I'll try to keep this succinct! Been a regular ebayer for 10 years, usually a buyer rather than a seller. Last week I spotted something on ebay and messaged the seller to see if they would do a "buy it now". They agreed. This was their first listing. They ended the listing and we agreed a time and place to meet to exchange cash / the item (this was outside of ebay).
I turned up at the agreed meeting place, (arrived early and waited till 15 mins after the time they said they would arrive). They didn't turn up, but later I noticed an email saying they were going to be late. I didn't receive the email due to lack of a signal as was travelling on the tube, so gave up and went home. Later the seller emailed to say they'd waited ages and I had not turned up. Obviously this was all cross communication.
After further liaison, the seller agreed to send the item. I paid them as a merchant (not a friend/ family) through PayPal. The item turned up poorly packed in just a black sack and was broken. I contacted them to explain the situation and asked for a refund, less postage. They said "no returns". I sent them photos of the item still partially wrapped in the sack with the broken bit hanging off. They basically said it wasn't their responsibility and offered no solution so I opened a case in PayPal explaining the bare facts.
They have responded saying they "don't believe the item was broken during delivery". This is inspite of the fact that I emailed them photos within 5 mins of the courier arriving with the package. They have made up other lies as well such as that I didn't turn up when we arranged to meet. I was in fact there and they turned up half an hour late after I had left. They left these reponses on the PayPal resolution centre and then they escalated the dispute to a claim.
I don't know what to expect really. I know it wasnt done through ebay, but I still paid them as a merchant and do not want to be left with an item that I can't use with no recompense. Any experience?