Does seller protection exist?

[abicaa]

I sold a new & sealed DVD set, and the buyer has now opened a case requesting a full refund, saying that the discs were "heavily scratched". It doesn't seem fair that I lose the cost I paid for the item in the first place, lose the cost of postage to send it, refund the buyer's payment, and pay for the return postage and receive the item back in unsealed condition OR lose the item altogether. And then they'll probably leave me negative feedback on top of all that! Help!

[kopenhagen5]

Unfortunately I have also received brand new discs sealed and the inside tabs holding the cd in place have broken.

Then with the cd's sloshing around in the case add the broken plastic bits, the cd's have ended up very scratched.

The eBay site does favour the buyer but the above scenario could also have happened.

I don't get many damaged items as a seller but if I do I request photos of the damage.

Can help to weed out some trying it on.

[abicaa]

The problem is that they could just photograph the back of some old DVD/CD and pass it off as the one they bought. At the least, eBay should make it so that if you issue them a full refund, they can't leave you neg feedback.

[bsal6160]

the original cost for you to buy the item is irrelevant.

the buyer actually paid for the first postage

the buyer is entitlement to a full refund

seller pays for return postage (you get item back)

i would be very suspious if the item was returned to you in an"unopened" condition, how else would the buyer know they were scratched?

[pacotrading]

In this situation demand for photographic proof of the scratches, sounds a bit sus to me/

[abicaa]

In unsealed condition.

[designers*n*more]

Also ask for a photo of the case, as if the inside casing is broken as mentioned this could've caused the scratching. If the casing is not broken I would be sus that they've already got scratched copies and trying to pull a shifty. If the discs look new but scratched it could be a genuine claim, if the discs looked used and scratched, more likely to be sus.

[clarry100]

Unfortunately this is all part of trading online esp on ebay.

You just have to "suck it up" and move on.

Knowing that you will get a few of these types of sales you really have to build this into your selling price as a factor.

So that when it does happen you can just refund and move on and not lose any sleep over it.