【GUIDE/INFO】 Opening a Case on eBay
Jan 20, 2014 18:34:28 GMT
tokki, wuyifan901106, and 4 more like this
Post by levelgrind on Jan 20, 2014 18:34:28 GMT
So... you bought a card, and, when you got it, it was fake! Or, maybe the condition wasn't as stated? It got damaged due to bad shipping practices? Normally, this is when we'd sit down and cry and lament our terrible luck. However, if you bought the card on eBay, they have a little something called Buyer Protection which protects you against having to keep or pay for items that aren't in the condition you wanted! It's a great system and works wonderfully; eBay will be on your side when you need them. I've had quite a few problems with sellers, one of which was actually escalated to be dealt with eBay personally, and it was resolved successfully and quickly, after I was able to put it in eBay's hands.
A few things:
For my example, I'll be using some YGO-sized sleeves that I bought recently. (This is for the first half-- since I have an open case, for the second half I'll be using a card I actually received damaged!)
STEP ONE: Opening Your Case.
You're going to go to your Purchase History on your my eBay page. Find your problem item and visit the drop-down box, usually under the links asking you to Leave Feedback or Track package. In this drop-down, you can do a lot of things-- but what we want today is to Resolve a Problem with our purchase. Click that, and it'll take you to a new screen!
Okay, obviously I'm cropping the screen a bit, but I'm leaving everything important in! When you click Resolve a Problem, you should be brought to a new screen that shows something like this. If you didn't receive your item at all, you can click the first link. However, for this example, we're working with the assumption that we did receive the item, but it wasn't as described. Click that link, and you'll be taken to a new screen!
On the next screen, eBay will give you a very nice overview on how the process works. First, you'll contact the seller to let them know that there was a problem. You do this through the Resolution Center, which is what we're using to open the case! Next, if you don't reach a solution between yourself and the seller, after a period of time (it isn't three days anymore, I believe, but it could be! 3-7 days is what we're working with here) you can escalate to eBay to let them look at the case and come to a decision. After that, eBay will contact you and review your case. Sometimes, they'll ask you questions or come up with alternative solutions, so be ready and willing to work with them!
Now that we've reviewed the process, we're ready to open our case. Click Report that you received an item that wasn't as described and we'll continue onward to the next step!
The next screen in very informative-- this is the screen that gives you all of the information regarding returns and policies from the seller. As you can see, my seller does allow returns on this item, and will refund me if I send it back within 14 days of receipt. They also state that they have a 25% restocking fee for all returns, meaning when I get my money back, a small percentage will still be kept. Most sellers for photocards do not have this policy, however, we don't all use eBay only for photocards, so this might be helpful for another purchase in the future!
Sometimes, the seller will have a no returns policy. That's okay! Just because they won't allow you to return the card doesn't mean they aren't liable for listing it incorrectly or for any damages that happened during shipping. It is the seller's responsibility to ensure that items arrive to you as described, even if they don't accept returns.
After reviewing the seller's policies for returns, click the radio button beside The item has been delivered, but is not as described and move on to the next screen!
Which is... exactly the same as this one!
eBay informs you that they've got your back when it comes to getting items not received. You should click the big blue box that says 'Open a Case' and move on to the next screen, which is the big one!
This screen is the most important screen! It covers exactly what we've already been through in the other screens, but now, it asks us for more information. In this screen, you will choose what the problem with the item is (in this case, I've decided that the item is a counterfeit item), tell the seller how they can help you, either through a return or you keeping the item, a phone number (I've never had eBay call me, so don't worry about that!) and whether they can share your number with the seller or not. I always click 'no,' and honestly don't see any reason why any seller should have your personal contact information.
Now, underneath all of that is where you can type the problem with the card, whether it's counterfeit, whether it was damaged in shipping, or... anything! Whatever's wrong. Be detailed. You can offer to show pictures if necessary. You can, if you want to, list what you'd like offered as compensation, but my rule is that unless I feel I need to play hardball with a seller, I will be detailed and let them offer what they feel like is a good solution for both of us. If I don't agree with their offer, I'll offer one back instead-- like a partial refund, for instance. When it comes to sellers that are generally good to us, like my5star or jewelrykpopseller, I tend to be nice because, hey, I like them, and it's rare that something bad happens with them. However, when it comes to fake sellers I'm a little more curt and serious in my responses because they don't care whether they've cheated me or not.
