I've been selling on ebay for about 10 years now on both mine and my mums accounts and sold hundreds of items over the years. Never have I had to escalate a case for anything other than non payment.
We had a set of 4 pans of a very good make, and as we have too many pans (and I find them too heavy to use) I decided to list them separately. A few days later someone sent me a message asking if I'd accept a buy-it-now. That was fine. She asked if I had any others, I said only the ones listed. She wanted the lot so I did a deal as it would get them gone. She was quite abrupt in her messages, (I realise some people who speak English as a second language sometimes come across that way) so I checked her feedback. A few negative positives but mostly due to not paying so I continued on. She paid and I gave the pans another good clean before posting them.
2 weeks later I get an message from her wanting to return them as they are 'not authentic'. They are, but my hands are tied so I accept the return and ask if she'd rather I arrange collection or if dropping them off would be easier. She ignored my question and wanted a refund before she returned them. I explained that's not how it works and I would refund when I receive them back, and I sent over a returns label. She then marks 1 as dispatched, but not the other 3.
3 weeks after I sent over the label I receive the package back. Well, sort of. Instead of sending back all 4, she has returned the cheapest 1, and whilst I sent them in a huge box with layers of bubble wrap (hermes are rough at the best of times!) she returned it wrapped in sellotape and it is consequently damaged.
I speak to ebay concerned she's going to try it on and request a refund for all 4 when only 1 have been returned. They tell me to contact her. As soon as I do, she marks the rest as returned and opens a case on the 1 item saying 'I returned all 4 pans but I have not received a refund'. I phone ebay again, they say they'll put a note on the system, and ask me to offer a partial refund for the 1 returned (which I have no issue doing!).
I've not had a reply from the buyer and the case on the 1 item has just closed in her favour, she's received a full refund. I've now opened a case on the other 3, although I expect it will go the same way as the parcel is marked as delivered.
I've checked her feedback again, and there are atleast 5 more negative positives since I last looked.
I now have no pans and no money and I'm out of pocket atleast £20 in postage fees (they weren't light or cheap pans!). I'm contemplating small claims court, has anyone done this before? Or has any idea what I can do to get my money back? I'd be happy just to have the pans back to resell them (not on ebay).