eBay advice :(

joxang · 18 Jun 2011 at 16:15

Three years, more than 60 sales and 100% positive feedback and not a single problem. Now three problems come up in the space of two months (posted about one of them here before).

The latest one is as follows. Sold a guy a camera lens, £580 odd. Very nice and sharp lens (Leica D 25mm for 4/3), mechanically perfect condition. Guy received it, left positive feedback. Now, 18 days later, he wants a return because 'it's not sharp enough, it must be damaged'. I told him quite plainly that when I sent it out was as sharp as factory condition, and I couldn't refund him as it was obvious that he'd just changed his mind.

Predictably, he's launched a paypal dispute.

Is there any way I can get out of not having to give this guy a refund and get a return? I'm also slightly afraid that he's going to return the item broken or busted in some way

.

joxang · 18 Jun 2011 at 16:32

Main problem is I can't even afford to refund at the moment. No way in hell. I guess I'm going to be spending a lot on phone bills in the near future...

joxang · 18 Jun 2011 at 17:47

So the buyer's just admitted in the dispute that he's taken the lens on holiday with him, and that's where he noticed it wasn't sharp.

Wtf is eBay nowadays. A free-hire shop where you can get an expensive lens for a three week holiday, then dispute and return it for all your money back?!

joxang · 18 Jun 2011 at 19:06

I'm hoping his actual 'yeh I didn't contact you bout it sooner cos I've been using the lens on holiday for 3 weeks' will go against him. If it doesn't, and eBay force a return then their customer service simply must be monkeys.

If the item arrives damaged...then well, I'll probably have to look at going to a small claims court. I'm hoping now that it really is a case of "seller changed mind and doesn't want it any more", rather than a case of "seller dropped it out of a window on holiday", or "seller damages on purpose to get a return".

Thanks for letting me vent anyhow. Will keep updated.

joxang · 18 Jun 2011 at 19:23

His feedback is about 50 I think, all positive. Can't see anything he's bought in the past that's this expensive though.

I can't unlink bank details/cards etc as paypal locks everything the moment someone initiates a dispute. If you initiate a withdrawal from your paypal (which I did yesterday, just as a matter of routine) paypal cancel it. Also, paypal take the money from you first, so I'm currently £580 in the red without any decisions having been made.

I'm very surprised that no-one's sued them.

joxang · 18 Jun 2011 at 23:26

The__Malteser said:
Should have probs said it.

This was my seller: http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/e_cell/?_trksid=p4340.l2559
This was my item: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....6&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123#ht_3493wt_962

Says it has warranty in description.

Has close to 700k feedback, I expected to be dealt with as a human and not a computer/robot.

regardless of the volume of sales, 200 negative feedback per month should tell you something there

...

zain said:
Paypal is big enough to have positives n negatives for buyer and seller. Since I got stung as a seller for £650 by a fraudster which PP defended, I never sold again through there system.

If I get ****** here I don't think I'll ever sell through them again. It's a pity because most sales have gone through as smooth as silk. But the risk is too great, especially when you can't afford it.

joxang · 4 Jul 2011 at 22:24

Just an update for GD - after ignoring me for a week buyer finally escalated this to eBay customer service. They decided, within 10hours, not to refund, and I have the funds back in my paypal account!!!

I think it was the 'I took it on holiday for a few weeks' bit. Anyway, relieved! Balls in the buyer's court now...