How to handle an eBay snafu?

So last week I bought some ND filters for one of my drones. The seller listed them as being for my model drone. They came in the box and everything. Well, I get them here and they are CLEARLY not for this model. They measure about 3mm too large. Not even close. I hit the return item button, select "doesn't fit" as my reason for returning them (I wonder if I should have selected Not as Described or something). The seller issues be a partial refund, charging about a 50% restocking fee. 

That's a load of crap. Why should I pay a restocking fee if you sold me the wrong stuff? I have sent two messages to the seller stating that I want the other half of my refund, and, if he wants the product back I need a return shipping label. 

I haven't heard anything back. So I have a set of ND filters for an unknown model of drone in the packing for a Phantom 4 Pro drone and I have been issues a partial refund. 

Should I file a claim with my CC company? I can't find a way to contact eBay. 

Open a PayPal dispute. Buyer always wins (always)

In reply to Tom Suddard :

I paid with my CC. Funny thing, I went through paypal, but it charged my CC. On the PayPal site, it doesn't even show as a purchase. I suppose I can file a dispute with my CC company.  

In reply to DrBoost :

That seems a tad iffy. IIRC it should show as a payment in PayPal regardless of payment method. Did you log into PayPal to pay, or did you just use PayPal checkout?

And yes, I'd also talk to the CC company. Did the listing say he would charge a restocking fee this high?

INAD would have been your best bet as DNF is mostly for clothing, but going forward, there should be some way to escalate the case through eBay.  I usually sell, so I am not sure where in your "My eBay" you would find the information.  Can you find the case anywhere?  Probably should be able to access it from "Recent Purchases".

The buyer doesn't always win with a PayPal case, especially if eBay has closed it in the seller's favor.   I suggest you exhaust every means at your disposal in order.  First eBay, then PayPal, then credit card.   Sellers REALLY don't like getting dinged on eBay, as it can shut them down.  With the seller pulling this sort of stunt, they should get shut down.

I don't have any open returns to check, but there's usually some way to escalate an issue with eBay. I thought that the "partial refund" option was an offer that the seller could make and you as the buyer would have to accept. Is there an option for you to decline the partial refund?

Oh, and coming from a frequent eBay seller: you absolutely should not shoulder the cost of this at all. I make sure if a mistake is made on my end, I am the only one that it costs money to. At a 50% refund I doubt the seller is even losing money on the item, probably just giving up the profit.

In reply to dculberson (Forum Supporter) :

As a seller I want to see the money 100% refunded, and the seller dinged for trying to pull a fast one.

I'm a long time frequent seller.

The item may have been returned by someone else previously who swapped the product in the box. So the seller might not be the one who caused the problem that's occurred. It's not likely they're trying to swindle you and probably couldn't identify the difference in products even if they'd opened the box and inspected the item before shipping. I doubt the seller is "trying to pull a fast one".  However the seller should refund 100%, contact seller and be patient a lot of us don't read the messages daily. 

Tom Suddard said:

Open a PayPal dispute. Buyer always wins (always)

This is very much not true.  I bought my wife a pair of gloves from some Chinese company.  Used the sizing information on their website to determine correct size by measuring my wife's hand as described on their website.  Paid using Paypal. When the gloves showed up, they were goofy small, as for a child. Tried to initiate a return.  The seller was unresponsive.  Opened a dispute through Paypal with a thorough description of the problem.  A week or two later, I get the reply from Paypal stating my claim is denied and the case is closed.

NOT A TA said:

I'm a long time frequent seller.

The item may have been returned by someone else previously who swapped the product in the box. So the seller might not be the one who caused the problem that's occurred. It's not likely they're trying to swindle you and probably couldn't identify the difference in products even if they'd opened the box and inspected the item before shipping. I doubt the seller is "trying to pull a fast one".  However the seller should refund 100%, contact seller and be patient a lot of us don't read the messages daily. 

The partial refund is "pulling a fast one".


If you can't tell what you are selling, you shouldn't be selling it.

In reply to Cooter :

My apologies, misunderstood about pulling a fast one.