Un-real Return

[rboilard]

and I was forced to eat it. Customer buys a Syslite online and returns it saying it doesn't work. There was nothing left of the unit. Bag, charger, LED internals, power supply, and back panel were all missing. Yet the 3rd party site chose to side with the buyer and refund him fully. I guess I don't get this online game. Live and learn I guess.

 

[Kev]

I'd love to see their justification for siding with the buyer - such a ripoff [mad]

 

[Wooden Skye]

First what a jerk for doing this and I don't get the justification for siding with the buyer. 

Maybe you could clarify for us.  Did he buy from your website?  Or through another site and you fulfill the orders?  The third party site involvement is what is confusing me.

On the next recon sale this will probably end up in the 95% off category [big grin].

 

[rboilard]

We have an Amazon store, Amazon sided with the buyer. The order itself was fulfilled by us and now refunded by us.

 

[jools]

Cheaper than using ekat for spare parts! [mad]. I have seen this at big box stores when returns are put back on the shop floor without proper inspection and things have been removed.  This has obviously been disassembled so why should you eat the loss? Bonkers

 

[rboilard]

I lose because the customer claims this is the condition I sent it in. I'm sure other more experienced online retailers have seen this type of thing before.

 

[mouppe]

That's disgraceful.

 

[HDClown]

I love online shopping as a buyer, but it's never favorable for the seller in situations like these.  It's practically impossible to get PayPal to side with the seller, no matter how much proof you provide that is clearly in the side of the seller.  There's a long and contentious history with PayPal in this regard.

I haven't read much about when you use Amazon as the marketplace as a seller in this regard, so not sure if this is the norm for them as well.

 

[rboilard]

Amazon, for the most part will side with the buyers. As far as online shoppers, I've found those that purchase Festool products are very good customers and know their stuff, never had any issues. This is my first real negative experience with a Festool customer that clearly purchased an item to rebuild another. Overall, Festool tool shoppers are quality customers.

 

[Sparktrician]

Some people's lack of honesty and ethical behavioral standards is just appalling. 

 

[Cheese]

At this rate, why didn't he just ship back an empty box? Wouldn't be that much worse off than you are now.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Yet the 3rd party site chose to side with the buyer and refund him fully. I guess I don't get this online game. Live and learn I guess.

You have been scammed, on purpose. Only way to call it. Sorry for your loss, that really sux.

Yes, sites like Amazon and PayPal always side with buyers because they know that's where their profit comes from in the end. They don't want to police their site/service nor do they care about justice. They just want to keep the money rolling and that's why they generally side with buyers to give them a sense of security.

Statistically speaking these things happen on a small scale, and they know a seller won't be put off by one bad transaction. But if a buyer had a single bad experience, the buyer might choose not to use the site again, and they can't have that.

 

[Wooden Skye]

I lose because the customer claims this is the condition I sent it in. I'm sure other more experienced online retailers have seen this type of thing before.

Keep his info.  If he ever orders from you again, take pictures before it ships so he can't make this same claim again. 

You should send him a CT sized box full of glitter, with a little note that says "congrats on your selection as worst customer of the year".

 

[Kev]

All a bit obvious when the clown didn't want to exchange it for a good one!

Hopefully karma will come into play.

 

[Stephen B]

[size=13pt]
Recently an apprentice carpenter brought in a bent Stanley Chisel to the Hardware/TimberYard. Claimed I should give him a new one as Stanley Chisels have a Lifetime Guarantee! Even admitted he had used it attempting to jemmy open a window. There were other signs of abuse as well.

I felt that the Guarentee did not cover such abuse.

I was overruled by the weekend manager.  [eek]

 

[richy3333]

That's outrageous. People like that shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. I feel your pain. I'd be seeing red!

 

[jaguar36]

Wow, that sucks.  Its ridiculous what some people will do.

I don't fault Amazon though, its also possible that a seller will be just as dishonest and ship an item with no internals to the customer. 

Pictures won't help either, as the seller could always just switch the item out after taking the pictures.  No real way to deal with this except to black-list the buyer.

 

[rboilard]

As a vendor on Amazon your back is against the wall for every sale you make. Most go through with out any issues. In this case I lost and am seeking to have this customer blocked from any future purchases. Amazon hopefully is working on that now.

 

[andvari]

Sad, but the fact is that everyone selling goods to the public is going to experience losses of this type. It doesn't matter if you have a walk-in store or some sort of online presence.

It hurts everyone because the people who do this for a living account for losses by increasing their prices to cover for it. People who sell an occasional item online don't do enough volume to cover a loss like this and have to foot the bill. And of course there are folks like me who have seen it happen and therefore don't offer items that represent more of a risk of fraud when sold online.

Buyers are also subject to being ripped off by unscrupulous sellers, and the people who operate these sites are more concerned about keeping buyers coming back so they tilt their policies to favor the buyer. Except with Alibaba which is rife with fraudulent sellers.

 

[Richard A.]

and I was forced to eat it. Customer buys a Syslite online and returns it saying it doesn't work. There was nothing left of the unit. Bag, charger, LED internals, power supply, and back panel were all missing. Yet the 3rd party site chose to side with the buyer and refund him fully. I guess I don't get this online game. Live and learn I guess.

Wouldn't the shipping weight going out and returning be a lot different? By that, wouldn't the weight difference prove that the buyer removed parts before they shipped it back for a return??