EBay selling nightmare

xxxPandora · 2022-10-30T12:26:55+00:00

Hello, I have been buying and selling items from eBay for over 11 years. Not as a business, just as a person selling a few bits no longer required or to make extra space in my wardrobe etc. I recently sold a brand new with tags Ted Baker coat for £130. The buyer received it and contacted me to ask why the postage was £3 more than what I actually paid and asked for a refund. I explained that the added charge was added on to cover my packaging and fuel costs and that it was clearly stated on the listing. There was no message from the buyer advising that there was something wrong with the coat or the coat was not as described. The buyer then submitted an 'item is not as described' refund request which I accepted. I was advised to do this by eBay after ringing them directly. I explained that they have used the 'item not as described' return policy falsely and eBay advised that they could see from our message correspondence that the buyer had never mentioned there was a problem with the coat itself. I paid for a return label through eBay and received the coat back from the seller damaged/marked, smelling of cigarettes and had clearly been worn. I've again been in touch with eBay who advise that I can offer the buyer a partial refund but the buyer can refuse this and then the buyer will be refunded fully and I'm out of pocket left with a coat that I can no longer sell as brand new and sell it at a significant loss. I'm so annoyed about this. I've got 100% feedback and I'm a very genuine seller. Has anyone else experienced this or have any advice?

Whammyyammy · 30/10/2022 12:34

Sorry to hear this. But ebay couldn't give a stuff about sellers. The buyer is always right in their eyes.

At least you got your coat back, albeit used. Ate u 100% sure its your coat back? And not one like it

TooShyShyShhh · 30/10/2022 12:46

It’s really sad the way ebay has gone, I’ve seen so many stories of scammers buying things and sellers losing out.

MrsK89 · 30/10/2022 12:48

I would report the buyer and call ebay again complaining about the issue. The buyer is misusing the returns and if they were to get compensated should be by eBay and not yourselevs

Original poster

xxxPandora · 30/10/2022 13:09

Whammyyammy · 30/10/2022 12:34

Sorry to hear this. But ebay couldn't give a stuff about sellers. The buyer is always right in their eyes.

At least you got your coat back, albeit used. Ate u 100% sure its your coat back? And not one like it

I certainly will not be using the platform again to sell things that's for sure.
That's a really good point that the coat may be a different used version that they sent back. I've been Googling and there are buyer scammers on there sadly that return empty boxes back or the same item but used/broken and eBay still honours their refund at the seller's expense under 'item not as described' option.
Apparently, after speaking to eBay directly, if I had chosen not to accept the return, eBay would have forced me to refund them and they would have kept the coat.
It really is a scammers delight on eBay sadly and I guess I'm lucky not to have experienced this before and actually got my coat back, albeit used and damaged. I do understand that buyers need protection from rogue sellers too, but this seems just too easy to get away with.

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Lastarse · 30/10/2022 13:10

My experience of eBay (been buying and selling for years) is that you are royally stuffed if a buyer does this. I have heard of the odd time they fully side with the seller, so I’d try phoning them again - but they normally end up refunding the buyer.
l can’t stand this policy of theirs whereby the buyer gets a refund even if they’ve blatantly lied.
good luck.

Whowhatwherewhenwhy1 · 30/10/2022 13:12

I had this with a pair of walking boots. After 4 weeks of having then the buyer said they were not as described. I think they just did not fit. She wanted a full refund and not to send them back. I insisted they be returned. They arrived back to me clearly used as they were filthy and had been chewed by a dog. I contacted ebay with the listing pictures and photos of what was returned hut apparently as she denies she caused the damage she still got a £30 refund and i was left with no saleable item and out of pocket. Ebay is not worth the bother as a seller now and their fees are just a joke.

SpookabooAtTheZoo · 30/10/2022 13:16

To be fair on a £130 item you could have avoided this by not trying to skim an extra £3 of profit from the postage, or by refunding when called on it. If you'd kept a positive relationship with the buyer by refunding the £3 you likely wouldn't have an unsellable item returned to you. Sorry but I've been ebaying as a buyer and seller for 18 years and this sort of thing really puts me off trusting some private sellers anymore.

