Buyer demanding refund for faulty goods before sending it back.

me4bargains

Hi
I sold some anti-cellulite gel on Ebay. I have now had a rather curt email from the buyer claiming it was out of date. Fair enough I am in the wrong (I didn't realise to be honest otherwise I wouldn't have sold it).
However he is now demanding a refund within two days and then he will send the gel back otherwise he will report me to Paylpal and report me to Ebay.
I have asked him to send it back and I will refund total costs including return postage, am I in the wrong?

Baby_J_2

NO! Do not issue a refund until you get the item back. You're definately not being unreasonable.

pinkgem

apologise for your error but be firm and tell him that you can only refund once item is returned

also tell him that if he does a claim with paypal they will only refund once item is returned and claims can take 30 days or more to be resolves

cazmanian_minx

No, you're definitely in the right. Point out to him that if he'd bought it in a shop, he'd have to take it back in before they gave him the refund, why should it be any different on eBay?

Caz

Sugar_Coated_Owl

I agree with everyone else. The item needs to be returned before a refund is issued.

Hintza

If its out of date and therefore I assume useless to anyone why would you want it returned?

I think this is a rare case where to make life easier you just write it off and refund (you did agree that it was out of date?).

Enterprise_1701C

I may be paranoid, but how do you know for sure it is out of date - you cannot see that for yourself until you have it in hand.

motorguy

Hintza wrote: »

If its out of date and therefore I assume useless to anyone why would you want it returned?

I think this is a rare case where to make life easier you just write it off and refund (you did agree that it was out of date?).

Personally, i'd normally agree, but because this curt person has demanded their money back prior to returning, i'd make them return it for that reason alone.

brunlea99

pgilc1 wrote: »

Personally, i'd normally agree, but because this curt person has demanded their money back prior to returning, i'd make them return it for that reason alone.

For all those posters having a go at the buyer - look at it from his side. A possible post of his would be:

"Help - am I being ripped off ? I purchased some anti-cellulite cream via e-bay but upon opening it, I found that it was passed it's sell by date. This was not mentioned on the description. I paid for this in good faith. I have asked for my money back but the seller has said he/she will not give a refund until I send it back. Am I about to be ripped off ? He/she acknowledges it was out of date (whey did they not say this in the description ?), so why do they want it back ?? Will they try to sell it again and keep my money ?"

You see there are 2 sides to every story and I don't think the buyer is being unreasonable at all.

Sugar_Coated_Owl

brunlea99 If the buyer was to initiate a dispute via PayPal they would require that the item be returned to the seller before a refund is issued.

brunlea99

razorbladekisses wrote: »

brunlea99 If the buyer was to initiate a dispute via PayPal they would require that the item be returned to the seller before a refund is issued.

My point was really to show the purchasers view of the transaction. Most of us would be a bit peeved to say the least if we had been sold out of date goods - he may be wrong to want his money back before returning - but he has the right to be angry about it. Posters were calling him unreasonable but to be fair I think the seller was being unreasonable in the first instance by selling something out of date (clearly from their own admission they knew that) and not declaring it on the description.