So...do I just have to suck this up, then?

[IWantedThatBiscuit]

Been on Ebay for years, but only use it maybe twice a year to sell off clothes when I do a wardrobe clear out, so not an expert on the site. Must have been lucky, as never had any bad experiences - payment always received, buyers happy, 100% positive feedback etc on hundreds of items over the years.

The last batch of about 25 items I sold a few weeks ago. No item fetched more than 20 quid, most about a fiver. Of those items, 4 buyers have said they didn't receive the item (items posted on different days, so it wasn't like one batch went astray)...I really have my doubts about this...and two have tried it on BIG time with guff about there being 'huge black stains' on one item (it was a brand new with tags dress, carefully wrapped in tissue paper and well packaged - there were no stains!) and another item being 'torn at the seams' (absolute garbage - I check every item carefully and describe accurately, plus I charity shop worn items and only sell new or nearly stuff I just haven't worn for whatever reason).

They all want refunds. I can't be arsed to quibble over what amounts to about 40 quids worth of items. But I just wonder - is the it, then? Any old nutcase can make up a load of rubbish and get free stuff? Seems really unfair.

How did you send the items? If you didn't send them by a method which gets a signature to prove delivery then you will lose the case if they open one. So I would just refund those.

And, whatever you do, do everything ebay allow you to leave negative comments in each and every one of them.

Can you ask for photos - can you refund when item delivered back? I think buyer pays for return

It was just second class standard delivery, so only a receipt saying x amount of items posted, not proper proof of postage.

Two of the buyers have already given me negative feedback without even waiting for my response to their refund request! Bloody cheek.

I might have to sack off Ebay! this is too much headache

The one who said there is a black mark is sly. She says the marks were on the back...the only bit of the dress I didn't photograph . I absolutely KNOW for a fact there were no marks. it was a pristine item.

I will ask for photos of the 'torn item', though...

But think I might just refund the lot and forget about Ebay.

Email them through eBay. Ask for photos. Ask them to return with proof of postage. The non delivered items, unless you have p.o.p, ebay will honour the buyer.

Also, change your settings to returns accepted. If you say returns not accepted eBay will automatically pay the buyer and they will get to keep the item.

If you have a receipt for proof of postage I think Royal Mail will refund you up to £20

I wouldn't refund the ones who left me neg f/back... there's no point, now.

For the four that are lost in the post you will have to refund then try to reclaim from the Royal Mail (if you have proof of posting). By the way, in future, try MyHermes - actually cheaper than Royal Mail for parcels, and the item is tracked.

For the two "damaged" items I would definitely ask for photos, but ultimately they do have you over a barrel - there's nothing to stop an unscrupulous buyer deliberately damaging an item they no longer want, then it becomes worthless. So it pays to be nice and ask them to return it, and you can always re-sell.

It is just the "cost of doing business" on eBay, unfortunately.

Thanks for all your advice, everyone.

I will def look into Hermes if I sell in future - didn't know it was so cheap!

Ask them to open cases, so the list items can be "investigated properly". This puts a lot of would be scammers off. Definitely don't refund outside the proper channels.

lljkk - it won't be the OP's choice whether or not to refund! eBay/Paypal will refund an unhappy buyer regardless of the OP's wishes.

The damaged/marked stuff, email back saying once you have received the item back you will refund what they originally spent.. They will either post back or go away.

The not received ask them to double check with their sorting office as cards aren't always posted through letterboxes. If still not arrived you will have to suck it up and refund..

If you got proof of postage certificates then claim back from Royal Mail but I agree ask them to check at PO I have had this happen with no card but item was at sorting office. Anyone claiming item damaged just ask them to return for a refund. This usually puts off some scammers. Did you wrap in dark tissue? possibly your packaging may have come off on an item - unlikely but just a thought. Block the buyers you feel have been unfair. You are able to leave replies to neg fb but keep it polite eg "buyer did not contact me before leaving neg fb I would have sorted out any issue"

Also, change your settings
returns accepted. If you say
returns not accepted
ebay automatically pay the buyer and they will get to keep the item

This isn't true in the slightest.

If you select returns accepted, it just means if the buyer requests a non fault return it will automatically approve it (within X days).

If you select "returns not accepted" then you have the option to accept or return a non fault return request.

For the lost in post items - ordinarily you can claim for lost items through Royal Mail using certificate of posting. I think they pay what it sold for plus postage so you'd get your money back. Downside is the buyer gets to keep the item for free- all she has to do is lie to Royal Mail. I always get a separate certificate of posting for each item, I don't know how it'll work if x items are on one - you need the postcodes they were sent to.

For the damaged items: there is an outside chance the item got damaged / stained in the mail. But I would need the item back before I refund (ebay expects this )-and I'd be difficult and say I wanted the original packaging too for that reason. You might be able to claim from RM for damaged items.

I've noticed more sellers have put on their listings something like " I get proof of posting for every package...." - you might want to consider.