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Question About the Issuing of a Refund
badbluedog
Posts: 43
Hi! I am respectfully asking for some input regarding the issuing of a refund for a recent eBay transaction.
I sold a raw Mantle card from the 1960s through an eBay fixed price sale and the seller paid with PayPal. I had purchased the card as raw earlier in the year and inspected it closely before attempting to re-sell it. The card measured properly and nothing looked out of the ordinary under 10x magnification. I felt confident stating in the fixed price listing that the card was guaranteed not to be trimmed or altered.
The buyer has contacted me, requesting a refund. He indicates that he sent the card to SGC and it was designated as trimmed. The seller wants a full refund of his purchase price and return postage. I have no problem with that all.
The seller also wants a $40 refund for the 3-day grading service and to-and-from postage incurred. I have told him that I will only consider that refund after he provides proof that SGC deemed the card as trimmed. Even if he does this, is the $40 refund a reasonable request?
I have a 100% positive feedback record over 10 years on eBay and I’m looking to protect that. However, I don’t want to be taken advantage of. Before selling the card, I inspected it and noted nothing suspicious. I would think that the buyer inspected the card closely and saw nothing suspicious before submitting it to SGC. We both took measures to make sure the card was “above board,” but yet I’m expected to fully burden the cost of the grading fee. That doesn’t seem fair to me. Does it seem fair to you?
Thanks in advance for any input provided.
I sold a raw Mantle card from the 1960s through an eBay fixed price sale and the seller paid with PayPal. I had purchased the card as raw earlier in the year and inspected it closely before attempting to re-sell it. The card measured properly and nothing looked out of the ordinary under 10x magnification. I felt confident stating in the fixed price listing that the card was guaranteed not to be trimmed or altered.
The buyer has contacted me, requesting a refund. He indicates that he sent the card to SGC and it was designated as trimmed. The seller wants a full refund of his purchase price and return postage. I have no problem with that all.
The seller also wants a $40 refund for the 3-day grading service and to-and-from postage incurred. I have told him that I will only consider that refund after he provides proof that SGC deemed the card as trimmed. Even if he does this, is the $40 refund a reasonable request?
I have a 100% positive feedback record over 10 years on eBay and I’m looking to protect that. However, I don’t want to be taken advantage of. Before selling the card, I inspected it and noted nothing suspicious. I would think that the buyer inspected the card closely and saw nothing suspicious before submitting it to SGC. We both took measures to make sure the card was “above board,” but yet I’m expected to fully burden the cost of the grading fee. That doesn’t seem fair to me. Does it seem fair to you?
Thanks in advance for any input provided.
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Comments
I've bought items that were rejected and even though I got my purchase price back I've always felt a little cheated that I lost my grading and shipping costs.
The $40 might be good enough to get you a decent feedback and a repeat buyer. Less than the $40 might have less satisfying results.
Edited to add - when SGC rejects a card for trimming, they give you a sticker on the cardsaver showing where it is trimmed. Also if you talk to Brian (almost positive that's his name) they will slab it as authentic if you pay the shipping. A trimmed 62 mantle in an A holder is better than a trimmed 62 mantle in no holder.
Also, how much time has elapsed since he purchased this card?
Only after I received the card back I would then refund his purchase price.
SGC, PSA or whatever grading service is simply an opinion.
If this buyer wanted a graded card he should have bought an already graded card.
if the card came back as a SGC 88 would he be willing to offer you more money?
Please Let us know who this guy is so we can block him if we so choose.
Also, the auction number would be good too.
My concern is that you get back the card you sold.
As an alternative to refunding the grading fee; I would suggest you offer to send the card to PSA or even SGC yourself. Grading is subjective. If it comes back trimmed again then I guess you have to write it off to your poor eye when it was picked up. We've all done it at least once!
Kirby Puckett Master Set
Recently, I sold a PSA 7 wax pack. Pack had rips from loose gum and that was mentioned in the description and shown in the pic. Buyer said he called PSA and they said there's no way they would of graded that a 7. I told him I dont make PSA slabs and it either graded that way or the damage happened after grading. Either way, the pic and description was accurate and not my fault he failed to see that. I took the feedback hit all over a $20 transaction. I'd do it all over again the same for a $5 one. Unfortunately he lied in the fb by saying I never responded to his complaint. When we had a few emails about it. Oh well.
When it comes to return postage, that is up to you. I would say no on paying to get the card back.
His grading fee? In a polite/PC way tell him to blow it out his corn hole!
There are a lot of variables here: how much was the transaction, what is the guys feedback, how long has he been on eBay, et cetera. Look at his feedback and contact a few members that left him positive feedback for his business and see if they have had similar results.
