Return due to allegedly defective aperture – lens works, but return shipping costs are still on me
Hello everyone,
I currently have a return case where I can’t understand eBay’s process and would like to know whether anyone has had similar experiences.
I sold a used Canon lens. The buyer opened the return with the reason “aperture defective.” Since this was a return due to an alleged defect, I accepted the return and provided a return label through eBay.
After receiving the lens, I unpacked the package and tested the lens immediately. The unpacking and functional test were fully documented on video with a smartphone. Result: the aperture works perfectly. The defect stated by the buyer cannot be reproduced.
In the return process, I then explicitly selected:
“I do not agree with the stated reason”
and reported the buyer because, in my view, the return reason was incorrect. However, afterward eBay still led me to issue a full refund. I refunded the full purchase price.
I was charged €6.55 for the return label. Despite my report, these costs were not reimbursed to me.
I then called eBay customer service. I was told there that I should have involved eBay before accepting the return. That’s exactly what I don’t understand:
How am I supposed to judge whether the defect claimed by the buyer actually exists before I have received the lens back and checked it?
With a return marked “item defective,” from my point of view I practically had no other option but to allow the return first. Only after receiving it could I determine that the stated defect is not present.
My questions for the community:
How should I have handled this case correctly?
Is there actually a way to involve eBay before accepting the return if you can’t verify the alleged defect yet?
After getting the item back and checking it, should I have stopped the refund first and contacted eBay?
Has anyone ever gotten the return shipping costs back after an alleged defect turned out not to exist?
It’s less about the €6.55 for me and more about the principle. If a buyer simply selects “defective” even though the item works, the seller incurs additional costs without being able to verify the return reason in advance.
Thanks for your experiences and advice.
