Advice needed Crazy Buyer Problem

[123angeleyes01]

A buyer bought and paid for an item from me, I posted the item next day, now weeks later the item has been

returned to me with a big refused sticker on it.

I sent the buyer an urgent message to please contact me thinking something may have been wrong with the parcel.

This is the reply from buyer

After looking at the picture closer, I did not want to take a change with this shrug.
I don't think it's what I was looking for.
Please refund me the entire purchase price(including shipping cost ).

Thank you

Any ideas what I should do

[123angeleyes01]

Yes the item was being sent from Australia to USA

I just got of the phone to ebay and I cant believe it..........

eBay RULED in my favour because the item had been refused to be picked

Changing her mind when she has not physically opened the parcel and viewed the actual item is not a valid complaint

The tracking ID & Reg post also recorded that she had refused to pick up the item

So guess what.......       STRIKE OUT BABY (yes I'm yelling I'm excited lol) sorry

I get to keep the whole amount, I don't even have to refund her a red cent or return the item

All feedback will be removed and there is no defect as there is no defect

Thank you to all for your advice ... Now Its Time For A Happy Dance

[digital*ghost]

I'm really glad to hear that eBay ruled in your favour, but personally I'd still refund the item cost, less any expenses incurred, such as the postage and eBay fees. I understand the buyer didn't act appropriately, but at the end of the day, keeping the item and full payment is - just in my personal opinion - not appropriate either. 

[123angeleyes01]

Yes I totally agree with you.

I guess eBay has put in place some form of recourse on buyers like this lady

And left it up to the discretion of the seller what they would like to do.

[thecatspjs]

What I would do on the basis of the buyers irresponsible behaviour and communication described by the OP would be to send them a message -

It would be along the lines of -

I am currently unclear of what you would like done with the goods you purchased from me.

I am happy to resend your goods to you - the actual cost of postage and packaging to do this will be $xxx.  (what ever it is to resend)

Alternately if you did not wish to outlay additional funds towards this purchase I would be prepared to take the goods and donate to my nearest charity shop so that the proceeds might go towards a worthy cause.

Please let me know your preference by xxxx (day, date and time - personally I would give 14 days for O/S buyers in this context) 

If I do not receive payment for reposting goods or other advice by this time (reiterate deadline) I will donate the goods to charity.

I would not refund any portion of the sale prices - it would serve to partially compensate an extremely thoughtless buyer that has taken no responsibility or care for their purchase, but I also would certainly not be comfortable keeping the goods or reselling the goods either. 

I would not dispose of goods through donation or otherwise without at least offering the buyer a choice for the goods to be resent, just because they have no ethics, does not mean a seller needs to sink to their level.   If there was no response from buyer I would donate after the deadline had passed.

If it was a domestic sale I would manage the process and deadlines a bit differently depending on the value of goods as per State  abandoned goods legislation.

I think once upon a time when eBay was not protecting me from eBay I have espoused a different approach, but those days are long gone now

[phorum_junkie*]

A rare occurrence but I absolutely agree with thecatspjs

[thecatspjs]

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@phorum_junkie* wrote:

A rare occurrence but I absolutely agree with thecatspjs

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Nothing less than *faints dead away* is appropriate in these circumstances PJ

[lyndal1838]

Oh Cats we are ganging up on you....I agree with you too.  Can you stand it??

[thecatspjs]

[springyzone]

I'm really glad to hear that.

I would be inclined to do nothing. Not a thing. Wait and see if the buyer contacts you.

It's not that I disagree with the other posters here at all, I can see the ethical problem but in this case I think the buyer needs to learn a lesson-the lesson being that they can't just blithely buy then refuse to accept the item yet expect all costs incl postage back.

If you refund them the money now without any discussion, even if it is simply the money for the item, you will still be out of pocket with ebay/paypal fees but mainly you will have made things too easy. I would almost guarantee they will assume you refunded because you had to, ebay somehow made you, not out of the kindness of your heart.

On the other hand iff you get into some big message relay with them, I can't see it going well either. If you make an offer to re-send it if they pay more, or donate to charity, they might run to ebay with complaints and I wouldn't put it past another supervisor to review it and you don't want that.

I'd stick with the status quo for now & see what your buyer does.

[Anonymous]

i too would wait to see if the buyer contacts you. Afterall they were the ones who stuffed you around

If they do and want a refund then its item cost minus ebay/paypal/listing fees only.

If they dont contact you then so be it and move on