Buyer wants to return but refuses to send to different address

franklucas · #1 08-23-2014

I have a case opened on eBay for a $200 cell phone return. He said he couldn't activate the phone and wants a refund. My auction says "no returns" but he still opened a case.

I emailed the guy outside of ebay with my personal address. He wrote back:

"I do not trust you because you're asking me to send the cell phone to a different address I want my money back and I want to make sure that I get back the money in my account and I will send back the cell phone"

What do I do?

BigCJ · #2 08-23-2014

Find a way to gain access to the address.
This is why it is recommended to have access to it.

Pay for the buyers return shipping label and tell them that you are sending it back to your 'warehouse returns' address.

GoteBay · #3 08-23-2014

Send the buyer a prepaid shipping label and ask them to drop it off.

I think this buyer wants to rip you off. Be careful dealing with such people.

I would not sell expensive items from a stealth address I cannot access.

GreenBean · #4 08-23-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by franklucas

What do I do?

next time NEVER send messages outside of ebay.

You are feeding distrust.

Buyer has issues and wants to return?

Then go back to them with the suggestions given by both BigCJ & GotEbay.

Supply a self addressed label for your warehouse.

Be professional and courteous.

Make sure you 'watch' this buyer & their conduct.

When all is resolved BLOCK from future sales.

Good Luck

joesshooze · #5 08-24-2014

Good advice from everybody but I have lost product because of stealth. Just the cost of doing business. Also seems like the jerks are more prevalent in the summer months.

pr0wake · #6 08-24-2014

use stamps.com to print your labels with your return address. It will prevent all of this from happening, plus you can use the same stamps.com account for all your stealth accounts.

Just upload tracking to paypal

good luck

franklucas · #7 08-24-2014

Just got this email I'm screwed

As part of our efforts to keep eBay a safe and enjoyable place to buy and sell, we ask members to verify their contact information and provide us with more information about the items being sold. These actions are not a reflection of your account’s activity, but rather a preventative measure.

We ask that you please upload the following information:

- A copy of the front and back of your driver's license or other government-issued ID. Please include a copy of a recent credit card statement, bank statement or utility bill if this ID does not reflect the address that is registered on your eBay account. We encourage you to black out any account numbers on this document for your security.

To submit the requested documents quickly, please click on the following link and follow the steps below:

BigCJ · #8 08-24-2014

The buyer contacted ebay about the outside email request as well as the address.

Dang. Best to try and save it at this point.

franklucas · #9 08-24-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigCJ

The buyer contacted ebay about the outside email request as well as the address.

Dang. Best to try and save it at this point.

Problem is he still has the phone and Paypal took the $200 from my account.

Dmshark25 · #10 08-24-2014

Yea that's a tough situation ur in, and hard to get out of at this point

pokerpro · #11 08-24-2014

I have found that if I refund the money to the buyer first, they don't really care where I ask them to send the item back...However, if you ask them to send back to a different address BEFORE they have their money, they get real "hinkey"......this has worked for me the 5 or 6 times I've had to deal with it.

**SaiJin** · #12 08-24-2014

Poker, you made a good point there.

But in general asking them to return to a different address than on file is still rather risky as there are people who are paranoid and they'd even take the time to contact eBay and be the "goody goody" and tell them .

Is there a way perhaps to just post a forward address and let the buyer return it to that address? OR even go to the post office and ask them for a vacation hold for that address?

I think this will work

pokerpro · #13 08-24-2014

It is a risk, but it has proven to be a minimal risk, when they get the refund FIRST. Also, you can put in a forwarding change of address for the stealth name and address to your real address thru the post office...ebay will never know about that.

nodeal · #14 08-25-2014

if i am really nice, polite, professional, and provide a prepaid postage label, the buyer has never complained about returning to a different address.

OP, why did you choose to contact him outside of ebay? Were you taking a precaution as not wanting to have your real address recorded on ebay messages?

GreenBean · #15 08-25-2014

Surely the best way is to have everything in order for refunds before doing sales?

If the address differs ( for whatever reason) cover your back with the shipping label at the ready.

Forget having a no refunds policy, ebay will disregard that.

Never forget to contact buyers by phone either.

Look over posts by TGMT². He has had success in reaching out to difficult buyers.

Be proactive

glacier922 · #16 08-25-2014

I usually ask the buyer to return the item on the return address on the envelope through ebay's messaging system. The envelope, of course has my accessible address taped over it. If they say they lost the envelope, I usually send them a message, saying the instructions have been sent to your paypal address. And apologize for the inconvenience. I've only lost like 1 item doing this because the customer was such a jack ass. But when you ask them to return to your return address on the envelope, it's not like you revealed your address thru the messaging system.

vogeltron · #17 08-25-2014

This is why I have Mail Box under a biz name. I print all labels off eBay. I black out the stealth addy and tape over the one with the Biz Name and Mail Box. I just tell people they handle all returns and shipping in the rare case I have a return. That way nothing seems strange.

franklucas · #18 08-25-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by nodeal

OP, why did you choose to contact him outside of ebay? Were you taking a precaution as not wanting to have your real address recorded on ebay messages?

Yes didn't want to show eBay my real address, so I emailed him thru his Paypal email.

I guess I can set up a USPS forwarding with the stealth name and address to forward to my real address. I just have to rely on USPS at that point.

I'll try calling him tomorrow and explain it's a "Warehouse Return" address and I
will email him a pre-paid label.

At this point I just want my refund, then I'm going to abandon ship

franklucas · #19 08-25-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokerpro

I have found that if I refund the money to the buyer first, they don't really care where I ask them to send the item back...However, if you ask them to send back to a different address BEFORE they have their money, they get real "hinkey"......this has worked for me the 5 or 6 times I've had to deal with it.

At this point Paypal already put the $200 on hold so I'm in the red anyway. I suppose refunding him first still puts me at -200 but I have no protection if he doesn't return it back.

rsot · #20 08-25-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by franklucas

I'll try calling him tomorrow and explain it's a "Warehouse Return" address and I
will email him a pre-paid label.

This should work fine in general - I have done this

miketyson · #21 08-25-2014

Funny how many buyers try to find loop holes in the ebay system. I wonder where they get this type of behavior from

fox20c · #22 08-26-2014

OP I had this happen to me. It might be too late at this point, nut what I did is II told them that I had moved and had a new address. No one gave many any problems over this cause it seems natural enough. But in your case he sounds like a tough nut. Might have to just refund and eat it. Or refund and then ask politely to then return the item.