Sold Item on eBay, Buyer Installed Incorrectly Now Wants Refund

[blueal1976]

Last week I sold an item (a pair of hinges for an 80 year old car) to a buyer who confirmed that they were received as described.  He installed them, claims one hinge broke and is demanding a full refund.  First problem - these are vintage hinges, so they are worth quite a bit of money and there is no way to replace them.  Second, these are cast metal and don't just break.  Third, hinges move in one plane and if not installed correctly can/will be damaged.  In the real world incorrect installation or assembly will void any warranty and the cost will not be refunded.  I've been selling on eBay for close to 20 years and I know that eBay always sides with the buyer, regardless of the situation.  There have been 2-3 times where I sold something to a buyer, they complained to eBay and PayPal for a full refund, and the money was simply taken out of my account and refunded to the buyer without the buyer even returning the item.  Any ideas or suggestions on how to handle this situation or will I be forced to take yet another loss?

[Whac-A-Mole]

there is no seller protection for item not as described.

if you list the hinges under parts and salvage/repair then it is not expected to be perfect or working,else you will lose and pay return shipping.

You can call Ebay and plead your case,Ebay is more understanding and could side with you,since he has tried to install them and no longer can return in same condition as sold.

but it would not stop him from filing with PAYPAL OR his credi card issuer.

(try reminding him he has altered the item,so how can he return in same condition and see what he has to say?)

[Whac-A-Mole]

You are just asking for trouble listing hinges for 80 years old car,you should list them as antiques for display /collection or list under parts and repairs,not meant to function,you may get less,

[blueal1976]

Thank you for the replies.  These were listed as NOS (New Old Stock), New under vintage car and truck parts.  I've been selling NOS parts for over 50 years, the past 15 on eBay and have never had a problem.  If a buyer installs an NOS part correctly (such as a hinge), it should work just fine.  NOS parts are quite rare, valuable, and in high demand by classic car enthusiasts who restore old vehicles using original parts.

I chatted with an eBay rep who agreed that the part was listed and described correctly and that the buyer protection does not apply for items that are not installed correctly.  Of course, the next rep I speak with may say something entirely different.  I also realize that PayPal will always side with the buyer regardless of the reason and simply take the money out of the sellers account, refund the buyer, and let the buyer keep the item.

[DPCreations]

One loss in 20 years should not be a big deal.  Business profits should plan for occasional losses for customer relations. Resolution of customer relations issues is not intended to be fair.

You should look at the big picture in this case.  It's not about who is right or not right; it's about business.

My guess is that you will eventually have a loss with this one, so take the approach of resolving with the least cost.

A phone call is a good place to start the process, perhaps with some gentle guidance to get the buyer to accept the loss.

A smart buyer,however, knows that financial services may side better with the buyer, so plan accordingly.  A direct negotiation with the buyer for a settlement may be less costly than if the dispute goes through PayPal and/or credit card where a refund is forced and you may get a $20 chargeback fee.

Take a non-emotional business approach to whichever route you take.

[Whac-A-Mole · Accepted solution]

Paypal robot tackles item not received/item not as described first,so ifyou lose ,you would need to appeal/

also PAypal would ask him to return the hinge,he may not want to incur the cost of returning.

try to work something out with him before he approaches his cc issuer.,if he wins,he could keep the item and get his money back.

(in a chargeback,Paypal used to do a better job fighting for us,now it just take it on the chin ,since it is not their loss)

[blueal1976]

Thank you again.  I actually offered the buyer a 50% refund right off the bat and agreeed to accept the non-damaged hinge but he refused.  

So what would keep a buyer from buying an item, damaging it (whether it is actually damaged or not), and refuse to return it unless they receive a full refund?  If they file a complaint they will get a full refund of the purchase price, shipping & they get to keep the item?  As long as they only play this game every once in awhile they can do quite well....