ebay appeal fail

gazh1980

Hi wondering if anyone has had same/similar issue to this on ebay.

I recently sold a mobile phone on ebay it was listed as used and had a cracked screen, upon receipt of the item the buyer then obviously decides they changed their mind and said the microphone was faulty (which it wasnt) but I can't prove this obviously as it's not something you can photograph.

I accepted this as experience and the buyer sent a return request to which I noticed had my old address on. I immediately contacted ebay and changed my main address and accepted the return request. The buyer was still sent the old address to return the item to which they sent signed for. Royal mail confirms the addressee has refused the item (obviously because it was addressed to me) and returned to the buyer.

Ebay has no contacted me saying they have sided with the buyer and to reimburse them ASAP. The buyer now has the phone and a full refund which I've appealed and been refused on the grounds it's my responsibility to provide a correct address!

So this person has now walked away with an iphone fee of charge and my blood is boiling.

Are ebay at fault here as I sent them an address amendment prior to accepting the return?

campdave

gazh1980 wrote: »

Are ebay at fault here as I sent them an address amendment prior to accepting the return?

You are required to provide a valid address at all times on ebay. The returns label is generated at the point of a buyer opening a case, so it would have been printed off before you could update your address.

It's not what you want to hear, but it isn't up to ebay to sort things out for you if you leave your old address on the system.

gazh1980

I also contacted the buyer to give them the correct address and point out the mistake but they refused to send to the correct address no doubt hoping this situation would arise. Ebay have a copy of the messages sent.

alykatz

gazh1980 wrote: »

I also contacted the buyer to give them the correct address and point out the mistake but they refused to send to the correct address no doubt hoping this situation would arise. Ebay have a copy of the messages sent.

More likely that the buyer thought you were trying to pull a fast one by trying to get them to send to an address not on file with ebay.

gazh1980

So basically I've been had and there's nothing I can do. Awesome.

soolin

gazh1980 wrote: »

So basically I've been had and there's nothing I can do. Awesome.

You haven't been had- you did this to yourself

Unfortunately it is not unknown for a scammer to give a false address so that item never shows as an attempted return- ebay would have warned your buyer to only ship to the address on the label they supplied and to treat any other request with caution.

Whilst you had a genuine change of address buyers are now rightly suspicious of sellers and returns like this, this is a classic scenario, iphone and seller wanting it returned somewhere else- so buyer did the correct thing- I would have done the same.

As has been said ebay require an up to date address at all times, it might seem like a minor 'rule' to follow, but in this case that breach has been costly to you.

I'm sorry the news is not positive however, there is no harm in asking buyer to let you know if the phone is returned and then paying him again to put it in the post to you

campdave

gazh1980 wrote: »

So basically I've been had and there's nothing I can do. Awesome.

Yes, sometimes you have to stop blaming others and take responsibility yourself.

Brooker_Dave

gazh1980 wrote: »

So basically I've been had and there's nothing I can do. Awesome.

You can take ebay/paypal to court and get your money back that way.

After all it is they who reversed the payment.

gazh1980

So despite numerous attempts to contact the buyer they are now ignoring me and presumably pleased as punch they have money and a phone, but hey, I brought this on myself!

gazh1980

campdave wrote: »

Yes, sometimes you have to stop blaming others and take responsibility yourself.

I'd day that's slightly harsh tbh I'm not entirely to blame here, there is a dishonest buyer to take into account. Would you keep both the money and phone and ignore attempts to resolve the matter?

bxboards

gazh1980 wrote: »

So despite numerous attempts to contact the buyer they are now ignoring me and presumably pleased as punch they have money and a phone, but hey, I brought this on myself!

Your issue is really no different to buyers who use out of date addresses, then mail the seller asking for ammendments. The advise is always to only send to the address given on the payment, or by Ebay - no redirections are allowed.

It is your fault you listed before updating your contact details - no one else is to blame. As a buyer, I would not sent to any other address than the Return address advised by ebay - this is commonsense and standard practise.

Nevetheless, I sympathise - write a letter send by registered post to the buyer and ask them to make the item available for collection, or send them a return label. If they refuse to return it, you can consider legal action.