SELLERS IMPORTANT

[rhc1221]

I sold an item that was exactly as described. The buyer looked at a stock photo rather than looking at the description and listing. It was a brand new item. Buyer complained and demanded a return because of his error. Normally I would've been happy to help but he was being very abrasive and calling me a liar etc. It was his mistake not mine. He left negative feedback and I couldn't get it removed until the case was solved. He escalated the issue to customer service. When I was notified, I contacted customer service and the rep told me that I did in fact describe the item accurately and the buyer was at fault for abusing the buyer protection policy. She then told me to send the buyer an email stating that if he doesn't withdraw his claim that he would lose his eBay privileges. I have all of this on the transcript of the conversation between me and the rep. Well, I did what they said and I was told after 48 hours I would be permitted to request the feedback be removed since it was not accurate at all. Well, after 48 hours, I get another email from eBay, but this time it says they granted the buyer a return and I would have to pay for the items to be shipped back to me. THIS IS A HUGE CROCK and last month I sold over $13,000 worth of items on eBay and they are getting their 10% from me and I am now going to close my account. This is not a sellers site at all. I had a buyer bid on an item and just didn't pay but I couldn't leave any negative feedback or do anything except relist it. Yet I sell an item and describe it perfectly and I get negative feedback and get to pay to have a person who cussed me up and down for his mistake to ship it back to me. EBay can go to hell as far as I am concerned. Just wanted to let you know who you are dealing with! I have been a member of eBay since 1999 (25 years) and they want to pull this. Its beyond ridiculous!

[crazystuff4sale]

Sounds like you got some terrible advice from customer service.

They should have directed you to the return policy and procedure here:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115

The policy is pretty similar at all the online marketplaces I ever used as a buyer or seller.

[albertabrightalberta]

@rhc1221 

This has to be some of the worst advice I've read that CS has given.

The buyer will NOT lose his ebay privileges and you should NEVER threaten a buyer. 

Of course the buyer should have been able to return it! And he gets to return it at your expense. Plus, you now have a huge defect on your account for not handling the claim appropriately. 

The pictures are ALL stock images. There wasn't a single picture of the actual item. (Personally, I hate it when sellers use stock photos because I have no idea what the seller is actually selling.) If you're going to use a stock image, it shouldn't be the main picture. You need to make the effort to do the work involved so buyers can see what they're buying. 

Also, your response to the buyer's feedback reflects terribly on you, not the buyer. YOU made a mistake yet you blame the buyer. 

[annadryl]

Why did you use a pic of a different club? I doubt the CS rep even looked at your listing.

[rhc1221]

Haha! I sold 20 items that same week, all brand new still in the plastic. All were stock photos because several items were still in the original manufacturers box and packaged. That is the reason I used stock photos. Yet of the 20 items, one person had an issue and I wouldn't have had an issue if I would've received an email stating that he didn't look at the description and he'd like to return it or exchange it. BUT instead I get an email from the buyer calling me a liar and purposely misleading etc. and he left negative feedback before contacting me. YET you say I am the one with the issue???  I did nothing wrong. Should I have used actual photos? Possibly but there are 1000's of listings that use stock photos. I hate stock photos when people are selling used products because I like to see the actual condition. But if an item is brand new in the manufcturers original packaging, to me it didn't make much sense to take every item out of the packaging taking a picture of an item in plastic so they couldn't see it anyway just so they could see the actual item.

Regardless, you have your opinion which is fine however the rep told me in writing and then mysteriously two days later I get a notice on a return. No matter what you or anyone thinks, I will disagree that it was MY fault that he didn't read the description. Apparently the other 19 read the description because none of them had any issue especially because you have no idea which shaft is in a golf club unless you look at the description. It isn't in the picture. 

[ebooksdiva]

First, the CS rep gave you bad advice.

They will also tell you anything you want to hear to get you off the phone. 

When a buyer opens a NAD return, a seller has 2 options.

1. accept the return, issue a return label, receive the item back and refund.

2. refund the buyer without requiring the buyer to return the item.

When either you or the buyer gets eBay involved, they will always find in favor of the buyer, they will refund the buyer from the sellers funds AND allow the buyer to keep the item plus the seller gets a defect for cases closed without a seller resolution in your seller dashboard. Any feedback the buyer has given the seller remains as well. 
If you would have read how Money Back Guarantee works you wouldn't be upset over this....it's just business. 

As for the nonpaying buyer, I hope you cancelled after 4 days with reason" buyer didn't pay". Doing that you recover fees from the nonpayment sale plus the buyer gets an unpaid item strike against their account. 2 unpaid item strikes within 12 months gets that buyer blocked from bidding and buying from countless listings. 

