I have just received an Ipod that doesn't charge. I have paid $65 for nothing and Ebay seems unable to provide refund. Paying through Paypal seems to provide much better protection for customers. The seller will not provide refund. Hopeless!!
You've been an Ebay member as both a buyer and seller for 22 years and have no idea what to do in the case of an item being defective? How can this be possible?
I'll admit I'm surprised that you don't know how to go about this, bigmacs81.
The seller has NO LEEWAY if the item is not as described. You say "The seller will not provide refund". That is simply not the case. As long as you act within the timeframe, you are covered under eBay's MBG. This guarantees that the seller will refund you. Furthermore, it is the seller's responsibility to provide you with the means of return postage.
Please read the eBay Money Back Guarantee Help page, and acquaint yourself with it thoroughly. I also suggest that you bookmark it so that you will have the information readily to hand if ever a similar situation arises in the future.
eBay's Money Back Guarantee will protect you for up to 30 days from the date of delivery (or the latest Estimated Delivery Date if the item hasn't arrived). You have absolutely not even 1 second longer than 30 days to open a dispute for a refund or replacement. (I suggest never leaving it until the last day, mind you, in case of an unexpected issue preventing you from acting - illness, computer problem, technical glitch, forgetting, etc.)
PayPal Buyer Protection will protect you for up to 180 days from the date of transaction (the day when you paid for your item). You have absolutely not even 1 second longer than 180 days after buying to open a PayPal dispute for a refund.
Your credit card/debit card will protect you for whatever period the issuing bank or financial insitution state in their terms and conditions. This may be 2 months, 3 months, or up to 6 months (the longest that I have seen).
You need to go through the SNAD/INAD process.
You can go through the process from your Purchase History, or just use this link (from eBay's Return an Item for a Refund Help page) and click onto the blue Return your item button.
Select the item, and continue. You'll be asked ❝Why are you returning this item?❞, and there will be a list of options:
Ordered by mistake
Arrived damaged
Don't like it
Missing parts or pieces
Changed my mind
Item is defective
Received wrong item
Doesn't fit
Found a better price
Doesn't match description or photos
Select ❝Item is defective❞, and continue.
The page will now ask you to add details, and say: ❝We’re sorry that the item wasn't what you expected. Let us know how your item differed, that information will help us to best resolve your return.❞
In the text field, write "The iPod does not work properly. It is impossible to charge the iPod."
There is an option to upload a photo. If you can take one of the iPod connected to a power source but no charging symbol appearing, I would do that; make sure you supply every possible bit of evidence.
The seller is required to respond and provide a solution to the buyer's issue.
Latest:
3 business days after the request date
In some cases, eBay may automatically accept the return on the seller's behalf.
If the item is being returned
The buyer sends the item back
Latest:
The latest date to post the return will be shown in an email sent by eBay to the buyer, as well as within the return request.
If the buyer does not post the return by the specified date, eBay may close the return request.
The seller issues a refund
Latest:
3 business days after receiving the returned item
If the seller does not refund the buyer and return tracking shows the item was delivered, eBay may automatically issue a full refund on the seller's behalf.
Ask eBay to step in
If the seller hasn't responded or hasn't issued a refund after receiving the return, or if the buyer and seller can't reach a resolution, either party can ask us to step in and help.
eBay may step in without the buyer asking if the seller didn't respond to the return request.
Once eBay steps in, eligible sellers will no longer be able to issue a partial refund to the buyer, even if the item is returned used or damaged.
Earliest:
Once the seller has accepted the return, or 3 business days after the request date
Latest:
21 business days after the request date, if the seller never responded
10 business days after the refund deadline has passed, if the seller is issuing a refund
eBay may hold the return request open for up to 35 business days after the date the return was accepted.
Come back and ask for further help if you need it.
To be honest if someone asked me how to go about it I would likely be able to figure it out but don't really have any clue on how it works. On the other hand I would be able to give advice on how best to try and avoid it as a seller.
Makes me think how people drive cars but some wouldn't be able to change a tire.
There's a joke I once read that goes along the lines of a man prayed to win Tattslotto. 'Please, Lord, let me win'.
He didn't win the first week so he repeated his prayers, "This week, Lord, please!". This went on for several weeks till one day in frustration, a voice came down from the clouds, "I am ready to help you, I want to grant your wish, but first you will need to buy a ticket."
Your case potentially reminds me of that because ebay can't help you unless you actually open an official claim. Just messaging the seller is akin to sending a prayer into the ether. If that has got you nowhere, you need to go to the source (ebay) within 30 days.
You say ebay seems unable to provide a refund. What does that mean? Either they provide a refund or they knock it back. Have you even opened a proper claim? The seller is not ebay.
If they did knock back an official claim then you're right, the next port of call is a paypal claim if you paid that way.