LuckyLil · 30/10/2022 13:23

There's an eBay section on the money saving expert website where you'll find really knowledgeable people on this sort of problem. May be worth a browse on there for advice. How damaged is damaged? Can a dry clean restore it to new condition? I tend to avoid selling expensive stuff on there but make sure to give the buyer the feedback they deserve...

Nocutenamesleft · 30/10/2022 13:25

EBay is terrible now!

im in a Reddit sub about eBay and people are slowly but surely taking stuff off eBay and going into places like Vinted (which I sold my ted baker coat last week)

I wouldn’t ever trust eBay anymore.

Original poster

xxxPandora · 30/10/2022 13:30

SpookabooAtTheZoo · 30/10/2022 13:16

To be fair on a £130 item you could have avoided this by not trying to skim an extra £3 of profit from the postage, or by refunding when called on it. If you'd kept a positive relationship with the buyer by refunding the £3 you likely wouldn't have an unsellable item returned to you. Sorry but I've been ebaying as a buyer and seller for 18 years and this sort of thing really puts me off trusting some private sellers anymore.

I absolutely would have refunded the measly £3 but unfortunately the return under 'item not as described' was already submitted before I had the chance to buy. The cost of the postage was clearly stated in the listing and was not a problem when they brought it. People have the right to charge their postage rate at what they feel is fair and appropriate. If postage is too high, you don't have to buy it- obviously.

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Original poster

xxxPandora · 30/10/2022 13:31

LuckyLil · 30/10/2022 13:23

There's an eBay section on the money saving expert website where you'll find really knowledgeable people on this sort of problem. May be worth a browse on there for advice. How damaged is damaged? Can a dry clean restore it to new condition? I tend to avoid selling expensive stuff on there but make sure to give the buyer the feedback they deserve...

Thank you, that's really helpful. I'll have a look.

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Original poster

xxxPandora · 30/10/2022 13:33

Nocutenamesleft · 30/10/2022 13:25

EBay is terrible now!

im in a Reddit sub about eBay and people are slowly but surely taking stuff off eBay and going into places like Vinted (which I sold my ted baker coat last week)

I wouldn’t ever trust eBay anymore.

I've just taking all of my listings off eBay and going to put on Vinted. No selling fees too. I completely agree, eBay is awful now.

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Moltenpink · 30/10/2022 13:33

Agree, Ebay is awful. People need to start voting with their feet and stop using the site. At least you have the scammy woman’s address in case you want to take any petty and harmless revenge….

Redburnett · 30/10/2022 13:34

If you had just refunded the £3 excess postage you were challenged on the buyer might never have raised the not as described case. Packaging etc does not cost £3 and your own stinginess has led to the situation escalating. I do not understand why you thought it worth arguing over the request for a £3 refund, risking annoying the buyer - which you successfully did.

JudithHarper · 30/10/2022 13:36

Moltenpink · 30/10/2022 13:33

Agree, Ebay is awful. People need to start voting with their feet and stop using the site. At least you have the scammy woman’s address in case you want to take any petty and harmless revenge….

When I did eBay, buyers like this had a sudden increase in junk mail after I signed them up to all sorts of stuff.

SaulHudsonDavidJones · 30/10/2022 13:38

Redburnett · 30/10/2022 13:34

If you had just refunded the £3 excess postage you were challenged on the buyer might never have raised the not as described case. Packaging etc does not cost £3 and your own stinginess has led to the situation escalating. I do not understand why you thought it worth arguing over the request for a £3 refund, risking annoying the buyer - which you successfully did.

This does not justify such poor, dishonest behaviour by the buyer! Packaging costs money and the buyer knew what they were paying for.

Original poster

xxxPandora · 30/10/2022 13:38

Redburnett · 30/10/2022 13:34

If you had just refunded the £3 excess postage you were challenged on the buyer might never have raised the not as described case. Packaging etc does not cost £3 and your own stinginess has led to the situation escalating. I do not understand why you thought it worth arguing over the request for a £3 refund, risking annoying the buyer - which you successfully did.

There's always one.
I didn't get the chance to refund the £3 before she sent a return request. I was happy to refund £3. As I just told you. Again, it is my decision as to how I price my postage.

