Overseas seller wants refund

neverlikedpeas

An American buyer paid £80 for a signed item in April of a celebrity who died in April.As is the case with most people who die the autograph shoots up in value when they die and then drops down to a fraction of that price two months later.


I get an email in July claiming its not a genuine autograph and they would like a refund.The buyer had been in possession of the item over two months and had one week left to open a paypal dispute.


The autograph is genuine, it was signed by the celebrity in person to me, but i can't prove that, i have 100% positive feedback on selling hundreds of similar items.Its just that the price on this one was far higher than normal due to the celebrities death.

Do i just have to refund them and take the loss? In my opinion we both know its a genuine autograph and the buyer (who sells items on) has gathered he has paid far too much

theonlywayisup

Is there a case open and if so on which platform?

neverlikedpeas

The buyer has opened a dispute on paypal, I havent responded yet, the amount has been deducted from my paypal balance

theonlywayisup

Paypal disputes require the buyer to send the item back tracked (viewable online) at the buyer's expense. However, this rule doesn't always apply when the case is for counterfeit goods.

Edit - link removed as it defaulted to the UK site.

Correct link https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/ua/useragreement-full?locale.x=en_US

The US do have a specific part regarding counterfeits:

The item was advertised as authentic but is not authentic (i.e. counterfeit).

But they do not stipulate who needs to prove/disprove.

I suggest you upload your evidence showing the item is bonafide.

neverlikedpeas

Cheers, the buyer asked for a return address (rather than the ebay international shipping address) to return the item to so i will refund and hope he sends.


The item is a signed menu from from a celebrity dinner I attended in 1989 and I have no way of proving that.It was on ebay for years at £14.99 starting price and suddenly attracted many bids on their death.

glentoran99

don't refund until you have it back surely?

ballisticbrian

If you refund now, they won't be required to return the item.

neverlikedpeas

Thanks for advice, I will reply that i'm happy to refund when i receive the item back and see how that goes.

neverlikedpeas

Thoughts please


On the 5th July the buyer agreed to return the item, I gave him my address.He said he would give tracking information when he posted it.

He didnt give tracking information when he posted it, I heard nothing from the seller until yesterday, I got a refund request yesterday via paypal and a tracking number.


The tracking number on the postal company website says "delivered" on 13 July.There is no address provided and there is no signature on the website.
The item hasn't been delivered to me


I have not accepted the refund request and have opened a case.


Any idea of what is likely to happen.

pinkshoes

I would phone PayPal immediately and state you have not received the item back and you believe this to be a false tracking number as there is no address.

theonlywayisup

What was the postal company website? Is it one from the UK? Is there anything else that you can use to show Paypal this isn't a bonafide tracking number?