E-commerce "Damaged" item

[Bikes4fun]

Hi,

Ongoing case I have at the moment, so need some advice.

We sell motorbike parts online, included in those are batteries... They are sent via a courier, in a box, surrounded by polystyrene sheets, inside another box etc and very well protected...

However, a customer called me a week ago stating they purchased the wrong battery, demanding a refund, I went to look at their order and realised they bought the item well over a month previously, and politely explained a refund was not possible, especially considering he stated he had used the incorrect one anyway. Later that day his partner called demanding a refund as she knows their rights and she deals with people like us every day, needless to say that didn't get too far...

He then asked if I would send him the correct one out, but he doesn't want to pay the full price, so to try and keep everything happy, I offered a large discount on the correct item, hoping that was that.

I head to the office and receive a PayPal dispute, item not as described and damaged, and a photo of said goods.

I'm more than confused, the item is indeed damaged, the item has been fitted, very very poorly and the terminal has been destroyed by someone over tightening the screw, so much so that it has crushed under where the screw would be, and not only that, the marks on the terminals suggest an object such as a screwdriver has been forced into the terminal and twisted, in both sides.

So I call the customer to find out what happened, how it was fitted etc.

The response was the item wasn't fitted, they haven't touched the battery, only to remove from the box.

So I then contact DPD, for proof of delivery as now they would be taking an image of said parcel, and to damage the battery to that extent would cause severe damage to the outer box, nevermind the inner box. Suprise suprise, not even slightly crushed, not a mark on it, in his next photos, the boxes were clearly visible, not an ounce of damage, making it obvious there is no way the item was damaged inside those containers...

The item is currently on its way back to us to inspect for said refund, where do I stand on this? In all honesty I just want to move on, and not to deal with them again, but I also don't want to bend over and take a hit from someone who is clearly lying.

Any information would be greatly received.

Thanks

 

[Mr D]

95% + chance that paypal will side with the buyer. 99% chance that if paypal side with you then the customer's card company will side with their customer in a chargeback.

 

[Bikes4fun]

Thought as much, seems like a refund and goodbye situation.

Thanks

 

[BeauLacey]

Stand your ground and contact paypal.

Buyer doesn't always win. paypal can be reasonable if you have evidence

See the thread entitled ‘Ebay refund question..’

 

[Mr D]

Stand your ground and contact paypal.

Buyer doesn't always win. paypal can be reasonable if you have evidence

See the thread entitled ‘Ebay refund question..’

And if you win against paypal the buyer can contact their card company to make a claim.
Who will they decide in favour of? Their own customer or some big bad company out to defraud their customer?

 

[Paul Norman]

From time to time this kind of thing crops up in the world of ecommerce.

Thankfully, it is a minority. I tend to refund them, write off the cost, but not supply anything else to them.

Of course, you can fight. But that takes energy, time, and potentially money, and if Paypal are involved can be extremely soul destroying. Only fight if financially it really matters.