Ebay problem with buyer!!-long!

[skiwee1]

I mostly buy on Ebay but sometimes sell too. After today I may never sell again! Anyway, my son had 3 gauges that he sold to 3 different people on Ebay. The gauges did some kind of stuff on his Mustang to see stuff about the engine. Who knows! So I pack and mail them to 3 individuals. The unhappy one sent me an email through Ebay yesterday. The email said that the needle broke off the gauge and is there anyway he can get it fixed without it messing up the calibration. My son wrote back that he would check with a performance shop here and get back to him as soon as possible. This was last night. Now the buyer didn't say how the needle broke off and didn't accuse me of anything so I'm thinking he must have did it because I know it was on there when I mailed it. The next thing you know he has filed this complaint against me on Paypal!! I can't believe this. I have perfect feedback and am totally upset about this! I would NEVER sell defective stuff. EVER. He writes in his complaint that it was defective and I didn't sell him what I was supposed to. When I mailed that gauge it was working perfectly and the needle was intact. The seller never asked for insurance so it was never insured. I had to go to Paypal and answer the dispute. Evidently Paypal is judge and jury and will decide what happens. This just upsets me to no end. I pride myself on my perfect Ebay feedback and now this! I explained to Paypal that it was perfect when mailed and that the buyer didn't want insurance. Sorry this is long but I wanted your opinions on what I should have done or need to do. I mean, am I wrong? Thanks!

 

[horsegirl]

Ugh, what a bummer. I read once someone requires insurance for this very reason, not that that helps now. I would like to think that this will go your way if your pix showed it clearly intact on the listing. I would also hope that your great score will show you to be an honest and fair person. Did he give a negative score? If he did and you have lots of positives, I would think that won't harm your future sales. I mean lots of us know there are unreasonable folks out there. It really stinks. My fingers are crossed it goes your way.

If it's any consolation to you, I have been buying for a year and had a perfect score and on the third item I sold, I got a negative. I was shocked, because the person got this piece of artwork for 10 bucks, new it was 70-it was such a great deal and they hadn't ever let me know they weren't happy . It was a pewter trivet. They said it wasn't packaged nicely and wasn't in as good shape as described. They never contacted me to complain, never asked any details before buying and it was their first ebay purchase (they used their husbands account that had 2 or 3 positives on it). I still don't know what the problem was with it. I would have gladly taken it back, esp because I was sorry I sold it. The funny thing is that my dad wrapped it for me and he has sold thousands and never gotten a neg!

I think ebay is tougher to sell on than I thought, and I hope you don't run into another person like this. Try not to be too discouraged....

 

[kilee]

Good luck. Unfortunately, sometimes there is no reasoning for the way paypal goes on these issues. Unfortunately, you need to be prepared, because they tend to side w/ the sellers more than the buyers. Not always, but usually.

Don't give up on selling because of 1 bad apple. I'm dealing w/ about 4 right now. However it's still not too bad. They are everywhere, and there isn't much you can do.

Keep records in case paypal wants them, and then hope for the best.

 

[HayGan]

I had this happen recently with a buyer who broke the item I sent while removing it from the packaging but claimed I mailed her a defective item. I had offered her a replacement and she said she wanted a refund. She ended up sending the item back to me and filing a complaint with paypal because I wouldn't refund her shipping. Because she could prove to Paypal that she sent the item back to me, they granted her refund including the initial shipping. Paypal pretty much ignored my response and sided with the buyer. I did purchase insurance even thought she did not request it but I didn't think that the damage was something that the P.O. would take responsibility for. Luckily in my case, the item could be repaired and I ended up selling it for $20 more than the original auction (which just about covered what I was out from the original shipping)

Unfortunately, Paypal finds for the buyer much more often than the seller. I do believe that the buyer does have to prove that the item was returned to you before they will grant a refund!

Hope everything works out for you!

