eBay returns - how do I get their decision reversed??

[chabra.aus]

Hi,

Apologies in advance if this turns into a rant but I am steaming mad at the moment!!

A customer (feedback score of 2, so v inexperienced) purchased a hammock from my eBay store.  The listing states every single dimension that a buyer could need - fabric size, total hammock length including ropes, width of spreader bars etc.

She bought it to go on a hammock stand (that she purchased elsewhere), but it doesn't fit.  She emailed me and asked for a refund, to which I told her that we don't refund on a 'change on mind' basis.  She tells me that she didnt change her mind, the hammock just doesn't fit her stand.  To which I told her that she should have measured it before purchasing.  If she had had a little patience, I probably would have made an exception and refunded her if she sent it back - at her expense.

Anyway, now she has opened an ebay dispute which they have 'investigated very thoroughly' (!!), and found that the item description was indeed incorrect!!!  WHAT THE..??

So now, I have to pay HER return postage AND original postage, plus the cost of the hammock because she CANNOT MEASURE!!,

Oh, and if I don't send her an return address label, she just gets to keep it together with her refund.

Why does eBay allow us to write in our listings 'BUYER PAYS FOR RETURN POSTAGE' if they are going to override it??

I run 3 eBay stores, with thousands of positive feedbacks, yet this newbie chump gets to walk all over me.

Where do I go from here?  How do I get this decision reversed?  I'm seriously considering closing my eBay stores because theres no point, and absolutely no back up for the seller from eBay.  They might want to remember where they make their money from.  I can only imagine that the returns issues are going to get worse and worse for the sellers.

Thanks for listening!!

Chabra.aus.

[tall_bearded01]

I’ve been doing a little research and think aside from the ACCC, disaffected sellers should also lodge a complaint with the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA), specifically questioning why eBay was granted a licence to provide insurance services to buyers’ on its site, without that licence being made subject eBay becoming a member of the Financial Ombudsman Service.

I would also suggest it might be prudent to ask for an explanation as to why, they allowed two related companies, both of which come under their jurisdiction (eBay and PayPal) to enter into an agreement which allows one (eBay) access sellers funds held by the other (PayPal), without the requirement to judicially prove the existence of a debt. That is, whereas ordinarily an insurer can only recover from a third party after the right to recover has been judicial determined, eBay, in concert with PayPal are now able to access sellers funds by simply asserting a right to recover against the seller might exist.

I would also steer them to these boards so that they can see for themselves the self-service manner in which the claims process is being managed by both eBay and PayPal, and the often infantile reasons given when attempting to justify claims outcomes.

[mbselections00]

---

@gtx305 wrote:

Demand to speak to a supervisor (and keep demanding it and calling until they do), get names / times / dates of your phone calls and ask if they record phone calls - request that they do.

---

You can also request the details of the conversation be noted on your records and always get a Reference Number for the conversation  (Learnt that one here on the boards ! - thanks folks)

Congrats chabra and best of luck gtx - don't give in to them !

[cherry*135]

Good news, result as it should be.

I purchased an item the other day, in my purchase history - on the far right side is:

Visible:

Leave feedback

Contact seller

Then drop down box

View order details 

Sell this item

Return this item

and several more options.

Buyers do see the contact seller option first, rather than the return option being the most prominent. A lot of sellers complain the buyer goes straight for the return/dispute option  without contacting them first.

[cq_tech]

Thanks for the additional advice, TB01, which appears to yet another valid approach to the issue at hand.

[green-gifts-mkd]

For the item I bought the last week, this is what I see:

I think it's disgraceful. It is actually encouraging thoughtless purchasing and sends the message that buying on eBay can end in disappointment/dissatisfaction. It is a counter-productive strategy imo.

[i-love-my-sheep]

I have quite a bit in my Purchase History at the moment and most of them dont show the return this item link, that is in the dropdown menu. There are 4 where return this item is visible, so it seems to be a bit inconsistant. The ones where it is visible are all from sellers I've bought from before, so it's not like it's a first time purchase. The 4 are scattered through my purchases, so not even like they were before a certain date where they may have changed the view after then. Who knows?

[cherry*135]

This one is for an item where both seller & buyer have left feedback

Return this item Follow this seller More actions

The example I posted in previous post, no feedback left by buyer (me) as I hadn't received it at that stage.

I haven't bought from either these sellers before.

[harley_babes_hoard]

I have one of each. I can't find a difference between them why one would have and not the other one except for time frame.

The one I have not bought from before has the big blue visible link. the one I have purchased from before has it in the drop down menu.