Buyer saying item is faulty would you refund

[Virgil]

I sold a pair of brand new flashing lights trainers at the weekend. I checked them before posting and the lights worked on both pairs. I posted them immediately.

I have just had two messages in quick succession from the buyer saying they don't work and saying she has also just bought another pair (nothing to do with me) that also don't work. She wants me to exchange them which I clearly can't do since I'm not a trade seller or else she wants a refund.

They worked when I sent them and I suspect they don't fit. The listing said no refunds. I'm also suspicious since she sent the two messages literally within about an hour of each other. Would this be so that she can say she's contacted me twice.

I haven't sold much on eBay before and so I'm a bit worried that this could distort my ratings since she mentioned negative feedback. I don't feel inclined to refund but is it best to refund just to avoid the feedback. And would you also refund the postage? I will obviously be out of pocket if I do this and I'm worried she will damage the trainers just to back up the story that they don't work.

This is proving more trouble than it's worth!

you will have to accept them back for a refund if they don't work - if you don't they will just open a case with eBay

You stating no refunds means nothing - what if they really don't work and she has wasted her money. You wouldn't be happy if you were the buyer would you?

They do work though. I checked them before I listed them and I checked them
Over again before I posted them. They are pressure based with a little button thing on the sole.

Do I have to refund her postage too and also pay for her to return them?

I'd refund, but only once she has returned them. I might also say I would refund the return postage once I had verified that they are faulty.

But what if they got damaged in the post?

She is entitled to all of her original pymt back and if they are faulty a good seller will refund return costs too.

So in addition to being out of pocket for the eBay and PayPal fees I also have to bear the postage cost and the original postage cost?

You won't be out of pocket on fees if you refund in full and open a return case on ebay then your fees will be refunded. But do not refund until she returns them.

what you need to do is message your buyer and say you will be happy for her to return them for a refund if they are not working. Once they are received back and you have checked your security marks you will refund in full.

This will hopefully stop her returning a different broken pair - if indeed this is what she is trying to do.

Once you have refunded via Paypal the Paypal fees are actually cancelled, and you can mutually cancel the transaction in eBay to get your eBay final value fees refunded.

Unfortunately if they are damaged and not working you will have to refund in full - there is nothing you can do about that. Think about if you were the buyer and you told a seller the item was faulty and they just said tough, no returns - you wouldn't be very happy would you? It works both ways.

Ok so I say I will refund once she has returned and I have verified that they are faulty. I then open a refund case in eBay and will then not be charged by eBay. So I'm only out of pocket on two lots of postage. Is that right?

I'm a bit annoyed since I know they worked when I sent them out. They are child's trainers and I suspect they just don't fit.

No - you will refund once you have checked your security marks and verified that they are your shoes and that they are faulty.

Then you log into paypal and find their payment and click on it, scroll down and hit refund. And for the extra postage you will have to send them that amount as a gift via paypal.

What fergoose said. Definitely mention security marks whether you have any or not.
And then don't be surprised if she never returns them. :)

For goodness sake I've said I will refund once they've been returned and now I'm getting sob stories about having fatal illnesses and devastates 3 year old girls.

This REALLY wasn't worth it. Not sure eBay is for me.

It is irrelevant - just reiterate to the buyer, they must return for you to check your security marks then you will refund. Do not engage with them on any other level.

Ok
Thanks fergoose