How do you handle.....?

[jimjum12]

The transaction isn't completed until the terms have been honored (i.e. the return period expired or declined). GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[BarryAllen]

I understand your point, but I still don't see it as unethical. Again, it is bad business practice and depending on where you sold it, you have varying levels of responsibility.

 

For instance, you have 60 days to file a claim on PayPal. Are you saying that you hold the cash from a deal on the boards for 2 months every time?

 

What if you stated in your thread "no returns" or "returns within 2 weeks?" PayPal gives 60 days, so at what point do you draw the line?

[Spider-Dan]

Here's an example

 

- Buyer agrees to buy book and pays the same day

 

- Book is shipped

 

- Buyer receives book and contacts Seller to let them know the would like a refund. Seller agrees but says could be a delay as Seller already spent the money

 

- Book is shipped back

 

- Seller receives book in same condition

 

- 7 days later Buyer is still waiting for refund (10 days total after notifying seller)

 

 

That should not happen.

 

Ever.

 

Thanks for the input. I think most would agree that this really is the best answer

 

How often does a seller post items for sale, while mentioning he needs to sell them because he needs money for a grail, or to fix his transmission. Most sellers here, and even on eBay, are not pros or businesses and may very well spend the money as soon as it was received. Stuff happens. Not everyone has money laying around.

They should, but the sad fact is many people spend money as soon as they get it, and may not have the cash in hand to issue an immediate refund.

 

I understand some people sell because they may need the money quickly for personal reasons. Maybe the Seller should try and sell to someone local and in person where no delay would arise. Or maybe the Seller should not offer a refund if those are the circumstances

 

I understand your point, but I still don't see it as unethical. Again, it is bad business practice and depending on where you sold it, you have varying levels of responsibility.

 

For instance, you have 60 days to file a claim on PayPal. Are you saying that you hold the cash from a deal on the boards for 2 months every time?

 

In the example given Buyer notified Seller 8 days after sending payment. The same day book was received

 

 

 

[jimjum12]

I go by my terms.....2 weeks. After that the refund will have to be delayed, depending on the size of it. If I don't have the amount on hand, then I instruct the buyer to return the book when I can uphold my end..... even though it is technically no longer my responsibility. A two month return window, in my opinion, is preposterous and unrealistic. But that's me. If I were to spend the money before 2 weeks, I would feel that I had not adhered to the terms. Luckily, I don't get too many returns..... but I accept them with no hassle. Personally, I would love to go back to the days of checks and M.O.'s..... the PP fees are not cheap, and their ever changing policies are a pain..... but, man, are they convenient. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

....maybe "ethics" is the wrong term.... buy if I guarantee a refund within a specific timeframe and I spend the money before it has elapsed, I certainly don't feel that is ethical. But that's me.

[BarryAllen]

I go by my terms.....2 weeks. After that the refund will have to be delayed, depending on the size of it. If I don't have the amount on hand, then I instruct the buyer to return the book when I can uphold my end..... even though it is technically no longer my responsibility. A two month return window, in my opinion, is preposterous and unrealistic. But that's me. If I were to spend the money before 2 weeks, I would feel that I had not adhered to the terms. Luckily, I don't get too many returns..... but I accept them with no hassle. Personally, I would love to go back to the days of checks and M.O.'s..... the PP fees are not cheap, and their ever changing policies are a pain..... but, man, are they convenient. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

....maybe "ethics" is the wrong term.... buy if I guarantee a refund within a specific timeframe and I spend the money before it has elapsed, I certainly don't feel that is ethical. But that's me.

 

Either way we are in agreement on proper business practices.

[jimjum12]

(thumbs u

[wombat]

If you guarantee a refund then you should be prepared to honor that guarantee immediately. I think that would just be what 99.9% of people expect. Otherwise you should list it on your selling terms that refunds might be delayed.