In those instances, I might say something like...
"The item I received, when compared to my official cards, is clearly counterfeit. I would like a full refund of the cost of the item and shipping."
After that, I click 'submit' and the case is opened!
STEP TWO: Seller's Response.
So, you've opened your case and now you're waiting for the seller to respond!
You will probably get an e-mail notification if it happens, but you can also check on your purchase history page. And look! The little purple i under the item appears whenever you have an open case, and it just so happens to be my turn to take action for it! So, I open it up, and...
The seller's response is underneath the box. I told them that the card was damaged, and they asked me to take a picture of the damage I mentioned. After I take the pictures, I'll click the blue box that says 'respond' and upload the pictures for them to take a look at. Or, if I decide that I'd rather not (for whatever reason), I can simply close the case and that will be the end of my communications with the seller over this item. Never close the case unless you are absolutely sure you are finished with them, including waiting for a refund. You cannot reopen a case. Some sellers will ask you to close the case first-- do not do this. Wait until everything is resolved before closing.
Now, unfortunately, I can't show you much more, but everything else is fairly simple.
Work it out with the seller. Come to a mutually beneficial arrangement. Don't be too greedy or unreasonable, but don't let the seller walk all over you, either! If that doesn't work out, you can always Escalate the Case to eBay. Just keep checking the above page until a link appears to do so! Generally, you won't have to do this, but sometimes, a seller is too difficult to deal with and won't offer you any conclusions that will help you at all.
ADDENDUM to Guide: Opening Cases on eBay against FAKE PHOTOCARD SELLERS
addictedtoyouleesungmin here. levelgrind gave me permission to write this little add-on for you guys. ^^
I'm going to make this addendum specifically about what you do when you open a case against eBay sellers that have sold you FAKE photocards. For the most part, the case is done the same way levelgrind explained in her guide. HOWEVER, towards the end, you take action a little differently.
Here's the basic steps on opening a SIGNIFICANTLY NOT AS DESCRIBED case against a FAKE PHOTOCARD SELLER.
1. Open the case immediately/as soon as possible after you receive your cards, and have determined them to be fake.
2. Request a refund for the item (you may select that you would want to "return the item for a full refund," but you will NOT be shipping it back).
3. When the seller asks you to return the items for a full refund (or more so demand, which these sellers tend to do), politely tell them that you will not ship counterfeit items as it is illegal to mail unauthorized reproductions of items.
4. Wait the proper amount of time (now somewhere between 3-7 days), and the escalate the eBay case. When you escalate it, again stress to eBay that you are certain these photocards you received are fake, and how you will not illegally mail them back to a seller so they can sell them to someone else.
NOTE: The seller may escalate the case instead (which is what happened to me). Regardless, if eBay sees that you claim the cards are fake, more than likely, they will always rule in your favor (as they did for me).
5. When the case is handed over to eBay, you will have your decision/refund in less than 24 hours (it usually only takes them 1-2 hours to issue me a refund, which is instantly credited back to my PayPal account).
6. The last step is feedback. FEEDBACK IS VERY IMPORTANT AS IT WILL WARN OTHER BUYERS THE SELLER SELLS FAKE CARDS, AND IT WILL ALSO RESTRICT THEIR SELLING PRIVILEGES. Here are some rules for leaving feedback for a FAKE PHOTOCARD SELLER:
--addictedtoyouleesungmin
If you have any questions or need any help, we're here for you!
Leave them below or feel free to PM me. I'm sure I (or any of the forum's other seasoned eBayers) will be happy to help!
A few things:
- You will be dealing with the seller first! It isn't until after a certain amount of time/days that you can put the case in eBay's hands and ask them for help with it. It seems the amount of time has recently gone up to seven days as opposed to the original four.
- Usually, you won't even need to send it up to eBay. Sellers want you to be satisfied with their products; oftentimes, they'll offer you with a variety of options or ways to go about making sure you're happy. Sometimes, this includes returning an item to them for an exchange, other times, they'll let you keep the item and refund a partial amount for the damage-- and in rare cases, they'll refund the entire amount to you and let you keep the item. It's always a best practice to let the sellers offer their courses of action. Don't tell them what you'd prefer up-front-- let them tell you what they can do for you. Most sellers are honest, and really shouldn't be bullied for something that may have been a mistake or perhaps even not their fault.