 

[skiwee1]

Thanks everyone for their responses. I don't think this gauge can be fixed. It times the engine or something like that. We don't have another to give either. DS had 3 different ones that do different things. They all sold. DS sold it for only $35 but they cost $75 and up new. Paypal did make me verify my shipping address when I disputed the claim. It said they would only give it to the buyer IF the buyer won the claim. I hate people. LOL!

 

[C.Ann]

Sweep your money out of Paypal as quickly as you can - every night if need be - then sweep it out of the connected bank account (which should never be attached to your normal bank account) as quickly as possible too.. At least that way you'll have your money already in hand while you're disputing the charge back..

Seems there's an extraordinary amount of charge backs going on lately.. I've just started selling a few things myself again and believe me, no money of mine will be lingering in my Paypal or associated bank account..

 

[skiwee1]

Sweep your money out of Paypal as quickly as you can - every night if need be - then sweep it out of the connected bank account (which should never be attached to your normal bank account) as quickly as possible too.. At least that way you'll have your money already in hand while you're disputing the charge back..

Seems there's an extraordinary amount of charge backs going on lately.. I've just started selling a few things myself again and believe me, no money of mine will be lingering in my Paypal or associated bank account..

I don't have a bank account connected to my Paypal. I do have a CC attached to it. If there is no money in the Paypal account they will take it out of my CC. They stated that if I am found at fault they will immediately take it out of the CC. Is that true?

 

[kilee]

In general they won't take it out of your checking or off your credit card. However, sweeping your account will do no good in the end. If they award the buyer a refund. Even if you have no money in your paypal account, the minute someone pays you those funds will be taken. There won't be an opportunity to get the money out. It will never be available to you.

I know I'm dealing w/ a women right now. I guess the pants I sent weren't the size I advertised. I may of made a mistake. I offered her to return the pants for a full refund, since I was in error. The pants had a lot of bids, and even at another size, I think they'll still sell well. I told her they had to be returned within 3 days (postmarked). Well she tells me she gave it to her postal lady about 5 days after we agreed on a return and they held it for 5 more days before mailing the item. Needless to say she mailed it 2 weeks ago, and I still do not have it. She didn't use a DC#. She says she's still filing w/ paypal since she returned them- no proof though. I am going to be upset if I don't have them back and they refund her money.

 

[RussH]

Hey OP just a couple of thoughts.
Insurance on this type of damage would not have helped. Unless the box is totally mangled and the gauge was smashed the PO would never have paid off.
Auto parts are very hard to sell without complaints. Many people buy items find out it is not what they wanted after it is in their hands and then expect you to take it back just like they do at part stores.
As far as the perfect feedback rating dont worry about it word your response so the buyer looks crazy and most people wont have any problems buying from you.
I bought an item yesterday from a 92% + but with 28k sales and after a couple minutes reading neg feedbacks nearly all were nit picky from low transaction accounts.
Recently sold a bunch of Halloween display items well really at the end of September and of course on November 1st got an email from one saying 1st they did not recieve the item 4 weeks earlier. Sent proof of delivery then the next email from this wonderful person said item was damaged and now wanted a full refund threatining negative feedback and Paypal dispute. Thanked them for sending their email through ebay and said go ahead. That was the last I heard from them.

You just need to choose your battles.

 

[kayebee]

A seller has to have an awful lot of negatives for me not buy from them--I wouldn't worry about one negative.

I don't sell a lot on ebay, but every so often I list a few items. I'm still upset about the one negative I got from a buyer who bought baseball tickets from me and was angry about how high the auction had gone (Red Sox-Yankees tickets from 2003 season) and got a case of buyer's remorse and wanted me to refund his money. I didn't refund the money, and he left the negative feedback. What are you going to do? I think most people realize there are some unreasonable people out there who will never be satisfied and they take that into consideration when they read feedback.

Anyway, don't worry about the negative feedback. It's bound to happen eventually, no matter how good a seller you are.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

An important thing to look at concerning both negative feedback left and responses to negative feedback received is the tone of person. Is it brief and factual or just highly emotionally charged?

