Is it normal for Paypal to ask for a police report?

[Frustratedbuye1]

I made a purchase through alibaba for a bulk amount of cheer bows.   I clearly asked for the correct colours and for alligator clips to be added to the bows.   I asked the seller for a price including postage to Australia and also to ensure I covered myself I told them that I would be paying through paypal.  They gave me a price and added the paypal fee which I paid promptly.   The bows arrived (I was nervous because it was a new seller that I was using) but they did not have clips attached.  They are basically unwearable.  So I have paid another person to add alligator clips to my order.   It cost me well over $50USD but i put in my claim for $50.   Paypal are saying I need to go to a police station and report the fraud.  Our police department basicazally laughed and said that is definitely  NOT something that they do.  
Why is  it so hard to ask Paypal to step in and give me a refund for goods that arrived and were missing items?  I thought this is what we used paypal for?  I would have been better off paying by credit card and my bank would have covered me.   Is this normal?

[kernowlass]

@Frustratedbuye1 

Paypal normally cover you for items received but significantly not as described.

However as you ordered bows and received bows then that may not be  'significant' enough to be covered.

Also if paypal find in your favour the only option they give you is to send everything back to the seller (at your expense trackable to prove delivery) before you get a full refund. The dispute part of the claim is for you to try and sort things with the seller and get part refunds etc, once escalated you would have to send everything back which of course you now can't do.

[Frustratedbuye1]

Thank you for your reply. I just assumed there was more buyer protection paying through PayPal but it sounds like it’s not the case. Yes, I can’t send back the bows now that I’ve had to pay someone to add clips to them. Looks like I’ve learned my lesson. I stopped using PayPal as a seller for my small business but I’ll also stop as a buyer now too.

[kernowlass]

@Frustratedbuye1 

As paypals customers are both buyers and sellers then they can't give 100% to both parties

The idea is that you read up on both policies so you can risk assess your transactions, even credit cards don't give you 100% cover.

If you had read it then you would have known you have to return the item before getting a refund if you couldn't work it out with the seller.

Personally I don't use Paypal for international sales due to the cost of any return.