eBay buyer fraud advice needed

[BTW]

I've been an eBay member for over 10 years and have never dealt with anything like this before...

I sold an item that was in mint condition to a buyer who is now screaming and yelling that the item is trashed. He trashed my feedback (Which was 100% positive, and I can't defend his feedback).

What I think happened is either:

A) the guy has serious buyers remorse and is trying this tactic to get his money back, or
B) the item got damaged in shipping (there was no insurance, it was a relatively low $ amount, less that $200)

For some reason I feel that I'm going to get screwed here. I spoke with eBay resolution and they weren't much help. My fear is he will trash the item & ship it back to me, get his money back, and then I'm out of luck.

I don't sell a ton on eBay, few things here and there, has anyone ever had a similar issue? Any advice? we are about 2 days into this fiasco...

Thanks

 

[Rand]

it gets even worse.. he ships something back to you that you didnt even send..

for example you sell mint smart phone

he mails you back busted up different smartphone.

you will probably get screwed.

It is why I quit selling on ebay.

IF I do sell on ebay I take tons of pics. I even once took a video of me boxing it up at the post office and mailing it.

 

[BTW]

Seriously? There;s no recourse for a seller?

 

[eljefino]

Do you have pictures of the item, like for the listing, that show it un-trashed?

Just ask for pictures of it in its current state without tipping your hand. Do all communication through the ebay whatsis, don't ever get into phone calls.

 

[BTW]

Seriously? There's no recourse for a seller getting scammed?

Sorry, double post...

 

[JustinH]

there is a formal dispute process that ebay goes through, and they judge if you are at fault or the buyer.

It has been a fair process, I have been in disputes before over items that were several thousand dollars, it is hairy.

 

[BTW]

Yeah, there are pictures of the original item, that seems to be my only hope here...

He already sent pics, blurry, and do not show the serial # of the item I sent. The buyer has sent me about 15 emails in the last 24 hrs, he might be slightly unstable...

 

[BTW]

My understanding is that after 3 days eBay officially gets involved...

Also, he's insinuating that if I take the return he will remove the negative feedback, although he hasn't come right out and said that

 

[dishdude]

What's the value of the item?

 

[69GTX]

Originally Posted By: JustinH
there is a formal dispute process that ebay goes through, and they judge if you are at fault or the buyer.

It has been a fair process, I have been in disputes before over items that were several thousand dollars, it is hairy.


Not fair imo. The one time I had a seller not send me what I had bid on (value of $2100) Ebay wouldn't lift a finger. The seller even admitted they didn't send anything. They had lifted an auction from another seller and tried to sell that item when they didn't even own it. They had 100% FB at the time over a 5 yr period. That was my last time buying something on Ebay.

Don't for a minute think the process has to be "fair."

 

[BRZED]

Originally Posted By: Rand
it gets even worse.. he ships something back to you that you didnt even send..


If I sell something that has a serial number, I always include a picture of the serial number in the auction for that reason you mention. That way I have something I can use, should someone pull the old switcheroo on his purchase.

 

[BTW]

Originally Posted By: BRZED
Originally Posted By: Rand
it gets even worse.. he ships something back to you that you didnt even send..


If I sell something that has a serial number, I always include a picture of the serial number in the auction for that reason you mention. That way I have something I can use, should someone pull the old switcheroo on his purchase.


Yep, auction pics show S/N's but he's claiming that the item is not as described, he's not disputing that I sent a different item...

 

[BRZED]

Yeah, I know my suggestion doesn't help you.

Did you use generic pictures or pictures of the actual item in the auction?

 

[georgemiller]

Ebay does everything to protect buyer. Seller can't even give bad feedback total nonsense.

 

[BTW]

Originally Posted By: BRZED
Yeah, I know my suggestion doesn't help you.

Did you use generic pictures or pictures of the actual item in the auction?


Actual item

 

[Andrew1972]

As link still exist?

You are tad vague on item and his qualms. I had this happen and on buyer misreading application but I drew out his money before Paypal and eBay could do much. Never returned to site...

 

[georgemiller]

Don't worry about one negative feedback as it goes back up to 100% feedback once you keep getting positive feedbacks.

 

[BTW]

Originally Posted By: madRiver
As link still exist?

You are tad vague on item and his qualms. I had this happen and on buyer misreading application but I drew out his money before Paypal and eBay could do much. Never returned to site...


eBay Link

Don't think I was being vague, just don't want to type out a novel...

 

[Kawiguy454]

^^^ +1 what he said. When I look at a seller I look for trends 1 hit on 100 sales is nothing. 10 hits on 100 sales in last few months indicates a scammer.

Ebay has changed a lot over the years for the worse. Take lots of pictures. Always put AS IS and NO REFUNDS in the listing. NEVER give feedback before the buyer does and use the setting that doesent allow bids from anyone with less than X transactions. It keeps the scammers away usually. I have over 100 @100% myself

 

[DB_Cooper]

I've been on the Bay for a while and 99% of the time everything is fine. As a seller..I become a merchant. The Bay feels like a garage sale..but it is not. As a merchant, you have to take some poor customers worthless complaints and just "bite the bullet" like all merchants do from time to time.

When I have a problem like yours..I just refund the money and ask for a return..if the customer is a jerk and insists ..I will pay the return shipping too.

If the customer is a thief too..well you just lost the merchandise and some dollars on postage..it could happen (not yet to me..thankfully). If it comes back Okay..relist it.

It is the price of doing business as a merchant and keeping a 100% satisfaction number