Help With Selling on Ebay

dmbeck

dmbeck

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Looking for guidance from fellow members who have more ebay experience than myself. I put up the tan half door panels that I didn't need on ebay last week, add clearly stated " Jeep TJ Tan Half Door Panels". A guy messaged me right away and asked if they would fit his 2001 TJ, I respond "Yes they will fit any year TJ,1997-2006". He purchases the panels, I box them up nicely with the hardware and ship them out immediately. He is now requesting a refund and sent me a message stating that they don't fit and I lied to him and told them they would.

This is the first item I have sold on ebay, I wasn't thrilled when I found out I have to put in my checking account info just to get paid and it can't go through my paypal anymore. I covered the shipping cost and the 12.5% ebay fee already. I know that what I sold him is exactly as I described. Maybe he has full doors and doesn't know the difference, his interior color didn't match, or someone put YJ doors on his jeep, etc... Either way I don't feel like I owe him a refund or should I have do deal with the hassle of reselling and eating the fees. I'm sure some of you have more ebay experience than me, I assume I'll end up with a bad review, is there anything else I should be concerned about if I deny his return request?
 
From my understanding you have to do it now because they are going to send a 1099 if you sell over $600 worth of stuff in a given year. I didn't do a ton of research on ways around it because ebay was holding payment and I wasn't going to ship them until I had money.
 
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I've bought and sold lots of stuff on Ebay. It's not your problem if he didn't read the description or his wife got mad and wanted "her" money back. If he wants to send them back and pay shipping plus your 12.5% Ebay fee, tell him that's fine with you. The worst that he can do is give a negative review. In today's culture, that might be a positive thing. :)
 
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I've read through a couple ebay forums on similar things and it sounds like ebay is always going to side with the buyer. I concerned I'll end up in a situation where ebay refunds the buyer and doesn't require them to return it. This entire thing is a PITA and makes me want to never deal with ebay again.
 
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dmbeck said:
I've read through a couple ebay forums on similar things and it sounds like ebay is always going to side with the buyer. I concerned I'll end up in a situation where ebay refunds the buyer and doesn't require them to return it. This entire thing is a PITA and makes me want to never deal with ebay again.
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Not if your description was accurate and you didn't have "free return shipping" or "money back guaranty" on your ad. They can't just refund your money and let the buyer keep the product.
 
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Buyer just responded to my message and sent me pictures of his doors, he has full doors. I messaged him back and explained that TJ's came with full or half doors and my ad clearly stated that these were door panels for half doors. I guess I would consider taking a return if he wants to pay to cover the fees and shipping, but I don't really want to mess with the hassle. If I do that I'm also depending on him to send them back with the hardware and in as good of shape as what I sent them in.
 
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dmbeck said:
This is the first item I have sold on ebay, I wasn't thrilled when I found out I have to put in my checking account info just to get paid and it can't go through my paypal anymore.
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That's weird. I have sold several stuff on eBay throughout the years shipped them internationally, not just locally or even within the EU. I have always provided my PayPal account to be credited without any issues. This was until recently.
 
I've sold on eBay since before the millennium, but not a whole bunch. eBay has become VERY hostile to sellers, esp. small time sellers. No real feedback available as a seller, although I do understand why that came to be (retaliatory feedback - it'd be better if feedback was double blind). The account access is the most egregious - I went to my bank and had a special firewalled account setup just for incoming eBay funds. As soon as the funds hit the account, they get transferred out - no eBay chargebacks without MY consent. With that exception; I. DO. NOT. PUT. MY. BANK. ACCOUNT. ON. THE. INTERNET.
 
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Zorba said:
I've sold on eBay since before the millennium, but not a whole bunch. eBay has become VERY hostile to sellers, esp. small time sellers. No real feedback available as a seller, although I do understand why that came to be (retaliatory feedback - it'd be better if feedback was double blind). The account access is the most egregious - I went to my bank and had a special firewalled account setup just for incoming eBay funds. As soon as the funds hit the account, they get transferred out - no eBay chargebacks without MY consent. With that exception; I. DO. NOT. PUT. MY. BANK. ACCOUNT. ON. THE. INTERNET.
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I don't give my account info out on the interned either but it was the only way I could retrieve the payment. This was totally my fault, I have bought on ebay in the past with paypal and assumed selling would be no different. Once I get past this experience I plan on deleting my ebay account then talking to my bank about a firewall or some sort of security for my checking account.
 
