Dispute resolution in a foreign language

[soundsugly]

Once more I am at my wits end, so Im turning here in the hope that someone may be able to help me.

I sold an item to a buyer in Germany. He has opened a not as described dispute.

I was alterted to the dispute via email and directed to the resolution centre, upon which I was directed to the case details on ebay.de. The point being that I do not speak, read, nor understand German.

I have written to ebay customer support twice about this. Twice I have received responses from a no.reply address written in GERMAN. When I finally received a response in english it was in form letter style and the sender had clearly not read my email nor understood my complaint.

I feel for my buyer. I want to respond to the case. I want to sort the matter out.

I do not wish to have the case escalated. I would be quite happy to refund the buyer in full. However I can do nothing until clear instructions are presented to me IN ENGLISH. The item was listed on ebay.au, in an ENGLISH speaking country. The title and description were also in ENGLISH.

I swear dealing with ebay is like rubbing a cheese grater against your face.

[thecatspjs]

Have you tried ringing AU paypal to assist with the response process.

[soundsugly]

the dispute hasnt been escalated yet so unfortunately is still in the hands of ebay. paypal are much better at dispute resolution. guess i'll try calling them tomorrow.

[foxette-in-sox]

Why not try asking for help on the German forums-there are members there who understand English.

You could also use google translate.

[colic2bullsgirlore]

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@soundsugly wrote:

the dispute hasnt been escalated yet so unfortunately is still in the hands of ebay. paypal are much better at dispute resolution. guess i'll try calling them tomorrow.

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The buyer has raised an ebay buyer protection policy dispute.. it will never be escalated to a "paypal dispute" although

 ebay will instruct paypal to refund.

see the info on the link regarding the ebay buyer protection policy. The Op needs to convince ebay that the item was bought and sold

on ebay.au not listed on ebay germany....see the link below... By the way I disagree with what ebay has written on the link below. The salient point being the final value fees you were charged  and what countries user agreement they were taken from.

I believe legally this  designates on what site the sale took place...... The Op could be in for a bumpy ride

(part copy and pasted) and if ebay instruct paypal to take your money then so will the ombudsman be able to get it back from

paypal.... leaving paypal to argue the toss with ebay

http://sellercentre.ebay.co.uk/international-buyer-and-seller-protection-programmes

• eBay Buyer Protection in the US, UK and Germany
  We offer special eBay Buyer Protection programmes in the US, UK and Germany. Buyers can open a buyer protection case directly with us. If buyer and seller don't find a resolution, the case is escalated. Our customer service reviews the case and makes a decision. If the buyer paid using PayPal, we also manage refunds and appeals for refunds.
  
  If our eBay Buyer Protection team reaches a solution, PayPal Buyer Protection won’t handle any claims about that transaction. Similarly, if a buyer chooses to resolve a dispute directly through PayPal, our eBay Buyer Protection policy no longer applies.

Which buyer protection programme applies to you?

Our buyer protection programmes cover cases based on the site where the transaction takes place.

If you’ve chosen basic international selling and offer international postage, buyers can see and buy your items on the sites where you’ve chosen to post. In case of a dispute, the buyer protection programme from the site to which you posted your item applies. For example:

• If you offer postage to France in your listing and a buyer purchases your item on eBay.fr, the French buyer protection programme applies. To solve a dispute, your buyer and you can use our French Resolution Centre, called 'Gestionnaire de litiges'. Your buyer can also file a claim with PayPal to request reimbursement.
• When you sell to international buyers on eBay.com, buyers from countries such as Brazil and Russia see your listings through an optimised eBay experience. When buyers from the countries to which you’ve chosen to post purchase your items on eBay.com, our US buyer protection programme applies.

[colic2bullsgirlore]

Here is some food for thopught on this subject.

If you have items listed with international postage and an ebay.com.au member logs into ebay.com and buys your item than as per ebays policy as explained in the link on the post above if the item comes into dispute the buyer will be entitled to open an ebay

buyer protection policy dispute and ebay will require for tracking and signatured delivery showing the buyers address for a seller

to defend an INR claim....howver if that same buyer just logsd into ebay.com.au and buys the item then the seller need only show

delivery to the carrier as the buyer then can only open a payp[al dispute....

 ie the ebay buyer protection policy usurps the SOGA requirements and is therefore unenforceable in Australia

... but I bet that does not stop ebay.com giving it a go