sent wrong item?

[jspree0415]

I sold an expensive leather planner and buying claimed that I sent them a notebook instead! I can I prove this? I have asked for more photos and questions about conditions but they won’t say anything just kept telling to refund. The buyer has zero feedback.

Also do I have to provide international return postage? Thank you.

[imastawka]

Has the case been decided yet?

If not, upload those tracking numbers and point out the weight variance.

If the case is closed, appeal with the new evidence of weight variance.

An appeal can only be lodged if there is new evidence.

[gutterpunkz05]

Still unlikely to sway ebay, so your only hope will be that ebay foots the cost.

Declared weights  are not proof of actual weight, so unless there is some record of actual weight, verified on certified scales for both the shipment and return, it carries little weight.  (pun intended).

You now have 3 days to refund the buyer.

[springyzone]

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@jspree0415 wrote:

(writing to Twyngwyn)

 Thank you for mentioning about the weight, here is the photo that buyer sent to me claiming I sent that pink spiral notebook instead of the Gillio 175617586761. The weight on the package said 0.665kg (sorry photo quality here is blurry), today buyer sent return package to me and the weight was only 0.367kg. 🤞

 

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I don't know that the weight alone will sway ebay as they may put it down to different packaging, but I agree with imastawka that it is well worth a try, appealing. Point out those weight discrepancies, upload the photos to show them.

What would persuade me that you are probably being scammed here (if I were an ebay rep) is the fact the spiral notebook is too cheap. I can't see that it is even in the ballpark of the sort of stock you list. It is worth what? Maybe $5? Therefore it is unlikely to be the sort of stock mix up that could logically happen.

You're a small seller & those spiral notebooks are more the sort of thing carried by Chinese sellers who maybe have a warehouse here.

Couple that with the reasonably big size discrepancy & I see 'scam'. Especially as, although you have been on ebay quite a while, you are just a small seller.

I'd certainly do as stawka says and upload those tracking numbers & point out the weight variance. Go for it. Let us know how you get on. Good luck!

[jspree0415]

Update 20/10/2023

Result was eBay granted my appeal and here is the details.

Firstly I would like to thank the community for answering my questions and gave me advice, I really appreciate your help.

So I have gone through the whole process and I have to say that eBay customer service has been extremely helpful and supportive along the whole journey, I was impressed and kind of relieved every time I called them. I probably talked to 10 different people and from the start they all told me not to worry too much and I was protected under seller protections.

At first they told me to offer buyer partially refund but I didn’t agree so they told me to ask the buyer to send the item back at their own cost and of course they refused to do so. The buyer insisted that I had to provide them a return label (from Finland to Australia) and not willing to help in any way. I contacted eBay for advice, they put the case on hold and gave the buyer 5 days to respond. If no response from the buyer then the case will be closed in my favour.

Instantly I received response from the buyer with postage quote €59 or over $100aud through PayPal! Again I went back to eBay as I didn’t believe it would cost that much, it costed $45aud to send to Finland so shouldn’t be double to send back. Ebay told me just pay for it. Okay if I were at my normal self I probably would stop here, I already lost $395 and now they encouraged to loose another $100! I felt like I already got scammed by the buyer and now eBay was scamming me! However I did send money to the buyer and asked for postage receipt (they didn’t provide it). Winning or loosing at this point was not matter anymore, there’s no turning point. I had to go through this!

It took almost 4 weeks for the return to reach me. When it finally arrived I wasn’t home and the case closed within 3 hours after the parcel was delivered, the buyer received full refund (I didn’t even get to open the package yet). The next day I contacted eBay and to my surprise I didn’t even have to go through the whole story, the customer service understood and helped me get through the appeal process.

Firstly to submit photos and evidence (weight discrepancy - my original package weighed 0.665g and returned package weighed 0.367g almost half different. The weights were documented on the labels. Other evidence - the brand of the return notebook is popular in Finland, this particular brand is not available in Australia). Secondly to report buyer I did mine and eBay did theirs (I was wondering why they had to do it but I didn’t ask) and thirdly I had to fill out the statutory declaration form. They were with me whole time, I was clearly upset and was very slow completing each task, at one point the line got cut off and they called me back.

For the statutory declaration form, I was asked how soon I could get it done. I said at the end of the day so they scheduled time to call me back in the morning. It was the same person who called me back, he reviewed the document and reversed the outcome! He gave the reason because I got the statutory declaration form done quickly (I was surprised but didn’t want to question in case it would affect the result). Lastly I didn’t forget to ask about the return postage cost as believed I should be able to claim back a portion. He told me to send him a screenshot of the transaction and he would reimburse the cost.

Now with a big relief but because I’ve been reading so many stories about eBay, I’m still wondering if this is really over now? Am I safe? Would it be a twist coming? Hopefully this is it. Even though I’ve been selling for a while I’ve never gone through this before. Never once I had a complaint or return. The whole process was stressful and not worth selling at all! I’m only a small seller and I’m not selling to make money. Most of stuff I sell is related to planning (something I love and addicted to) and like many other planning fellows, we have gone through rabbit hole, bought too many and still keep buying. I just want to destash something that I won’t be using. I will be looking at other options to sell.

[imastawka]

I'm glad there was a positive outcome for you.

[countessalmirena]

I’m glad you were able to get through this stressful process.

[springyzone]

I am so glad ebay has refunded you. Or I hope all that has happened by now.

I am not so happy to hear that the buyer had a full refund plus got an added bonus on the $100 return postage they charged (but provided no receipt for). I very much doubt that ebay will get that money back from them, which means they got away with the scam but at least now they may be on ebay's radar and may have trouble if they try the same sort of thing again.

You say you are just a small seller, maybe limiting sales to Australia only may make things less stressful?

[twyngwyn]

Well done! I'd block the 'buyer'...and possibly Finland as well