Advice on dealing with a difficult buyer who's demanding a refund?

NBLondon

Buster_Danog said:

If I bought something that didn't work I would want a refund. I am not a fan of troubleshooting devices and I would not want a seller insisting I did so before I could return it.

I'm inclined to agree.  If the item was sold as new and ready to go "out of the box" then it should do so,  If the software is pre-installed - it should work without the buyer needing to troubleshoot.  If item is sold as "works with X, Y and Z" then it should work with those without the buyer needing to acquire W as well.

But this sounds like an odd case - the OP suggests that the buyer knew it had experimental firmware and claimed to be experienced with it.  In which case, the buyer may have already done the troubleshooting and isn't willing to  be told to do it again.  They may be right or they may be not as expert as they think...   But I think the OP has to take the hit and refund and resell.

diystarter7

NBLondon said:

Buster_Danog said:

If I bought something that didn't work I would want a refund. I am not a fan of troubleshooting devices and I would not want a seller insisting I did so before I could return it.

I'm inclined to agree.  If the item was sold as new and ready to go "out of the box" then it should do so,  If the software is pre-installed - it should work without the buyer needing to troubleshoot.  If item is sold as "works with X, Y and Z" then it should work with those without the buyer needing to acquire W as well.

But this sounds like an odd case - the OP suggests that the buyer knew it had experimental firmware and claimed to be experienced with it.  In which case, the buyer may have already done the troubleshooting and isn't willing to  be told to do it again.  They may be right or they may be not as expert as they think...   But I think the OP has to take the hit and refund and resell.

Agreed 

OP, just give them the money and get it sorted. I know how you feel but once you have returned their money, it will get it easier.
Alsmot everthing I've sold on Ebay and its rare, its one of our home producs as often large the vew and pick up and always they are more than happy with it

With some buyers, IMO they do complain too much

I complained re stand for a smart speaker costing 18 quid I think The quality was not what I thought it was going to be printed from  a 3D printer. The seller came back to me and apologised and said he was a private seller hardly making anything after costs and offered me 3 quid back. I thanked him and said I'll just keep the stand and did not want a refund. I got used to the stand and it now looks no different to the others. The seller was nic/polite and did not doubt what I had said and for that I treadted the person very, very nicely and did not want cash back etc.

soolin

diystarter7 said:

NBLondon said:

Buster_Danog said:

If I bought something that didn't work I would want a refund. I am not a fan of troubleshooting devices and I would not want a seller insisting I did so before I could return it.

I'm inclined to agree.  If the item was sold as new and ready to go "out of the box" then it should do so,  If the software is pre-installed - it should work without the buyer needing to troubleshoot.  If item is sold as "works with X, Y and Z" then it should work with those without the buyer needing to acquire W as well.

But this sounds like an odd case - the OP suggests that the buyer knew it had experimental firmware and claimed to be experienced with it.  In which case, the buyer may have already done the troubleshooting and isn't willing to  be told to do it again.  They may be right or they may be not as expert as they think...   But I think the OP has to take the hit and refund and resell.

Agreed 

OP, just give them the money and get it sorted. I know how you feel but once you have returned their money, it will get it easier.
Alsmot everthing I've sold on Ebay and its rare, its one of our home producs as often large the vew and pick up and always they are more than happy with it

With some buyers, IMO they do complain too much

I complained re stand for a smart speaker costing 18 quid I think The quality was not what I thought it was going to be printed from  a 3D printer. The seller came back to me and apologised and said he was a private seller hardly making anything after costs and offered me 3 quid back. I thanked him and said I'll just keep the stand and did not want a refund. I got used to the stand and it now looks no different to the others. The seller was nic/polite and did not doubt what I had said and for that I treadted the person very, very nicely and did not want cash back etc.

That sounds like a business seller to me, a private seller wouldn’t have ‘costs’ to cover , offering part refunds and trying to make buyers feel sorry for them is very bad practice indeed. I’m sorry but it’s that sort of seller that gives the rest of us a hard time on eBay. 

RFW

juliushibert said:
Any advice would be welcomed. 

Refund, move on.

You can drive yourself up the wall with some customers so, in my experience, it's never worth the hassle. There are occasional extreme circumstances where I may stand my ground but that's usually if I know I will win a case at the end of it.
I get that it's annoying if you're a private seller and it happens as a one off sale but that's part of the risk of selling.