Buyer opened request - wants to return

kalsha

Hi, I sold a special part of an equipment - gave the details of which part it was and stated that it could fit other equipment but buyer should check that out themselves before buying.

Now buyer has opened a request saying "it does not fit".

I have been given 3 options - accept return, decline return or refund full or part.

Cost was £10 +80p + SD postage of £2.94

If I accept return, I am guessing he has to pay the return postage. Who pays the first postage? It was SD so ebay paid - but will it come out of my account?

If I refuse return (I feel I should as it was his fault for not checking out) then what do I lose?

I am also afraid that he might not pack it properly and might come to me damaged - it is a awkward shaped item. Or he might send me his faulty one?

Any thoughts before I respond?

vacheron

I'd tell the buyer to start the return with the option "buyer changed mind" this will mean they will have to pay the postage, and I can tell you, with a £10 item, at least 50% won't even bother and you can run out the returns window clock.

Do you have any correspondence from the buyer indicating that they tried to fit it to something that your auction description didn't state was compatible? (If you don't they could later argue that they were trying to fit it to the item you stated it WAS compatible with).

If you do have this evidence, and your auction states no returns, you should be OK to refuse the return (but personally I would accept it anyway for the sake of £10).

If they then try to imply that it is broken / SNAD and try to return it using a seller paid reason, I would escalate it to eBay using their contradictory messages as evidence.

If you win, I would be 90% sure eBay will just refund you and let the buyer keep the item as they really hate to upset buyers… sellers are always fair game to them though!

kalsha

The request is already open with "it didn't fit". How can they change it to "buyer changed mind"? Or is it something I have to do?

He asked me if I have a smaller one - he thinks I am a shop with different sizes! I am a private seller and from the listing one can see that it was a one off equipment and that I was selling the parts.

Yes I do state no returns.

vacheron

You would need to ask him to remove the return and re-issue it with the new reason. And maybe explain that you are a private seller as that can make the interraction less personal and buyers less formal / confrontational.

The way e-bay market themselves these days more and more buyers seem to think everything is a shop, or that the sellers are eBay employees!

soolin

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859912#Comment_81859912

it wouldn’t be possible to change the reason for the return. A seller asking a buyer to cancel a request looks scammy as well. As buyer has the opportunity to refuse it means the ‘does not fit’ return is already at buyers cost.