Challenging Buyers

[cb3]

With all of the new ebay rules that favor the buyer, do you ever challenge a buyer when they email you with an issue with an item they won from you. Like if they think it's not in as good of condition as you stated or the shipping took too long. Do you just give in to their demands or do you challenge them if you think they are wrong? because it seems that if they don't like what you say they can just file a case and then leave negative feedback.

[forummember]

Not worth the hassle. eBay always sides with the buyers.

[GreenBean]

HeeHee! The challenge is not to take on the buyer to refute their claim. The challenge is to resolve their (imaginary) problem and come out OK.
If you take a loss, then so be it. That's business.

[needhelpplease]

When buyers try and email you with.....it is not as good as you say or whatever....ALWAYS just say "I apologize for any confusion you may have had, please return the item and I will issue a refund as soon as it is received". When buyers try and complain about an item and dont show complete hatred and express that they want to return then they are just looking to get some money back from you more than likely....they still want to keep the item....just want to see if you will give them some money back......always offer a refund upon return since if they wanted to that is what they would get anyway through ebay/paypal....and more than likely they wont return it and there wont be room for them to email you back with...ok well I will be happy with.....etc. Stay on top of the game!

And remember....there are alot of buyers who make a habit of doing this NOW since all of the rules ebay put in place allows them to do that....they wont go to paypal or ebay because you can only do that so many times before THEY would get put in the spotlight and they want to keep milking so just keep that in mind and dont give them room to do it to you.

[pod]

As long as buyer is not asking for something absurd like half the money back or a free item, just take the lumps as politely as you can. Smile and take the return and do a refund. You can always sell item again.

If you try and fight you will likely lose. And may even end up with no money and no item back. Plus a negative feedback. There is no advantage to fighting back. Forget right or wrong, no such animal in the eBay universe. Better to lose some shipping fees than a bunch of sales because you stood your ground....

[DogFacedBoy]

I went around and around with a buyer on Amazon who said that I had a misleading description. He couldn't get it through his thick skull that I didn't write the description, but that sort of thing is all pre-filled out.

He finally got it and was man enough to offer an apology

[jeffweico]

Originally Posted by pod

Forget right or wrong, no such animal in the eBay universe. Better to lose some shipping fees than a bunch of sales because you stood your ground....

EXACTLY! The key is to not take it personally. Pod is absolutely right. From a business perspective, you always want to whatever is best financially. And losing a lot of sales to attempt to refuse a refund just doesn't make sense.

I use the word attempt, as we are talking about eBay - so the buyers will have their way with you regardless.

[pod]

Originally Posted by jeffweico

The key is to not take it personally.

you always want to whatever is best financially.

What he said. Its really hard sometimes not to get chocked, especially when some buyers are so clueless [translate: idiots] But money is why we do this. Long term money. Think of it as a minor unexpected fee.

[GreenBean]

Originally Posted by pod

What he said. Its really hard sometimes not to get chocked, especially when some buyers are so clueless [translate: idiots] But money is why we do this. Long term money. Think of it as a minor unexpected fee.

It means adjusting a business plan to allow for charge backs etc. A certain % of funds has to be available to be taken by dis-satisfied buyers. An expected profit margin needs to be honed over a trading year.