THE WONKY WORLD OF REFUNDS
Good day readers this is going to be a short blog but I felt it necessary to write this after having enough of getting broken pieces delivered and then the sellers washing their hands of the problem once the piece has arrived.
Firstly if you do buy from eBay then always try and pay through PayPal this is the main and only way eBay do or can boost about their money back guarantee but if you pay for goods using a bank transfer then always retain proof and make sure your bank has a pay back system if there is any faults during the transaction.
Excuses are the sellers main weapon when corresponding and can get to the point where you just bat to and throw until stress takes over.
Take a step back and remember no matter the excuse you did not get the item described so entitled to your money back.
Can I just note this isn’t the case for all sellers just the bad greedy ones and there are some really nice sellers out there too.
A second option is all down to the severity of the damage to the goods and if repairable at low cost you can opt to ask for a PARTIAL REFUND and keep the item the amount you get back is determined by yourself and the seller in a compromise.
If you are covered by PayPal or other form of money transfer guarantee it is NOT your responsibility to contact the shipping or postal companies to try and get it sorted as some sellers may like you to think, they are meant to ask for the piece back and once they have it to refund you in full then get their money back from the postal insurance taken out on the parcel and when this happens the buyer gets a letter asking some standard questions about the breakage and once in agreement they pay the seller to complete the process.
Do not pay for anything using PayPal friends and family as there is no money back on this option and only goods and services are covered.
Its nice to pay through friends and family when the recipient is trustworthy as the fees are lower but your goods bought even from a friend this way will Not be covered.
Most online sites built up of shops have their own return and refund policies and it’s always good to read through first if it’s a site you have only just started using as they may have terms new to you or a time limit on returning damaged or broken items.
So to clarify make sure your money is covered and using PayPal maybe the safest option and sometimes the cheapest, if your paying through a bank transfer add note with transaction telling seller what Money Is for (this is so you can prove why you sent the Money into the sellers account and proof if for any reason the seller says they didn’t get the money).
Also with bank transfers ask the seller to insure goods and if unsure ask for proof.
In my experience over the past six years there are definitely couriers I wish wouldn’t deliver my goods as the standard of care to my property upon delivery is often poor with some boxes opened and even left in public places, I also think certain online sites that use their own shipping methods can be a rip off and not only is the delivery of a poor standard sometimes resulting in breakages, but you could be charged unneeded duty.
The best way to get as many pieces you buy to your home intact as possible without bad luck is by using sellers that take advantage of their national postal service, I’ve had the occasional break from normal post deliveries but nothing like I have when buying from sellers that use a private or host shipping firm.
Lastly remember if your covered and know about refunds and policies do not stress or believe any excuses sellers might give to try and pass you on just kindly remind them of the guarantee and in most cases a refund is quickly issued, some do fight it out but end up having to pay anyway (happy days). Keep collecting 👍