Ebay did me in

[alsop603]

I didn't realise just how prevalent this problem is.

 

I sold a phone on ebay as used. It did have some minor scratches on it hence why I sold it used. I posted it with 1 picture but took several others for bidders to contact me for. The winning bidder (didn't request extra pictures) paid for it by paypal and i sent the phone. 5 days later I had an email from the buyer saying that they wanted a refund as the phone had wear and tear. I told him thats how I advertised it and that I wasn't refunding him.

He then opened a case as item not as described and said the phone was cracked. Paypal then took the £88.50 out of my girlfriends account and said they were holding it until a decision had been made.

10 days later ebay found in the buyers favour and have refunded the buyer.

I know the phone wasn't damaged when I sent it and have photographic evidence to prove this but ebay are not interested in seeing them. They have tried saying that it was damaged in transit but having recieved the item back (the buyer sent it back in the same box i sent it to him in) there is absolutely no damage to the box and surely the buyer would of said that the box was damaged on arrival. They have also tried saying that I damaged it in between taking my photos and sending the phone.

As i have got the phone back there is a crack in it now that wasn't there before.

I called ebay to appeal the decision and was told that the case was closed and that they would not grant me an appeal. I asked how they came to their decision and they said that as they couldn't assume the buyer would break the item it automatically went in the buyers favour. I asked the resolution manager that if I bought an item and broke it on purpose then opened a case would it go in my favour and she said yes.

I really don't know where I stand on being able to get my money back from paypal/ebay as I have not done anything wrong and have evidence to prove it. I have written a letter to ebay customer services but I am not confident of any resolution.

 

Sorry all of this is long winded but I really don't know what to do next

 

Any help would be appreciated

[alfwithhair]

eBay are a law unto themselves.

You are flogging a dead horse trying to get them to listen.

They always find in favour of the buyer.

Wrong I know, but had this many times with chargebacks through Paypal.

[Bang!]

A similar [problem] that was common was Americans saying "tracked delivery is too expensive - just send it untracked". They then claim it never arrived - and as there is no tracking as required by Paypal - your money is refunded to the person who requested no tracking!

[ashmk]

Have you checked the IMEI (serial number) to make sure it's your phone you have been sent back. (Check the sticker behind the battery)

 

Ebay is full of theives who have now mastered the system.

 

You may have learned the hard way that ebay is no place to sell things like phones as ebay policy allows anyone to be ripped off.

 

Ripping people off on ebay is as easy as taking candy from a baby.

 

If it is yours you should get a claim into the courier asap to get some money back.

[Tallulabelle]

As in #4, try and check whether it's the actual phone you sent out. if it isnt then you absolutely do have the right to appeal the decision, look for it in their policies, something like 'What happens if I receive a different item back to the one I sent the buyer?'

 

Keep ringing customer services back until you get an advisor who understands you (difficult but not impossible). To save money, when you go through the 'contact us' rigmarole and get the PIN you have to input for customer services, instead of ringing the 0845 number they give you ring 0800 358 6551 and just input the pin you were given.

[andydd]

Too late now but....The best bet is to take the money out of Paypal as quick as possible, you will then end up with a negative paypal balance but despite some DCA threats they never will start any legal action to get your money.

 

You may then deicde to ditch paypal/ebay or perhaps open another account, your tale is nothing new, its happened to me and many thousands of others, its no surprise, as mentioned above they are a law to themselves and generally favour buyers..a fact of life m afraid.

 

Best you can do is try to get phone fixed, another case ?....and resell. It shows importance of taking lots of pix !

 

Andy