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eBay dispute - question to the experienced users

Andrew Prince

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
2,232
I bought an item that was described as brand-new, unopened and unused on eBay. When it arrived, it clearly had been opened and was not brand-new, plus the power cord was missing.
Various emails back and forth didn't resolve things - seller first insisted that the power cord had been included, then admitted he still had it. He claimed that he didn't intend to advertise as brand-new etc but because he posted the advert from his phone it just ended up like that. :roll: And you can imagine the rest of the saga. His final position is he doesn't accept returns and I have the item, so tough 5hit basically.

The question to the battle-scarred eBayers here - what is my best recourse here? I've opened an eBay dispute but that looks like it will take ages. Should I be doing something else? Contacting paypal?

Cheers,
 
The eBay dispute should carry across to paypal but it can't hurt, the quicker you do it the better the chance the money will still be in his soon to be frozen account. It might take a wee while but it's clearly going to come out in your favour.
 
it takes a while but ebay always go with the buyer so you should be ok as long as they still have money in their paypal account, when you put the dispute in they hold the funds you bought it for
 
First of all, did you pay via PayPal? if so claim a refund for 'not as described' I did this quite recently and got a refund from them, they then take the money back from the sellers account, and if there's no money in their acc I think they take it from their bank. In my case it was with a courier company who I had used to collect some ally rims and paid for using PayPal, they sent me confirmation of the transaction but never turned up to collect the item. It was settled in my favour within about a week. Obviously you can leave a stinking feedback for the seller.
 
HI Andrew Let paypal know and the money will be frozen or sent back to you. The SELLER never wins trust me. In your case you are a genuine buyer but there are loads of frankly prxxks out there who are just complete idiots.

Ebay and paypal are all for the buyer,whatever the situation the seller is always in the wrong. I dont have many issues but have had a couple.I try to sort it out stright away.He wont win if hes tried pulling the wool over your eyes.

Karl
 
Yip, used paypal - in the "guidelines" there was some explanation about about a paypal dispute would replace the eBay one or something along those lines. There was so much "kumbaya" stuff about trying to reconcile first while remaining friends blah blah, which I feel I've already done - so I want resolution!

I'll go onto Paypal and see how I claim a refund!

Thanks for the advice, guys - much appreciated! :thumbup: If there's anything else I should do, please shout!
 
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Guess what just popped up in my email.... :clap:

Hi i will come and collect the item tomorrow and give you a cash refund is this ok? Obviously I will need you to drop the a ligation.
I'm guessing that I shouldn't accept a cash settlement? I suspect that he will haggle and it won't be a full refund - and I'll have no records....
 
Sound him out, if it's a full cash refund, result :thumbup: if not go the dispute procedure. :thumbup: it's a win/win.
 
He may be angling for you to drop the dispute before he'll hand over the cash and I don't think you'd be able to re-open it then so best not do that ;)
 
Obviously get the wonga in your hands before committing to dropping the dispute. :think:
 
First choice would be the cash.

Second - do you pay Paypal using a credit card or a debit card with the Visa logo?

If so, you can also raise a claim with the card supplier, but tbh paypal will come down on your side.

Pete
 
Wouldn't finishing the paypal resolution be better so the guy is marked by the system and he doesn't do it to the next person? Ebay is bad enough if dodgy people are not shopped.
 
Much like small claims though, if he has made an offer to refund the full amount in cash and you've refused, just to have the transgression logged, that would be likely to go against you.

If he's offering full refund of all costs Andrew then I'd take it. He already knows your address so there's no issue with him coming to collect it, is there?
 
Remember that you have to start a paypal dispute within a certain amount of time - don't let the seller string you out not giving you the refund until it's too late to dispute.
 
Yes, I am very suspicious now, so I'm not keen to have any untraceable transactions, like cash in hand. He could just as easily turn round and say that I never handed over the item. So recorded delivery and paypal will provide some element of traceability.

Suddenly he is full of apologies and claiming it was an innocent mistake :whistle: Quite a turnaround from it being my problem and I have no "argument" which was the story before.

Oh well, it looks like it will end well at least. I guess I should be grateful this is only my 1st messy transaction on ebay....
 
Andrew, him not accepting returns is a load of crap. Loads of sellers do this but if he has sold you a product that you are not happy with, you have a right to return it. Ive had this problem in the past and if you contact ebay(if you can find a bloody number for them) and explain it to them that it is not in the condition he described it, he will have to accept it as a return.
 
Nick Shepherd said:
Much like small claims though, if he has made an offer to refund the full amount in cash and you've refused, just to have the transgression logged, that would be likely to go against you.

If he's offering full refund of all costs Andrew then I'd take it. He already knows your address so there's no issue with him coming to collect it, is there?
I haven't refused anything, Nick - I've have requested him to refund me in the same manner he was paid by me - i.e. via Paypal. I don't get your point about something "going against me"? Just to be clear - I have been transparent and reasonable throughout. I gave him 3 opportunities to resolve this, and he gave me the run-around and ended up telling me to get lost and that I had no grounds for dispute.
So I was forced to escalate things via eBay - suddenly he comes running along saying he'll refund me but in cash outside my house. Perhaps it's becoming clearer why I'd want things logged? ;) Yes, I want my money back and cash is as good as anything else but I don't want comebacks claiming he didn't get the item he sold me or whatever and having no supporting proof.

Yes, he knows my address and the last thing I want is some dodgy character pitching up outside my house and coming near my family. I am prepared to take the hit on paying for it to posted back to him (although I think that he should rightly pay for this) if need be.

Chris Mann said:
Andrew, him not accepting returns is a load of crap. Loads of sellers do this but if he has sold you a product that you are not happy with, you have a right to return it.
Agreed, Chris - I'd hasten to add that this is not simply a question of me not being happy with what I received but the item being materially different from what was advertised (and missing parts).
 
Recorded delivery is not the best option, you have to use a tracked service as you may have to prove he received the item via online tracking system that Ebay can view, Royal Mail & some couriers can provide this service.
 
Cool, thanks for pointing that out, Dave - will definitely go this route! As you can see, I am not too street-wise in the world of murky eBayers.... :shifty:
 
Sorry Andrew, that part of my post was more a reply to Simon, and not clearly worded at that.

I agree with you that his refunding via Paypal is favourite and is actually the easiest for him as well so your concern may well be justified, I wonder why he's keen for the cash refund and not simply refunding through PayPal.
 
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