To insist on a return for ebay iphone purchase

[Woodyblueeyes]

Hi firstly I feel so stupid to have bought a iphone on ebay (£450). It was listed as new and unlocked. I checked the sellers ebay profile and apart from one minor disagreement (Which was sorted out) everything seemed fine. Received the phone at weekend and it is locked. Immediately raised a not as described complaint on ebay requesting a return/money back. The seller denied the phone was locked at first, so I duly went around a few phone shops on Sat to double check.

Now the seller has admitted that the phone is locked and has said that they are seemingly speaking to Apple 🤔 to get me a code to unlock. I have looked online and this can be as dodgy as feck. For instance a code that may temporarily unblock the phone then I am left with a Apple brick with no ebay/paypal insurance.

I am cacking my pants here as feel I have been truly shafted, seller insists I input this code into phone before they will accept a return. I am very nervous about doing anything to this phone as I would in law be accepting goods. There has been a daily email exchange and I have to wait until Saturday for Ebay to investigate.

Does anyone have any experience with either this type of situation or have legal knowledge. I feel so awful about this. I cannot tell my husband as he has a really bad temper and then I would have added stress. So am just stewing in the situation at moment as stuck at home with a Crohns flare up now. Sorry this thread did go on a bit.

[AndNowItsSeven]

When you say locked do you mean iCloud locked or network locked?

[SleepFreeZone]

In our experience the person couldn't get it unregistered from their iTunes account so we returned and got a full refund from PayPal.

[Frequency]

If you mean locked to the network, simply call the previous supplier and ask for the PAK code.

It's free and unless the phone is stolen won't cause you or the seller any trouble. If it is stolen, I would imagine it's the seller who would be in hot water.

[Woodyblueeyes]

HI the phone is network locked. A complete brick. Cant do anything with it. Thanks

[Woodyblueeyes]

I just want a return. As worried the unlock may only be temporary. Tbh think the seller accept return as they mis-sold the thing.

[TheHobbitMum]

You should just return the phone, I wouldn't bother doing anything with it! Make sure it's sent special delivery though not recorded for your protection with PayPal. Upload the tracking number into PayPal and you'll be covered. Too many people use recorded delivery and aren't covered.

[Woodyblueeyes]

Hobbitmum. His ad said no returns and he has told me he is refusing to accept a return.

[Ohdearducks]

Don't touch it, open a dispute with Paypal.
I'm worried about what you've said about your husband though, is everything ok OP?

[LilQueenie]

That's crap they use the no returns on ads to try and get out of it. They can't. You could ask ebay to handle it that way they will ask you to send it back and once in ebays hands the seller will be unable to do anything. You will get your money back.

[wasonthelist]

Seller can't just refuse to accept a return for SNAD (significantly not as described), whatever they say.

[wasonthelist]

Ebay will rule in your favour OP

[LilQueenie]

Oh and if he refuses to accept the item on his doorstep it wont matter as you will have the evidence you sent back so long as its tracked/tracable.

[Woodyblueeyes]

Thank you all so much. I am going to send back today. Ohdearducks yes he has a terrible temper once riled. He has been violent in the past. I am working through my own health and what to do in the future just now and my doc has been amazing. Just did not need this at the moment. Thanks for asking.

[19lottie82]

As long as the phone was delivered less than 30 days ago, Just open a dispute with eBay to get a paid and tracked returns label to send the phone back for a full refund. (You won't get one of these if you open a PayPal dispute instead).

Keep your reason for the dispute simple and to the point. "Seller listed phone as unlocked, but it isn't", will do. Don't get into arguements with the seller if they disagree. Just escalate the case after 7 (8?) days and eBay will step in and rule in your favour.

[19lottie82]

"No returns" can only be applied to a change of mind. Not a return due to a faulty or misdescribed item.

DONT send it back without going through the eBay dispute centre!

[ValaMalDoran]

Open a dispute with eBay. If he has told you in writing that actually it isn't unlocked when he sold It as unlocked eBay will force a refund.

Ask him politely one last time fora refund. State that item is not as described as it is not unlocked and you would like to return it for a refund.

If he refuses open an eBay dispute and ask them for advise. Likely they will tell you to return it (send it special delivery so it is properly tracked and insured) and they force a refund.

[LIZS]

"No returns" shouldn't apply to missold or faulty items.

[Ohdearducks]

Sorry I meant eBay not sure what Paypal could do.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Just raise an item not as described with eBay. And ask seller for address to send the phone. Let e bay do its job. They are very good at getting refundable you

[Woodyblueeyes]

This is with dispute centre at moment. EBay look into it on Saturday. The daily email exchanges have been stressing me as I had been worrying Ebay might rule in his favour if I didnt input his jiggerpockery unlock code into the phone.

[Yura]

ebay will definitely rule in your favour, had a similar issue and they did. din't return before the ebay ruling though!

[19lottie82]

I agree eBay will definitely rule in your favour. Try not to stress and if this has now been logged as a dispute don't even converse anymore with the seller. Wait until eBay can step in the ask them to adjudicate.

They will rule in your favour and you should be provided with a pre paid returns label to return the phone.

DONT pay for this from your own pocket as you won't get this back!

[IamtheDevilsAvocado]

You've had some good info here OP - I well remember the sick feeling I had when something similar happened to me...

Definitely go through Ebay - PayPal were hopeless for me.. It was sorted in the end!

Good luck!

[SilverDragonfly1]

No no, as PP said DON'T send it back until eBay tell you to!! All sorts of complications will arise from that. Follow eBay's instructions to the letter, return phone tracked when advised and you will get your money.

[Olympiathequeen]

Luckily PayPal don't take the money from your account for about 3 weeks. Alert them and make sure the phone is returned tracked and signed for. The buyer always wins on eBay even when they're in the wrong

Not you of course, but as a seller I've been stung!