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eBay

If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

Buyer wants a refund for shoes she’s worn and broken

65 replies

deathb4decaf · 25/11/2017 10:13

I sold a brand new pair of shoes, got positive feedback from the buyer. Had a message last night saying she was fuming and wanted a refund because the heel snapped after getting out of a taxi. I don’t offer refunds but the buyer has requested one through eBay. I’m not sure where I stand and searching on eBay I’m still confused Confused can anyone help?

OP posts:
Bella8 · 25/11/2017 11:51

And if they put your in debit on your PayPal it's fine as gives you time to argue it and it least you have your money still.

19lottie82 · 25/11/2017 11:54

Wow..... some really bad advice on here!

If the buyer opens a case ebay will force you to refund and pay for the return postage if you want the item back.

You say the buyer has requested a refund through eBay, so pretty much your only choice is to refund.

If you ignore this ebay will refund the buyer on your behalf, leaving your PayPal account in a negative balance. If you don’t replenish it they won’t take the money from your bank account but they will pass it on to a debt collection agency and you won’t be able to use PayPal or eBay again.

19lottie82 · 25/11/2017 11:54

Bella, there’s no point in arguing, the soap won’t win. PayPal will only accept a negative balance for a short amount of time before they take action.

19lottie82 · 25/11/2017 11:55

Soap?? OP

19lottie82 · 25/11/2017 11:56

Bella your advice you give the OP about not having to refund is totally wrong.

Tretchikoff · 25/11/2017 12:00

The advice about emptying your PayPal account to prevent a refund is wrong.
PayPal don't take the money from the bank card or credit card either if PP has been emptied as someone stated.
They simply put your PP account into a negative balance and obviously any subsequent sales are credited against this balance.
Some disputes are settled as no fault so buyer would be refunded by Ebay at no detriment to seller.

Bella8 · 25/11/2017 12:01

19lottie82 What exactly is your point? Soap box?? Please look at your posts. No need for nastiness.
Are you saying the op had to refund???

Bella8 · 25/11/2017 12:01

has*

Bella8 · 25/11/2017 12:03

My advice wasn't bad at all as it was speaking from my own personal experience and a friend's where I didn't need to refund and eBay went in my favour and it also went in my friend's. I don't think op needs to refund either...obviously eBay will decide but they tend to be pretty fair and in this case it sounds like it'll go in OP's favour. Obviously I don't have a crystal ball but I'll borrow yours...

Mustang27 · 25/11/2017 12:05

Good reason not to buy stuff on EBay I'd be fuming too if this happened and if you had bought the shoes elsewhere (retail high street) and took them back they would likely refund or at least store credit.

I can understand your reluctance to refund though as it's hard to know if someone is being honest but unfortunately a risk you take as a seller.

I'd apologise refund and move on. Sucks but what can you do. You could offer her a replacement pair if that's a lesser value for you and she may accept but I wouldn't force the point.

Bella8 · 25/11/2017 12:08

Tretchikoff I agree but my reason for saying that is incase OP should need to appeal the decision then at least she'd have her cash. Obviously if appeal unsuccessful than you would just either pay the negative balance or make it up from another sale...
I guess it depends on the finances of the person. I did this because I needed the money at that given time and it was easier for me to put it back if needed at a later date (I never needed to.)

19lottie82 · 25/11/2017 12:22

Bella......

The shoes broke under her care and she received them in the condition you described.

Huh? How do you know this?
Did you inspect the shoes when they arrived at the buyers house?

The OP may have sold them in good faith, but if they snapped when the buyer was wearing them, then they are not as described.

The OP cannot prove otherwise.

And "broke under her care". What, when she was wearing them?

Also anybody could say their items have broken and tell lies to get money back.

Yes you're correct here, and this happens a lot on ebay unfortunately, but that doesn't mean people that are genuinely sold shoddy goods don't have any rights.

This is unfortunate but not you're fault.

Well, yes, unfortunately the OP is! She sold a pair of shoes described as new that the heel snapped off. Who do you think is at fault here?

