eBay buyer wants to return item before he's received it :(

ThaReaperGuy said:
I doubt you'll get scammed, doesn't sound anything like a scam if anything you accepted the return as a gesture of good will, you were well within your rights to say "Sorry, But can't accept a refund for that reason" and all would be done.

However them following the eBay return process is fine and correct to cover both himself and the OP and should be returned at the expense of the buyer with the initial £11 postage refunded, the buyer will then get a refund.

If it was a scam, there was nothing you could do anyway, bills and mentioning no refund for weeks was silly IMO.
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It probably isn't a scam but they do happen and I'm just trying to cover myself by only accepting it back for a refund if delivery is refused and I get it back unopened.

Is saying he'll have to wait 2 weeks because I used the money to pay off a bill any more sillier than him saying I want to return it before I've received it because my Lass as bought me one already for Christmas (can't buy these from a retailer anymore so she would have to have bought used over 2 months in advance of Christmas)

At the very least he is a time waster, if I was in his position assuming what he said was true, hand on heart I would have kicked my self, said damp and re-sell it. I'd assume my circumstances aren't sellers fault and wouldn't think otherwise.

I never refused to take it back and refund him, true I did try and make him think twice about returning it because of the hassle it's going to cause me, I just had one condition which was to refuse deliver to which he initially didn't agree to saying it would leave him in a bad position, which it wouldn't because the parcel is track through eBay as I added tracking info.

He's from your neck of the woods BTW.
 
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Just checked Tracking and it says delivery was attempted at 10:30 there was no safe place specified so item was returned and card left etc.

Is this a standered thing even for refused deliveries?

I was hoping for some indication of item being returned to sender, it look from tracking details that there was no answer so they carded customer and will hold it for 2 weeks for collection :(
 
He will have evidence he never accepted or signed for delivery and therefore not had the item he paid for and is entitled to a refund, this parcel is being tracked through eBay.
 
Stop worrying OP! If the buyer has been on eBay for years and has a few hundred feedback's he's not going to be a scammer. I sold a mint £350 laptop once and this guy wanted a refund the minute he received it despite the fact he won it cheap and could have re sold it for more. I was cautious but it was all ok as he had good feedback and was genuine. I have nearly 500 feedback on eBay and the only dodgy buyers most of the time are the one's with under 10 feedback or names that don't match there PayPal email name.
U should just sell it on gumtree! That's what I use most of the time now and it's cash in hand so no fee's.
 
pumaz said:
He will have evidence he never accepted or signed for delivery and therefore not had the item he paid for and is entitled to a refund, this parcel is being tracked through eBay.
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You'd probably get it back sooner if he posted it to you. RM might take a couple weeks to RTS.

There's no reason for the guy to open it anyway, all he has to do it put a new address label on the front.
 
Get him to check eBay's tracked return postage. Last time I had to return something (zomg!!! eleven!!! I'm a scammer!!) I could only find insurance for up to £100 included. Which bugged me, as eBay knew the item value and it was more than that!
 
Dav4 said:
Stop worrying OP! If the buyer has been on eBay for years and has a few hundred feedback's he's not going to be a scammer. I sold a mint £350 laptop once and this guy wanted a refund the minute he received it despite the fact he won it cheap and could have re sold it for more. I was cautious but it was all ok as he had good feedback and was genuine. I have nearly 500 feedback on eBay and the only dodgy buyers most of the time are the one's with under 10 feedback or names that don't match there PayPal email name.
U should just sell it on gumtree! That's what I use most of the time now and it's cash in hand so no fee's.
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not strictly true, theres websites for buying/selling high feedback accounts for scammers
 
muon said:
What terrible advice the OP has been given by people that likely don't even use ebay much.

Any ebay thread always gets responses, about how you are about to be scammed, by people who are so distrustful they likely don't use ebay much or have the experience to give proper advice.

Most transactions are fine and people do change their minds about buying something. Immediately jumping to the conclusion that they are about to scam you will result them finding out about their rights on ebay and them following it to the letter.

