Ebay return with a twist

[jebedar123]

I sold a laptop. The buyer complained about the battery and took it for service to check they said it needed to change the battery and the whole top chassis of the laptop (all free of charge because it is still under warranty). 

The buyer returned the laptop, and so I took it to repairs to get it checked. To my surprise, the technician told me it had already been serviced with a new battery and a keyboard while it was in the buyer's custody.

So my question is, since the item has been tampered with and modified, can I refuse the return? Consequently, this isn't the exact item I sold; it has new/different parts from what I sold. So, can I refuse the return based on it alone, right? They shouldn't have sent the laptop for service before sending it back, right?

I appreciate any help you can provide.

[jebedar123]

Good point! I'm actually not willing to dispute on the basis of a faulty battery (there is a note in the repairs saying the battery still has six months remaining based on their tests, so the battery wasn't really bad). I just wanted to dispute the return, since the item was altered.

I don't care about eBay's satisfaction score since I don't depend on eBay to put food on the table. But your point is extremely valid and probably the only answer with great value here.

Another spin on this is that the money is already in my bank account. I have both, the money and the computer and it has been more than a few days since it was delivered, and eBay just went quiet with an open case as "Pending" so I'm not sure what's next, but as far as I'm concern no one is contacting me so far where I sent several messages.

Thanks gutter!

[domino-710]

Then what are you waiting for - refund the buyer. 

[padi*0409]

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@domino-710 wrote:

Then what are you waiting for - refund the buyer. 

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Waiting for eBay to close the case for them Dom ?   😂 🤣 😂

Spoiler

...........sooo much easier that way...........

[domino-710]

I have 24  FIX-EMS - and a rather large bridge - interest ???

[gutterpunkz05 · Accepted solution]

As long as you are aware, that if ebay are required to resolve the issue, it will count as a defect against your sales metrics, and as you are a low volume seller it may be enough to result in ebay applying higher sales fees, and other selling/listing restrictions, to your account.

[springyzone · Accepted solution]

I see it like this. You are in a no win situation if you want to harp on about the letter of the law.

You are correct: A buyer should not alter an item or modify it or any of that sort of thing if they are seeking to return it. It should be returned in the condition it was received.

However, if an item is faulty and those faults were not disclosed in the ad, then the buyer is entitled to a full refund and the seller should be paying for the return postage, what is more.

So technically, I guess ebay could say the buyer was not eligible to return the item because of the repairs. But on the other hand, if you contact ebay and tell them that not only the battery, but the whole top chassis of the laptop had to be replaced, that sort of proves the buyer's point, doesn't it? That the item was faulty.

What if ebay then gave a full refund to the buyer, but without making them return it? Wouldn't be the first time that sort of thing has happened. (edit: I see it has been returned already, but theoretically...)

You can certainly refuse the return, you can contact ebay help and chat to them, but the danger is ebay doesn't always follow its own policies and you could still find yourself more out of pocket than if you accept a return.

Up to you which way you fall,  but if I were an ebay rep listening to all this, I'd probably push through the refund for the buyer. My reasoning would be-you, the seller, had already confirmed it needed repairs that weren't mentioned in the listing, so the item was not as described. One strike against you. Two, it wasn't as if the item was damaged, it was sent back in better shape than received. That probably only happens in ebay land once in a blue moon. And three, the buyer has already returned it so it is too much rigmarole to try to reverse the process.

If you by chance did fight it and win and the buyer had to pay to get it posted back-what if they then claim some other new fault (which I think a buyer might easily do if they really didn't want it), then you're back to square 1.

You've got it in your little hot hands, just relist the thing, stating the marvellous new parts and warranty it has.