Returning a Used Item on eBay

chakel on 07/06/2022 - 22:32
Last edited 08/06/2022 - 10:26 by 1 other user

I had a buyer purchase gel nail kit off me. They used it and then opened a return, stating they had changed their mind. Because they couldn’t work out how to use it properly after trying it.

I contacted eBay saying I can’t accept a used item, eBay told me I had to accept it and then check the condition of the item when it arrived and then make a decision. Even though the buyer had stated in the return that they had used it. I received it today and it is in fact used. I rang eBay and they told me I have to give them at least a partial refund because I now have the item.

All of this sounds weird to me. I can’t resell the item. Everything has been used. So it holds no value. I have to throw it out for hygiene reasons.

I don’t want get negative feedback from the buyer, but I don’t think it’s right that eBay is siding with them.

Am I wrong?

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• 

  brendanm on 07/06/2022 - 22:40

  +15

  You are not wrong. eBay sucks.

• 

  SF3 on 07/06/2022 - 22:45

  Am I wrong?

  Ebay is wrong at every level.

  What’s the point, they don’t even have skin as they don’t even sell their merchandise themselves.

  I don’t want get negative feedback from the buyer

  System stacked against you in this case.

• 

  chakel on 07/06/2022 - 22:46

  I don’t really know what i’m supposed to do now.
  I tried to intervene at the beginning before I got the item back…..

  • 

    Hybroid on 07/06/2022 - 23:24

    +1

    eBay will almost always side with the buyer no matter any logic involved. If you want to continue selling on the platform then unfortunately you're going to have to accept the return and swallow the loss.

    • 

      Some Human on 08/06/2022 - 11:55

      Not if you're top rated. Most people who say this are infrequent sellers who don't make ebay much money.

      They have almost always sided with me on the very few incidents I have had in 12+ years of selling. The only time they didn't was when one of my accounts fell below top rated.

  • 

    Lichen6420 on 08/06/2022 - 11:57

    It's a cost of doing business…. if you have 2 in every 100 transactions that result in a non-recoverable returned item then you need to increase your prices by 2% to cover this expense.

    Retailers (traditional and online) have the same issues with 'shrinkage' theft, damage, supplier errors, picking errors etc… the pricing that is set accounts for this percentage of lost stock.

    If you have ever run or been part of a business of any scale that conducts regular stock takes you would have clearly seen this in play.

• 

  brandogs on 07/06/2022 - 22:54

  +1

  What an absolute low life to use something, then give up and return it and expect a full refund and to not even feel bad for the seller.

• 

  Quantumcat on 07/06/2022 - 23:03

  +4

  Don't sell anything on ebay you can't afford to lose. Hopefully this won't happen too often and you can absorb it as the cost of doing business. Selling locally will always be better where you can though.

  Oh and don't forget to block them on ebay so they can't ever buy from you again.

• 

  Axelstrife on 08/06/2022 - 07:16

  +1

  Unless you specify have change of mind returns on then you don't have to accept them even if you have it on they have to return in the same condition you sold it in.

  speak to someone else at eBay, sounds like whoever you spoke to is an idiot.

  • 

    chakel on 08/06/2022 - 10:18

    unfortunately it’s been two idiots.

• 

  foxmulder on 08/06/2022 - 08:15

  Just do maximum partial refund you can do in return - usually around 20% if you can do 50% is even better. Specify the open item as reason and you don't normally accept return for hygienic reason. Then move on.