Advice on eBay electrical return

spud

Hi all, 
looking for some advice here please. 

Sold a vacuum cleaner, well used but working fine ( was my old vacuum).  Just short of 3 weeks later buyer initiates return due to cutting out intermittently. I responded that I don’t accept returns as per advert and it’s been three weeks now. But a return has now been initiated. 

On the premise I have no idea how it’s been treated over that time etc. how should I proceed? 

New to this scenario and want to avoid getting caught out (if I can). 

Many thanks in advance. 

Hoenir

Make sure it's the same one you supplied that's been returned. 

Spoonie_Turtle

What type of case have they opened?

spud

I just see ‘buyer has requested a return’. Does that make sense?

soolin

spud said:

I just see ‘buyer has requested a return’. Does that make sense?

The case should tell you what has bene opened. If it is a change of mind return, which is doubtful, the case will tell you that you can decline it- if you don't decline then buyer gets their refund anyway which you pay for, so don't lose that chance.

If however it is the more likely SNAD (significantly not as described ) claim then you it will tell you to provide a return label.- see what ebay are offering by way of the integrated label (I don't know how they deal with over large returns) if the label they want to send is good enough then click to allow it to be sent. You will pay for the label only when it is used. Once item tracks as returned you have 2 days in which to issue a full refund. If you issue the refund then all your FVFs are refunded. If you don't, or if you ignore the case, the buyer gets to keep the item , you still get to pay for the refund and lose your FVFs and get a seller warning which may endanger your account.

AS old vacuum cleaner that has travelled via courier may well have suffered an issue causing it to cut out, so appealing the return (ich can only be done once item is back with you) is not going to be easy. The only exception to that is if you mentioned that specific fault in listing - if that was mentioned then phone ebay and explain that the fault was in the description and item is therefore as described.

I've just got rid of an old Dyson that had an intermittent issue but due to value of it and cost of courier decided to give it away free on a local group on the basis it had enough life that someone might take a chance for free, but also that someone might want to try repairing it. Second hand electricals on ebay can be a real issue as sometimes the courier journey is enough to put them over the edge.

spud

Thanks for that. The eBay email states not as described so I assume it’s the latter. After reading the above twice it looks like I don’t have any option. Agreed there was risk to something happening in transit, frustrating that it took close to 3 weeks to inform me and I don’t know how it was used/misused during that time. I advised buyer to make sure they were using correct bags etc but they don’t seem interested. Anyhow. Thanks for your help on this. 

se2020

It's possible that it survived the carrier journey fine and was working when arrived but has now failed after 3 weeks.

Some buyers use the ebay protection as a free warranty for used goods. Unfortunately there is not much you can do about a buyer that acts like that on ebay. 
On the other hand, ebay is about the only place you can actually sell something like that for any money so I just take it as par for the course 

spud

As closure to this, I did receive the item back, with obvious damage and parts removed by the unscrupulous buyer. I contacted eBay and they immediately refunded me in full, however also refunded the buyer. Go figure. So as mentioned above there are ways for unscrupulous buyers to game the system. Wait a few weeks, get normal feedback, take parts from the item then return for a full refund. In this case the buyer runs an electrical eBay shop. Karma…….

s1ipmatt

Thats shocking! clearly someone who knows how to play the system.