[Ashura]

Please, no comments about how I should've sold in the classifieds. I'm well aware.

I sold an Intel X25-M SSD on ebay. As people who have bought from me before know, I make sure everything is working properly and pack it to the point where it's pretty much impossible for damage to occur. Regardless, the buyer got it today and says it doesn't work and wants a refund. SOP is that the buyer opens a claim in the Paypal resolution center, Paypal continues to freeze the funds that were sent to me, the buyer ships back the item, and then Paypal disburses the funds back to the buyer. I just want to make sure I have all my bases covered though so I'm trying to think up any ways I could get screwed by this (his claim of the drive not working immediately worries me since I know the drive was fine and there's no way it could've been harmed during the shipping process).

Now, Paypal will have the buyer ship the item back and will verify delivery via tracking. Once I receive the item, funds get sent back to the buyer. What happens if hypothetically the buyer sends back an empty box? Also, what happens if hypothetically the buyer sends me back a X25-M but it's clearly not the one I sent and in terrible condition?

Again, just trying to make sure I've thought up of every way this can go wrong.

[CGR]

When the buyer opened the ticket with paypal, they should have contacted you for your information on the problem. If they didnt, then contact paypal and explain the situation. They should have measures in place to help protect against a buyer doing a swap.

[Pandam00nium]

Yeah if the buyer immediately made a dispute without talking it over with you to see what can be done to resolve the issue then you can make a case that it's a bit shady.

As for the return shipping. I don't know how much the product weighs, but if took it in to a UPS store/USPS they do weigh it before shipping out. I believe it's printed on the label so if it's a pound or two and the label shows differently then you can make a case for that.

As for swapping it, do you have the original receipt? Perhaps you can check the serial # on it?

[Ashura]

The buyer did contact me telling me the drive didn't work and that he wanted a refund. I attempted to help him troubleshoot but he wouldn't have it. His immediate demand was a refund and then he would ship the drive back, otherwise he would open up a dispute with Paypal. I told him that standard procedure is buyer returns the item first, and then a refund is issued (backed up by numerous posts on the ebay boards) and that I would be willing to do that, but he filed the paypal claim soon after.

I also offered to facilitate a RMA since the drive was bought on 2/10 and newegg has a 30 day replacement policy, but he wouldn't have that either.

Melan: I do have the original receipt, but it doesn't mention the serial number on it.

BTW, this was how he initiated contact: I got hd but its not working please do full refund and I will ship it back today , please respond i you do not respond i have to file claim to paypal .please let me know whats your plan. i did try osx vista xp ubuntu difrent systems and no luck

[Steven-1979]

There's not much you can do. Paypal/Ebay is skewed towards the buyer unless you are a power seller. BUT unless you shipped to a PO Box, you have the buyer's address and name ... you can screw them and their family harder than whatever money they stole from you.

[Ashura]

Great, just finished reading this: http://ask.metafilter.com/77638/Can-...t-can-go-wrong

It's from early 2008 but it looks like sellers are still vulnerable when it comes to stuff like this. It could be this guy is legit (he does have good feedback) and will resend the drive, but the pessimist in me has resigned to the possibility that I'm going to get screwed.

I'm sorry ocforums, I'll never leave your warm, inviting, safe arms again.

I'll let you guys know how it ends up turning out.

[Steven-1979]

Originally Posted by Ashura

It's from early 2008 but it looks like sellers are still vulnerable when it comes to stuff like this.

Actually sellers are even worse off since then ... ebay instituted some rule that a seller can ONLY leave positive feedback for a buyer or no feedback at all.

[pauld5999]

man I feel you...

I sent a 4870 1GB to a guy in Canada on 1/24, told him 10-14 days (which as a mistake on my part) for it to get to him. I sent him photos of my postal receipt the day it was sent and told him time, date and post office it wa sent from. On 2/7 he opens a dispute with paypal saying it has not arrived yet, without ever contacting me or anything. Of course paypal right away yanks the cash out of my account and am still waiting on resolution....

I am with you though, right away from his email to you it sounds shady. either he changed his mind or found cheaper (not likely at your prices ) and wants an easy refund or he is really scamming.

I often wonder the samething you said about shipping the empty box, or a box with a rock in it or whatever. Or even the converse, him getting and saying you shipped it empty! scary stuff...I try as hard as I can to stay in the classys!!!!!

[Zimpo]

Man, that sucks Ashura... hope it works out well for you in the end.

