Ebay resolution center

[wcsd106]

Anyone had any experience from the sellers end on a "Item not received as described" case on Ebay?

Last week I sold, among other items, a D104 silver eagle microphone on Ebay. The finish on the microphone was in good condition and was described as such. I included 3 photographs of the item and paid special attention to document and photograph the fact that a few screws were missing from the top of the microphone base where the head connects.

Today I get home and have an ebay customer support case with the buyer wanting a full refund. The buyer gives the reason for requesting a refund as "microphone was missing screws"

Again, not only did my item description clearly state that the microphone was missing screws, I also photographed them.

I spoke with the buyer by telephone, and though both parties remained civil and courteous, we were unable to reach a mutual agreement. He stuck to wanting a full refund, and I am not inclined to issue a refund because I believe the item was adequately described.

For many years now I have also been putting the fact that I do not allow refunds and all items are sold As-is on my auctions. I have had situations where something didn't quite work out and I have always resolved my disputes either by refunding the sale or finding another way to make the buyer happy with the transaction, but in this case I don't believe I was being misleading when I posted the auction.

Over the phone the buyer stated that he believed he was buying a "Collector's Quality" microphone; something that was never stated or implied in the auction description.

Now that I've finished my rant, has anyone ever been on the sellers end of a dispute that was escalated to Ebay customer support? I'm figuring that they will end up siding with the buyer even though it's a clear case of someone either not reading the item description or reading things into it that clearly were not there.

 

[Wire Weasel]

Hi guy, Sorry this is happening to you. I have never been on the receiving end of an {item not as described} issue, but I have had to seek redress a few times as a buyer as a seller "did" this to me.

You can take your case up with ebay....which is apparently going to happen. If the only issue is the missing screws....sounds like you may get your way. You stated the screws were missing in the ad. Fine. Ebay may well side with you, a good possibility. They may not.

But if the buyer is ultimately unhappy...and particularly if you are able to win the arbitration....the buyer can leave you a negative feedback and it's likely you'll be stuck with that.

I have going on 500 transactions presently, about half of them sales, and have worked hard maintaining a 100% positive rating. Is your rating 100%? You may want to think hard about keeping it that way.

You have a good and reasonable item. I would consider taking the item back and giving the full refund. This will prevent a negative feedback.

And on that "no refunds - no returns" thing. You can drop that too. Ebay is into HIGHLY protecting buyers and they are serious about siding with buyers in most issues. Over the years I have had to seek redress as a buyer about 15 times, mostly on "sig. not as described" issues... and I have won everytime. And I will add that I have left sellers negative feedback almost everytime for making me go to the trouble of fighting with them and for being bullheaded about this kind of stuff.

Keep the buyer happy. Get your mic back and sell it again and live to ebay another day.

Don't forget to put this buyer and any other questionable ebayer on your Blocked Bidders list so the same person can't do it to you again.

Good luck !

 

[packrat]

That is a pretty easy to win case if you were to talk directly to paypal about it. But I agree, you will get a neg, and even if you give a refund, you may still get a neg. Some jerks live to screw with sellers, and they have nothing to lose. You cant leave negative for a seller. Even if they leave a positive, the annon. feedback can ALL be neg. and, again, there is nothing that you can do about it as feedback can not be changed or removed after it is left. You have to be careful asking for pos. in exchange for a refund, too. Ebay doesnt like that either. Also, the phrases such as " Sold As Is", "No Returns", etc all work against you in a dispute, as both Ebay and Paypal look at that as you knowing you are misrepresenting the item, and covering in advance. There really is no way to win as a seller if a buyer wants to nick you.:sad:

PR

 

[fnkycoldmedina]

this happens alot because too many people are too lazy to read the add or plain ol just dont want too.nobody wants to read anymore .
with the exception of us forum guys who read,read,read,all day.

it falls into the same catagory as people dont want to read directions when they buy something either .they "think" they can do it without reading and when it doesnt work ,well back to the store/seller it goes .

personally if it were my auction and i had described it in great detail and provided enough pictures ,well then the buyer be stuck with it .i might offer them a few bucks back to ease the pain but thats where it ends .

take the negative if you have too.you can make a reply to feedback left .
simply put in there that he did not read the add befor purchase.

savy buyers will know your were not to blame if the rest of your feedback is good .

 

[C2]

As a seller, you have two options. Open your wallet and grab your ankles or grab your ankles and open your wallet. Either way you are screwed because even if you don't give the money back, paypal will take it back from you.