 

[Lewisc]

The buyer is probably going to either say the gauge arrived with a broken needle or it broke the first time it was used.

My guess is paypal is going to side with the buyer and you probably should just accept the reality that you're going to wind up giving a proably unearned refund.

 

[C.Ann]

I would request that the item be returned, of course..

 

[Chicago526]

Yes, don't worry about a negative. It takes A LOT of negatives for buyers to be turned off enough not to bid. You will also be able to respond to the negative. You should state your side of the story briefly and calmly. That and all your positives will assure buyers that you are a good seller.

Now Paypal granting the refund, that just stinks, but it's what you have to deal with when selling on e-bay.

 

[Andrea]

i kinda had that happend.. i bought a light switch cover and paid with paypal after 2 months i never got it... after emailing and emailing and emailing the seller nothing.. so i left neg feed back.. guess what he gave me neg feedback.. and then before that i went to paypal to get my money back.. and they sided with the seller and i never got my money nor the item

 

[NHLFAN]

All Paypal can do is request proof of delivery!...If you send them proof of delivery your are covered...plus it wouldn't hurt if you send them photos that the needle was still attached to the gauge when you listed it.
If this person leaves a NEGITIVE FEEDBACK on Ebay for you...Then DO the same for them...Make sure they know that.

Good Luck

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I have never sold on ebay, but buy all the time. When I look at the feedback, I look for the negative, then I see if there was a response back from the seller to justify themselves. When they do that, you can see the buyer 9 out of 10 times was wrong. Usually there is a good explaination from the seller...
A seller left me a neutral because in my positive feedback to her, I mentioned that the shirt had a small stain on it but that it came out during the wash. She leaves me a neutral saying that there was no stain & I lied I can understand if I had left her a neutral or negative, but I left a positive... So I do understand how you feel about your perfect feedback. Don't worry too much, just relpy back that they didn't even give you a chance to fix a problem that you weren't awear of......I would still buy from you!
As far as Pay-Pal goes, they are the pitts in my book. I purchased from a seller that never shipped me out the item. He ended up no longer being a member of ebay. After 10 weeks of disputing with Pay-Pal, they informed me that since the seller was no longer a member (and didn't respond back to them either), I couldn't get a refund. In the meantime, I called my credit card company & explained to them what was going on. They told me when I got my response back from Pay-Pal to tell them, and I did. They credited me back my money & charged back to Pay-Pal. Pay-Pal emailed me telling me that if I continue to have my credit card company charge back to them, they will not allow me to use them! How nice of them... I had one charge back to them because they didn't refund me my money on an item that was never received...and the seller wouldn't contact them either.. they knew I was telling the truth.. the seller didn't respond to them or ebay, ends up not being a member anymore & I am told I will not be allowed to use pay-pal if I continue to have charge backs... They are useless when it comes to helping you.. so they don't always side with the buyer.. they didn't with me... and they admitted the seller didn't contact them back.

 

[grlpwrd]

I'm curious to know about your return/refund policy. Yes, Paypal usually sides with the buyer, but if you can prove that it was intact (via your picture in your listing), that the buyer didn't insure, and based on your return/refund policy PayPal could rule in your favor.

GL and be sure to let us know how it all works out!

 

[HayGan]

I'm curious to know about your return/refund policy. Yes, Paypal usually sides with the buyer, but if you can prove that it was intact (via your picture in your listing), that the buyer didn't insure, and based on your return/refund policy PayPal could rule in your favor.

GL and be sure to let us know how it all works out!

I had all of those things and Paypal apparently did not care! They still sided with the buyer

 

[skiwee1]

Sorry it took so long to get back to everyone! Thanks for all the advice! Before Paypal could rule on it the case it was settled. The company that made the gauge offered to fix it free for us. So we had the guy send it back to us. We refunded his money and he dropped the case. We had the gauge fixed and DS sold it to someone he knows for twice the amount the guy on ebay bought it for! So DS made out very well even though it gave me a few more gray hairs! I told DS that I will not deal in carparts any longer! LOL!