Buyer claiming item defective - eBay

[Tacitus]

Hi everyone

At the start of November I sold a second hand camera on eBay, in full working order to the best of my knowledge.

The buyer has made a return request claiming the camera wasn't used until Christmas (given as a gift) and that it doesn't work.

I would prefer not to refund or accept the return as I don't believe I sent a broken item (he could have damaged it in the last month and a half), and he really ought to have checked it when he received it. Will eBay always side with the buyer or am I fine to reject the return request after a certain period of time?

Any advice appreciated!

Thanks all

Chris

 

[Thekwango]

Pretty sure you’re going to have to accept the return and refund unfortunately.

 

[MatsyLR]

You'll have to accept the return and hope they don't swap the camera.

 

[PaulM]

Never had a situation where eBay didn’t side with the buyer, no matter how obvious it is they’re scamming you. It’s why I don’t sell anything on there anymore

 

[new boy]

Accept the return, then if your lucky you might end up with the camera back as you sent it, else you will have neither the money or a camera.

 

[slinxy]

I've seen a lot of sellers now stating that they have recorded proof of the serial number of electronics goods.. not sure if ebay will side with the seller or not in those cases.

 

[Phreaky]

Bend over and take it I'm afraid, classic fleabay.

 

[woppy101]

It’s not always a someone trying to scam from the buyers side, I bought a router for what I though was a good price, advertised as opened/never used, upon receipt there were scratches and scuffs all over the thing(clearly used), I took it up with the seller within 30 mins of delivery and the seller rejected the return request saying “no returns accepted and it didn’t have scratches when he sent it”, luckily EBay sided with me this morning and it’s on its way back to him tomorrow morning

 

[NotAGolf]

I've seen a lot of sellers now stating that they have recorded proof of the serial number of electronics goods.. not sure if ebay will side with the seller or not in those cases.

That wouldn't help prove it the item was working when the buyer received it though. That would only help in the scenario where the buyer was trying it on by returned a different item.

Even if you got the correct camera back and took a video of the serial and the camera working, I'm pretty sure eBay won't care and nothing will happen to the buyer.

I'd be very wary of selling anything worth it more than a few quid for this reason. It's annoying as Gumtree/FB marketplace is a load of tosh too.

 

[Doughnut007]

It's is unfortunately the risk you take on eBay.
Best you can do when selling is cover bases. Record condition and serial numbers and the packaging process but even then you usually loose.

 

[casper_uk]

I hope you have the serial number of the camera you sent. Odds are you will get a different, broken camera returned.

 

[Vince]

Never had a situation where eBay didn’t side with the buyer, no matter how obvious it is they’re scamming you. It’s why I don’t sell anything on there anymore

I have - Quite a few times in fact - I won several cases this year with idiot buyers. I won a case on a set of joycons recently where they sent me back some smashed up ones after getting my nice refurbished ones. Won that case also and got myself a free set of joycons out of it.

Id accept the return and then if what you get back is not what you sent give ebay a call and ask for seller protection team and explain what happened and you will be away. Ebay customer service from experience (over 700 items sold this year) are very good. you should be in good hands if you get them on the phone and they will sort you out. Thinking about it I dont think I have ever actually lost a case where the buyer was in the wrong.

 

[SpellowHouse]

Hi everyone

At the start of November I sold a second hand camera on eBay, in full working order to the best of my knowledge.

The buyer has made a return request claiming the camera wasn't used until Christmas (given as a gift) and that it doesn't work.

I would prefer not to refund or accept the return as I don't believe I sent a broken item (he could have damaged it in the last month and a half), and he really ought to have checked it when he received it. Will eBay always side with the buyer or am I fine to reject the return request after a certain period of time?

Any advice appreciated!

Thanks all

Chris

Tell him to get lost.

You say he has had it for a month and a half, then he is outside the standard ebay warranty period.
The window to return it has elapsed.

 

[Glanza]

What was your returns policy on the listing, did you set it to no returns accepted?

 

[jigger]

Tell him to get lost.

You say he has had it for a month and a half, then he is outside the standard ebay warranty period.
The window to return it has elapsed.

You can but eBay will still eBay you.

 

[MrRamone]

If it is more than 30 days after delivery then you can just decline the return as it has passed the 30 days money back guarantee period. If they open a return case go on ebay live chat and tell them it has passed 30 days. eBay can then just close the case for you in your favour, this is what they have done for me in the past.

 

[pepp77]

Buyers on ebay only have 30 calendar days to lodge a return request, so just reject

eBay Money Back Guarantee

To ensure all of our members have a great experience on eBay, most purchases are covered under the eBay Money Back Guarantee.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[SpellowHouse]

You can but eBay will still eBay you.

No, they won't. ebay has a time limit for returns.

 

[VincentHanna]

If it is more than 30 days after delivery then you can just decline the return as it has passed the 30 days money back guarantee period. If they open a return case go on ebay live chat and tell them it has passed 30 days. eBay can then just close the case for you in your favour, this is what they have done for me in the past.

This.

 

[Tacitus]

Thanks everyone for your input

Getting some conflicting views though - is the 30 day period applicable even if they claim the item is broken?

I had set it as no returns accepted. Apparently that doesn't mean much though...