mgcvk

We have been meaning to put loads of stuff on e-bay for ages, kids clothes etc which have mostly gone although not for much. I have just sold a Nikon lens which was in near perfect condition. I sent it Special Delivery well bubble wrapped and in a box. Buyer is saying it has arrived with dints and scratches and wants a refund or £30 off instead which I find a bit strange if it is badly damaged. How could it have been damaged unless Royal Mail ran over it in a van somehow and squidged the box back into shape? Buyer has good feedback but bought the lens within three minutes of listing going live which I thought was odd in the first place - buy it now price was quite good, but still! I may end up making a claim against Royal Mail. Anyone been down that route, bet it takes an age. Pain in the ***.

95turbowagon

iTrader: (17)

Get him to send you some pictures of it, could be someone trying to pull a fast one.

Best to have pictures when making a claim and as you have before pictures will help aswell having after pics, doubt he's going to want to damage something for the sake of £30 so if he is trying it on he might not go any further.

pslewis

Depends how much the claim will be for ..... up to £50 and the Post Office just pays up - very fast too.

E-Bay is rife (apparently) with buyers who buy goods then claim damage and want a discount or a bad feedback will be left ... it's happening all over the place.

I've just sold my BackBox (for the car!!!) before I get some homo jokes!! On GumTree, it's FREE and it's fast and it's good!

mgcvk

Yep I've asked for pictures. He has activated it as a case. Not sure if he is trying to pull a fast one or not at the moment. Just don't see how it could have been damaged in transit.

the hamster

iTrader: (7)

Its the BUYERS responsibility to claim for damage in the post, not the seller. They have to claim and have the package inspected in some cases.

Simple solution to this is to tell them to send it back, special delivery. If they file a claim through paypal you can choose this option too. Had it waaaay too many times on ebay, seen all the scams etc. Half the time theyre just trying it on.

95turbowagon

iTrader: (17)

Probably find he's seen one cheaper somewhere. Unfortunately paypal favours the buyer and will award the case in there favour most times.

You'll be able to get your money back through royal mail, special delivery is insured upto £500 just takes a little time.

pslewis

Is e-bay really worth it?

the hamster

iTrader: (7)

Paypal only find in their favour IF he refuses to refund or accept a return. If he accepts a return then they have to send it back at their expense and are refunded the item price + original postage.

mgcvk

So does that mean I can't make a claim against Royal Mail from my end if I accept a return from the buyer? Assuming there actually is damage....though I suppose if he sends it back to me it will have to be damaged!

mgcvk

I've got two sets of photos as well of the lens taken on 5th October and then 28th October. Not sure if the Exif data stands up in court.

Mikej857

Both Paypal and Ebay are ****

i recently sold a few items of stereo equipment and sent 5 packages on the same day, now my mistake was that I sent them all first class apart from 2 that had paid and requested recorded delivery.

I get an email 2 weeks later from one of the buyers saying the package hadnt arrived and he wanted a full refund, (None of the other parcels were lost just this 1) when I checked with the post office that I have used for the past 10 years and never had a problem with she said it was very odd that only 1 of the 5 had been lost.
I told the buyer I would make a claim from Royal Mail and when they paid I'd issue a refund, he wasnt happy and more or less said to Ebay and Paypal that I hadnt aswered any of his emails, and was refusing to give him a refund which I hadnt and wasnt.

In the end I was being bombarded with messages and emails from this guy and told him I wasnt prepared to keep going on like this and I would let Ebay sort it out....well ebay sorted it out alright they issued him with a full refund and I'm now potentually £50 out of pocket as I'm pretty sure it was delivered and he's conned me.

I vowed always to send via recorded delivery and now state on all my listings that I will not take resposability for any lost parcels to cover myself.

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

^^ Always get items signed for fella otherwise the scammers will have a field day

TX.

paulr

Or build in a "mental" allowance for this. I recently sold £600 worth of unwanted stuff, 30 items. Sent some recored, risked the rest thinking if someone tried to scam me, so what, in the end no-one did.

mgcvk

My package was sent special delivery so that isn't my problem. If I'm being scammed buyer is claiming I sent him a damaged item.

EddScott

Has Paypal changed its rules?