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Zorba said:
I've sold on eBay since before the millennium, but not a whole bunch. eBay has become VERY hostile to sellers, esp. small time sellers. No real feedback available as a seller, although I do understand why that came to be (retaliatory feedback - it'd be better if feedback was double blind). The account access is the most egregious - I went to my bank and had a special firewalled account setup just for incoming eBay funds. As soon as the funds hit the account, they get transferred out - no eBay chargebacks without MY consent. With that exception; I. DO. NOT. PUT. MY. BANK. ACCOUNT. ON. THE. INTERNET.
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I agree wholeheartedly- have a burner account. Smart man.
 
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I went through this with a hardtop harness. My harness was for early TJ. The buyer's TJ was an early TJ but he acquired a late hard top and didn't know the difference. My ad listed model years and had pinout illustrations for all TJ years. I refused the refund, the buyer reported me, so ebay got involved. The buyer had to pay for return shipping and received a refund after I confirmed the item was not modified or a box of dog poop.
 
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dmbeck said:
I don't give my account info out on the interned either but it was the only way I could retrieve the payment. This was totally my fault, I have bought on ebay in the past with paypal and assumed selling would be no different. Once I get past this experience I plan on deleting my ebay account then talking to my bank about a firewall or some sort of security for my checking account.
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Don't use your checking account. My bank was able to create a "sub-account" with a COMPLETELY different number that is firewalled from checking and others. eBay, and anyone else who gets the account info, can ONLY access that account - and I xfer money out of it as soon as it gets in - I get an email from my bank whenever a deposit is made.
 
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dmbeck said:
Buyer just responded to my message and sent me pictures of his doors, he has full doors. I messaged him back and explained that TJ's came with full or half doors and my ad clearly stated that these were door panels for half doors. I guess I would consider taking a return if he wants to pay to cover the fees and shipping, but I don't really want to mess with the hassle. If I do that I'm also depending on him to send them back with the hardware and in as good of shape as what I sent them in.
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I went through this and havent sold on Ebay since. Though I will, its just that particular transaction really pissed me off.

I described my item to the T, even including photos of every detail. The buyer ultimately admitted that he messed up and didn't see said detail. He requested a refund and return anyway, which I did not except or deny, but eBay forced it through and therefore I ate the cost of shipping and return shipping. I was very, very pissed. Lesson learned: Make sure the person who is buying an item has great reviews.

Tell him you'll pay the shipping but need to discount that from the original cost. If that can be done? Also, use the chat feature to discuss your situation with an ebay customer service rep.
 
Not your problem. He screwed up, not you. If you want to be nice you can offer to refund his money after he covers shipping on his own dime. When you get them back just refund his money minus the ebay fees.

I've screwed up ordering things before...it is easier just to re-sell it than fight with the seller.
 
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As TheBoogieman mentioned, as long as you didn't offer "returns accepted" and your ad was accurate, the buyer can be told to pound sand. They will probably give you a pissy feedback at worst.
If you offered returns in any way, then you have to accept them back whether the buyer pays shipping or you do.
If you offered free shipping and take back the return, you could lose the original shipping charges unless explicitly saying buyer will pay free shipping cost if returned.

It's up to you on where this goes. If they file a claim with eBay then it's a back and forth while each side produces the facts and a determination will be made. Even if you don't have to, you could still offer to allow them to return them at their cost and refund only after thorough inspection!

eBay has gotten ruthless against sellers charging the selling fee percentage on buyers shipping costs as well as the buyers sales tax. eBay basically snagging fees over and above the item itself.

Good Luck!
 
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I just checked the ad again and it states that "seller does not accept returns". I responded to the buyer this morning that the panels are exactly as I described but he has full doors not half doors. I'm holding tight on responding to the return request, kind of hoping he realizes he messed up and decides to just resell on his own and take it as a learning experience. I don't want to get into a huge debate and get ebay involved, I'm just glad I now have messages showing that it was his mistake and nothing about my ad or description.

I have purchased incorrect items before, so I have some sympathy. At the same time I don't want to deal with offering a return at a discounted rate to get back the shipping and fees I'm out.
 
As someone who USED to sell tons on ebay..you are most likely going to get screwed. It doesn't matter what your ad says ebay buyers can return anything and the seller will get screwed. It's part of eBay trying to compete with Amazon etc..I pulled all my listing and quit selling on eBay a while back it's just not worth the headache.
 
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