eBay returns issue

smp17

Hi,

I recently sold a £1300 Breitling watch on eBay. I posted an accurate description, uploaded high-res photos, provided all the authentication documents and was fair in my description. I specifically stated no returns in the eBay listing because of the nature and price of the item.

A week later the buyer mailed saying it was faulty. He wouldn't respond to my emails so eBay stepped in after 8 days and made their judgement. They favored with the buyer. Apparently now I have to wait for the item to be returned and then return him the money, something I completely disagree with.
For example
- My main concern was the fact he could potentially swap it for a counterfeit item, although I know a bit about these watches the only real way of knowing is to send back for examination, something that costs money.
- If the watch is now faulty (through no fault of my own) I've a broken watch and no money
- If the watch has additional damage or anything (although should be able to prove this as I have photos)

I took the money out of PayPal but they have now made my balance negative. They won't be able to take money from my bank as I have switched accounts. Paypal offer a money back guarantee for buyers so the bloke will have no issues getting his money back (unless I file another case upon receiving the item apparently), it's PayPal I will owe money to.

I'm very annoyed with eBay, what's the point of the "no returns" option if they're going to overrule it?

I really don't want the item back OR to clear the negative balance in my PayPal. But I don't seem to be left with much choice!

Has anyone any advice?

theonlywayisup

You cannot list with no returns, despite the option being there. A buyer will just use the SNAD option to get a returns label from Ebay (at a cost to you).

It is difficult to advise what you should do until you have the item back.

soolin

As the onlywayisup says- wait for item to be returned and come back when you have it if you need further advice.

Also, as you allowed ebay to settle the case you now have a defect and will have lost your FVFs, which are of course substantial on an item that expensive, it might be worth contacting ebay to see if they will refund the FVFs as a good will gesture.

If the watch is not returned then your funds will be released anyway, if it is then paypal will send your debt to debt collectors for payment. Those debt collectors are known for their strong arm tactics, so if you are going to try and ignore the debt you will need to get over to the debt boards and take advice as to what a DC can do and not do so you can stop them if they overstep the mark. Paypal will not take the debt to court though, they will just rely on harassment.

Obviously you will no longer be able to use ebay or paypal as you won't have a paypal account.

Brooker_Dave

soolin wrote: »

Those debt collectors are known for their strong arm tactics

Paypal debt collectors just write letters and phone up a lot, then give up.

Brooker_Dave

smp17 wrote: »

I really don't want the item back OR to clear the negative balance in my PayPal. But I don't seem to be left with much choice!

You have the money, buyer has the watch, do nothing.

Ebay/paypal may want to force you to take a return, but in reality you have no reason to, there's no law compelling private sellers to offer returns.

Worse case paypal debt collectors will ring you up, they can't take you to court or damage your credit rating, but they do phone up a lot over a short period of time, but then they just give up.

I know this as it happened to me.

I suspect that whatever gets returned to you won't be what you sent out.

You have 2 options:

1 Get cheated out of £1300.

2 Not get cheated out of £1300

Which ever option you take your ebay/paypal account is toast anyway.

Most people would go for option 2.

smp17

Hi so I received the watch back today.

Although it looks ok, I can't be 100% sure it's not counterfeit without sending the watch off to the manufacturer, something that costs. I also can't be sure that he hasn't messed with it. He stated that the watch was broken but it's working perfectly fine now which makes me even more worried that he may have swapped it.

I've spoke to eBay and they are siding with the buyer. I am baffled how they can do after stating no returns this as it's a perfect scenario for someone to commit fraud! In effective I could have lost both my watch and £1300?

Also it's worth noting that they have paid the buyer out I believe. It's eBay I now owe the money to as they do a buyer guarantee thing.

I have no idea what to do.

theonlywayisup

smp17 wrote: »

Hi so I received the watch back today.

Although it looks ok, I can't be 100% sure it's not counterfeit without sending the watch off to the manufacturer, something that costs. I also can't be sure that he hasn't messed with it. He stated that the watch was broken but it's working perfectly fine now which makes me even more worried that he may have swapped it.

I've spoke to eBay and they are siding with the buyer. I am baffled how they can do after stating no returns this as it's a perfect scenario for someone to commit fraud! In effective I could have lost both my watch and £1300?

Also it's worth noting that they have paid the buyer out I believe. It's eBay I now owe the money to as they do a buyer guarantee thing.

I have no idea what to do.

If you have any doubt, then get the watch verified as genuine.

Flyonthewall

smp17 wrote: »

Hi so I received the watch back today.