- NEVER LEAVE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FIRST. I honestly can't stress this enough. Feedback happens at the very end of the process, after everything else has been taken care of. While a seller can send a request to you to change negative feedback to positive or neutral, they'll be less inclined to do business with you if they see you've already left bad feedback. If anything ever goes wrong with an item you've received, talk to your seller first.
Okay, so, you got that bad item, and you want to open a case...
For my example, I'll be using some YGO-sized sleeves that I bought recently. (This is for the first half-- since I have an open case, for the second half I'll be using a card I actually received damaged!)
STEP ONE: Opening Your Case.
You're going to go to your Purchase History on your my eBay page. Find your problem item and visit the drop-down box, usually under the links asking you to Leave Feedback or Track package. In this drop-down, you can do a lot of things-- but what we want today is to Resolve a Problem with our purchase. Click that, and it'll take you to a new screen!
Okay, obviously I'm cropping the screen a bit, but I'm leaving everything important in! When you click Resolve a Problem, you should be brought to a new screen that shows something like this. If you didn't receive your item at all, you can click the first link. However, for this example, we're working with the assumption that we did receive the item, but it wasn't as described. Click that link, and you'll be taken to a new screen!
On the next screen, eBay will give you a very nice overview on how the process works. First, you'll contact the seller to let them know that there was a problem. You do this through the Resolution Center, which is what we're using to open the case! Next, if you don't reach a solution between yourself and the seller, after a period of time (it isn't three days anymore, I believe, but it could be! 3-7 days is what we're working with here) you can escalate to eBay to let them look at the case and come to a decision. After that, eBay will contact you and review your case. Sometimes, they'll ask you questions or come up with alternative solutions, so be ready and willing to work with them!
Now that we've reviewed the process, we're ready to open our case. Click Report that you received an item that wasn't as described and we'll continue onward to the next step!
The next screen in very informative-- this is the screen that gives you all of the information regarding returns and policies from the seller. As you can see, my seller does allow returns on this item, and will refund me if I send it back within 14 days of receipt. They also state that they have a 25% restocking fee for all returns, meaning when I get my money back, a small percentage will still be kept. Most sellers for photocards do not have this policy, however, we don't all use eBay only for photocards, so this might be helpful for another purchase in the future!
Sometimes, the seller will have a no returns policy. That's okay! Just because they won't allow you to return the card doesn't mean they aren't liable for listing it incorrectly or for any damages that happened during shipping. It is the seller's responsibility to ensure that items arrive to you as described, even if they don't accept returns.
After reviewing the seller's policies for returns, click the radio button beside The item has been delivered, but is not as described and move on to the next screen!
Which is... exactly the same as this one!
eBay informs you that they've got your back when it comes to getting items not received. You should click the big blue box that says 'Open a Case' and move on to the next screen, which is the big one!
This screen is the most important screen! It covers exactly what we've already been through in the other screens, but now, it asks us for more information. In this screen, you will choose what the problem with the item is (in this case, I've decided that the item is a counterfeit item), tell the seller how they can help you, either through a return or you keeping the item, a phone number (I've never had eBay call me, so don't worry about that!) and whether they can share your number with the seller or not. I always click 'no,' and honestly don't see any reason why any seller should have your personal contact information.
Now, underneath all of that is where you can type the problem with the card, whether it's counterfeit, whether it was damaged in shipping, or... anything! Whatever's wrong. Be detailed. You can offer to show pictures if necessary. You can, if you want to, list what you'd like offered as compensation, but my rule is that unless I feel I need to play hardball with a seller, I will be detailed and let them offer what they feel like is a good solution for both of us. If I don't agree with their offer, I'll offer one back instead-- like a partial refund, for instance. When it comes to sellers that are generally good to us, like my5star or jewelrykpopseller, I tend to be nice because, hey, I like them, and it's rare that something bad happens with them. However, when it comes to fake sellers I'm a little more curt and serious in my responses because they don't care whether they've cheated me or not.
In those instances, I might say something like...
