eBay return approved despite the buyer's incorrect return reason | Members help members

macapfel · 2026-06-21T12:28:40.712247Z

Hello everyone, here’s a sales story with all the details and the hope of getting some advice from the community:I sold a new item. Since I’m a private seller and new to used means a significant loss in value (in case of a possible resale after a return), I repeatedly excluded exchanges and returns in the item description. The first buyer cancelled the purchase (188411064177). The current buyer (188453090420) claims the item does not match the description, which is simply a lie ("das ist nicht europa version das ist japan wersion und war nicht auf auktion, ich will bekomen meines geld zuruck"). I contacted the buyer via the return request (1st message: "Hello, as described in the item description of the smartphone, exchanges are excluded. The smartphone delivered is exactly the described SM-S942B/DS. Everything matches the description 100%;. The SM-S942B/DS is the version sold in Germany, Europe and worldwide. The claim that the delivered item does not match the description, or that it is the Japanese version SM-S942Q, is completely absurd and not acceptable. Kind regards" and 2nd message: "Hello, you received a German SM-S942B/DS with the EAN 8806099182908 without any hidden or undisclosed defects or any other disadvantages. The return of the opened item is, as stated repeatedly in the item description, not possible for me as a private seller and is excluded. If you do not withdraw the refund request, I will hand the case over to eBay on 19/06/2026. Thank you very much and kind regards"). I had eBay call me: "There’s nothing we can do for 4 days now until the return case is decided" and after the case decision and the approval of the refund or return shipment to the buyer, I had eBay call me again: "the case has been forwarded to the responsible specialist department, wait 48 hours". I then reported the buyer to eBay with the comment that the reason for return was incorrect: "The title, item description and photos of auction 188453090420 describe a German smartphone SM-S942B/DS, which the buyer won and which was also delivered exactly as described to 100%. From the sealed original packaging with invoice from a German Expert electronics specialist store, visible EAN 8806099182908 and IMEI 355564650184738 on the invoice and in the auction photos, a Japanese unit, e.g. SM-S942Q, is supposed to have arrived with the buyer? That is simply a lie by the buyer. And eBay sides with the buyer and continues the return? I would like eBay to correct this mistake. Please also take the other feedback the buyer has received into account." Now the return shipment is running, since the case was closed and eBay provided the buyer with a shipping label.Here is my question: Is that eBay’s "way of working"? Can eBay simply overrule my item description here? Does anyone have any advice? I feel in this case above all let down by eBay, which is teaming up with a liar or fraudster!Thank you very much and kind regards

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eBay return approved despite the buyer's incorrect return reason | Members help members | eBay Germany