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Selling on ebay

(15 Posts)
Humbertbear Sun 12-Feb-17 10:34:29

Has anyone else had requests for refunds from buyers? I sold a camera in good working order before Christmas (I didn't get a lot of money for it). Now the buyer wants a full refund because he claims it has stopped working and I am expected to pay the return postage as well.
This is the second time I have had trouble with buyers and I have to say it is putting me off selling on eBay. I wish I had just given the camera to a charity shop or stuck it in a drawer.

Sunlover Sun 12-Feb-17 10:37:27

I would reply saying it was working when you bought it and that was over 6 weeks ago. I wouldn't give a refund.

MissAdventure Sun 12-Feb-17 10:40:14

Is it reasonable for the buyer to want a refund after this amount of time?
I've sold a few bits and bobs, and not been asked for a refund, but people do sometimes complicate issues, and it does put me off because I only sell things for a couple of pounds (if I'm lucky!)

suzied Sun 12-Feb-17 11:46:05

I always put the no "no refunds " button on when I sell anything. Then you can refuse if someone is trying to pull a fast one.

Marelli Sun 12-Feb-17 12:00:36

I've had to refund a couple of times or so. One occasion was when I sold a heap of old wartime magazines. I trusted OH when he told me that there were no pages missing..... but there were, and therefore the buyer quite rightly contacted me. We came to some arrangement and I refunded some of the money through PayPal. Another time was when I'd sent a picture by courier. It arrived with the glass shattered, and looked as if it had been trodden on. I refunded the full amount but couldn't claim anything from courier as I hadn't read the disclaimer properly.
As both times this was really my fault, I had to refund, but in your case, Humbertbear, if the buyer says 'it has stopped working', then he's more or less saying it was working ok when he received it - as it was when it left you. What is his feedback like as a buyer/seller?

M0nica Sun 12-Feb-17 15:50:10

Take proactive action and contact ebay to say byou are disputing his demand and if you agree to a return and refund, make sure the camera retuned is the camera you sent.

Charleygirl Sun 12-Feb-17 15:53:29

Why do you not PM soop because she has had a lot to do with ebay and may know the answer. Tell her I put forward her name!!

J52 Sun 12-Feb-17 15:54:02

If they've already left positive feedback then they can't alter it. Don't offer any refund they could have caused the damage themselves.

Marydoll Sun 12-Feb-17 16:07:28

I bought something on ebay and paid the full price immediately through Paypal. I then got an email from the seller, saying I had tried to diddle her by not paying the full amount. It was quite an unpleasant email. Thank goodness I am computer savvy. I took a screenshot of the transactions from my ebay and Paypal accounts and sent them to her. I also contacted Paypal. It turned out that she owed Paypal money and they had taken it from ther account. I am still waiting for an apology. I would raise a case with ebay if I were you and explain what has happened.

Deedaa Sun 12-Feb-17 20:40:18

I would look on ebay for advice. As a private seller you are not bound by the same rules as a business.

I've only had to refund someone who didn't like the colour of a blouse (Although the photo and the description showed exactly what it was like) I gave her the money back and sold it to someone else.

vampirequeen Mon 13-Feb-17 12:59:20

Don't refund. They kept it and no doubt used it. When you sell on ebay it's in good faith and unless you offer a warranty it's as seen. Contact ebay and tell them you won't be refunding as the item was working when you sold it and the buyer has waited over six weeks to claim it wasn't.

Elegran Mon 13-Feb-17 13:54:00

And IO think you can reply on the reviews to any bad feedback that may result from a refusal to refund, explaining why you refused.

grannypiper Mon 13-Feb-17 21:47:49

I had to one buyer send rambling e mails about a dress she brought from me, she had cut the large stamp and label off of the packaging with the dress still inside and wanted her money back ! weeks later she was still going on. She really was a barmy old bat.

BlueBelle Tue 14-Feb-17 05:22:46

I ve been selling for quite a while I ve never had any problems but I do have the no refund button set ON

f77ms Tue 14-Feb-17 08:04:06

I sell too . Ebay will generally be on the side of the buyer and if you want to carry on selling I would just refund . Make sure you get the camera back first . The No refunds setting just means that if the buyer doesn`t like the item etc you will automatically refund not that you can refuse to refund if there is a problem with the item . Personally I would not sell things such a used electricals , cameras and the like as so many things can go wrong even getting bashed about in transit can affect them . I have refunded a few times without hesitation to keep my 100% feedback score .