eBay

pamela_hibbard · ‎11-25-2024

I am VERY concerned. I sent the phone to Delaware but the return is coming from Florida. I am quite concerned that I will not get the correct product back and eBay will automatically refund their money before confirming with me.

I sold a practically new Google Pixel 8 Pro Android phone. I worked with my carrier to get it unlocked. The buyer received it and immediately said their sim card didn't work and requested a refund. I messaged the buyer that they would need to get a valid SIM card and that the add had a picture of it unlocked. I reported the buyer to eBay that I was concerned they were trying to scam me and eBay did nothing. The return request said I had until 11/22/24 to take action so I was going to accept the return, but eBay forced the return on 11/21. It said that as soon as the tracking shows the item is return they will refund the money. What happens if I don't get my phone back?!? Am I just out $450?

fbusoni · ‎11-25-2024

@pamela_hibbard

Sorry that this happened to you.

Sounds to me like all you can do is wait.

In case you do not know, phones are a category highly vulnerable to scams.

Can you expand a bit more on this:

"The return request said I had until 11/22/24 to take action so I was going to accept the return, but eBay forced the return on 11/21."

When did you first get the return request?

And would it be possible for you to copy and paste the entire message you received from eBay?

eBay seller since 1999. This is a posting ID.

kensgiftshop · ‎11-25-2024

Sorry, but you won't be getting your phone back, it's in another country by now.

Once tracking shows the return has been delivered, the buyer will get a refund.

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

toysaver · ‎11-25-2024

This type of situation is a common complaint from inexperienced sellers with expensive items. There's not a lot of advice that will help.

luckythewinner · ‎11-25-2024

I reported the buyer to eBay that I was concerned they were trying to scam me and eBay did nothing.

Of course eBay did nothing when you reported that you thought something "might" happen in the future. And as of your initial post, the issue is still just a potential issue based on a concern you have about something that might happen in the future.

But if the buyer does scam you, nothing will probably happen when you report them to eBay either. eBay was not there to observe what you shipped, what the buyer received, or what the buyer returned.

The pictures in your listing prove nothing except that you have a picture of an unlocked phone. If eBay ruled in favor of sellers based on pictures in listings, then eBay would be overrun with scammer listing a picture of a Rolex and shipping an empty box.

What happens if I don't get my phone back?!? Am I just out $450?

You will lose the phone and the cost of shipping it both ways.

Generally speaking, any buyer can steal any item from any seller at an time by filing a fraudulent dispute. This has been true since 2008 when eBay introduced the Money Back Guarantee. And it has been true no matter what the pictures in your listing show, what the buyer claims, where it is shipped, or where it is returned from.

gloryglorygifts · ‎11-25-2024

If something other than the phone you sold them is returned, you can report the buyer for misuse of the return policy. You can find that under the dropdown menu next to the sale in your HUB.

Everything else is handled by ebay. So sorry this has happened to you.

isaiah53-57 · ‎11-25-2024

@pamela_hibbard wrote:

I am VERY concerned. I sent the phone to Delaware but the return is coming from Florida. I am quite concerned that I will not get the correct product back and eBay will automatically refund their money before confirming with me.
I sold a practically new Google Pixel 8 Pro Android phone. I worked with my carrier to get it unlocked. The buyer received it and immediately said their sim card didn't work and requested a refund. I messaged the buyer that they would need to get a valid SIM card and that the add had a picture of it unlocked. I reported the buyer to eBay that I was concerned they were trying to scam me and eBay did nothing. The return request said I had until 11/22/24 to take action so I was going to accept the return, but eBay forced the return on 11/21. It said that as soon as the tracking shows the item is return they will refund the money. What happens if I don't get my phone back?!? Am I just out $450?

Sounds like it may well go south - Its the MAIN reason we no longer list here - Upside is I've seen several posts here lately where ebay has given the seller their money if they worked REAL HARD for it - Likely calling it a "one-time courtesy" or something of that nature - Be relentless in your pursuit of funds that may get lost to sales THEY facilitate with THEIR unvetted buyers - if they let users in with virtually no care as to quality, it should be THEIR problem, not yours...

worldcoinauctions · ‎11-25-2024

If you have the details of the phone report it as stolen and have it bricked.

dbfolks166mt · ‎11-25-2024

If you do not get back the phone that you sent you have some grounds to discuss some issues with eBay even before the item arrives. Do NOT call into customer support contact them through one of the social media sites.

I am assuming this is a NAD return claim/case. This item went through a freight forwarder in Delaware and the buyer was/is responsible for the return shipping label to the FF in Delaware. You are responsible for the return shipping label from the FF back to you. The buyer basically looses their MBG coverage once the item has been delivered to the FF an issue you should point out to eBay when you contact them. Your return coming back through Florida raises some red flags.

Once you have the item back please return and let us know the status. That is if you ever receive anything. EBay seems to waffle back and forth on standing behind their policy with regards to the buyers loss of MBG coverage when things go through a FF.

12345jamesstamps · ‎11-25-2024

Check buyer country in eBay ID in feedbacks to see what country buyer lives in.

Item went 'freight forward' from Delaware to their country. Something we know not what is being returned from their country 'freight forward' to Florida.

And I don't know if it will come from Florida to Georgia where you live.

'eBay forced the return'...who made the return label or wasn't there a return label sent from you or eBay?

This could be interesting...returning an item to a different location...maybe others can give incite on this.

It's being returned to a different 'freight forward' location...and item may never arrive to seller?

ittybitnot · ‎11-25-2024

I sent the phone to Delaware but ......

@pamela_hibbard

Did you send this to a Freight Forwarder? Is your buyer registered in another country?

If so, please contact eBay through one of their social media platforms. Buyers that use Freight Forwarders give up their ability to file a "not as described" claim through the eBay Money Back Gurantee. However, eBay will not tell you this, and treats it like any domestic sale.

The best time to act is BEFORE you have to accept/and provide a return shipping label. That is ok, and do use one of these as soon as you can, and explain you have a problem with a buyer who used a freight forwarder and is now trying to make a Money Back Guarantee claim for which they are not entitled:

https://www.facebook.com/eBay/ (use the blue message button)

OR one of these:

https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/

https://x.com/askebay

Come back if you need additional advice.

pamela_hibbard · ‎11-25-2024

The buyer received the phone on 11/18 and very shortly after receiving it put in for a refund. I responded to the buyer with a message and reported them that day that they were making a false claim about the phone.
I can't upload pictures here, but I took a screen shot of the page that read 'Requires attention. Respond by Nov 22, 2024'. Then on Nov 21 I was notified that they were granting the buyer the return and I didn't have to do anything.