Is the buyer responsible for paying return shipping on a fake item?

L

luminousgoo

Member
Mar 20, 2009
52
0
#1
I recently bought and received a pair of Christian Louboutin booties on Ebay that are completely fake. They did not look fake on the listing but the actual shoes I received are definitely fake. The soles tell it all. I will be posting photos of the fake shoes on this forum for good measure. The seller has been somewhat cooperative in terms of email. However, they are insisting that I not only pay for return shipping (which is around $15) but that I also ship the shoes to a different address because they have moved. I've expressed to them that I am not comfortable doing this because they could claim that the shoes were not returned to the correct seller's address. I am just tempted to file a complaint directly through Ebay, Paypal, and my credit card. I have two questions.

1. Is it normally the responsibility of the buyer to pay for return shipping on fake items received?

2. Should I just go through my credit card before Ebay and Paypal?

It seems like it would be the quickest way to ensure that I get my money back without having to worry about whether or not this seller gets their fake shoes back.

Thanks for your time!
 
#2
These are images of the boots which have been posted on the "authenticate these louboutins" thread.
 

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#4
I had a similar experience to some extent... I needed to ship back an item not as described. Paypal made me pay return shipping (more than the item!). I believe that if you file a claim through eBay they may foot the return shipping (this seems to be the case of some people from what I've read here).

Please don't open a claim through eBay/Paypal and your CC at the same time; if eBay/Paypal finds out about the CC one they will cancel your claim, leaving you with only the one form of recourse. I'd contact eBay first, see if they will pay for it. If not, do a chargeback.
 
#5
Try to file your dispute via EBAY first. State specifically why the shoes received are NOT the same ones as shown in pix. State that you would like a full refund of the transaction cost plus return shipping.
IF ebay will let you file a dispute in the Ebay resolution center, and finds in your favor, they are the most likely to refund return shipping costs OR email you a prepaid return label.
So try ebay first. If it redirects you to PP, then you will have to decide then to file w/ PP or just file a CC charge back. I can tell you that PP REALLY gets cranky if you file a charge back w/out going thru the ebay/PP dispute channels first.
You can only do ONE, you cannot do all at the same time.
Start w/ Ebay.
 
#6
I'm not that experienced on this type of transaction, but I thought that if the item is fake, and the buyer can supply acceptable confirmation (for example, a letter from CarolDiva in the case of LV) of same, then the item does not actually get returned to the seller.

Given the timescale and payment method, I would have thought that lu-goo has time to weigh up options.

scylla
 
#7
scyllabub said:
I'm not that experienced on this type of transaction, but I thought that if the item is fake, and the buyer can supply acceptable confirmation (for example, a letter from CarolDiva in the case of LV) of same, then the item does not actually get returned to the seller.

Given the timescale and payment method, I would have thought that lu-goo has time to weigh up options.

scylla
Click to expand...

Sure she has time to weigh her option.. I don't think anyone said do it right now...?

Another member received a fake today, filed w/ ebay today, and was told that her account would be credited in 2-3 days. And told that she did not have to send the fake back. SO.. sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. But Ebay has been pretty consistent in issuing a pre-paid return label when they want something returned. SO... they have been the fastest and the simplest as of late, and have not been requiring AUTH letters from CD.
And granted, every case is different, but Ebay Resolution Center has been the shining star of late.
PP has been consistently wanting the fake sent back to the seller, at buyers expense. And often wanting a non-auth letter.
 
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#9
Definitely go through eBay first and just follow what they tell you to do and probably like the other poster they will issue your refund in a few days
paypal used to make you destroy counterfeit items not return them, and sign a stat dec etc saying you have done so etc
 
#10
Don't dispute the charge with your CC card unless PayPal or eBay rule in favor of the seller, and don't send the item to another address. You need to send it back to the address that PayPal gives you for the seller (if you paid with PayPal and have buyer protection).

You can open a SNAD dispute with eBay or PayPal. If you paid with PP, you're supposed to go through the PP Resolution Center, but for now eBay is accepting PP disputes and serving as an intermediary. Personally, I don't think the handful of cases filed through eBay by TPFers that have been resolved quickly means eBay is faster than PayPal. I think it depends on the particulars of each case. I recently had to file a SNAD because an item arrived defective, and I went through PP. Once the dispute was escalated to a claim, the email telling me to send the item back to the seller for a refund came in less than 24 hours. I would try both and see where that takes me.

Good luck!

:smile:
 
#12
I just tried going through Ebay and they redirected me to Paypal's Resolution Center because I had paid for the item through Paypal. Do any of you know how to report an item not as described through Ebay without being redirected to Paypal's Resolution Center? I was thinking about calling Ebay's customer service tomorrow. Thanks again for the help!
 
#13
^ That's what's suppose to happen. Just go to your PayPal account, click on the Resolution Center link and open your dispute there. Make sure you write a detailed explanation for the SNAD.
 
#14
luminousgoo said:
I just tried going through Ebay and they redirected me to Paypal's Resolution Center because I had paid for the item through Paypal. Do any of you know how to report an item not as described through Ebay without being redirected to Paypal's Resolution Center? I was thinking about calling Ebay's customer service tomorrow. Thanks again for the help!
Click to expand...

I was the other TPF member who was told by ebay I'd be credited for a fake within 2-3 business days, earlier today. I received a fake chloe bag, and I CALLED ebay customer service. I forget how exactly i got there, but I didn't fill out a form or anything. I literally spoke with the rep for about 5 minutes, who reviewed my case? I think perhaps, she was able to read my communication with the seller which listed all the reasons the bag was a fake. She said my account would be refunded within 2-3 business days. I was a bit shocked. She didn't even ask me for further info, which is why I assume she read my ebay messages. She told me I'd be refunded shipping costs as well, and I didn't have to send the bag back. In fact she told me, I can discard the bag, or send it to chloe itself, because often times they like to look at the fakes, and inspect them. Which, I think makes perfect sense, no use in sending fake items back to the sellers, to sell again, right?

If you haven't opened a dispute with paypal, try going via ebay phone customer service first. Seems to be the easiest method. . . .or so I'm hoping. I'll let everyone know if I in fact receive the funds back in 2-3 days!
 
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