eBay Sellers Worst Nightmare Realized Scammer Alert
The Scam
As an eBay seller for 16 years, you would think that I have come across a scammer or two. Luckily, I haven’t had any such problems with past customers and their items. Until, last week.
I had sent this very collectible Science theater 3000 DVD collection volumes 1 thru 3. The DVDs were in pre-owned condition, if the set was new, they would have sold for 76.00 on sold comps on eBay. I sold them the collection for 45.00 dollars and was happy to send them out right away.
Two days later, the client contacted me that she received the DVD cases and that there were no DVDs in the cases. The client sending me that email made me immediately react because I knew that was not right. I always check the items out before sending them and listing them on eBay. I knew I sent out those DVDs and that they were in there before sending out. I was nervous because eBay has the tendency to side with the buyer even when the buyer is wrong. I speak from experience in the respect of the feedback I received from a disgruntled client. This client left me negative feedback because I responded to her rude email where she said I did not know how to write an accurate description because I did not write the amount that the carafe would hold. I contacted eBay and told them I offered refund to this client, and she simply left negative feedback because I responded to her email and told her that her assessment of my description was wrong. I had perfect feedback before I encountered this vindictive client. I contacted eBay because I took my feedback seriously. I always went out of my way for my clients. I contacted eBay told them my side of the story and tried to get feedback deleted. eBay sided with the client stating that it was her experience with me, and they could not remove feedback even though eBay had the series of emails that this person had sent me proving the rude manner she communicated with me. I was never rude to her; I simply told her that she was the only one to complain about my description and that I did not agree with her assessment. This client was new and had only 8 feedback and eBay sided with her despite my arguments and my proof of the communication between us. Anyway, I digress; to make long story short, eBay left a bad taste in my mouth after this incident because it proved that any disgruntled buyer could sabotage your perfect feedback over vindictive behavior not because they had a legitimate issue with the item.
My opinion on eBay had been formed that if a buyer makes a claim no matter if the claim is false, that eBay would side with the buyer. That was what I thought based on experience with feedback. I was mistaken.
This buyer claimed that the DVDs were missing in the first case and that she did not open the second and third cases. The three cases were individually wrapped in bubble wrap. I did not know what to do in this case, it was the first time I ever had anyone make such a claim. This buyer made me doubt myself, because I know I always check the items before sending them out and even before listing the item. Since I sell many items, the buyer had created doubt in myself. So, I told her to send back the items including the empty case. I told her to open a refund request and that eBay would send a label to return items to me.
Receiving the DVDs or rather the boxes
About two days later, I get the DVDs in the mail by ground advantage. The buyer had sent me the DVD boxes only. As I opened the supposedly sealed bubble wrapped DVD boxes, all the DVDs were missing from the other two volumes. Not one DVD was in the cases. I wonder to what lengths a buyer would go through to try to get their item for free. The other two DVD cases were bubble wrapped but how do I know that she didn’t open the cases and rewrapped the DVDs in bubble wrap again and sent it to me. The buyer did not open a return request and sent the DVDs on her own.
Red Flag
The buyer did not do the return through eBay, she bypassed the return process and decided to send it back on her own. This was a red flag for me because she did not want to go through eBay, instead sending it on her own, as if she were hiding something. It made me wonder if she had a history of making these claims on eBay and she did not want to go through eBay process because she wouldn’t get refund. Since I told her that she would get refund she sent it back on her own and ignored the suggestion.
If she would have done the return transaction thru eBay, it protects the buyer and the seller with the eBay guarantee, and she would have gotten a free prepaid postage label to return items. I thought to myself, something smells rotten about this whole transaction, so I contacted eBay and let them know what was happening with this client. I told them that she claimed the DVDs were missing from the volume 1 case and that she sent me the other boxes bubble wrapped supposedly unopened. When I received the boxes, all DVDs were missing. I let them know that she did not put in a return request and sent it out of eBay return process.
The eBay customer service agent told me not to refund the buyer and to email her and inform her that she needs to open a refund request thru eBay and to give her tracking information. So, I did just that, I emailed the client and told her what eBay told me.
It has been two days now; she hasn’t responded, nor has she put in a return request as told by the eBay agent. I imagine she has done this before on eBay and that’s why she’s hesitating to do the return request thru eBay.
Conclusion
It’s one of the unpleasant realities of selling on eBay. There’s always someone trying to scam eBay sellers out of their items. For whatever reason, financial or buyer’s remorse.
Because of this buyer, I’ve learned my lesson. I now will take photos of the DVDs inside the case, so the buyer can’t say the DVDs were not in the case. 99% of eBay buyers are honest it’s the 10% you will come across sooner or later.
If you decide to sell on eBay, always take preventative measures selling your items so that a scammer doesn’t try to item free. The preventative measures would be to always tell customers about the eBay return request process and guarantee. Always inform the buyer about the item sold and take photos of opened preowned items both inside and outside to ensure that no one can declare that items were not in case.
Visit my blog to read more articles about reselling experience and Ocala local thrift stores.
Remember, if you decide to resell and flip treasure hunted items from the Thrift take photos of the inside cases of pre-owned media such as DVDs and CDs. It is the only and best way to save yourself from scams on eBay. Always be prepared for what ever comes your way in this resale industry. Don’t let these experiences scare you from doing reselling .
