Another eBay buying issue

[FreeLitres]

I bought an item on eBay that was listed as new. It is a box of loft stilts used to raise the loft floor and install extra insulation which cost about £25.

They arrived and they have clearly been used, as there are messy drill holes in ALL of the bases of these stilts. Furthermore, the box seals had already been opened and they were only stuck down with one new piece of brown tape.

I requested a refund and the seller claims he bought them as brand new from a retailer and had them in storage for 5 years. He offered a £10 partial refund. He said he can offer a full refund but I will have to post them back to him. He warned that the postage cost him £15.

I feel rather annoyed that I might have to spend £15 to get back to me starting position.

How would eBay view this? How would you play it?

[FreeLitres]

I bought them at the usual retail price, perhaps a couple of pounds below. They were listed as new though.

The stilts are designed to have 4 secure ancor points on each base, but 2 of the designated srew areas on each stilt have been drilled out which would make the stilt less stable than they should be. Installing them is a tricky job due to the confined space so I don't want to have to re do the whole thing if they are too wobbly.

I feel the seller is tryhing to mug me off as he MUST have known these were used (probably by himself)

So I have to pay to send these back - £15 down and no loft stilts?

[FreeLitres]

catman said:

I think that if the items weren't as described, you can claim the cost of returning them. It's different if you just change your mind about the purchase.

Tim

Would the seller be required to pay for the return postage even if they are a private individual rather than a retailer? I'm trying to figure out how they can do this without access to pre=paid labels, etc.

I've opened a dispute but I wanted to guage what is a reasonable outcome by asking on here. I'll feel annoyed if 'm out of pocket to this chancer.

[FreeLitres]

PieSlayer said:

Sounds like you need to raise a item not as described dispute...

I haven't had an issue like this before. Can anyone help with the process on eBay?

The current situation is that I have initiated a "return" with the reason "Doesn't work ir is defective" which was the closest description from the drop-down.

I have just googled "not as described case eBay" and it says to go to the resolution centre to open a case.

Now that I have a return process running, do I need to step this up to a not as described case? Do I cancel the return then open a dispute?

ETA: I just went through the motions using the eBay resolution centre, followed the "not as described" link, selected my item and it said that a return has already been initiated. Do I just sit on this current situation? When do eBay get involved?

Edited by FreeLitres on Sunday 30th April 20:24

[FreeLitres]

elanfan said:

Sellers are required to describe what they sell warts and all. If they don't then its misdescribed and the seller is responsible for the return. Open a case get a full refund and if the seller wants them back he has to pay you. If he doesn't I guess you get to keep them.

Thanks.

The only outcomes I would be happy with are;

1) Seller gives full refund and does't ask for them back
2) Seller gives full refund and extra money to cover the full postage back

The seller seems a little tricky so I might need eBay help, hence asking about the correct process for this. I guess I just stick with the current process and bat away a couple more partial refunds that this guy will probably offer?

[FreeLitres]

Thanks for the tips.

I have already ordered the replacement item from a different seller as I feel this case may take a while.

Interested to see how things turn out

[FreeLitres]

I got another message from this seller asking why I haven't acceted his partial refund of £10 and that I should pay to post them back to him if I want a full refund.

Is this proposed response to him acceptible?

"The photos show that the items were clearly used/drilled and not new. The item is therefore not as described and I would like a full refund. If you would like the item posted back to you, then please provide the additional money for posting the item back to you. I do not want to be out of pocket through recieving defective/used goods. If you are not happy with this arrangement, I am happy for eBay to step in to help settle the dispute."

Would eBay definately take my side?

[FreeLitres]

Yes, paid with PayPal.

I would like to escalate it but I cant see how. In the dispute page, it says I can ask eBay to step in to help resolve it on Sunday 7th, so that is my plan if the seller hasn't provided the full refund by then.

Is there any way to escalate it before Sunday?

[FreeLitres]

That would be annoying, especially as eBay lead me down the route of doing a return when I was searching for not as described.

Wouldn't eBay judge each case on it's own merits regardless of which category the buyer selected to raise the case?

[FreeLitres]

Thanks Guys. Still waiting for the seller's next move.

It's not so much the money (£25 isn't the end of the world) it's the fact that my project timescale was important as this project will give me a usable spare bedroom which is currently used for storage. I've actually had to turn away guests that were due to stay over with us as the spare room is still full of boxes. Plus the fact that the seller deliberatly sent me a duff (scrap) item in the hope that I would accept it or accept a partial refund really cheesed me off. Perhaps this excercise will make him think twice about ripping someone else off my sending badly described items.

[FreeLitres]

UPDATE - The seller went quiet and on Sunday I could ask eBay to step in to help.

They reviewd the case and awarded it in my favour and sent a pre paid postage label. I just dropped the package off at the Post Office. I will get a refund when the tracking shows the item has been delivered.

I'm still not 100% sure who will end up paying for the return postage. eBay didn't make it clear one way or the other. Will the seller definately get charged if eBay provided me with the prepaid label?

Edited by FreeLitres on Monday 8th May 18:28

[FreeLitres]

So, eBay ruled in my favour and I get my full refund when the tracking information shows that the item has been returned to the seller.

I posted the item a few days ago using the pre-paid label and I have been following the tracking information with interest.

Delivery at the sellers house was attempted today, but there was no answer.

I know most people are out of the house during the day, but what if the seller wanted to be an a-hole and never be in to recieve it or collect it from a depot? What would happen then regarding my refund?