I sold an RC car a few years ago and the buyer said it wasn't as described - he said it was knackered and it wasn't. He went to dispute and I wouldn't take the car back or refund him.

As soon as he put it to dispute, Paypal ended the claim stating they couldn't comment on the condition of the item.

If the item is over a certain value or size then its always Special Next Day - never recorded. Recorded is only proof of sending, not delivery - I had this with Paypal when I even faxed them the Recorded Delivery slip and they still found in the buyers favour - buyer had actually refused to sign for it as they decided they didn't want it.

If the buyer isn't prepared to pay for safe delivery then they don't bid or if they mess me about after I don't send.

Never really had an issue with Paypal - someone used my account but it was all put back before I noticed. Some girl messed me about with the selling of a phone, Paypal even rang me up, asked if they could help further and even gave me a £20 voucher off anything from Ebay.

Sadly, I don't think I'm going to continue building my railway - its become too costly and things are getting tight for the wifes business which means I'm going to have to fund her probably for most of next year. I've got about £3K worth of OO gauge trains and track (track is probably about a grand on its own) but I just can't face putting it all on Ebay

Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

I think the buyer had a lens that was damaged and needed a replacement asap, and then thought he could scam you with his damaged lens. I would let the dispute commence if that is what he wants, especially if you know that the condition was perfect prior to going postie! If the item was as described I would let the dispute run its course.

I personally have very few issues with eBay, but when you do get one it is very frustrating and Paypal always take the side of the buyer first off.

Scott- If your selling something of vast cost its worth listing on eBay in my opionion as you open up to a wider audiance, but stating cash on collection. That way the buyer can see the goods, and the sale is CASH! How may people put cars etc on eBay? I have sold and bought plenty cars without issues, usually because if someone is genuine they will view the item prior to bidding/buying. People that bid on a car to anywhere near the asking price without viewing in my opionion are daft!

mgcvk

Buyer has responded that he doesn't have a suitable macro lens to photograph the damage as it requires close inspection. Hmmmm

Funkii Munkii

Sounds like a typical scam to me.

I sold an old Kenwood Graphic Equaliser to a chap, packed it in it's original box with all the polystyrene inserts, got an e-mail a couple of days later advising the facia was smashed and now no good to him.

Impossible because the facia was buried deep in the polystyrene inserts. I just replied saying OK send it back to me and I'll refund you the money, he decided to keep it because "he had been after this model for years" I insisted he sent it back as I couldn't have hime having damaged goods, he never replied and left me this feedback "Very trustworthy and kind seller", I found this a little strange after his comments about "damage"

mgcvk

Awaiting an adjudication now so see what happens!

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

I don't see how ebay can / will help you out? They will hardly inspect anything for damage + their dispute system is automatic isn't it ie computer says no?!

TX.

mgcvk

Never been through this before. Can you appeal decision if it goes against you or am I being naive?

RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)

I had a woman buy a game off me for £30 I was well happy as you could buy it new for £20. 35days after leaving positive feedback she contacted eBay - not me and said the game didn't work.. Paypal took the money out no questions and I had to send the game to USA for 'testing' which cost me £8.00 how can they test region 2 in region 1...

I was so angry that because she didn't want it anymore she could still demand a refund.

The game worked by the way!

Leslie

He might be telling the truth of course but he needs to be able to prove it.#

Les

mgcvk

Maybe I should have called his bluff and agreed to a full refund when lens was returned. I have a feeling he may be playing the system to get some money back if buyer is usually favoured over seller. The fact he cannot provide photos of the damage would seem to indicate he knows he can get away with his word against mine. Or am I just paranoid?

95turbowagon

iTrader: (17)

Ask for it to be returned and you'll pay the refund if what he is telling you is true.

the hamster

iTrader: (7)

as I stated previously, if he opens a dispute you will be given 3 options.

1, refund the buyer and they keep the item
2, refund the buyer and get them to return the item
3, do nothing and let paypal sort it out (usually in the buyers favour)

Best thing is, if he sends it back and its not a recorded delivery then he wont get a refund as theres no proof of it being returned.

Failing that, ring paypal and make them aware of the claim, they will add notes to strengthen your side of it.