Hi everyone,
I’m looking for advice from experienced sellers on how to handle an active return case where a buyer opened, disassembled, and damaged an item post-delivery.
Here is the exact timeline and situation:
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Item Sold: Xbox Series X (1TB) sold as "Used - Fully Working." Used personally at home with zero crashing or technical issues prior to dispatch.
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Initial Use: Buyer received the item and used it for ~10 days post-delivery.
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Buyer's Disassembly & DIY Damage: Instead of contacting me about a fault, the buyer decided to open the console casing to replace the thermal paste. In their own written message, they explicitly stated: "I opened it to replace the thermal paste and unfortunately damaged the Nexus connector. I fully accept responsibility for that particular damage."
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Third-Party Inspection: The buyer then took the damaged Xbox to a third-party repair shop, where the technician claimed to find evidence of previous motherboard work/bypasses (which I had no knowledge of, as I bought it second-hand previously).
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Return Request Filed: The buyer opened an official "Item Not As Described / Missing Parts" return request on eBay.
Actions Taken So Far:
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Defended via Policy: Responded in the return request citing eBay's Condition of Returned Items Policy, noting that disassembling, attempting self-repairs, and damaging an item post-delivery alters the unit and voids return eligibility.
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Offered Goodwill Settlement: Offered a £120 partial refund (allowing them to keep the item) as a compromise. The buyer declined this offer.
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Accepted Return to Prevent Defect: Because automated eBay systems tend to force returns automatically when "Ask eBay to step in" is pressed on INAD cases, I decided to accept the return request before the deadline to protect my seller account from a performance defect. The item is currently in transit back to me.
Current State & My Questions:
- I have not issued any refund yet and am waiting for the parcel to arrive so I can film a continuous unboxing video.
- The console is being returned in an altered state with broken internal board connectors caused by the buyer's DIY attempt.
For experienced sellers who have been in this situation:
- Once the damaged unit arrives (or even if he repaired it first then send me back), what is the most effective way to handle the refund/appeal process so I don't get forced into a 100% loss or no loss at all ?
- Has anyone successfully appealed to eBay Support using the buyer's written message confessing to disassembling/damaging the item?
- Any specific tips on how to report this buyer to ensure eBay's Seller Protection handles the case properly?
Thanks in advance for any insights!