Remorse return with the reason "Doesn't match description or photos"

[auditech_online]

Can any sellers with the same experience give us some advises on how to handle this situation?

We have a remorse return, however the buyer claimed the return with the reason "Doesn't match description or photos", under which eBay's options for us are

1. Accept the return and send buyer a return shipping label
2. Issue a full refund and buyer keeps the item
3. Issue a partial refund and the buyer keeps the item
4. Contact buyer

The products we selling are sealed and will incur some costs on change of mind returns if the item is opened and used. Our return ploicy also requires buyer to pay the return postage. So apparently none of the above options we can proceed except Contact buyer. Buyer admitted it's a change of mind, and unable to provide any evidence to prove the item doesn't match description or photos.

eBay stepped in and issued a full refund to the buyer and we haven't received the item back. Even if we received the item back, how can we issue a partial refund after that?

[kopenhagen5]

Unfortunately the buyer decided to not select change of mind but lied instead.

All I can suggest is call eBay as they can see messages and explain the buyer has lied.

Use the call back option as those reps tend to be a little more experienced.

[countessalmirena · Accepted solution]

auditech_online, do as kopenhagen has suggested. eBay's "Have us call you" option is by far the best way to get in touch with eBay. (Emails are useless, for a number of reasons, but primarily because the responses, when they are finally sent, are bot-generated.)

eBay say: We'll call you at the phone number registered to your account, or you can enter a different number.

We’re available from 8am to 10pm AET, 7 days a week.

(You can also go through the Appeal process in your Seller dashboard, but remember that the online processses are largely automated and will be handled by bots. You will have a better chance of success by talking to CS in person using the Have us call you option.)

Have ready all evidence that makes it clear that it's a change of mind return. In particular, the eBay messages you've received should clearly indicate this. (The CS rep will be able to check the relevant message/s.)

Note time and date and name of person calling. If possible record the call using an external recording device, and let the person know (and get their agreement).

Note the substance of what's discussed, and remember to clearly summarise each point at the end of the call and get the CS rep's agreement. "You said that you can see that the buyer returned my item because of a change of mind, is that correct?" "CS rep - "Yes" ... etc.

POINT OUT to the CS rep that you are contacting eBay because the buyer has made a fraudulent claim. Refer to the eBay Money Back Guarantee policy, and quote:

Fraudulent claims

Fraudulent claims may include:

• A buyer opening excessive requests
• A buyer colluding with a seller to misdeclare an item's value for customs
• A buyer filing a chargeback after knowingly receiving a refund.

 Buyers who file fraudulent claims are subject to consequences outlined in the Abusing eBay section of the User Agreement. In addition, we reserve the right to indefinitely suspend the buyer's coverage under the eBay Money Back Guarantee.

Good luck!

[klmurray64]

Sorry, my question is a little off topic, but I would also like some advise.

Yesterday I sold some Wiggles Talking and Singing Dolls.  Item Number 283039449550.

I'm just a little bit concerned about the buyer (which I have saved in my searches, I'm not sure if you can see this or not), about all the negatives feedback and negative comments she has left in the past for sellers - for example:  broke very easily, poor stitching, faulty doesn't work, never arrived.

To cover myself I will have a tracking number and I have also videoed the dolls singing and talking before packaging.  Each doll has carefully been wrapped in bubble wrap and I have used padding so they won't move around or get damaged in the cardboard box.

Is there anything else, that you can suggest I do to cover myself, in case this seller opens a dispute against me.

Thank you.

[brerrabbit585]

You need to follow them for others to see them.

Personally, if they've leave 'scary' feedback I'd find a way not to post to them at all. A video doesn't really prove anything unless there's a way to prove when it was taken, and some buyers will still find a way to make a claim. For example, if they already have the same dolls but they no longer work, all they need to do is smash them and say yours arrived broken and then send their old ones back to you or take photos of them. It's a lot of money to lose.

Hopefully someone else will have more helpful advice but make sure you put them on your blocked list so they can't buy anything else from you.

[countessalmirena]

@klmurray64,

You've taken all the precautions you can, I think - if you want to go ahead with the sale.

Can you "follow" this person as brerrabbit suggested? Maybe other members here will be able to see a pattern that makes it too risky to deal with this individual, or on the other hand, perhaps the pattern reveals unwise buying choices from the buyer, which would mean that a good seller has nothing to fear from this buyer.

[klmurray64]

Thanks countessalmirena and brerrabbit585 for your help.  I really appreciate it.

I have "followed" the buyer. 

I'm not sure what the pattern is but she has left 23 negatives, a couple of neutrals, and quite a lot of positives with a negative comment  like never arrived.

Overall she has had 19 items that haven't arrived.

[countessalmirena]

Buyer's feedback for buyers would set alarm bells ringing for me. Most of the buyer's sellers have been Chinese, true, but with this amount of negative experiences, it seems to me that something more may be going on. (Even some of the positives are negatives.) Either this buyer has worked out how to get refunds to her advantage, or she is a masochist.

Spoiler

Didnt arrive not happy
Didnt arrive not happy
Didnt arrive
Nice but broke very easily
Never arrived things i bought weeks after arrived way before this
Never arrived things i b9ut weeks after arrived way before this
Poor quality stitching come undone when put on
Never arrived
Never arrived
Never arrived
Never arrived
Did not arrive
Did not arrive!!!!
Did not arrive
Poor quality bath bombs fell apart when opened will not order again
Ordered amonth ago still hasnt arrived seller keeps saying to wait will not buy
Never arrived seller keeps telling me to wait wont refund!!! Dont recommend
Not as described ordered size bigger but still way too small disgusting quality
Wouldnt recommend this poor quality and broke the second it came out of the box
Wouldnt recommend this poor quality and broke the second it came out of the box
Faulty doesnt work will not buy again
Did not recieve
Paid 4 days ago still not marked as sent no contact from seller
Did not arrive seller had bad communication
Did not arrive
Havent recieved and no response from seller
Bouquet was damaged didnt recieve the 6 i ordered seller wont respond
item hasn't turned up no communication from seller
No lights on keyboard recieved faulty good will not buy again
Still waiting to arrive been 3 weeks still nothing
Still waiting for my ring to arrive been 3 weeks still nothing
Little advise wang good feed back pht down a pagment option and dont change it!!
Little advise wang good feed back pht down a pagment option and dont change it!!

I would probably go ahead and post the parcel, knowing that everything possible had been done to ensure a positive outcome. The most frequent negative feedback is for purported non-arrival of goods - and you've protected yourself against that. But I would then immediately block her.

[brerrabbit585]

Her feedback left rings alarm bells for me.  It may be that she bought a heap of stuff from China, or from Chinese sellers pretending to be in Australia, within a short time and they didn't start to arrive until she'd already bought a heap of items.  That could account for what seems like stupidity in continuing to buy from them.  

If you cancel the transaction you'll probably get a defect but if it was me I'd probably rather get a defect than risk losing my item and the postage money, especially if I only sold as much in a year as you do.  If you do cancel the transaction, don't list the item again for quite a while.  I'd probably see if I can find somewhere else to sell them because the same buyer might open a new ID to buy them again.

[clubesquire]

@ auditech

I’m not as experienced as some here, but all the warning bells are banging away. We have exceptional,people at our local PO. We’ve had only two very worrisome sales like this, but I’ve packaged and photographed in front of Po (our nick for her - she’s Chinese) and then videod her placing the item in the outer and receiving it. Not all will do this especially if busy, but it’s just a thought and may give you more leverage in the event of a claim.

All the good advice precedes my post. Good luck!

Melina.