CF eBay chancer: AIBU/WWYD?

[ZazuMoon]

First time poster.

I sold a Dyson airwrap last week as unused (which it is, it was an unneeded gift). Buyer messaged the day after purchase asking when it was arriving despite me providing delivery information. I paid almost £30 for delivery to cover its insurance. The package was lost over the weekend due to an admitted fault by Parcel force. Buyer emailing all weekend chasing despite me reassuring that I'd spent 2-3 hours on the phone/going to the post office to chase. It arrived today, one day after the estimated delivery time. She is now claiming the item is used. I asked for photos and they are not of my hair and not the condition the item was sent in. I know this but I can't prove it to eBay. She wants £100 refund and has sent a string of nasty messages all morning. I have acknowledged to her that I accept that she is unhappy with the whole experience but that I felt this was too high. Privately, I feel that she is seeking compensation for the late delivery or trying her luck but I have no way of demonstrating this to eBay. I am heavily pregnant and whilst I would Ordinarily be disputing this, I am considering relenting. AIBU/WWYD?

What a nasty piece of work...horrible human being, makes my blood boil!

I think you will be ok op.
I doubt she’s gonna return it if EBay has said she’ll have to pay the return postage.
And youre unlikely to be the only seller that has been on the receiving end of her CF. So EBay will likely have reports on her from other sellers.
Just stick to your guns and Stick to strictly professional response of return for refund and don’t get drawn in to any further dialogue. She’ll probs just get progressively more irate and you can report her for being abusive.
Phone EBay and PayPal customer service too and speak to a human, don’t really on online support.
You can also take her through small claims if EBay/ PayPal,don't find in your favour.
Good luck 😉

I wouldn’t sell on e-bay now. Anything I have goes on Facebook marketplace and I insist on cash only and buyer collects.

Stick to your guns op.
As with many others I won't sell on eBay now. I did encounter one nutjob years ago who tried to play the system, got abusive and left negative feedback. eBay did investigate and removed the negative feedback so it is possible. Good luck and try not to stress

Had similar with a designer bedding set, sold, sent in perfect condition, a few days later receive a open case notification from eBay as the duvet cover has an iron burn on it? Refund, pay for return postage, the customer had actually burned an iron imprint into it!!
I had photos to prove condition, eBay nor PayPal would accept these as she’d returned it with tracked postage, which under their t&cs was all she had to do. I was out of pocket £180!
Didnt sell on eBay ever again!
I hope it’s different for you!

I’m just reeling from being scammed too. Sold a necklace, 26 days after purchase buyer opens a case saying it’s damaged. Inspite of talking to eBay customer service who agreed it was fishy...she returned it, nicely damaged by herself.
I had to refund her. She refused to enter in any communication with me and eBay refunded her upon the return. I have a useless necklace and am £35 down. I tried to appeal, she denied damaging it.
I’m not selling anymore, it’s not worth it.
You have my sympathy OP, makes you feel sick.

I really don't understand eBay. Surely they can't think this is sustainable. They'll just end up losing more and more sellers as people go to Marketplace to avoid this.

I can't believe some of these stories. People are truly awful - I don't know how they sleep at night!

I’ve not sold for years.

I had someone get refunded for item not received - the parcel was sat in her sorting office and she couldn’t be bothered to fetch it or organise redelivery. eBay refunded her and it was 6 weeks before RM sent the item back to me.

One buyer left positive feedback, full stars, nice comments directly related to the item. She opened a case saying it was used and in bad condition (wasn’t) I told eBay about the feedback, they refunded her anyway and I didn’t get my item back.