Since you've  been a member for 19 years then you should know, sellers have not been able to give buyers negative feedback since 2008.

I read policies on returns and refunds, cancelling orders and other eBay policies, so I am well informed on how eBay works. All that information is at your fingertips by clicking Help & Contact type in anything you want to know. 
But you're leaving eBay so its all moot. 

[rhc1221]

The rep did pull up my listing. The picture was the picture off of the manufacturer's website. It is the EXACT model of golf club. For instance if you go to Titleist website and click on drivers, you can click on a TSR1, TSR2, TSR3 or TSR4. Each club is a different model but each club may be offered with 50 different shafts, 75 different grips and in 3-4 different lofts. But the picture is of the model that you chose. The stock picture I used is the picture off of their website which showed the exact model. I could understand if they thought they were purchasing a TSR1 and instead got a TSR2 which is completely different. But if you want to know the shaft, grip and loft, you check the description which gives all of the details of the club. You can't show all of the options in the pictures and when you're listing several of same product, you just clone the listing and alter the details in the listing and description so people looking know what they are purchasing. 

[crazystuff4sale]

The picture shows 4/22. Text says 5/36.

That conflicting info  leads to problems.

So now one customer wants to return an item. 

When you make a mistake you need to handle it.

[albertabrightalberta]

One of the best pieces of advice I received when I first started selling in 2001 was to photograph my items as if there is no description and describe my items as if there are no pictures. 

You did neither in your listing. 

---

@rhc1221 wrote:

You can't show all of the options in the pictures and when you're listing several of same product, you just clone the listing and alter the details in the listing and description so people looking know what they are purchasing. 

---

I do get that you don't want to start every listing from scratch.

I sell items that are similar or same category of items and when I list, I always click on "sell similar." (I can't recall the last time I started a listing from scratch but it's probably been 2 decades.)

That way, all I have to do is upload pictures of the actual item and with the formatting of the description already there, I just change it for the item being listed. But every listing has actual pictures of the item so my buyers can see exactly what they'll receive. 

If you do that, you'll won't be accused of showing a stock photo that isn't exactly the same as the item you're selling.

[toysaver]

The picture is the most important part of the description.  A picture is worth 1,000 words.  

[terrycece62]

I find it both amusing and sad that you defend your use of stock images in your listings.

  Buyers are interested in the pictures and depend on the pictures to display any flaws (if any) and item details using stock items all items regardless of item condition is a bad and frankly lazy practice as a seller.

Just take a picture or only sell new/unused items if you insist on using the stock images.

[vintagecraze50]

Really the best thing to do when a buyer leaves a neg is to reply to that neg with the facts. In your case look at the verbiage the buyer left and then say something about the NEW item sent to buyer and that it was just as described new packaging etc. Buyers know that sellers are going to get inaccurate feedback from some customers on here from time to time. Anytime a buyer requests a return for whatever reason it is always best to allow that. Move on to your next GOOD CUSTOMER, and forget about that one with a block.

[vintagecraze50]

The reps are going to agree with you to keep you calm and cool AND SYMPATHIZE WITH YOUR PLIGHT. The outcome of refusing a return is ALWAYS ALWAYS BAD on here. DO NOT play that game on here. Refund the customer after they return the item.

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

Putting everything else aside ... I know absolutely nothing about golf clubs but if 526 is important info why didn't you include it in the title too? Title is something *pretty much* every buyer reads ... few buyers read descriptions ... Also, more importantly, why did you use stock images of a 422 instead of 526? Couldn't you have just used a stock image of a 526?

I don't see any problem with using stock photos, especially in this case, but I do see a problem with using inaccurate stock photos (a 422 instead of a 526) ... Seems like your mistake, twice over. Unfortunately we can't trust or expect buyers to read descriptions...

Note: I buy to resell and I bid on easily 250-300+ auctions per week (only win a dozen or so) ... and I read VERY VERY few descriptions. When I create my listings, I do my best to make sure pics and title are really all a buyer need -- description is just additional confirmation of what a buyer should already have figured out looking at pics and reading title, b/c buyer is unlikely to read a description anyway so can't put any critical info in there.

[slati_2013]

When I start a listing and eBay tries to put in a stock picture, I immediately delete it. It does not matter if the item I am selling is new. I will take pictures of the item still. The picture and the description must match. One can't be different. You will open yourself up to a return. People want to see exactly the item they are getting. 

When a buyer asks to a return an item, I try to figure out why and once the buyer has made clear why they do not want the item, I agree to the return. There are a few circumstances why you can deny a return and prevail, but generally when a buyer says they want to return an item, agree to the return and send them a label to return the item. Any other approach is asking for a nightmare. 

Stock photos and AI are a big no-no with me.