Best way to approach an Ebay dispute.

Grumpypants

I had a few games for sale on Ebay, one was bought by a buyer with 0 feedback and surprise surprise the item hasn't shown up. They are now looking for a refund. They opened a case on Ebay so im wondering how to approach it. Am i better off just taking the hit and refunding the 20 euro to protect my Feedback. Or is there any point in fighting it.

I have replied to the case saying that the buyer choose standard mail so i have no tracking number and that as it hasn't even been 3 weeks yet that i would like to wait before taking any further action.

Am i goosed ?

jor el

Grumpypants wrote: »

Am i goosed ?

Yes, completely. Never sell anything on eBay without using registered post.

RoadKillTs

Am i better off just taking the hit and refunding the 20 euro to protect my Feedback

Yes.

Or is there any point in fighting it.

No. As soon as they open a dispute Paypal will ask for a tracking number.

cson

I'm interested in this as I'll be selling an item in the coming days; definitely going to send it by registered post but a couple of things have occurred to me;

1. What's to stop someone saying that the packet was empty/was a fake/different type product? I only have a 1.3mp phone to take pics of me putting it into the packaging as I left my digi cam at home.

2. It's my first sell so anyone want to give me a quick 101? Should I send it abroad or try to keep it in Ireland?

Max Power1

cson wrote: »

I'm interested in this as I'll be selling an item in the coming days; definitely going to send it by registered post but a couple of things have occurred to me;

1. What's to stop someone saying that the packet was empty/was a fake/different type product? I only have a 1.3mp phone to take pics of me putting it into the packaging as I left my digi cam at home.

2. It's my first sell so anyone want to give me a quick 101? Should I send it abroad or try to keep it in Ireland?

1. nothing. Thats the problem with ebay - anyone can scam a seller and there is absolutley nothing that the seller can do but hope. Cant even leave negative feedback for a buyer anymore.

2. Im fairly sure theres a guide around here somewhere - but basically you can avoid all INR scams by always sending to the registered address with registered post. Only send item after cleared payment recieved (in the case of an e cheque, this can take a week to clear). Never leave feedback until positive feedback is recieved. (Pos feedback is useful in the case of an ebay dispute). And the main one - withdraw the funds ASAP from your paypal account, they get frozen as soon as the buyer hits the dispute button.

With the case of "not as described" cases, empty box/switched item claims , etc, there isnt really much that you can do. Try and put as many accurate terms as possible into the listing, and only send to countries like Ireland, UK, USA. Dont ship to countries like germany or france, and ESPECIALLLY not Italy or Nigeria.

Best of luck!

Grumpypants

jor el wrote: »

Yes, completely. Never sell anything on eBay without using registered post.

Think i might ship another copy of the game with registered post and make sure not to take payment from users with 0 feedback.

Although that isnt always enough looking at the no phone in the box thread on here.

flower tattoo

it isn't up to the buyer to request tracked delivery - its up to you as a seller to use it as its your only protection in a paypal dispute. You may need to add the charge to your selling price as its so expensive to send anything tracked from here, many buyers might be put off if they see it in the postage costs.

Grumpypants

flower tattoo wrote: »

it isn't up to the buyer to request tracked delivery - its up to you as a seller to use it as its your only protection in a paypal dispute. You may need to add the charge to your selling price as its so expensive to send anything tracked from here, many buyers might be put off if they see it in the postage costs.

Thats the problem registered post is so expensive and with Ebay/Paypal charges being so high it is next to impossible to make any kind of profit off items.

flower tattoo

Grumpypants wrote: »

Think i might ship another copy of the game with registered post and make sure not to take payment from users with 0 feedback.

Although that isnt always enough looking at the no phone in the box thread on here.

you have to assume most buyers are honest.

i sent 2 concert tickets to a guy with pretty awful feedback for nonpayment and had no hassle at all - its all part of the joy of ebay

Gamesnash.ie: Pat

Unfortunately it's a fact of online retailing that a certain percentage of items will go "missing" in the post. Missing being anything from genuinely going missing or being damage within the postal system to buyers claiming not to have recieved items that they actually did. It's not unique to eBay and can / does happen all the time. Outside of ebay if a credit card holder opens a dispute with their bank claiming an item has not been received the retailer has to show a signature from the buyer recieving the goods to defend the chargeback. Proof of posting is not good enough and ebay/papypal operate to the same criteria.

The issue you have with registered post is that it is many times more expensive to send and if you were to send everything registered you would ultimately lose out because the extra money paid to register all items being sent out will dwarf the occasional item going missing. Ultimately all you can do is either price in to each and every item the cost of registered postage (with the effect being that you are more than likely pricing yourself out of the market) or build in a certain percentage to each price to create a fund to pay for items that are reported missing.

Max Power1

Grumpypants wrote: »

Think i might ship another copy of the game with registered post and make sure not to take payment from users with 0 feedback.

Although that isnt always enough looking at the no phone in the box thread on here.

Why send good product after bad?

Just take the hit and refund the buyer if it gets to a claim imo. Make sure the buyer knows you refund him and not paypal - you should still get a + feedback in the end.

Grumpypants

Gamesnash.ie (Pat) wrote: »

Unfortunately it's a fact of online retailing that a certain percentage of items will go "missing" in the post. Missing being anything from genuinely going missing or being damage within the postal system to buyers claiming not to have recieved items that they actually did. It's not unique to eBay and can / does happen all the time. Outside of ebay if a credit card holder opens a dispute with their bank claiming an item has not been received the retailer has to show a signature from the buyer recieving the goods to defend the chargeback. Proof of posting is not good enough and ebay/papypal operate to the same criteria.

The issue you have with registered post is that it is many times more expensive to send and if you were to send everything registered you would ultimately lose out because the extra money paid to register all items being sent out will dwarf the occasional item going missing. Ultimately all you can do is either price in to each and every item the cost of registered postage (with the effect being that you are more than likely pricing yourself out of the market) or build in a certain percentage to each price to create a fund to pay for items that are reported missing.

Cheers for that good response, the missing items fund is a good idea.

Max Power1 wrote: »

Why send good product after bad?

Just take the hit and refund the buyer if it gets to a claim imo. Make sure the buyer knows you refund him and not paypal - you should still get a + feedback in the end.

Good man i dont know what i was thinking actually, if it was a repeat customer it would make sense but not for this once off buyer.

delllat

never take the chance of the same buyer ripping you off twice

if his first item get "lost" just hit that refund button ,add him to your blocked buyers list and forget about it and move on

the faster u refund him ,the less likely he will leave a negaitve feedback

(he gets to keep the stolen item ands the refund but thats ebay )

Pacing Mule

delllat wrote: »

(he gets to keep the stolen item ands the refund but thats ebay )

thats any form of internet retailing. :mad:

cson

Quick question in terms of shipping;

If I get a winning bidder from USA/Australia which would be better;

Registered Post @ ~ €9

Courier Post @ ~ €50

jor el

International post makes things a lot more tricky. Registered post is often largely useless outside the originating country. All depends on the value, and what the buyer is willing to pay.

delllat

Pageant Messiah wrote: »

thats any form of internet retailing. :mad:

differnce with ebay is a malicious buyer can destroy ur rep as well as profit from the stolen item and the refund

dsrs and bad feedback can really cripple a seller worse than the loss of the item and you cant even neg them back so it makes u look like the bad guy when uv just been ripped off