Help needed about dispute from buyer

[misschriss70]

Hi all, I hope I can get some advice about this buyer... A buyer purchased a brand new camera from my daughters ebay on the 16th Nov 2012..he then puts a dispute in on the 30th Dec 2012 saying there is a scratch on camera and it will cost him $100 to repair. I packaged the camera myself and posted the item. There was NO scratch on camera as i Checked and packed it well. He has now escalated it to a claim and one option is for $100 back to him, full refund or disagree with dispute. My daughter purchased this camera duty free and changed her mind as with the sale she bought the one she wanted. She made $100 profit on the auction as it was duty free, she got it cheap.I posted the receipt in for buyer so it was his warranty and I think when he saw that he paid $100 more than she did he wanted the $100 back. I believe after all this time with his late claims that he used the camera. Paypal's said he would have to send them proof of damage etc.. What are my chances of winning this dispute? I dont think he will send me the camera in new cond back. He was a pain from the start even trying to haggle me down for postage as he didnt want registered post. Item was posted registered though. What do other sellers think I should do? thanks all 🙂

[digital*ghost]

In the paypal claim dispute it gives me a option to tick a box with partial payment of $100 along with other options eg. pay full refund and dispute his claim. Im guessing paypal has agreed to close his dispute if I pay him the $100. Thanks everyone for all your advise ...

If you fight the dispute, the $100 refund option will (as far as I know) be off the table, and PayPal will then decide the outcome of the case. They don't (generally) automatically instruct the buyer to return for a refund, instead requiring evidence from both sides before making a decision. There are no guarantees that the buyer will even win, it's only if the claim is decided in their favour that they will be requested to return the camera, then they actually have to return it (registered or equivalent) to get the refund. 

There is one other good reason for sellers to fight claims like this - if you don't, you're out $100 or more from (possible) fraud, if you fight and lose, same scenario, but if you win, not only do they not get away with it, but any seller who wins a PayPal claim is automatically granted seller protection, which means if they paid with a credit card and go on to try and make a claim via the card provider, even if they are successful the funds won't be taken from the seller and you won't be subject to the $15 extra fee.

[i-once-was-bump]

There is one other good reason for sellers to fight claims like this - if you don't, you're out $100 or more from (possible) fraud, if you fight and lose, same scenario, but if you win, not only do they not get away with it, but any seller who wins a PayPal claim is automatically granted seller protection, which means if they paid with a credit card and go on to try and make a claim via the card provider, even if they are successful the funds won't be taken from the seller and you won't be subject to the $15 extra fee.

d*g that is very good information and maybe you should copy and paste it into a few more threads as I didn't realise this and I am sure there are other casual sellers unaware of the importance of fighting a claim.

[ilovefashion!]

I thought you only had 45 days to lodge a dispute? surely it has been much longer than that? 

[***super_nova***]

In the paypal claim dispute it gives me a option to tick a box with partial payment of $100 along with other options eg. pay full refund and dispute his claim.

That option is there only for you to choose = you can do partial refund; once the case is escalated to claim PP will either decide that the buyer has no claim or tell them to send it back.  That is what I meant when I said PP does not do partial refunds.  🙂

[***super_nova***]

I thought you only had 45 days to lodge a dispute? surely it has been much longer than that? 

they have 45 days to lodge the dispute (done 30th December) and 20 days to escalate (done right on the dot) 🙂

[superscanner4]

I agree it very much sounds like this buyer is being dishonest and just wants to get back the $100 profit.   The 'repair quote' exactly $100??  I don't think so, too much of a coincidence. Where is the evidence of a scratch??  No proof?  Not surprising.   If there was one you would notice when you unwrap the camera from the packaging and that's when you would complain.  Not after a month's use which is obviously what has happened.

Fight this dispute.    I hate seeing dishonest buyers take advantage of sellers like this.

[superscanner4]

yes that was great advice from digital ghost - I'm going to keep a copy too

[misschriss70]

Thankyou all for all the great advise..I will fight it. I just wasnt sure which way to go. thanks again 🙂

[digital*ghost]

There is one other good reason for sellers to fight claims like this - if you don't, you're out $100 or more from (possible) fraud, if you fight and lose, same scenario, but if you win, not only do they not get away with it, but any seller who wins a PayPal claim is automatically granted seller protection, which means if they paid with a credit card and go on to try and make a claim via the card provider, even if they are successful the funds won't be taken from the seller and you won't be subject to the $15 extra fee.

d*g that is very good information and maybe you should copy and paste it into a few more threads as I didn't realise this and I am sure there are other casual sellers unaware of the importance of fighting a claim.

I'd be happy to, but I'm not sure I know which threads would currently benefit from it. :8} (Anyone is free to pass on the info where needed though, of course). 

@misschriss70 - good luck with the case, I hope it works out for you.