Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Paypal Dispute Process - Seller Protection = Paypal Protection ONLY

I put an HP Omen Laptop onto eBay for sale back in January. I put if there for $550.00 which is 40% less than it should be sold for because the keyboard backlight went bad. The laptop sold for $580.00 so I'm happy right? The buyer emails me how happy he is and that he is from China.... I knew right away this could end up badly.

He paid instantly so my hopes were high, I find out he has a forwarding company so I ask for their contact info. I call them, only get voicemail so I try a few times and no call back plus UPS was unsure of their address. I emailed the buyer that UPS will ship there but that the company does not reply to calls or emails.

His reply, I use those guys all the time, so please ship it. I ensured the laptop for the full amount paid, boxed it up better than HP did and shipped it. He finally receives it in China and the next day files a Paypal dispute for "Item not as described" and says the hinge is damaged, internal screws are damaged (which means HE took it apart!!) to which I add all the pictures showing it running diagnostics and passing, I also have internal pictures as well (he still doesn't know this part).

I add the pictures to the dispute center, I call Paypal, the person agrees he must have taken it apart, and this morning I get this message.

How in bloody hell does he win this case? Well, a simple call to Paypal answered that very quickly, after being on hold for 15 minutes. They found for him because "he might file a claim with his credit card company, so they always find for the buyer", this is to protect the seller.... let that sink in. 

My response is, why even have a dispute process if the seller loses every single time?? This buyer took the laptop apart, clearly screwed it up, provided no emails, never responded to dispute queries for evidence, no pictures offering proof of his claim, he didn't even respond to the last request for info and he wins the case by default because you're afraid he will file a claim with his credit card bank and you call this "Seller Protection?!?"

Indeed, when I receive the laptop back (keep in mind I have to accept, even if it gets damaged in shipping!!) "if it isn't the same as I sold it" I can file a counter claim, or if he doesn't ship it on time. He has 10 days in which to ship it, then he has until the end of March for it to arrive here and then I have I don't know how long to make a determination because that isn't something they divulge yet. 

I ask how many times the seller wins a counter claim, their response "I don't have that info" this laptop has been taken apart by the buyer, he now claims the display doesn't work which means I sold a mint condition laptop where everything but the keyboard light and looked perfect and it will now be up to me to prove it not only worked perfectly when I shipped it but that he messed it up.... 

I have a credit account with Paypal, I have used them since they started business, this is the 2nd time somebody outside the US was able to get around the rules and buy something from me, it's also the second time I received a dispute. I'm closing my Paypal account as soon as this is resolved and also closing my eBay account. You can't leave negative feedback on buyers anymore because "fairness" and the buyer wins by default no matter how wrong they are so why use a rigged system?

Sold As Is and no returns means nothing because Paypal makes it so. The only way to respond is to take them out of the equation, both parties should be protected and in this, only Paypal is.


Here is the mint condition laptop...... who knows what it will look like when I get it back.