EBay is awful. I had an item sent to me which was broken. The seller refused to refund and when I started a case he sent me threatening messages along the lines of how he'd be in my area the following week. When i reported this behaviour to eBay they couldn't give a fuck. Thankfully the guy was just bluffing and I never heard from him again but it really put me off.

eBay seem to be doing everything to encourage buyers, they seem to not give a shit about sellers and their customer service is a farce. Ok I’m bitter after my recent experience but they pretend to sympathise with you and don’t help at all (aka lying). I had 3 agents admit my buyer was scamming and yet no one stopped the case.
I can’t see a way round this, all online help says just take it on the chin, it’s part of life as an online seller.
I’m sorry OP the amount of £ in your case was high. I do hope it works out for you this time, fingers crossed.

in cases like this, I always speak to ebay on the phone. I have a very high 100% feedback and they dont always side with the buyer. They will read your message exchange whilst you're on the phone to them, to get the full picture.
Do you have good feedback previous to this?

@vegancow I have over 800 positive feedbacks over 10 years, both as a buyer and seller. Never had a problem like this before.

I just want her to return the item which hopefully she will. I can't see how paypal will allow her to keep the item and refund half of its retail value.

I can't believe some of these stories 😯 they are making me concerned that I should have agreed to her £100 discount.

Ignore the negative feedback, that can be removed once resolved. Her rude messages will help sort that.

Phone eBay and if you don't get through to the Ireland call centre, ask to be transferred. The staff there are excellent.

Tell them you're pregnant and upset by this cheater trying to scam you and ask for advice.

If you get the Indian call centre and they won't transfer you, hang up and try again. They won't be able to understand enough to help.

Please try to speak to eBay on the phone. I had a dispute with a buyer over claims that the item was mis described and she left me negative feedback too.

I only got results by speaking to someone on the phone. They closed the case and removed the negative feedback.

Hope you get it sorted. There are some scummy people on ebay.

they are making me concerned that I should have agreed to her £100 discount

She wouldn't have stopped there, OP. Don't feel bad about this.

The problem is though if she sends it back you're still going to be out of pocket as you won't be able to sell it again as brand new as she's used it.
I think you need to say this to eBay.
Also do not feel bad about not giving a partial refund. £100 is a lot of money to lose.

eBay are terrible now. Just ignore her till you hear from them.

Here's my story of the day.
I sold a pair of designer shoes last week, starting price of £35, as they were 5 years old and obviously had been worn, but no where near worn out. Buyer messaged with an offer of £80, which I accepted. She was a UK buyer.
Sent said shoes to Staffordshire for £7. Turns out it was a post -on service to France.
Buyer receives shoes, 'tres belle, très belle' she writes but they don't fit, can she have a refund?, no I say as it states quite clearly on my pictures the size, and its not my fault they don't fit. She writes back in french, which I had to translate (!!) that she would keep them and sell on.
Next day, a whole block of french, from what I gleaned from a few words, she is going down the authentic route, asking for the receipt, what after 5 years?? She has claimed another £10 extra postage as she is sending them from France, instead of Staffordshire, cheeky bint. I'm now waiting for them to come back.

Some people are damn right rude

I had a instance where they said it wasn't delivered but I had proof from tracking that it I was so what sides with me as is done my part

Ignore her, she's a rude chancer

This is why I'll Only sell on gumtree, local, collection (or local delivery if you're feeling generous), sold as seen and cash!
She sounds like a cheeky, scatty nutjob and I really hope you get it sorted. I love buying on eBay but I'd never sell on there they're horrific xx

What a bitch she is! Hopefully this is all resolved in your favour and once the dust has settled, send her one of these in the post Anonymous Glitter Bomb (I quite like the potato in a box option - that'd have her guessing!)

Stupid cow, I hope eBay find in your favour! PayPal aren't a pushover and I'm sure they see scams like this every day

@trimtops Staffordshire is where the eBay Global Shipping Programme distribution centre is based in UK. You are automatically opted into it for worldwide selling unless you go in to your settings and opt out. You as the seller pay domestic post costs and eBay cover the international post; they mark it up (which you can't see on the ad) so buyers from different coutries pay different postage.

You are liable for return postage just as for a UK return, but it is obviously a lot more. I found this out after selling a heavy item to the USA which the buyer decided wasn't as described and opened a case. I had no option but to cover the £40 return postage and refund them. Since then I have changed my GSP settings to Europe only and even then only on lightweight and lower value items. Also because I was getting tons of dubious offers from eastern Europe, Russia and Africa.