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DefiantlyIsNotDefinitely · 30/10/2022 13:40

@Redburnett it was listed in the sellers post and that really doesn’t give the buyer the right to totally f*ck up the item, send it back and get a full refund. You don’t buy a £130 coat if you can’t afford the extra £3 that is stated in the advertisement.

Even if you’re right you’re wrong on Mumsnet. Take the £130 loss, tough shit etc.

Cancelledtwiceover · 30/10/2022 13:42

I am a seller on eBay, I use other platforms too.
I recently had someone return an item under the guise of 'not as described' I could tell the buyer was trying to pull a fast one before they'd even returned the item, lo and behold buyer returns different item.
I got onto eBay about it and both myself and the seller where refunded, bit annoyed the thieving git was refunded, but at least I am not out of pocket.
Sometimes if you apply a bit of pressure to eBay they will listen, so it's worth getting back on to them. Take pictures of what has been returned compared to what you sent. Tell them to look at the messages again.
In my case I had the weight of the item sent compared to the one received and I had video'd myself opening the return, not that they asked for the footage.
Alternatively there is always a small claims threat that might get your money back.
Some people are utter arse holes though.

Original poster

xxxPandora · 30/10/2022 13:43

DefiantlyIsNotDefinitely · 30/10/2022 13:40

@Redburnett it was listed in the sellers post and that really doesn’t give the buyer the right to totally f*ck up the item, send it back and get a full refund. You don’t buy a £130 coat if you can’t afford the extra £3 that is stated in the advertisement.

Even if you’re right you’re wrong on Mumsnet. Take the £130 loss, tough shit etc.

Thank you. You are absolutely right.
I'll just ignore the troll who is obviously bored and making themself look stupid.

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Brunilde · 30/10/2022 13:45

I will never sell on ebay again, no protection for sellers at all. I sold my phone on there a couple of years ago sent special delivery etc. Buyer claimed I had sent them an empty box and got a refund. They will always side with the buyer.

Original poster

xxxPandora · 30/10/2022 13:48

Brunilde · 30/10/2022 13:45

I will never sell on ebay again, no protection for sellers at all. I sold my phone on there a couple of years ago sent special delivery etc. Buyer claimed I had sent them an empty box and got a refund. They will always side with the buyer.

I'm so sorry to hear this. How awful. I definitely will not be selling anything on eBay anymore either. Thanks for sharing your experience.

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Shopaholic123Go · 30/10/2022 13:49

eBay aren't interested in the private seller. They're only interested in the high volume sellers or businesses because sales are what makes eBay money. They're not a public service they're a business themselves and want to make money, that's it. So they bend over backwards for buyers to keep them coming back and sellers are expected to act like a business and suck up losses by scammers, even when the seller is a private individual. It's not worth it.

TwentyForty · 30/10/2022 13:49

Like you, I've sold bits and pieces on Ebay for years without issue.

This is so common now sadly, I was out over £300 after selling a camera lens (they returned a brick). EBay sided with them even with my evidence.

I still sell but only items with a max value of £40ish, clothes/bits and pieces, which don't seem to attract the cunty scammers.

New clothes with tags, jewellery, cameras, smartphones etc definitely avoid listing!

I sell on Gumtree or FB anything that's worth £50 or more, cash on collection, no messing around. I price it lower but after Ebay fees and postage I end up with the same amount.

Sorry it happened to you!

Original poster

xxxPandora · 30/10/2022 13:52

Cancelledtwiceover · 30/10/2022 13:42

I am a seller on eBay, I use other platforms too.
I recently had someone return an item under the guise of 'not as described' I could tell the buyer was trying to pull a fast one before they'd even returned the item, lo and behold buyer returns different item.
I got onto eBay about it and both myself and the seller where refunded, bit annoyed the thieving git was refunded, but at least I am not out of pocket.
Sometimes if you apply a bit of pressure to eBay they will listen, so it's worth getting back on to them. Take pictures of what has been returned compared to what you sent. Tell them to look at the messages again.
In my case I had the weight of the item sent compared to the one received and I had video'd myself opening the return, not that they asked for the footage.
Alternatively there is always a small claims threat that might get your money back.
Some people are utter arse holes though.

I think I will get on eBay's case again- thank you. I'm so pleased that you got your money back.

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