Although it looks ok, I can't be 100% sure it's not counterfeit without sending the watch off to the manufacturer, something that costs. I also can't be sure that he hasn't messed with it. He stated that the watch was broken but it's working perfectly fine now which makes me even more worried that he may have swapped it.

I've spoke to eBay and they are siding with the buyer. I am baffled how they can do after stating no returns this as it's a perfect scenario for someone to commit fraud! In effective I could have lost both my watch and £1300?

Also it's worth noting that they have paid the buyer out I believe. It's eBay I now owe the money to as they do a buyer guarantee thing.

I have no idea what to do.

If the buyer wouldn't say what was wrong and it's come back and looks ok I'd assume the buyer probably changed their mind and didn't want to pay return postage. As you stated no returns, which is for change of mind, it's even more likely as they may have thought you'd have just said no.

You can't say no returns for an item not as described which the buyer claimed this was.

You still seem to be assuming you've lost the watch and the money despite saying it seems ok. If the watch is ok then the buyer has their money back and you have the item back which is only fair.

While there are a few bad buyers who may try and commit fraud there are also many genuine buyers and it would be incredibly unfair for them if you couldn't return an item when something was wrong.

As already said, if you're unsure then get it checked and verified. It may cost but surely that's better than finding out way too late you have a fake watch and if it's not fake all is fine and at least you know for sure.

smp17

An update on the case...

Buyer returned watch and I have refunded him but now eBay trying to take my sellers fees? To understand the position I am in best to past the email I have just sent to ebay after them stating twice that I will not be issued a re-credit...............

I am baffled by this decision? Can you please escalate this matter to a senior member of staff who has some authority and good morals…..

Just hear my story…

I sold a £1300 watch on eBay and purposely chose your “no return” option as my watch is of high value and I don’t want to be exposed to fraud.

After sending the watch the buyer sends a returns request. I disagree with this and after seeing a few emails to him I asked eBay to step in and solve. After a few day I was gutted to hear they had ruled in his favour. He sent the watch back and although it looked ok I had to wait until I could take it to an authorised dealer to ensure it hadn’t been swapped for a fake. To make matters worse there was nothing wrong with the watch so the buyer had lied in his refund description, making me feel I was being conned even more.

Once I had sorted this I then repaid the buyer via the paypal claim (the eBay claim was at this point closed for some reason). Throughout this whole process I contacted you several times and at no point was I made aware that i would till have to pay my seller fees. I was continuously told that I should contact you at a future date (e.g when certain things happen).

There was no way I could have met your 8 day money back deadline? The situation was completely out of my control? A situation I didn’t wish to be in.

So in short I have sold nothing and been thought a lengthy process, which I totally disagreed with but still followed your rules, but yet I still owe you £130?

As an eBay member for over a decade with no previous issues can I please ask you to re-consider this case and re-credit my account as this is totally unfair on me.

Many thanks

Shane

glentoran99

smp17 wrote: »

An update on the case...

Buyer returned watch and I have refunded him but now eBay trying to take my sellers fees? To undersatnd the position I am in best to past the email I have just sent to ebay after them stating twice that I will not be issued a re-credit...............

I am baffled by this decision? Can you please escalate this matter to a senior member of staff who has some authority and good morals…..

Just hear my story…

I sole a £1300 watch on eBay and purposely chose your “no return” option as my watch is of high value and I don’t want to be exposed to fraud.

After sending the watch the buyer sends a returns request. I disagree with this and after seeing a few emails to him I asked eBay to step in and solve. After a few day I was gutted to hear they had ruled in his favour. He sent the watch back and although it looked ok I had to wait until I could take it to an authorised dealer to ensure it hadn’t been swapped for a fake. To make matters worse there was nothing wrong with the watch so the buyer had lied in his refund description, making me feel I was being conned even more.

Once I had sorted this I then repaid the buyer via the paypal claim (the eBay claim was at this point closed for some reason). Throughout this whole process I contacted you several times and at no point was I made aware that i would till have to pay my seller fees. I was continuously told that I should contact you at a future date (e.g when certain things happen).

There was no way I could have met your 8 day money back deadline? The situation was completely out of my control? A situation I didn’t wish to be in.

So in short I have sold nothing and been thought a lengthy process, which I totally disagreed with but still followed your rules, but yet I still owe you £130?

As an eBay member for over a century with no previous issues can I please ask you to re-consider this case and re-credit my account as this is totally unfair on me.

Many thanks

Shane

Didn't realise ebay was around during the great war

smp17

hehe! It was supposed to say decade, I did change it in the original email, I sent the draft! Changed!