Buyer open a case against me, please help

PinkPeach

I've just had the same thing happen to me. Just sold a camcorder which I'd used only a couple of times and now the buyer is saying it's faulty, which it isn't. It sold for over £200 so I'll be out of pocket when they make a claim against me. Very annoying so I know how you feel.

Crowqueen

PinkPeach wrote: »

I've just had the same thing happen to me. Just sold a camcorder which I'd used only a couple of times and now the buyer is saying it's faulty, which it isn't. It sold for over £200 so I'll be out of pocket when they make a claim against me. Very annoying so I know how you feel.

How did you send it? There is always the potential for damage in the post.

Because of situations like this as a buyer I tend to buy electronics in person rather than online, cuts out the chances of something going wrong in the post.

If the item is genuinely problematic, then the buyer is also out £200, and it's your responsibility, I'm afraid, to refund them.

QueenieB

Sometimes buyers will try it on to see if they can get a partial refund. Sometimes the item genuinely develops a fault. You have no way of knowing which, so you have to either assume the claim is genuine, or go mad trying to work out the exact scam and how to beat it.
With returns requests/dissatisfied customers, the safest thing to do is to offer a full refund on return. Don't enter into arguments about it, don't take it personally, just send a message saying that you are so sorry the buyer isn't satisfied, and to please return for a full refund (you might want to offer to refund return postage costs too).
If the buyer isn't totally genuine, they rarely bother to return the item (unless they replace it with another, faulty one, but there's not a lot you can do to prevent that). If they are genuine, then you will have proved that you take customer service seriously and are a trustworthy seller.

hermum

PinkPeach wrote: »

I've just had the same thing happen to me. Just sold a camcorder which I'd used only a couple of times and now the buyer is saying it's faulty, which it isn't. It sold for over £200 so I'll be out of pocket when they make a claim against me. Very annoying so I know how you feel.

It's best to ask for the buyer to return the item for a full refund. Ebay only allow a certain amount of cases to be opened against you before they will limit, suspend or close your account.
A buyer will almost always win a case, so if you play ball, apologise & offer a refund then there's a chance to prevent neg FB & ultimately keep your ebay account.

Kingsd316

Also buyers sometime swap what they have purchased with a broken item of their own, so recording serial numbers or use a security pen to discreetly mark what you are sending so you know, if it is returned it is 100% your item

peter_the_piper

You could ask the buyer to return the item and after checking the invisible security markings are correct you will refund.

Hammyman

Overloading wrote: »

I am not trying to ripped anyone off, the problem is he left feedback saying everything is fine.

The fact he left feedback is completely irrelevant. Things can and do go wrong not long after feedback is given. On the few occassions I've had problems with something I've sold, it has been after they left feedback. They have sent the item back , it has had the fault they said and I've refunded.

Basically, due to Paypals refund policy you might as well regard everything you sell as having a 45 day warranty and that you aren't home free until after then.

soolin

peter_the_piper wrote: »

You could ask the buyer to return the item and after checking the invisible security markings are correct you will refund.

I'd be very careful how you worded a message like that, it could be seen as accusing a buyer of lying and that will just end up with aneg for the seller. You need someone clever with words like Pinkshoes to write something innocent sounding.

peter_the_piper

Yes, I am sure you are right. It does put the seller in a difficult position and anyway that can help a seller to balance the odds would be a help. I know the experienced scammer would not be put off but the "fly by" one may well think twice.

PinkPeach

Crowqueen wrote: »

How did you send it? There is always the potential for damage in the post.

Because of situations like this as a buyer I tend to buy electronics in person rather than online, cuts out the chances of something going wrong in the post.

If the item is genuinely problematic, then the buyer is also out £200, and it's your responsibility, I'm afraid, to refund them.

It was sent by recorded delivery and packaged very well, he has already said he doesnt' think it was damaged in the post. The issue is that my husband is fuming about it as it was basically brand new and in light of this he feels the buyer is a scammer and doesn't want to offer a refund which will cause problems for me as it's my ebay and paypal account.

Like the OP, I'd also received positive feedback but this was given before he'd used the camcorder.