Sold some Lego. Buyer claiming bits are missing

[KikoMiko]

My DH sold a Harry Potter Lego set which we built before selling and all the pieces and figures were complete. The buyer has now been in touch and said bits are missing. They most definitely are not. We even bought bits to make sure it was complete. DH has offered the buyer a full refund if she returns it and once we've made sure all the bits are there again we'll make the refund for the item and her postage cost. She's now accused DH of being rude for asking this! This is correct isn't it?

She's asking for a partial refund, tell her to return it but it'll have the bits missing that she wanted.

Completely correct. Don’t issue a refund until the set is returned. Before she sends it, ask her how many pieces there are. When you receive the set back count it.

Bet she won’t bother to return it once you ask of the above.

As above, ask her to return it, but expect several pieces to be missing. I expect it's expensive or pieces specific to the set?

I suspect as much too. She's not said she'll send it back yet though. I'm not sure what would happen if she sends it back and this is the case. We can't not refund her, but they we'd have an incomplete set. There's a particular mini figure in this set that is worth a few ££ so I wonder if that's what will be missing on it's return if she does send it back? I rarely use eBay any more to sell as it's just not worth the bother but DH still does.

So many people happy to rip off gd sellers. Nothing h can do about it and does put me off selling stuff 😕

I sell a lot on eBay, only had a couple of things happen in last yr or so.

One person said a baby dress I sold was a different size. I was like oh I'm sure it was 12-18 turns out if I zoomed in on one of my pics u cld see the size on the tag! They were at it. I think they had dress in smaller size and needed bigger so were trying to con me of mine and return the smaller one and make me pay all the postage costs! They didn't even reply back once I pointed it out lol.

Recently though sold a jumper and they left positive feedback but said it's a bit small. A week later apparently there's a hole that's been stitched, there isn't! I asked for a pic. It looks like they've put one stitch in it, I still can't see a hole it literally looks like a bit of thread going across the fabric for no reason. I've had to send a label at my cost for them to return. Yesterday they then sent another msg saying jumper has a hole in it just found it today 😆 honestly at least be consistent with ur lies! I'm hoping my they r so thick they don't return it within the deadline. I think they think they r going to keep item and get a full refund 🙄

I've heard calling customer services at EBay once it's returned can help in favour of seller.

Parcels are weighed at the post office? So her weight would be less than yours?

Did you take pictures of it built?

Did you photograph the set before you sent it?

Even if you didn't I would tell her you have photos of what you sent and see what she says.

Yes we have a couple of photos. DH took one in which he stupidly chopped the very top of part of the building off. Conveniently this is one of the bits she says is missing! It's been over an hour now and she's not messaged back since we said to return it for a full refund so maybe she didn't expect us to be so reasonable straight away. Reinforces my view that she is probably a chancer. Nevertheless, she will undoubtedly leave negative feedback now.

Unfortunately if she doesn’t return all of the pieces you will still have to refund as eBay will see proof of return. So yes it’s totally possible it could be returned without the figures that she wanted. I sold a new coat and buyer said it was old and smelly, it was such a blatant lie I was amazed when the actual new coat was returned untouched. I was convinced I would receive an old coat in it’s place. Weight can alter with packaging so is not a reliable measure unless it’s way out.

Oh and if she opens a not as described case you will have to issue the return label to enable her to return it, she doesn’t have to pay herself. If you don’t eBay will send her one and charge you. If she insists on a refund make her open a case don’t just agree a return, that sometimes makes them think twice if they are scamming. It doesn’t count against you.

Lego have a free service where they will send out missing pieces as long as it's not loads. All of the codes are in the back of the assembly instructions, this might be an option

She's asked for a partial refund now which we've said no to and instead asked her to raise a case and we will refund her once we have it back. She is so rude. I've used eBay for years and this is the first time I've experienced anybody quite so nasty!

I had this with someone who bought a camera from me on ebay before Xmas and then contacted me in February to say it was faulty. I knew they were lying but in the end I gave them a partial refund just for peace and quiet. I think a lot of people operate these scams. Someone else bought a skirt and said it never arrived but I know it did.

@KikoMiko

She's asked for a partial refund now which we've said no to and instead asked her to raise a case and we will refund her once we have it back. She is so rude. I've used eBay for years and this is the first time I've experienced anybody quite so nasty!

Well done for saying no. I bet she does this all the time.

I knew they were lying but in the end I gave them a partial refund just for peace and quiet.

The trouble is if everyone does this then they continue to get away with it. Ebay monitor the amount of cases a buyer has, and can suspend their accounts for abusing the system.

She's being horrible so you give in.

She's ripped you off and I'd try to see it as something you aren't going to allow to happen to you.

I've just returned something to Ali Express and it took hours and hours of my time. They made it so difficult but I was absolutely determined that I would be getting my money back.

Unfortunately eBay is set up to allow this to happen to sellers. If your buyer is out to rip you off there is little you can do. Interesting what @EscapingSoon said about free parts, I wonder how she would reply if you offered to order those bits for her?

It’s no coincidence that the parts she claims are missing are the pieces not on the photograph. Being horrible is just to intimidate you into giving her a partial refund because she actually wants the item. If she’s vindictive she could return it minus pieces meaning you can’t sell it so she’s hoping you will cut your losses and give in to her.

@KikoMiko

She's asked for a partial refund now which we've said no to and instead asked her to raise a case and we will refund her once we have it back. She is so rude. I've used eBay for years and this is the first time I've experienced anybody quite so nasty!

Properly shocked.

Stick to your guns. She probably does this a lot and a lot of people will just do it for a quiet life. However this means she's skilled at navigating the shitty system to get what she wants.

She now says she's ordered the spare parts from Lego which will take three weeks to arrive. We're still insisting she return it and we'll refund. Have told her to open a case with eBay. She's now threatening to leave negative feedback. I've just asked her why she won't return it for a refund. Let's see how she replies to that.

If she is saying she has ordered the parts then is she not saying that she is now happy to keep the item? If so that is the end of that, and one negative feedback is not really going to affect your account, let her do her worst. There is now a reply link on feedback so you could just write buyer offered full refund on return and others will be able to read that. I would be tempted to just leave it now and not engage with her further. Respond to a case if and when she opens it. Don't forget to bock her from future listings.

And if she leaves negative feedback but never opens a case, once the time limit is up eBay & PayPal ask for the negative feedback to be removed.

I couldn't give a toss about negative feedback over being robbed! Negative feedback is not a actual thing, it's just some words. Stealing from you is a real thing.

I know exactly what you mean. I have sold tonnes of stuff on eBay over the last 20 years. Now I regret selling some of it, to ungrateful recipients.

Ebay are shooting themselves in the foot with their policies, because now they just enable scammers. Ebay no longer remove negative feedback if the buyer refused a return and have introduced some other questionable policies.

Just block her, let her leave negative feedback and don't worry about it. You can respond to it and say 'buyer refused to return the item for a refund'. She wont be able to do anything about that.

I wouldn't worry too much about negative feedback. As long as sellers have mostly positive then I just ignore the negative as I know its likely a chancer. Am I right in thinking you can leave feedback on buyers as well? If so I would be leaving her negative feedback.