Advice needed on handling return. Buyer's remorse but claims NAD

[hipnycmom]

I've been trying to get Ebay on the phone but have had no luck so would really appreciate any help anyone can offer.

I sold a Chanel purse, described the item clearly, put multiple clear pictures, packed it well and shipped it within a day of receiving payment. Buyer contacts me several days after receiving the purse with a return request saying item is Not as Described because the hologram sticker is nowhere to be found. She seemed to think that Chanel hologram stickers are supposed to be on a leather tab. I directed her to the appropriate location and included a photo of the hologram sticker which was included in my listing and clearly shows it isn't on a leather tab - it's inside one of the pockets. The buyer located the sticker and then told me she doesn't feel good about the bag since the sticker is not on a leather tab. I sent her links to the Chanel forum, as well as an article on eBay containing tips on authenticity, but she didn't reply. I tried sending another message but when I clicked "Reply", my eBay screen switched to "You've accepted the return."

I managed to get Ebay on the phone and was transferred to the high value department. I was told the return would not be automatic, and I didn't have to do anything unless the buyer was to escalate it to a case. Well now I see that the buyer has sent the item back.

My listing says I don't accept returns. I also ship Priority for free. Buyer is in HI so shipping cost was $30 including insurance. In the last message I sent her, I said I am willing to accept the return provided she shoulder return shipping costs as well as the original cost of shipping. I feel this is a reasonable request since this is clearly an issue of buyer's remorse and not NAD. She did not reply.

Will I be able to do a partial refund? Or do I have no option other than a full refund since the buyer claimed NAD as a reason for the return? I have sold numerous items on eBay before, most of them designer purses, and this is the first time this has happened to me. It's very upsetting. I would appreciate any assistance anyone can offer. Thank you!

 

[love4mom]

I am sorry, but you will not be able to do a partial refund. Once you receive the bag back, you will have 6 days to issue a full refund. If you don't do it yourself, after 6 days, ebay will automatically do it for you.
The 6 days are given to the seller to inspect the item and to dispute the return if the item is for example, not in the condition it was received or the wrong item was returned.

 

[hipnycmom]

Thanks. That's what i thought. I think it's unfair that buyers can return and get a full refund using NAD as a reason even when that is not the case, but I guess there's nothing I can do. I have been on Ebay for over 10 years, but stopped selling for a while because of all the hassle. I thought I would try again and the first few things I listed went very well, but this experience is enough to turn me off the site completely

 

[BeautyAddict58]

Unless you are one of the very few sellers that were opted into Ebay's new beta returns process, you will not be able to deduct shipping fees from the refund.

I have been told by Ebay CS that if you do a refund through Paypal you can, theoretically just refund the item price (witholding shipping both ways since you are paying for the return shipping as well) and then call Ebay to have them close the case in your favor. BUT you would need to have a very clear case of buyer's remorse and it may take some time to find a CS agent who will close the case for you.

Otherwise you should have the item authenticated and report the buyer for abusing buyer protection and opening a false SNAD case. Buyers who make a habit of this have been known to lose their buyer protection (and apparently once that is gone, it is gone forever).

You might also consider accepting returns. If you do then the buyers won't feel their only option is opening a SNAD (and maybe damaging the item to make sure it is SNAD).

 

[syrenashen]

> Buyers who make a habit of this have been known to lose their buyer protection

Then they'll just make a new account :/

 

[BeautyAddict58]

> Buyers who make a habit of this have been known to lose their buyer protection

Then they'll just make a new account :/

I've heard - unsubstantiated rumor, but could possibly be true - that a loss of buyer protection applies to all accounts, the same way the restricting of selling applies to all seller accounts of that seller.

 

[Love Of My Life]

Your buyer is clearly not familiar with Chanel as she would know where to look for the
hologram & since it was pictured in your listing, the time for any questions if this
wasn't clear to her, was before she bought the bag, not after. This is not a NAD

I'd call ebay again to be clear about refunding the shipping both ways. Most buyers
know that if they return an item the return shipping is on them, unless the item
is misdescribed. This doesn't seem to be the case.

If you do intend to "relist" this bag, perhaps consider having it authenticated
by a third party & note (in your listing) that the hologram is authentic & where it should be
so you would at least avoid this issue down the road.
Sorry that you have to deal with PITA of a buyer!

 

[hipnycmom]

thanks everyone. She shipped the bag back without any further communication. I received it today and asked eBay to step in. I know it's a hassle, but as a matter of principle, I refuse to accept NAD as a reason for return. I'm fine with refunding but do not want to be out shipping costs too. I'm actually pretty easy to talk to and would have accepted her return if she'd just been honest about it.

 

[hipnycmom]

Your buyer is clearly not familiar with Chanel as she would know where to look for the
hologram & since it was pictured in your listing, the time for any questions if this
wasn't clear to her, was before she bought the bag, not after. This is not a NAD

I'd call ebay again to be clear about refunding the shipping both ways. Most buyers
know that if they return an item the return shipping is on them, unless the item
is misdescribed. This doesn't seem to be the case.

