Buyer damaged item then returned

Spendaholic_Chick

I sold an item, which was in good condition as clearly demonstrated by the photo I posted. When the buyer received it she said it was ripped and stained. I asked her to return it to me and offered a full refund (I initially said I wouldn't refund postage and she got nasty so I agreed). She left me negative feedback and opened a resolution case.

She has returned the item and has ripped it quite significantly. There are no stains on it though. I've double checked the photo and there are clearly no rips on the item when it left here.

I don't see why I should refund her to be honest. I've tried contacting ebay about it but can't find an option that fits this. Can anyone advise please?

MissGivings_2

Spendaholic_Chick wrote: »

I sold an item, which was in good condition as clearly demonstrated by the photo I posted. When the buyer received it she said it was ripped and stained. I asked her to return it to me and offered a full refund (I initially said I wouldn't refund postage and she got nasty so I agreed). She left me negative feedback and opened a resolution case.

She has returned the item and has ripped it quite significantly. There are no stains on it though. I've double checked the photo and there are clearly no rips on the item when it left here.

I don't see why I should refund her to be honest. I've tried contacting ebay about it but can't find an option that fits this. Can anyone advise please?

As she's already opened a case you can reply in that.

If you also want to contact eBay Customer Service- send them an email by typing 'currency converter' into the pane.

The trouble with receiving an item back in the same condition is that it's very difficult to prove that damage wasn't caused in the postal system.
What was your packaging like?

If it's an item of clothing it's rather easier to detect if someone has lied about wearing then returning -sweat stains, coffee spills down the front etc, where a before and after pic would clearly show the difference.

I'm afraid I think eBay will go with the buyer in this case, sorry.

chickaroonee

how much did she pay for it?

hermum

How was it packaged? It will have gone through machinery in the sorting process & it could have happened then, although the few items that I've received something where the wrapping's been damaged (usually brown paper) it has been sealed in a RM bag.

Crowqueen

chickaroonee wrote: »

how much did she pay for it?

Don't really see how that's relevant; her rights don't depend on how much she paid.

F&L

I had a similar situation on Amazon and in that situation Amazon found neither of us at fault and refunded the buyer at their own cost. Not sure if ebay do this but haven't there been cases where they have? If you're certain the item was not sent in the condition they received it and the damage could not have been caused by the Royal Mail's handling then I would not refund their return postage cost and would put your side forward.

Spendaholic_Chick

It was packed really well, it was a wardrobe organiser for jumpers. She's ripped two of the 'shelves' away from the main body. Thing is, if she wasn't happy I woudln't have minded refunding her the purchase price, but I wasn't happy about being out of pocket for the postage. I spoke to customer services this morning who agreed her messages have been abusive and told me to ring the resolution centre. However, when you ring them, you can't get through to anyone and they won't discuss an open case! Like banging your head against a brick wall!

The item was really cheap, it's cost her more to post it back than it cost! If she'd returned it in the same condition I sent it, I would have just refunded the whole amount, but becasue she's damaged it and left me negative feedback I want to fight being left out of pocket. I know ebay usually side with the buyer, but if |I could just speak to someone I might feel better!

chickaroonee

Crowqueen wrote: »

Don't really see how that's relevant; her rights don't depend on how much she paid.

I didn't say it was relevant to her rights. I was simply asking, particularly as if it was a small value item, it seemed not worth the OP getting bad feedback/DSRs over.

Spendaholic_Chick

She already left me neg feedback before she returned it..

porto_bello

I've had a few buyer damaged item and then tried renegotiating the price situations, so I know how you feel.

I recently spoke to eBay on the subject of refunding return postage and was advised, as expected, that as a private seller, I did not have to.

However, I was also advised that even if I was a business seller, even though it was a policy, eBay would not 'enforce' a refund of the return postage fee, since that was something external to the original transaction between buyer and seller.

This advice surprised me and may even be wrong, but if it's right, since the buyer has now hurt you with negative feedback, I would be tempted to fail to refund the postage.

hermum

Spendaholic_Chick wrote: »

It was packed really well, it was a wardrobe organiser for jumpers. She's ripped two of the 'shelves' away from the main body. Thing is, if she wasn't happy I woudln't have minded refunding her the purchase price, but I wasn't happy about being out of pocket for the postage. I spoke to customer services this morning who agreed her messages have been abusive and told me to ring the resolution centre. However, when you ring them, you can't get through to anyone and they won't discuss an open case! Like banging your head against a brick wall!

The item was really cheap, it's cost her more to post it back than it cost! If she'd returned it in the same condition I sent it, I would have just refunded the whole amount, but becasue she's damaged it and left me negative feedback I want to fight being left out of pocket. I know ebay usually side with the buyer, but if |I could just speak to someone I might feel better!

Not the sort of thing that would easily get ripped in transit.
The chances are you will have to refund all the inital payment, but the buyer will have to pay for the return p&p.
It seems a really odd thing to damage in order to get a refund though as it's something that the buyer would know what she was buying.