Claiming for damaged return

[insertimaginativeusername]

Hoping some more experienced eBayers can help.

Sold a relatively expensive item, buyer claimed a part was missing, thus making it unusable. Item was returned (I knew full well that eBay would find in buyers favour) and "missing" part was returned but is damaged and is pretty expensive to replace (almost as much as the whole item is worth second hand)

eBay don't take any responsibility for this but is there anything I can do to claim compensation for it? Can't find any help on eBay.

Pretty sure I need to suck it up but I'm pissed off they got the refund including expensive postage costs back and all I get is an unusable item back

I'm afraid there isn't anything you can do within ebay.

It wouldn't surprise me if the damaged part isn't the one you sent originally but is a damaged one the buyer already had and wanted to replace.

Thanks for your reply, I thought as much. I've had a dig round Paypal too for any chargeback type requests but couldn't find anything. Paypal disputes seem to be for buyers and not sellers.

I'm pretty sure it's the same one but is a "do not bend" type item and she's sent it back folded and twisted and it doesn't go back to shape.

Even eBay themselves said she's probably regretted buying an expensive item just before Xmas but shrug and say well she claimed it wasn't there so we've refunded her. FFS. Best Ive got is the return postage refunded to me and a strike against her account.