"The item I received, when compared to my official cards, is clearly counterfeit. I would like a full refund of the cost of the item and shipping."
After that, I click 'submit' and the case is opened!
STEP TWO: Seller's Response.
So, you've opened your case and now you're waiting for the seller to respond!
You will probably get an e-mail notification if it happens, but you can also check on your purchase history page. And look! The little purple i under the item appears whenever you have an open case, and it just so happens to be my turn to take action for it! So, I open it up, and...
The seller's response is underneath the box. I told them that the card was damaged, and they asked me to take a picture of the damage I mentioned. After I take the pictures, I'll click the blue box that says 'respond' and upload the pictures for them to take a look at. Or, if I decide that I'd rather not (for whatever reason), I can simply close the case and that will be the end of my communications with the seller over this item. Never close the case unless you are absolutely sure you are finished with them, including waiting for a refund. You cannot reopen a case. Some sellers will ask you to close the case first-- do not do this. Wait until everything is resolved before closing.
Now, unfortunately, I can't show you much more, but everything else is fairly simple.
Work it out with the seller. Come to a mutually beneficial arrangement. Don't be too greedy or unreasonable, but don't let the seller walk all over you, either! If that doesn't work out, you can always Escalate the Case to eBay. Just keep checking the above page until a link appears to do so! Generally, you won't have to do this, but sometimes, a seller is too difficult to deal with and won't offer you any conclusions that will help you at all.
ADDENDUM to Guide: Opening Cases on eBay against FAKE PHOTOCARD SELLERS
addictedtoyouleesungmin here. levelgrind gave me permission to write this little add-on for you guys. ^^
I'm going to make this addendum specifically about what you do when you open a case against eBay sellers that have sold you FAKE photocards. For the most part, the case is done the same way levelgrind explained in her guide. HOWEVER, towards the end, you take action a little differently.
Here's the basic steps on opening a SIGNIFICANTLY NOT AS DESCRIBED case against a FAKE PHOTOCARD SELLER.
1. Open the case immediately/as soon as possible after you receive your cards, and have determined them to be fake.
2. Request a refund for the item (you may select that you would want to "return the item for a full refund," but you will NOT be shipping it back).
3. When the seller asks you to return the items for a full refund (or more so demand, which these sellers tend to do), politely tell them that you will not ship counterfeit items as it is illegal to mail unauthorized reproductions of items.
4. Wait the proper amount of time (now somewhere between 3-7 days), and the escalate the eBay case. When you escalate it, again stress to eBay that you are certain these photocards you received are fake, and how you will not illegally mail them back to a seller so they can sell them to someone else.
NOTE: The seller may escalate the case instead (which is what happened to me). Regardless, if eBay sees that you claim the cards are fake, more than likely, they will always rule in your favor (as they did for me).
5. When the case is handed over to eBay, you will have your decision/refund in less than 24 hours (it usually only takes them 1-2 hours to issue me a refund, which is instantly credited back to my PayPal account).
6. The last step is feedback. FEEDBACK IS VERY IMPORTANT AS IT WILL WARN OTHER BUYERS THE SELLER SELLS FAKE CARDS, AND IT WILL ALSO RESTRICT THEIR SELLING PRIVILEGES. Here are some rules for leaving feedback for a FAKE PHOTOCARD SELLER:
- Always leave NEGATIVE FEEDBACK for a fake photocard seller.
- NEVER MENTION AN EBAY CASE WHEN LEAVING FEEDBACK. That will get your feedback automatically removed AND turned into a positive.
- Never let the seller "guilt" or "bribe" you into leaving positive feedback (i.e., "I will give you a refund if you leave me positive feedback.") THAT IS FEEDBACK EXTORTION AND IT IS AGAINST EBAY POLICY. Escalate the eBay case immediately, and eBay will surely punish the seller for trying to extort feedback out of you if the seller responded in such a way in the case messages. If they send it to you via private eBay message, I believe there is a way to report those messages to eBay. (There' a link you click on in the message to report it.) All fake photocard sellers deserve negative feedback; never let one try to bribe you into leaving positive feedback for them.
--addictedtoyouleesungmin
If you have any questions or need any help, we're here for you!
Leave them below or feel free to PM me. I'm sure I (or any of the forum's other seasoned eBayers) will be happy to help!