Help, Please!....Buyer sending bag back (sounds fishy) and want to protect myself!

[beautifulbasics]

Hello,

I haven't gone through this and want to make sure I protect myself.

Summary:
(1) Buyer purchased brand new Dior bag (buyer within the UK - I'm in the US).
(2) Feedback: I have 250+ 100% positive, buyer has 78 positive.
(3) Buyer contacted me within a few days of purchasing bag, asking where the bag was and demanding a refund, claiming I hadn't shipped the bag. I supplied the tracking number and proved it was shipped.
(4) Dior bag was brand new, now buyer is claiming it's used...I agreed to refund as I feel buyer is just having "buyers remorse", which I know happens and I am very understanding.
(5) Buyer has now filed Paypal dispute.
(6) Buyers account within eBay denotes "no longer a registered user"...buyer says it is because they didn't pay their eBay fees.
(7) Last I heard, buyer was shipping back the bag for a refund.


Here are my questions...
When buyer ships the bag back how can I protect myself?
What if she ships it back used (it was brand new!)?
What if the package is empty?
Or?

Help, please. Due to my illness, I survive on my eBay income and this bag was hundreds of dollars. I can't afford to be scammed (and have much concern with this buyer). Thank you within advance for any assistance you all can provide.

best wishes and happy holidays!

 

[skigirl73]

Did you ship the bag to her with any type of security tag on it? If you didn't, there's obviously nothing you can do about it now. Did she say why she felt it was used? You're right, this situation does sound fishy! Is PayPal holding the funds from your account, or did you transfer them already? I know this sounds bad, but if they are not holding them I'd transfer the money out as quickly as possible. I probably wouldn't have agreed to refund her personally. I mean if the bag is new, she would have no reason to claim otherwise unless she has buyer's remorse like you said or if she's trying to scam you. This is a good one, and I'm kind of stumped!

 

[rbaby]

Beware of a bait and switch! Sounds like she has changed her story at least twice: first she didn't get the bag and then the bag is used. I would be really careful here. I don't understand why she would open a Paypal dispute if you already agreed to refund her. Sounds fishy to me too!

 

[menopausalmama]

take all your $$$ out of your Paypal account if you can.....I would not refund until your bag is safely in your hands...if she is no longer a registered user....she may not be able to do much......

any others care to advise????

 

[Fauve]

It seems strange she is NARU.

I always thought Paypal was the one to tell you when to send a bag back and the buyer keeps the bag until Paypal has made a decision.

It sounds very fishy to me. Does she really have buyer protection if she is now NARU as eBay and Paypal are linked?????

Take your money out of your Paypal account ASAP.

Please keep us posted.

 

[helium]

Take your money out, and can you tape yourself taking the item out of the box? If it comes out used then there's proof you haven't tampered with it yourself, plus if you have photos of the original auction which clearly shows a brand new bag?

Of course, this is all just guessing, i have no idea how ebay nor paypal works.

 

[beautifulbasics]

Hello,

Thank you sooo much, to everyone, for your help!

I have a major problem, I didn't transfer the funds from Paypal, so of course now the amount for the bag is on hold, since she filed a Paypal dispute.

I did not attach any sort of security tag to the actual bag (I am reading about this within another thread and plan to going forward for sure on all of the handbags I sell...especially since I have two brand new, authentic Dior Gaucho's I am currently selling for nearly 1k each and a Dior Cannage Drawstring bag and others - yikes - the Gaucho especially is commonly faked and I could encounter a bait/switch situation). I never thought of attaching a security device to the bag before shipping, but will and take pics of it as well!

I am very worried about this buyer and think I will try to film myself opening the package the buyer returns....great idea! I don't have a film camera though, any other ideas I could do in case the buyer sends back a fake or empty box or used the bag?

Why would her eBay account be NARU? I am not sure if I believe her story of "not paying my eBay fees" because I checked, she has sold maybe 10 things in the last few months....I mean it doesn't add up to a huge eBay bill and they were little things. hmmmmm.

Even though my auctions state "no refunds"...I don't mind giving her a refund if she's having "buyers remorse", which it sure sounds like, as mentioned I am very understanding...but I want to protect myself especially since the bag was brand new and she's stating it's used. I am thinking maybe she used it and is returning it? I am not sure...

Thank you within advance for any assistance you can provide regarding this matter. best wishes and happy holidays!