Help with buyer & supposed damage to item

Claire_Jones_3

I need some help with an item on ebay I sold. It was a buggy board to clip onto the back of a pushchair for carrying a toddler/young child. Anyways I sold it on the 3rd Nov and the buyer didn't pay for it so had to open dispute and they finally paid on the final day before they got an unpaid bidder strike. I sent it by courier to her and she sent me an email chasing delivery (rather shirtly) as she'd not received it. It was signed for by their neighbour and card put through her door which had slid under cupboard or something. She's just email me to say:

Hi there
Having just got round to trying to assemble the buggy board at the weekend, I wish to return it and get a full refund due it being faulty. There are a couple of things wrong with it, firstly the screw which holds the red lever mechanism in place does not hold - it has no purchase, therefore the red lever can't be used to hold the bars attaching to the buggy in a set position.
This is obviously dangerous as the board can flip over. Also there is a screw which has been incorrectly screwed into one section of the arms (to hold them together) and is stuck. So now that screw is missing from the part it should be used for. I am happy to package it up and return it immediately. I am absolutely gutted it doesn't work as with 3 small children I was hoping this would help me out enormously and I can't seem to buy one new. Cheers

I'm sorry that some of the screws she claims are wrong but I never used them as I didn't need the exension pieces so wouldn't really have noticed if they were wrong! I don't remember there being a stuck screw either. I don't know what to do now, I don't want the board, I'm not a business seller and have put on the listings I don't accept returns but where do I stand. I don't want to be out of pocket for her stuffing up a screw and surely if its that important then she could get replacement screws. I've replied to them to say I will pay for some replacement screws but their now are replying to say that won't solve the problem. I know that the buyer purchased the same board from another seller and complained about that one too. The other seller said they would refund if they returned (which they never did) so I'm concerned that I'll end up with a mixture of the two boards. :mad:

Any useful advise as to what I can/should do? I really don't need to be loosing money right now as things are tight enough at home financially without this hassle.

emby

This probably isnt really helpful, but if they look to open a significantly not as described dispute via paypal they'll be asked to return the item via a trackable method at their own cost. Saying that you don't accept returns doesn't hold any ground because if she goes down the paypal route she will be asked to return it.

cyberbob

Putting that you don't accept returns in a listing is pretty pointless as if the item is faulty you have to accept them.

If the buyer opens a not as described dispute in paypal it is extremely difficult to defend if they win. They will be told by Paypal to return the item (at there cost) for a full refund.

You have 2 choices you can either offer them a refund if they return it. Or you can dispute there claims and if they open a dispute see what paypal decide.

I must admit it sounds to me is that they changed there mind about the item and only paid after the dispute and now want to return it.

I must admit personally in these sort of cases its sometimes easier to just accept the return as if they go via the dispute you may get the item back damaged. I'm afraid theres no easy answer

Claire_Jones_3

I think by the sounds of her emails its already damaged! So either way I'm going to lose out (original courier postage, ebay & paypal fees), the buyer has been a pain since the start and wish I'd just binned the board in the first place!

The fact that it wasn't damaged when I sent it doesn't make a dot of difference then I take it? If she returns it to me and it is damaged then were do I stand as she'll get her refund and I'm now out of pocket and have a damaged item

Thanks for your replies though.

theonlywayisup

If you decide to refund, then send a 'cancel transaction' from Ebay. Tell her you've sent it and that when she notifies Ebay she is sending it back, you will process the refund upon receipt of the goods. You will get back your FVF but your original courier money is lost. AFAIK you have to refund up to 80% of the original price, so you could go that route to try and recoup. Likewise, you will get back the PP fees on the portion of refund you send. However, she could be genuine and there could be a fault.

emby

theonlywayisup wrote: »

If you decide to refund, then send a 'cancel transaction' from Ebay. Tell her you've sent it and that when she notifies Ebay she is sending it back, you will process the refund upon receipt of the goods. You will get back your FVF but your original courier money is lost. AFAIK you have to refund up to 80% of the original price, so you could go that route to try and recoup. Likewise, you will get back the PP fees on the portion of refund you send. However, she could be genuine and there could be a fault.

The buyer could always reject the 'cancel transaction' request.

Claire_Jones_3

I've emailed the buyer and told them I will refund once the board is back to me and I have inspected it (to make sure it is my one not one of the other 2 she bought). As I had to open an unpaid item dispute the resolution centre won't allow me to open one now to cancel the transaction, will have to ask the buyer to do it instead which I doubt they will do anyway. So £4 FVF's, £7 courier and PP fees all lost, feel like refunding it and telling her to keep the damn thing

ccctuk

if the buyer paid the P&P you won't be losing that money, will you? Paypal refund the charges too.

Claire_Jones_3

ccctuk wrote: »

if the buyer paid the P&P you won't be losing that money, will you? Paypal refund the charges too.

If you look at ebays guidelines I think you have to refund the whole amount the bidder paid inc the original postage, please however correct me if I'm wrong

cyberbob

Claire_Jones wrote: »

If you look at ebays guidelines I think you have to refund the whole amount the bidder paid inc the original postage, please however correct me if I'm wrong

yes you do but the buyer paid that that so technically your not losing money as you get the item back refund that original payment.

rsykes2000

If you refund the correct way, you get the fees back.