Ebay window shoppers - Anyone with similar experiances?

[screamingdemon_2007]

In recent years we have experianced many customers like this,  buying multiple items and then requesting returns and using the "right of return" as their excuse.  Often damaging the item on purpose and contacting ebay.

In one recent case the buyer purchased an exhaust from us valued at $480.  3 weeks later, he requested a return saying the item was damaged. We offered to replace the item, to which his responce was "I have already purchased from another seller"...   this is where the plot thinkens.. 

1. The exhaust arrives back at our warehouse, it has been used and then scratched multiple times with a stanley knife or similar..  The exhaust was very damaged and could no way be repaired or resold.

2. So, I do some investigating and have a look at this guys feedback... seems on that day he purchased 3 exhausts for the same motorbike from 3 seperate sellers. A clear case of Window Shopping.  I guess he tried all 3 then returned the ones he didnt want after of corse damagind them to ensure Ebay is on his side.  

3. We disputed this claim,  sent pictures etc to ebay along with evidence...  to of corse we all know the reponse from Ebay. 

4.Result:  Buyer gets his money back, to top it off I have to pay his return postage and a $480 exhaust goes straight in the bin.

Below is a buyer trying to excercise this "Right of return" before he even makes a purchase, this was this morning. Of corse,  he is now blocked from purchasing in our store. Due to the recent downturn in Ebay sales that most Aus sellers are experiancing, times are getting tougher and we need to be on the lookout for these kinds of buyers and do what we can to cover ourselves, because Ebay wont.

[collect247]

I feel for you and it's this ebay MBG bull**bleep** that has sellers ripping their hair out because scamming buyers are abusing it and they 

know they can get away with it lol.

Had this happen to me,lost my items and money at the same time due to ebay allowing them to have both.

There needs to be a better way of dealing when things like this happen and ebay needs to stop believing the **bleep** that these buyers say.

[kopenhagen5]

I would have flatly said to eBay, "This is not the one we sent out, it is used. The one we sent was new".

And continued to repeat that.

But it may not have made any difference.

Karma usually comes towards this type of buyer.

If it makes you feel better you are not alone. I feel like I am surrounded by idiots at the moment.

I didn't make plans for easter so I could get a large order done and parts were arriving today because they are already made.

Get a message this morning, the parts won't be delivered until wed.

Probably because the person bringing them decided to finish early today.

Could have gone to Tassie or Qld and now will be under pressure next week.  

[collect247]

If the shoe fits lol

Ebay are one of the most dishonest companies going so why wouldn't some buyers be dishonest also.

Ebay are so sneaky they think we don't know what they're up to,they need to fair dinkum employ people who know what

they're doing and not some joe blo that doesn't even understand ebay's own policies which are a load of **bleep** anyway.

[imastawka]

Poor Kopes  

[springyzone]

Okay, let me just say i feel for you. It is grossly unfair that you had a damaged item returned to you & still had to refund. Try that in a real shop & see how far you get!! You wouldn't get past go, that i can promise you. Items have to be in the same condition as sold before you get a refund in most places.

However, I do feel you need to tweak your ads. You do indeed say '30 day money back'

Now I absolutely understand that you do not want to have money back for change of mind and you don't have to. No store has to. But by law, if an item is damaged or not fit for purpose then yes, that is a different matter.

When any store (real store or ebay) says 30 days money back or exchange though, that usually includes for change of mind.

That's how customers are going to interpret it. So I don't think Doug was being rude by asking the question, not at all. You were probably lucky he asked as a lot of shoppers would have gone ahead.

If you don't want to offer 30 day money back for change of mind, take the 30 day money back clause out completely. Put no refunds there instead.

What exactly do you think 30 day money back means anyway? If there is a fault, people on ebay have more than 30 days in any case. They have up to 180 days to make a claim so in a lot of ways your 30 day money back is superfluous. Just delete it.

[collect247]

30 days return means any other reason except change of mind yes but it don't mean that ebay can give the buyer a refund and let

the buyer keep the item as well or return it while the buyer has damaged it for a full refund.

I know it's hard for ebay to police what was damaged or not by a buyer or in transit but ebay better get their **bleep** act together and find

a way to fix this.

People are sick and tired of being ripped off at ebay's expense,they let the scammers get away with it whilst punishing the victims,

enough is enough sheeesh 

[digital*ghost]

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@springyzone wrote:

If you don't want to offer 30 day money back for change of mind, take the 30 day money back clause out completely. Put no refunds there instead.

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I fully empathise with you OP, what the buyer has done in this case is wrong, not to mention eBay has made it that much harder to ensure buyers don't get away with doing things like this, but I think what springy has pointed out is also important.

The return policy is there to let sellers stipulate what they are prepared to offer in addition to basic consumer laws, and so it is actually eBay's policy that if you accept returns, you must accept them for any reason, as long as any conditions you've set out in your policy have been met. Currently, your buyers don't have to meet any conditions to be able to return an item - for any reason - within 30 days, so it's really important that you either switch to 'No returns' if you don't want to accept returns for change of mind, or enter some conditions, like the item has to be unused or unopened, in the same condition as when sent, retail tags and packaging in tact / undamaged, where applicable, and so on, because even when a buyer does the right thing by you, if you have your policy set to accept returns, you will not be given the opportunity to decline a change of mind request if one comes through within that 30 day window (you do get that opportunity if you have the policy set to no returns). 

(Obviously, buyers selecting 'not as described' reasons when it's really a change of mind is a different issue and you won't have the same choices, but you may be able to convince eBay it was a change of mind return based on the buyer's initial messages - calling them is worth a shot, though it's also possible they'll pick up your initial denial of a return request when your store policy contradicts that). A report to ACORN (about the buyer) wouldn't go astray, either. 

[springyzone]

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@eezipeezi888 wrote:

30 days return means any other reason except change of mind

30 day return would usually include change of mind.

 yes but it don't mean that ebay can give the buyer a refund and let

the buyer keep the item as well or return it while the buyer has damaged it for a full refund.

Nope, I never said it should. Returns are usually expected to be in the condition they were bought, unless of course it is a return because the item isn't working or broke down in some way. My sympathy is with the seller here as I think they have been cheated & I know how they feel, I have sold & had to refund too where I felt we were being played. So I understand some buyers are not using things fairly.

That doesn't change the basic fact though that if you write 30 day return in your ebay ad, you will be expected to offer returns including for change of mind, and buyers will interpret it that way. Sellers don't have to have that condition included so if a seller doesn't want it, they would be better off to take it out.

I know it's hard for ebay to police what was damaged or not by a buyer or in transit but ebay better get their **bleep** act together and finda way to fix this.

People are sick and tired of being ripped off at ebay's expense,they let the scammers get away with it whilst punishing the victims,enough is enough sheeesh 

It can be a tough call because ebay is neither the buyer nor the seller but I agree, they need to spend a bit longer looking at evidence etc before making automatic decisions. But that costs money. The bias towards buyers is what has stopped me from selling much the last few years.

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