Paypal and returns for items bought on ebay

rd4326

Hi
I recently bought an item on ebay a spy watch which I intended to use for when I go to the bank at night to draw money out in case someone mugs me at least I could catch their face as a result I bought an item through ebay which was described as a 1080 pixel hd spy camera watch and waterproof to boot the seller claimed to be a uk based seller.

The claims made about the watch included that it was waterproof and that the watch can also take still images and record audio separately as well as being full hd. When I got the item I was not impressed the item was not waterproof at all the seller was not based in the uk and merely sent items to a mail forwarding facility in the uk who repackaged them to look like they came from the uk and too boot the watch claimed to have a photo taking function on it as mentioned in the instructions but when you did this it took no photos corrupted the video files and made them interely in accessible the recording feature was no where near 1080 pixel hd and to boot the instructions where written in terrible english and at points made no since at all. I then contacted the seller who failed to respond pretending to not have gotten the message even though ebay said they did. They then made a partial refund offer but it never arrived so I escalated the case to paypal.

They told me in order to get the refund back I would have to send the item back to the seller next thing I was being hut with an address in hong kong I went down to the post office and they told me it would cost me more than the item was worth but paypal said they would refund it to me so I went to the post office again and tried to send it but the post office refused as the item contained a lithium ion battery and the insturctions where in such poor english with no details on the battery cell number or on safety standards being met they said it was deemed a dangerous prohibited item due to chinas nature for sending out fakes that don't meet certain standards and said I cannot send it due to uk law I contacted paypal and informed them of this so they said they would look in to the partial refund offer the seller had agreed with me but then reverted back to their original decision.

As a result I decided to ring paypal today they said I would need a certificate from royal mail stating they refused to send it I asked the post office and they said they did not have such a document so could not provide one I phoned paypal and told them this and said to them myself and the seller had agreed to a partial refund offer of which I had sent them proof a couple of days ago and asked that the decision be changed to a partial refund offer instead they refused to do this I had also asked when I provided proof that if they could not release the partial refund offer themselves even though my self and the seller have agreed to a partial refund so I don't have to send the item back breaking uk law would they close the case and allow the seller to do it.

After sending that info they had flat out refused to change their decision even though we both agreed to a partial refund offer and the seller had told them they where happy to accept this on speaking to them on the phone and explaining uk law does not allow me to send the item back to them and that I had pointed out this to paypal and also pointed out I asked them to close the case I was told I would still need to send the item back or provide an email from the post office saying they are unwilling to send the item to get the full refund when I pointed out to them the seller and myself had agreed to apartial refund and asked them to change the decision to that they refused saying they would still need me to provide the evidence of the post office refusal. When I told them I wanted them to close the case as the seller was willing themselves to refund me they refused to do so.

The woman then talked down to me like I was a child I told her I was a former CAB adviser and knew what I was doing and would use a chargeback at the bank if I don't get a satisfactory conclusion after taking the case to court she still refused to close the case I pointed out to her it was my right and still refused to close the case telling me once the case is closed they can't refund it I said that fine but still she refused after a heck of a lot of back and forth I finally got the case closed and have been able to contact the seller who is agreeing to a partial refund as to send the item back to hong kong would cost an arm and a leg and more than the item is worth as I would have to provide the post office with a battery testing certificate before they would allow the item to be sent as they need to make sure it meets certain standards.

My point is paypal are too good at hiding behind being a payment processor and too good at making up their own mind for you. Has anyone else had this problem with paypal before where they seem to know better than you what you want them to do even though you have told them to close the case as yourself and the seller have come to a mutually beneficial arrangement?

As a former CAB adviser I used to hate having to claim back money for clients from paypal as they would often stick every obstacle they could in your way and it would often seeing me having to ask the banks on behalf of my clients to get involved. What is it with paypal that thinks they can over ride their clients rights when their own terms and conditions state on getting a request from a client to close a case they must do so straight away.

I have to say the seller has been more accommodating than paypal has who has even chosen to ignore the sellers requests too. Was there a new act of parliament passed that says paypal will make the uk contractual laws from now on and do what they want or what because the hassle I had trying to get them to clearly close the case when I said No I just want you to close the case now please is unbelievable.

martindow

Blimey, much too long to read. Can you just give us the salient points in four or five sentences?


I read the first bit. I can't see how this is going to protect you at a cash point - it's just another thing to be stolen from you.

forgotmyname

Why did you escalate an ebay case to paypal???

Its paypal you pay for the return unless they offer a free label, you needed to send the item back tracked to get your refund.

You can send items with lithium batteries in devices, how do they know its a lithium battery?

It maybe 1080, upscaled or compressed to such an extent the quality is poor. Same as a Polaroid 4MP camera was worse than a Fuji 2MP camera.

All this seems to be a problem because you moved the case from ebay to paypal. Your a CAB adviser and you knew what you were doing?? oh dear...

Obvious chinese seller/item/costs.