Damage Dispute

[garryk4373]

After selling some speakers the Buyer took over 30 days to advise they were damaged on receipt and that the speakers didn't work anyway. I requested pictures of the damage, but none which made sense especially given the shipping box showed no signs of being crushed or damaged. The Buyer now wants a $100 refund to keep the speakers (interesting given he said they don't work). Am I being taken for a ride? On my reading it appears the Seller basically has no rights and eBay continues to warn me that if I reject the return request they will refund the purchase price and charge me plus the Buyer will keep the items. So I'm not sure what to do. Do I have any rights or do I just take the partial loss and move on?

[jellybirddesigns]

You're being taken for a ride.

Possibly the best thing to do is to accept the return and hope that they send them back in good condition.

I thought there was a time limit for buyers to open a case anyway - did they open it 30 days from date of order, or 30 days from date of delivery?

You could call the buyers bluff by accepting the return (and this is assuming that the buyer has actually opened a case for Not as Described"). Sometimes the buyer will not return the item as they hope you will just cave in to their demands.

Also, you could message the buyer that if you accept the return, and he does not send them back in good condition, you will pursue either a small claim in court, or involve a debt collector as the buyer would then have the speakers and the money and you can prove a loss to yourself.

[digital*ghost]

If they were delivered more than 30 days, as far as I understand it, they are not eligible to make a claim through eBay, but they may try to raise a claim elsewhere. However, it doesn't seem like returning the speakers is their goal, but getting a partial refund, and returning will be their only option if they raise a dispute (if they have already raised a claim through eBay asking for this, contact eBay CS and advise the buyer is no longer eligible to make a claim - they should close it without refund if the buyer is indeed out of time). 

I personally offer refund on return only for buyers like that; sometimes they reluctantly return, other times they disappear completely, my items and outgoing postage costs are pretty low value, though, so the losses tend to be pretty low, too. 

[ivak245]

You can always tell them that your cousin lives 2 streets away from them, and he will be happy to pick up (and inspect) the speakers, and then refund the cost.  See how long it takes for the buyer to back pedal out of it. If he does go for it, you can always say that you just got word that your cousin has just left for a job in Kalgoorlie, and won't be able to come.

[sugar249]

Sadly that approach would be seen as threatening, even though not directly stated, it is implied.  I would strongly recommend against it.   Speaking from the basis of a cousin  I know