To ask for your advice about Paypal return?

[Itwasntmeright]

Last week I bought some quite valuable records from a guy on FB. He told me they were in good condition and that they played through perfectly. I insisted on paying via Paypal goods and services, I covered the fees. He didn’t have a Paypal so asked his GF to use hers instead.

I sent the money and records were sent and received.

Guy then said he’d not played the records for years and that he doesn’t have a working turntable, but as far as he knew they were fine.

I cleaned the records because they were filthy, all done perfectly safely and correctly, I’m experienced with records. Told the seller I was doing so and that I would need to play test before I released the money via Paypal and he was fine with it.

Two of the records have extensive scratches and one has a nasty scuff that causes serious pops and a jump. Other record has a scratch serious enough to make it stick. I told seller and he said he didn’t have his glasses on while inspecting records.

I said that I was sorry but I was going to have to return them as they weren’t good enough, and that in this shape they didn’t warrant the price paid, £150. I gave him a run down of the grading, the condition and what they would fetch in the current market. I am a collector of this band’s records so know what they go for in what condition. He offered me a partial refund but I refused it as I already have copies of these records in better condition and I don’t want damaged ones.

He agreed to the return and refund. I don’t know how this is done via Paypal so I googled it. I opened a dispute on my account to say that the items were not as described and requested a return and refund.

Seller then said his GF wouldn’t approve the refund until I’d posted the records and provided tracking info. I wasn’t sure about this so called Paypal and they advised not to post them back until a response with the return address was provided by the seller.

Now we are at a stalemate, they are happy to have the records back and I want my money back, on that we are agreed, but they won’t respond to my dispute until I post the records, and I have been advised by Paypal not to post until I’ve received a response.

What shall I do. Obviously I don’t want to endanger the return of my money, it’s a lot of money, but this is all a bit ridiculous. We’ve both agreed that I can return the records but they are refusing to follow procedure. I have the return address because the seller messaged me with it, but if I return them without taking Paypal’s advice I will endanger my money if they don’t refund me. Can somebody offer me some advice as I’ve never done this before?

If it is PayPal goods and services then you return it and upload a tracking number. If they dont give the refund, you open a dispute with PayPal. They check the tracking and see if it has been delivered and then they issue the refund to you.

PayPal almost always side with the buyer. They'll give you the money back. I dont know why they have told you to wait for the refund first. That isnt how returning goods and getting a refund works.

OK thanks for that. To be honest none of it is explained very well online, that’s what the woman on the phone told me. Thank you for that.

I dont know why they have told you to wait for the refund first
The OP said PayPal said wait for a response first not refund. I think what OP means is the seller contacted them directly to say please send them back, PayPal mean the seller has to respond via the PayPal case - so that PayPal have all the relevant details recorded on the case. Once the seller updates the PayPal case with their address and agreement to accept the return, OP sends them back with tracking, then PayPal will refund.

They need to ‘respond’ to your dispute, if they don’t then as far as PayPal are concerned they are ignoring you

All communications should go through the dispute - they should respond asking you to send them back, and then you confirm sending with the tracking info

www.paypal.com/us/brc/article/customer-disputes-claims-chargebacks-bank-reversals

Yes, this is how I understood it too. The same way as the seller send the goods with tracking information, then the buyer confirms receipt of the items to release the money, the seller confirms that they will except the return, then the buyer sends the goods back with tracking details and the seller confirms that they’ve received them to release the refund.

Sorry, I assumed they had responded to the dispute. The OP said they wouldnt send the refund until after they get them, I didnt realise they were refusing to actually say they would accept a return.

I'm guessing now that they dont understand returns either. Tell them they need to accept the return through PayPal, which is basically them agreeing to refund once they get the items. Then you send them. If they refuse to do that then you've got an issue.

I’ve just spoken to a very helpful woman from PayPal who has escalated the dispute and offered the refund from PayPal’s end. I’m about to take Records to the post office and upload tracking info. It’s all sorted, thank you.

@Itwasntmeright

I’ve just spoken to a very helpful woman from PayPal who has escalated the dispute and offered the refund from PayPal’s end. I’m about to take Records to the post office and upload tracking info. It’s all sorted, thank you.