buyer wants to return item

[thereinmadnesslies]

I sold a dress on ebay, for £10.50 + postage. The seller has just messaged to say that the dress is bleached at the bottom (?) and wants to return it for a refund. The dress was definitely not bleached when I posted it.

I'm guessing that I have to offer a refund even though I am not a business seller. Do I have to refund both sets of postage? Really annoying ...

I doubt I will be using it again after this. Not as a seller anyway.

...and I mean that ebay is changing for the worse, not changing for the better.

'Feedback' has become a tradeable commodity, and the seller is unfortunately at the mercy of a few pretty nasty buyers. Sad for all of us, sellers and buyers.

If you are a prolific seller, you can 'suck up' the occasionally nutty unfair feedback; but if you are starting out by selling a couple of things a week, it can destroy a fledgling account.

It'll be interesting to see if the October launch of 'Report a Buyer' changes anything.

And those buyers will ruin it for everyone.

People would rather sell from somewhere that won't rip them off than ebay and there are some reputable buyers on ebay.

Pity

But I do think the majority of eBayers are decent and honest - trouble is you remember the bad ones you have dealt with and not the good which is a shame. Most people are decent, and do want to resolve any problems which occur - it would be a shame to let a small minority ruin your time on eBay. And believe me, I have come across some humdingers, but they are mainly few and far between.

The seller who wants to return his glasses has been hassling me all day. i have 10 emails, each one complaining about something else related to the sunglasses. It has been lodged as a case with ebay but he has just kept hassling he hasn't yet escalated it. Threatening with neg feedback. I don't give a shit about that tbh. Against my better judgement I have caved in and will refund him. I lose out but tbh I feel really upset so would prefer to move on. I think he would win the dispute anyway as i don't have highly detailed pics of the item. A lesson learned there.

You can escalate the case can't you - that is what I would do. And do not refund until they are received back.

And I would only communicate via the dispute if I were you now. 10 emails is ridiculous - were they very expensive? I wonder if it is buyers remorse?

I think it is remorse as this type of sunglasses does not suit everyone. The case has gone to dispute but tbh I have had enough. I have asked him to send me them and will refund.

I had something similar recently. The buyer tried it on, saying she wanted a refund as the item wasn't as described (I disagreed). I sent her a very polite email back saying that she was welcome to return the item but the cost of postage would be at her own expense. She never got back to me..

:)

They were £50.

danger is they may damage them on purpose and send them back to you broken - or return their own damaged ones and keep yours for free

Tell them to return in the condition which they were sent, and once you have checked your security marks you will refund them.

I think they have damaged them on purpose. They have sent me a photo of the chip on the glass which wasn't there before. Unfortunately My photos were on ipad and not very detailed so nothing to compare them to.

I know he has damaged them on purpose but know there is no way to prove it. I just want it to end and have agreed to have them back. Can i wait until they are returned before refund? Is that standard practice?

Btw thanks all for the advice.

yes you must wait to have them back before you refund. Make sure you mention security marks to hopefully prevent them switching them.