Selling on Ebay

Ring them I had problems once with an item and they were ever so helpful

I agree, raise a dispute with EBay, if you haven't already done so.
Did you say whether returns would be acceptable in your original listing? If your photos were clear and your description accurate then I should think you have reasonable grounds to refer the dispute to EBay for investigation.

Well done on successfully selling a number of items. My experience is that there is a small percentage of Ebayers who are not easy to deal with, so let EBay sort it out.

Sometimes EBay find in the sellers favour and sometimes not ... Good luck and don't let one difficult experience put you off.

I’ve sold quite a bit over the years and only had one buyer respond like yours. Again it was an inherited piece of silver, which I listed quite low, with multiple photos and a researched description, but it reached a considerable amount.
The buyer wouldn’t return it, but left scathing feedback. E bay said the feedback had to remain and this ruined my 100% feedback.
However, it taught me a lesson. The buyer themselves had poor feedback, which I hadn’t noticed prior to the sale. After that I found that I could post that I would not sell to anyone with less than 100% feedback and I blocked this particular buyer.
It did put me off for a while, but I bought some quite cheap things such as books and got good feedback, which quickly raised my % again.

I sold a CD on eBay a while ago (I was flogging off husband's CD collection when he switched to Spotify), the buyer disputed that it wasn't a particular Limited Edition (or something) when he actually saw it IRL so to speak. I had made an innocent mistake. I refunded him and paid the postage. I think sometimes you just have to accept that your "customer" is unhappy with the purchase just like in any other shop.

I would deff contact ebay first, also if you are accepting items back.!

Just make sure it is the "Original" Item that you have sent!

I would take it up with eBay. If your photographs were really clear, and showed the design and hallmarks and you gave a good description, then it sounds to me like the buyer has had a change of heart and is challenging you so she can have the money back. Let eBay decide if she has good reason for a refund. Don't be put off selling again, there's always one!

Thanks for hint about checking buyer feedback. Don't think I'd have thought of that. Have sold successfully in the past but not many things. Last was my old Hostess Trolley, which I hadn't used for ages and needed to go to make room for a piano. Sold so quickly and for a lot more than we'd imagined!

Thanks for all the advice.

You can refute the buyers case, but eBay are very much for protecting buyers.

If you phone eBay customer service they will guide you through it, and they are very helpful.

You are entitled to ask her to send it back to you, and I would be inclined to do this.

I wrangled for weeks over a toilet seat (of all things) which came to me without the fittings.

I did have to send it back, but I was absolutely determined to get my refund!

I agree with JanaNana.
Phone Ebay or you can open a dispute on the site.
My son and I have bought and sold on Ebay for years and as JanaNana says, there's always one.
Whatever the dispute, always be polite with the customer in messages. We tend not to leave feedback with the not so friendly ones.
99.9% of buyers and sellers are brilliant so don't let it put you off and do check on your auction if it says whether you accept returns.

Currently have a problem with a ebay buyer who said the jumper she received didn't match description; I don't honestly know what she expected as I listed size, fabric etc.. with photos.. Now in the position of having to refund her return postage. Do I have to refund the initial postage she paid for? Just wondering what the rules are?
Put off selling more stuff. I think some people like to mess about; change their mind as it were and if you cover postage costs, what have they got to lose.

Surely you only have to accept returns if you are a business? I always refused returns and state it in the description, but I guess that doesn't protect sellers if buyers say it's not as described. Don't let one bad experience put you off though. It happens, just have to deal with it.