eBay buyer wants a refund which I think is unjustified*update*

gillyjelly

Can anyone give me any advice please.
I sold a stroller on Ebay which was listed as local pick up preferred. The final bidder wanted the stroller posted so it was packed up and posted.(via Parcelforce with tracking info)
The buyer left positive feedback and I believed that to be the end of the transaction.

Three weeks later, the buyer claimed that it was broken. She began communications with me requesting that I pay part of the repair bill. I refused based on the time elapsed between the feedback being left and the claim being raised.

Yesterday after several weeks of her keep emailing me, I finally escalated it to a claim for Paypal to resolve the situation.

To my utter astonishment Paypal have deemed that the item should be returned to me and I should issue her a refund.

Quite frankly I am absolutely furious. The item was 100% perfect when it left me!!
I believe she has broken it yet I am still responsible for it?! How can that be fair??

I have twice tried to phone Paypal tonight and both times reached a certain point before being 'cut off'.

Does anyone have any advice please?

Kite2010

She will have to return the item via recordable means, at least she's already given you feedback (but to be on the safe side, I would ban her account name from bidding on any future auctions).

Creosote

Won't the buyer now have to return the item to you using a track-able postage method, which might not be practical or financially viable for them (they cannot claim back the return postage). Also you were lucky that they didn't just claim as "item not received" as you wouldn't have been able to prove that you sent them the stroller, so they would've ended up with cash and a stroller.

gillyjelly

Creosote wrote: »

Won't the buyer now have to return the item to you using a track-able postage method, which might not be practical or financially viable for them (they cannot claim back the return postage). Also you were lucky that they didn't just claim as "item not received" as you wouldn't have been able to prove that you sent them the stroller, so they would've ended up with cash and a stroller.

I could prove they received it as I sent it tracked through Parcelforce.;)

gillyjelly

Kite2010 wrote: »

She will have to return the item via recordable means, at least she's already given you feedback (but to be on the safe side, I would ban her account name from bidding on any future auctions).

Yes she will have to return it but my main gripe is that I sold her a fully functioning stroller which I believe she has broken and this is what will be returned to me:mad:

citykid5

sounds to me that paypal are wrong finding on the buyers side..if you sold the goods as discribed,and the buyer recieved the goods and was happy enough to leave feedback.then why have they found that you are to blame for any of this??? i'd definently chase paypal on the matter.we had a insident about 12 months ago where we sold a turbo charger for a car,the guy inspected it and collected it.then 3 weeks later emailed to say his mechanic said it was no good.so he opened a dispute and paypal found in his favour and then refunded him the money out of their own pockets as a goodwill gesture,because of my good ebay history.so iw ould say persue paypal..best of luck

peter_the_piper

Is there any way of confirming the item returned is the same one sent?

gillyjelly

peter_the_piper wrote: »

Is there any way of confirming the item returned is the same one sent?

Probably not any way that I could prove it but I would definately know the difference.

I doubt they would swap it though as the stroller was purchased in North America and isn't yet available in the UK. (if anyone is interested the ebay listing no. is 250670577311)

I can't believe that the part she is claiming to be broken, is clearly visible in my ebay listing and is fine!!

GregtheHammer

Did you ask them to send you pictures of the damage? Ultimately as above they have to return it to you by a trackable method, that costs money, if thay are trying it on you will hear no more.

Any buyer does have 45 days to open a dispute, which if a buyer damages an item & then claims it was damaged on receipt thay can do so. Wrong yes, but in their terms.

Maysie

They could be genuine though. After rough handling on the way it could have been weakened. I would expect something like that to last longer than 3 weeks. If you had bought it and it broke after 3 weeks would you not complain? If i had paid that much i would not be happy.

If they don't return it though it could just be they were after a partial refund all along so you called their bluff by escalating it.

Time will tell on this one i reckon.

Scarlett.1974

Maysie wrote: »

They could be genuine though. After rough handling on the way it could have been weakened. I would expect something like that to last longer than 3 weeks. If you had bought it and it broke after 3 weeks would you not complain? If i had paid that much i would not be happy.

If they don't return it though it could just be they were after a partial refund all along so you called their bluff by escalating it.

Time will tell on this one i reckon.

I agree with that, in that the buyer could well be totally genuine. If I paid that much for a 2nd hand pushchair and it broke after only 3 weeks I would be very cross.

How much is she saying it will cost to repair? Maybe it might be an idea to offer to split the cost with her and issue a partial refund? Not sure how this would work in regards to a paypal dispute/refund though...... maybe Soolin or one of the other more experienced ebayers could confirm?