If you even think about giving the guy a refund on the grading fees then you need to have the original receipt and all documentation SGC provided the buyer as if you are purchasing the fees and the card back, these items belong to you.
AND 40.00 seems a bit harsh, if I understand it correctly the buyer has 90 days to file a claim, therefore he should not have sent that card in under special fast service of any kind, that is on him.
You WILL eventually get a negative on your feedback record. When you do you will regret that you caved in this transaction over feedback.
Afew months ago I bought a set of cards for 215.00 from a guy who said that every card would grade at least an 8. I knew that wouldn't happen, but I was expecting to get some OK (7's to 8's) on some key cards...everyone except a few 5's and 6's came back "Trimmed" I contacted the seller and he said he would give me the money back, but I also had to give him the cards that graded...loss on my part but I never asked the guy for my grading fees.
good luck,
patrick
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That is a very bold/risky/silly "guarantee" to offer, on a raw-card
that you bought from a third-party.
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The OP did not state when the sale was completed.
If all deadlines for PayPal-claims and feedback have passed,
you will simply have to decide if your "guarantee" is good.
If the deadlines have NOT passed, it is prolly "fair" to refund
the buyer's purchase price. (The grading fees should not be
refunded.)
No matter what you do, the guy will likely leave you a NEG
if the deadline to do so has not passed.
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If the buyer paid by credit card:
Even if the PayPal deadlines have passed, the buyer can
still file a credit-card chargeback; he would prevail in that
claim.
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I would, of course, be concerned that the card might have
been switched OR altered by the buyer.
45 days is the time PP allows.
Steve
<< <i>f I understand it correctly the buyer has 90 days to file a claim,
45 days is the time PP allows.
Steve >>
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Yup....
13.3 PayPal Buyer Protection
What are the eligibility requirements for PayPal Buyer Protection?
You must meet all of these requirements:
•Use PayPal to purchase an eligible item on eBay.
•Pay for the full amount of the item with one payment. Items purchased with multiple payments – like a deposit followed by a final payment – are not eligible.
•Send the payment to the seller through:
•The eBay "Pay Now" button, or
•the eBay invoice,
•Open a Dispute within 45 days of the date you sent the payment – then follow the online dispute resolution process described below under Dispute Resolution.
•Keep your PayPal account in good standing.
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EBAY "Resolution Center" nonsense...
Opening a case
Timeline: 10 to 45 days from when you paid for your item.
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EBAY Feedback:
After your transaction, you have a full 60 days to leave Feedback.
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Notwithstanding any language to the contrary in the card-member's
agreement, credit-card "chargebacks" should be seen by sellers as
a nearly-endless potential liability.
A claim of "fraud" in a chargeback may be entertained YEARS after
the sale is made.
Do you think he would have given you extra had the card come back a higher grade where he could have flipped it for an extra couple hundred? He chose to send it in to get it graded and try to profit...his risk...his loss.
is:
" I felt confident stating in the fixed price listing that the card was guaranteed not to be trimmed or altered."
Even so, you did not guarantee grading fees. The card came back EOT and you will gladly refund purchase price.
I'd even pay shipping both ways.
Steve
Pay for the refund and return shipping. I wouldn't return funds until you get the card back. Hopefully everything works out.
Save on ebay with Big Crumbs
....everyone else - am i wrong with that?
<< <i>also - if you absolutely 100 % said the card was not trimmed, and then the buyer finds out through a "professional" grading service that it was trimmed (or could have been trimmed, as it is an opinion) then quite frankly, with your "guarantee", which failed, you probably deserve the negative for providing the buyer with a negative experience...
....everyone else - am i wrong with that? >>
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The problem - setting aside any possible fraud on the buyer's part - was
clearly caused by the seller's reckless "guarantee."
If the seller honors his "guarantee," he probably does not "deserve" a NEG.
(Tho, he will likely get one any way.)
...........
A "guarantee" should cover that which the seller has control over.
Here, the card came from a third-party AND was "examined" by
another third-party. I don't see the logic of trying to "guarantee"
that combo.
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did not include grading fees. It simply IMO was an open ended statement. The seller could state that his guarantee
includes only a refund of the purchase price. I know mine would.
I too doubt the buyer trimmed the card or is pulling a fast one.
Steve
Steve
<< <i>One other point, grading services have been known to be wrong.
Steve >>
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THAT is precisely why sellers should NEVER "guarantee" what a TPG-opinion will be.
Guarantees of "authenticity" are safe, but the "condition opinion" that a TPG will offer
is simply NOT possible to know in advance of submission.