A scammer wouldn't contact you about a return and also offer to compensate you for postage. They would just file a paypal claim saying it was broken and return it for a refund. What is in it for them to contact you?

Also an account with 370 feedback since 2010 is unlikely to be scamming you unless it has been hacked (again actions don't suggest this). You can only do this scam so many times before ebay realise the buyer is lying.
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Absolutely. I trust people on eBay, and they trust me. I have had absolutely no issues ever. You have to give trust to get it. There are just a lot of negative people in the world and they seem to collect like limpets on eBay threads.

Good luck mate, just do it by the book and you should be grand. I think you could also argue to eBay that because the return was iniated before receipt of the item, you should not be responsible for any costs. I find it's actually best to phone eBay or Paypal in this type of situation, if you can find a number.
 
dirtychinchilla said:
There are just a lot of negative people in the world and they seem to collect like limpets on eBay threads.
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You do realise that you've used your own personal experience to come to the conclusion that eBay is fine, yet you insult others who draw on their own experience too, and come to a different conclusion?

What makes you so right?
 
Look at it another way - you've managed 400 ebay transactions without having problems, so one problem in 400 is not bad going.

If you said "no returns" on your listing and he raised a return request before a delivery was even attempted, then you should have a good case - especially if he then opens the package before sending back (but who knows with ebay!).

Learn from this though - always take a photo of the serial number and the packaging before sending out electronic goods - particularly those prone to scams.
 
The problem is.. It is your problem.
Always always keep potential genuine people on side!
If he's a scammer you're going to get scammed and there's nothing you can do about it

If he isn't, don't accuse him of being one.. If he sends the item back you won't pay any fees.

Just don't annoy him and let him shaft you if he's wasn't going to
 
Always take extra photographs for your own personal record and note serial numbers down including any visible signs of damage (scratches, dents, markings etc) that way you can prove if any returned item was in fact the one you originally sent.
 
pumaz said:
Looking for some advice guys

I sold a Shield Tablet on eBay the other night on a buy it now, buyer seems decent and as over 370 positive feedbacks since 2010 and all went smoothly I.e. Money is in my account and tablet was posted today via RMSD.

However I just got this message.

"Hi mate, you've been so helpful throughout this process, I told my lass last night about this purchase. I haven't received it yet and she said she already bought me one for Christmas, sorry to be a pain and of course I'll reimburse your postage cost, but can I return it as soon as it arrives."

Ok I've never had this before and if I refund him it's going to be a PITA for me, also how would this work, I've already paid PayPal fees and I'll owe eBay fees. Plus I'm concerned this might be a scam. E.g. I didn't think you could buy these tablets anymore so where did his "Lass" get one? I'm concerned :(

I really don't want to refund and accept the tablet back but will he be able to do a chargeback even if I stated "No Returns"?

Need some advice please guys

Thanks
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For the fees... if you "refund" through Paypal via the original transaction, then they will refund the fees and if you cancel the transaction on ebay, you'll get those fees back. It's only the postage fees you won't get refunded.

Sounds possibly genuine, however I'd want to check that it's the same tablet returned to you and not a broken/damaged one.

If he does the latter, then you do have recourse through the police... they will take it seriously.
 
pumaz said:
So nobody else thinks I should just tell him I've spent the money and can't accept it back?
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I would say you've spent the money - it's not your problem at the end of the day.

Too many scammers about to risk it. Ultimately he can sell it on and chalk it down to a lesson learnt, i.e. the girlfriend is actually in his ear that he's not buying her something with the money rather than blowing it on himself! ;)

toon_mad said:
Always take extra photographs for your own personal record and note serial numbers down including any visible signs of damage (scratches, dents, markings etc) that way you can prove if any returned item was in fact the one you originally sent.
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I don't use ebay anymore due to scammers but I used to film the packing up and boxing/sealing of the goods for shipping as I had one guy accuse me of not packing an item correctly and a part had fallen out (I told him I had video proof of packaging and soon changed his tune). Bit OTT but works.
 
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