Posts Tagged ‘fake playing card’

Dear eBay Queen:

I have a small eBay problem.  I’ve been selling on the internet for 4 years, and it has always been my policy to not accept refunds. I recently sold a card from a card game called Yugi-Oh!.  The buyer paid me $5.00 for the card (including shipping).  He emailed me after he received it and claimed it was fake. 

He was very nice, and asked if he could exchange it or get a refund.  His email was very nice.  He told me “he understands that I didn’t do this on purpose”.  I didn’t know it was fake.  I don’t know what to do; I no longer have the $5.00 in my PayPal because I spent it.  I’m not sure how to give his money back without any money in there.  What should I do? I said no refunds, but I had no idea the card was fake!  I never even said whether it was real or fake anyway, I just listed the picture and the name of the card.  It was only $5.00, and I doubt he will take any legal action, I do want to solve this but I’m  stumped here, what should I do?

Tom P, Gardner, KS

Dear Tom:

I have never heard of a fake Yugi-Oh! card.  I did a little research and found out they are quite prevalent.  Here are couple of websites to help with identifying faux trading cards. http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Counterfeit  and http://www.yugiohcardmaker.net/ .

In a situation like this, I would ask the buyer to return the item for a refund.  I understand your PayPal account does not have the $5.00 in it; you could refund your buyer with an e-check, or add money to your PayPal account now so the money will be there when it is time to refund him.

One of the things you should keep in mind, even if you have a “no refund” policy, is the fact your buyer could still file a claim against you, and PayPal will take the money out of your account without your approval.

Dear eBay Queen:

I sell and collect My Little Ponies. I recently received a negative because a scammer wanted a refund and to keep the item. I was pretty miffed and I blocked the buyer.  Due to eBay's current policy for seller protection and their "Buyer is always right, even when scamming for free stuff" policy, I have started to screen my buyers more carefully.  I am considering canceling bids from buyers that have a habit of leaving a lot of negatives for sellers, or leaving them for unjust reasons. 

Recently I had a buyer that slipped through my usual net and is starting to worry me with negotiations for lower shipping for the ponies after the auction had ended. Luckily, we were able to resolve it, but that kind of thing, (people not getting their way) ends in a negative feedback more often than not.

What are your thoughts on preemptively preventing proven problem buyers from bidding on your items? It makes me feel a little like a jerk and like I am limiting my auctions.  A couple of weeks ago, another buyer slipped through. She bid on 2 of my ponies.  She lost the bid on one and won the other one that she really didn’t want. She sent me 4 or 5 emails complaining about how she lost the bid.  She ended up leaving me a negative for the pony she did get stating that she did not know the pony had orange in her hair.  (The auction had four photos of the pony with the orange hair and even listed out the colors of the pony in the auction).

PonyGRRL

Dear PonyGRRL:

I completely understand your apprehension with buyers who are quick to leave negative feedback.   I believe it is certainly within your right to block buyers that you believe are quick to leave negative feedback.   I would say if you have the time and means to check out each buyer and their feedback they have left, then go for it. 

I really believe eBay needs to do something about buyers who try to re-negotiate the sale after the fact.  It is this very thing that I think is driving some sellers away. 

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Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? E-mail: questions@asktheebayqueen.com