If I sell a new, sealed item, and the buyer finds a defect inside, what happens?
Summary: ricksales77 starts a discussion about the procedure to follow if an item sold as new and sealed has a defect. heavenwelkin, marioelegio, nortonmv, and daxsisko take part in the conversation, but no specific details are provided about the responses or solutions proposed.
Am I protected by ebay in the event that a buyer says they found a defect or damage, once they’ve opened the package and removed the cellophane?
I’m asking because the photos and descriptions of my items for sale are always accurate; if the product has been opened or has a defect, I specifically note it in the listing. But I sell several items that are still sealed, so if there’s damage inside I have no way of knowing (nor, obviously, do I have any way of knowing whether the damage really existed at the time of opening...)
Do I have the right to refuse a return and/or a refund?
daxsisko
·1 year agoin the case of an item not as described, the buyer can, regardless of what the seller wrote in the listing, open a dispute...... anyone who is familiar with Ebay (as the previous poster said) knows how it usually ends up in the majority of cases......
in these cases you often have to assess which is the lesser loss: either take the item back, or let it go, refund and leave the item to the buyer (obviously the assessment is subjective..... and also tied to the item's value)
nortonmv
·1 year agoI’d say no
according to eBay’s rules, it’s not possible to refuse a return or a refund, as also indicated by the other community users
heavenwelkin
·1 year agoGood evening ricksales77
It doesn't matter if the item is sealed; if the buyer opens it and believes there are defects and that it is not as described, and opens a dispute with you for item not as described, the seller must provide a return label at their own expense and take the item back.
You cannot refuse a return for an item not as described, therefore you cannot refuse to issue a refund.
Best regards
ricksales77
OP1 year agosorry, how can the item be non-compliant? I sold a sealed item, described and photographed as such. The buyer confirmed that he opened it (so it arrived exactly as in the listing, and he removed it from the cellophane himself) but inside the book there was a torn page.
Something that was not due to me and above all was in no way foreseeable, so as to declare it in the listing.
marioelegio
·1 year agoUnder European laws, the seller is always responsible for what they sell. Then they can possibly seek recourse against their supplier.
hi
mario
heavenwelkin
·1 year agoI'm sorry, but I don't make the rules on eBay.
If you've sold 228 items without ever having dealt with this kind of problem, consider yourself lucky.
For a long time now, in distance selling the seller has been responsible for the buyer's satisfaction.
Anyway, try contacting the buyer and ask if they'd be happy with a partial refund.
Best regards