When you buy on eBay with no returns you are automatically agreeing to the risks that go with it.

Sorry, but this is total BS! "No returns" means absolutely nothing in regards to faulty or mis described goods, the only time it can be applied is to non fault return requests, such as the shoes don't fit, I don't like the colour or I've changed my mind,

I had a problem with some shoes from new look and they wouldn't take them back as had been worn once despite faulty
manufacturing and I had to argue my case with the manger and eventually they did it as good will gesture.

Shops have to take faulty goods back. Maybe the manager was arguing but if the shoes were genuinely faulty, he was in the wrong. He may have told you he was refunding as a goodwill gesture just to save face, either that or he was ignorant to the laws on returning faulty goods.

The buyer can go to a blacksmiths and her her shoes reheeled/fixed as it's not up to you to be out of pocket.

Of course it's up to the OP to refund, or cover the repair cost

obviously eBay will decide but they tend to be pretty fair and in this case it sounds like it'll go in OP's favour

(almost spat my tea out laughing there!) in terms of sellers ebay are most definitely not fair! Seller protection is 95% geared towards buyers, not sellers. There is no WAY the OP will win this case.

I'm not disputing the fact that ebay maybe protected you from a refund request, but the fact is 99.9% of the time the seller will be refunded and the seller just doesn't have the option to "not refund".

In order to even have a chance to win a case like this then the OP would have to be able to PROVE that the buyer is lying, and unless I'm missing something she can't.

19lottie82 · 25/11/2017 12:23

And what evidence does the OP have to appeal this case?
Simply stating "they were fine when I sent them", and an original photo just won't cut it.

Bella8 · 25/11/2017 12:35

19lottie82 If you read the thread properly the op states the buyer received the shoes as described and left a glowing feedback review... mind boggles Shock

Bella8 · 25/11/2017 12:36

Also 19lottie82 I have been through a case with eBay myself. Have you??

Bella8 · 25/11/2017 12:37

I spat out my coffee rolling over laughing Grin

Bella8 · 25/11/2017 12:40

OP I wish you luck what ever you decide, it seems some posters have crystal balls so maybe the outcome has already been predicted....Shock
You have nothing to lose by trying and what ever happens so be it.

HeavenlyEyes · 25/11/2017 12:53

Lottie gives great advice on the eBay board here and is incredibly experienced.

And feedback is never counted in a case because feedback can be left for the wrong item in error - so a buyer leaving good or bad feedback counts for nothing in a not as described case.

19lottie82 · 25/11/2017 12:55

Bella that makes no difference to eBay’s judgement on this, and although it’s beside the point, perhaps she left the review before she wore them and the heel snapped?
Plenty of people receive an item and leave positive FB before using the item.
Why is your mind boggling exactly? Hmm

Have I been through a case? Well funnily enough, yes. I’ve been a business seller for over 4 years, selling over 400 items a month, and I have also had a personal account I use for selling my item for apx 12 years, so I’m pretty confident I have a grasp on how the returns system and buyer / seller rights work.

Id say I have about a return request a week (usually with buyers not understanding how 1 of my products works), so 52 x 4 = a little over 200 cases, give or take (plus maybe one a year from my private account).

19lottie82 · 25/11/2017 12:58

If the OP had solid proof that the buyer is lying or had mistreated the shoe then I would advise declining the return request and fighting her corner then I would advise possibly fighting her corner, but unless I’ve missed something, she doesn’t, so not accepting it will result in a defect on her ebay account.

Bella8 · 25/11/2017 13:07

HeavenlyEyes and 19lottie82 this is the same person?

19lottie82 · 25/11/2017 13:14

What makes you think that?

Mustang27 · 25/11/2017 13:34

My partner sells regularly on eBay, Lottie is correct in our experience.

BWatchWatcher · 25/11/2017 13:36

Lottie, maybe you're a business seller and the OP we're assuming is a private seller, so you are bound by different guidelines.

19lottie82 · 25/11/2017 13:43

BWW I’ve also had a private account which I sell on regularly, for over 12 years.