I knew someone that complained they never received the item even when they had and had a delivery confirmation. The buyer claimed it was never delivered and if it was, was stolen as the ups left it on the doorstep. The seller had his paypal account docked for the auction.

The CEO for that company just found ways for them to screw the sellers out of more doough, they acquired paypal, a real conflict of interest, and they are able to charge 3 ways for every sale. It's scary considering that CEO might become Governor of my state

 

[Wire Weasel]

Two ways to protect against fraudulent "I didn't receive it" claims.

1) Signature Confirmation

2) Insurance

 

[mackmobile43]

Two ways to protect against fraudulent "I didn't receive it" claims.

1) Signature Confirmation

2) Insurance

3) don't sell on ebay

 

[GLR]

I'm surprised Wire Weasel is capable of putting up with ebay. I can only imagine the holes he's punched in a wall after finding out he wasn't the first to sell a cobra 29 on there.

 

[Wire Weasel]

3) don't sell on ebay

Don't make any money

 

[wildchild455]

My troubles with ebay started when I made the ebay account to settle my mothers estate who passed in 2008. I had a buyer to first say that that he belived the item was stolen...then he said it was broken...then he didnt receive it.

I made pictures and video of the item.

I made pictures of the box being packed.

I made video and pictures of the Signature Confirmation.

And still ebay sided with the buyer...I said I would issue a refund upon return of item that has been over a year and still no item.

I had a devil of a time getting my money from paypal that took until last week to resolve.

I will never sell on ebay or have a paypal account as long as I live.

 

[mackmobile43]

I'm surprised Wire Weasel is capable of putting up with ebay. I can only imagine the holes he's punched in a wall after finding out he wasn't the first to sell a cobra 29 on there.

They most likely have him on their blocked whiners list.

 

[wcsd106]

Well,

Even thought I believe, as do others here, that this was a very winnable case, I have opted to go ahead and refund the money for the microphone. The buyer has shipped it off and I've told him that once it arrives I will get the refund to him via paypal.

Trying to stay at 100% feedback as long as possible.. I know eventually I will get a negative.. it happens.. and when it does I won't worry too much about it.

Ebay sent me a survey yesterday and I filled it out and when it asked why I gave a few answers like I did I was sure to put something in there about not being able to leave problem buyers a negative feedback.

If I take the buyer at his word.. and I've spoken with him over email and via telephone, I might actually get a positive feedback out of this transaction. When it's all said and done he's going on my blocked bidder list as he's already mentioned he'd like to buy from me again in the future. No Chance of that.

If I felt like being a jerk I'd post his ebay ID so that everyone could watch out for him, but I don't feel that doing that in a public forum would be appropriate.

 

[C2]

Now that you've admitted guilt, I won't be surprised if you never get the item back AND you caugh up the refund.

 

[Wire Weasel]

That was uncalled for C2. The OP is trying to do the right thing and preserve his good rating. That's about all one can do and I support his decision.

He will not get stuck with a refund if the item doesn't come back. Buyer's are required to use a trackable service to verify return receipt.

The ability for a seller to leave a neg for a buyer was grossly abused for years by sellers who would put a neg back on a buyer out of simple retaliation for having a neg left for them. The majority of the time the neg given a seller was deserved. Now the system definitely puts the onus on the seller to be completely honest and I think it's working well. Is their system perfect? Probably not. Know of any perfect systems you'd like to share with the rest of us?

 

[wcsd106]

Actually C2, the microphone arrived back to me today. The buyer took the time to package it very well and it was complete just as I had sent it.

He seemed reasonable enough on the telephone when I called to talk to him. The mic was missing the top couple of screws near the head as had been described, but I figured it was better to try to keep a 100% positive feedback rating as opposed to getting my first negative.

As for Ebay's new resolution center, it wasn't actually that bad. Ebay seemed to stay on the neutral side and contacted me and the buyer both separately. The representative I spoke with from Ebay examined my evidence and said that it looked good as far as he could tell and seemed surprised when I contacted him to let him know I was going ahead with the refund.

Paypal, on the other hand, is a nightmare.. been there done that.

Anyway, the best part is this weekend I ended up with some older D104s that needed this, that, or the other and I think I have enough spare parts lying around at the moment to replace the screws and sure this silver eagle up... It'll either get resold or if I can ever find a Uniden Madison I'll throw it on that.