[donuts]

The last computer parts I sold on E-bay was some server ram. Buyer purchased (dirt cheap), claimed it didn't work. My listing stated "as-is" "make sure it fit's your application"...long story short buyer bought the wrong stuff, opened dispute, (he did contact me) demanded a refund, PP agreed and issued a refund. 2yrs later I'm waiting for my ram to come back!

I think it depends on the mood of the buyer

[Ashura]

Originally Posted by pauld5999

either he changed his mind or found cheaper

Heck, I'll be very relieved if it's something that simple so long as I get the drive back in working condition in exchange for the refund. It's the absolute worst case scenario of return fraud that I'm worried about. Sorry to hear about your 4870 and I'm right there with you on staying in the classifieds from now on.

According to Paypal he has till 3/2 to ship the drive otherwise the claim is dropped and the funds are mine, I'm hoping he just forgot to create a partition or plug in the power cable or something and realizes that. Like I mentioned before his ebay feedback was fine which is why I wasn't all that worried about the sale.

[Drew1Down]

i sent an item to a customer, and i used a different shipper (my normal shipper puts tracking on everything) and they diddn't put tracking on it. Buyer got item, filed a clame and got my item and a full refund, out $120, Diana Black is her name.... instant scammer

[Drew1Down]

and is it just me or does anyone else (as a seller) hate paypal now?

it seems any complaint filled by a buyer paypal plays favorites and makes it a pain in the arse to sell anything anymore, sence they HOLD your money untill the buyer is really really happy, as-is meens nothing to paypal

[Ashura]

Buyer supplied Paypal with tracking info for the return today so I should be receiving the package by week's end. Crossing my fingers...

[liftedcj7on44s]

From the sound of it he bought the drive and either found cheaper or forgot he may of had a bill to pay and needs the cash back ASAP. In that case he went about it the wrong way.

[TimoneX]

Originally Posted by pauld5999

man I feel you...

I sent a 4870 1GB to a guy in Canada on 1/24, told him 10-14 days (which as a mistake on my part) for it to get to him. I sent him photos of my postal receipt the day it was sent and told him time, date and post office it wa sent from. On 2/7 he opens a dispute with paypal saying it has not arrived yet, without ever contacting me or anything. Of course paypal right away yanks the cash out of my account and am still waiting on resolution....

I am with you though, right away from his email to you it sounds shady. either he changed his mind or found cheaper (not likely at your prices ) and wants an easy refund or he is really scamming.

I often wonder the samething you said about shipping the empty box, or a box with a rock in it or whatever. Or even the converse, him getting and saying you shipped it empty! scary stuff...I try as hard as I can to stay in the classys!!!!!

I did this with an X360 HD drive I shipped to a Canadian. Customs ties the items up for a week and the buyer gets ticked at *YOU* of all people. They often insist you're lying and complain of slow shipping even when you send them the tracking number confirming shipment and warn them beforehand it will take time to go through customs.

[Ashura]

A post from someone at NBR that's a big help to anyone in my situation:

Originally Posted by heavyharmonies

Don't be so sure. You may wind up with an empty box. When you receive the box, open it at the USPS in front of a postal supervisor/inspector so they can witness the contents of the box.

Normally, all a buyer needs to do is provide proof of delivery of the return (A delivery confirmation slip attached to an empty box would suffice). The big loophole in PayPal's policy is that SOMETHING has to be sent back by the buyer; it doesn't necessarily have to be what you originally sent them. If delivery confirmation shows that something was returned, you lose. Period.

That being said, I had this happen to me, where a Canadian scammer sent me back an empty box, but I opened the box at the USPS in front of the supervisor. They wrote a statement on USPS letterhead attesting to the contents of the box, signed and datestamped it. I submitted that to PayPal as proof that the buyer intentionally was committing fraud. It took several phone calls and levels of supervisors, but I ultimately was made whole.

Good luck!

http://forum.notebookreview.com/show...postcount=3552

I'm going to have my postman take it back to the PO and then open it there in front of someone.
Just called my local PO and told them to hold the package instead of attempting delivery... still keeping my fingers crossed.

[TimoneX]

That's an interesting solution. It's unfortunate a few bad eggs in the lot make this stuff necessary. Good luck.

[Ashura]

I tried heavyharmonies' tip but the PO supervisor told me that USPS doesn't do that sort of thing so I had to just take my chances and open the package... I'm happy to report that I've received the drive and it seems to be in fine working condition.

I plugged it and it works, so either the buyer just made a mistake and needed the funds back asap or he didn't know that he needed to create a partition to see the thing in an OS.

Either way, I'm very very relieved. The whole situation was giving me unnecessary stress all week.

[CGR]

Glad it worked out. You may want to send that person an email and tell him that the drive was fine.