If you do intend to "relist" this bag, perhaps consider having it authenticated
by a third party & note (in your listing) that the hologram is authentic & where it should be
so you would at least avoid this issue down the road.
Sorry that you have to deal with PITA of a buyer!

Thank you. I find it really frustrating when buyers look for a bargain on an auction site and are upset when things are exactly as they are supposed to be. Most every Chanel purse I've owned (and there have been many through the years) have had the hologram sticker somewhere hidden. Her message was "why is there a leather tab if the sticker isn't going to be on it?". I don't know the answer, but as far as I know that's how it has always been. I cannot be answerable for how Chanel makes their bags...

 

[hipnycmom]

Update and a question - I received my purse back on the 7th. It wasn't damaged but it smelled different (like it had been to a bar - I'm weird, I know, but when I sent it off it smelled of leather, and when I got it back, it smelled faintly of smoke). I accept this as par for the course - I won't argue something that could essentially be imaginary.

Anyway, I asked Ebay to step in, clicked "I don't agree with the buyer's reason for return" and stated that while I am fine with refunding the buyer, I really would like her to cover the cost of shipping. I honestly don't know if the hassle is worth the $30 but it's the principle of the thing. Customer Service was supposed to get back to me in 48 hours, but tonight makes 6 days and they have yet to get back to me. When I log into eBay, it says the case is still pending. Do I just wait or should I try to contact Ebay? (not that it currently offers that as an option).

 

[BeenBurned]

I don't think (IMO) that you did the right thing.

Especially now that you've stated you're okay with refunding and once you accepted the return and have now received it, you should just have issued whatever the agreed upon refund amount was.

Having ebay make the decision will ding your account, possibly restrict your ability to sell and will ultimately end with the same result: the buyer getting the refund.

Normally, I tend to side with sellers who receive the return in a altered condition, but in this case, even you aren't positive that the bag is in a different (non-odorfree) condiiton: "I won't argue something that could essentially be imaginary."

Since you won't argue, just issue the refund and chock this up to one of the risks of selling. It happens, you can't prove what you suspect and you should just get it over with!

 

[hipnycmom]

I don't think (IMO) that you did the right thing.

Especially now that you've stated you're okay with refunding and once you accepted the return and have now received it, you should just have issued whatever the agreed upon refund amount was.

Having ebay make the decision will ding your account, possibly restrict your ability to sell and will ultimately end with the same result: the buyer getting the refund.

Normally, I tend to side with sellers who receive the return in a altered condition, but in this case, even you aren't positive that the bag is in a different (non-odorfree) condiiton: "I won't argue something that could essentially be imaginary."

Since you won't argue, just issue the refund and chock this up to one of the risks of selling. It happens, you can't prove what you suspect and you should just get it over with!

Sorry I think you may have misunderstood. We never agreed on a return or on an amount for the refund. I was in communication with the buyer through Ebay's message system when it automatically went to accept the return. I in fact contacted Ebay customer service about this as I was fine with accepting a return, but not fine with the buyer's reason (Not as Described) particularly when it was described in full, and the buyer admitted to the fact during our brief exchange of messages.

Would eBay really ding the seller when a buyer misuses "not as described" as a reason for return? If that were the case then there would be no protection for sellers at all.

 

[SweetDaisy05]

Sorry I think you may have misunderstood. We never agreed on a return or on an amount for the refund. I was in communication with the buyer through Ebay's message system when it automatically went to accept the return. I in fact contacted Ebay customer service about this as I was fine with accepting a return, but not fine with the buyer's reason (Not as Described) particularly when it was described in full, and the buyer admitted to the fact during our brief exchange of messages.

Would eBay really ding the seller when a buyer misuses "not as described" as a reason for return? If that were the case then there would be no protection for sellers at all.

.....

 

[hipnycmom]

edited

 

[BeenBurned]

Sorry I think you may have misunderstood. We never agreed on a return or on an amount for the refund. I was in communication with the buyer through Ebay's message system when it automatically went to accept the return. I in fact contacted Ebay customer service about this as I was fine with accepting a return, but not fine with the buyer's reason (Not as Described) particularly when it was described in full, and the buyer admitted to the fact during our brief exchange of messages.

Would eBay really ding the seller when a buyer misuses "not as described" as a reason for return? If that were the case then there would be no protection for sellers at all.

How did I misunderstand? Of course you agreed on a return when she filed a dispute.

And although you don't agree with her reason and that the bag isn't SNAD, that's how the dispute was filed.

Of course it seems unfair if a buyer files SNAD when you don't believe it is snad but in SNAD cases, especially now that you have it back, you need to issue the refund. You can't change the reason just because you don't like her reason for return or because you think she misused the return process.

And in answer to your question about whether ebay will ding you, yes, they will. If they have to decide the case and issue the refund, you'll get dinged. They aren't judging the SNAD claim since you agreed to the return. But if you don't refund now that the item has been returned, you'll get the ding.