[ttfitz]

I go by my terms.....2 weeks. After that the refund will have to be delayed, depending on the size of it. If I don't have the amount on hand, then I instruct the buyer to return the book when I can uphold my end..... even though it is technically no longer my responsibility. A two month return window, in my opinion, is preposterous and unrealistic. But that's me. If I were to spend the money before 2 weeks, I would feel that I had not adhered to the terms. Luckily, I don't get too many returns..... but I accept them with no hassle. Personally, I would love to go back to the days of checks and M.O.'s..... the PP fees are not cheap, and their ever changing policies are a pain..... but, man, are they convenient. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

....maybe "ethics" is the wrong term.... buy if I guarantee a refund within a specific timeframe and I spend the money before it has elapsed, I certainly don't feel that is ethical. But that's me.

 

I think that part is key - if you are taking a return and don't have the money, don't say "send it back and I'll give you a refund", say "If you want a refund, you'll need to send it back, but I've already spent the money, so I won't have it until X, you can wait to send it back then if you want."

[jimjum12]

If you guarantee a refund then you should be prepared to honor that guarantee immediately. I think that would just be what 99.9% of people expect. Otherwise you should list it on your selling terms that refunds might be delayed.

 

...yeah, what's happening to Dan is totally uncool. The seller should sell something that they'd rather not, if need be, to cover it.....my rep would be worth that. GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[RockMyAmadeus]

Everyone needs to keep in mind that eBay/Paypal (whatever iteration you're using) and their policies are geared towards companies selling widgets. They neither understand, nor care about, the collectibles markets, and so when they say "you can file a claim within 60/180 days!" or "extended returns! Buy in November, return by the end of January!", they work from the position that everyone is selling widgets, and they have 10,000 identical widgets just like it in stock, and the customer can try out the widget, and if it doesn't suit their needs, return it.

 

That, obviously, is not how the collectibles market works at all.

 

So, be prepared for that. That is the mentality you're up against. If you can avoid eBay/Paypal as a seller, do it. The only upside is eyeballs and convenience. The downside is far riskier.

[jimjum12]

Everyone needs to keep in mind that eBay/Paypal (whatever iteration you're using) and their policies are geared towards companies selling widgets. They neither understand, nor care about, the collectibles markets, and so when they say "you can file a claim within 60/180 days!" or "extended returns! Buy in November, return by the end of January!", they work from the position that everyone is selling widgets, and they have 10,000 identical widgets just like it in stock, and the customer can try out the widget, and if it doesn't suit their needs, return it.

 

That, obviously, is not how the collectibles market works at all.

 

So, be prepared for that. That is the mentality you're up against. If you can avoid eBay/Paypal as a seller, do it. The only upside is eyeballs and convenience. The downside is far riskier.

 

.... did you mean "downside" or "downstroke" ? GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

 

...seriously, the widget aspect is spot on..... many of those type of items will not prove to be flawed until much later..... though one could argue about the turnaround aspect of slabbing.....

[Spider-Dan]

Here's an example

 

- Buyer agrees to buy book and pays the same day

 

- Book is shipped

 

- Buyer receives book and contacts Seller to let them know the would like a refund. Seller agrees but says could be a delay as Seller already spent the money

 

- Book is shipped back

 

- Seller receives book in same condition

 

- 7 days later Buyer is still waiting for refund (10 days total after notifying seller)

 

 

UPDATE..... day 10 and no refund.

 

Book was relisted and resold 3 days ago but original Buyer still waits.

 

PL worthy

[Artboy99]

I wait until I receive the book back before issuing a refund due to a nasty experience I had where the buyer sent me back a different book and claimed it was what i had sent them.

 

To be honest, I have not sold a single item on Ebay since that happened.

 

[jimbo_707]

As far as I can remember, nobody has ever asked me for a refund. If I decided to accept a return, it would have to be requested relatively quickly, say within seven days of receipt of the item. If the person had paid by check, I would wait at least 10 business days after depositing the check before I'd issue a refund, and I would call the bank to make sure the check had cleared. One well-known scam is that someone will pay for something with a bad check, ask for a refund right away, and then cash the seller's good refund check before that seller realizes that the initial check was no good.

[namisgr]

E-Bay policy: no returns accepted.

 

(I only sell slabs on the Bay).