Return - buyer returned opened electronic item and now warranty invalid
Buyer purchased electronic machine £150 + change of mind and box opened and seal broken - have offered 80% refund explained unsaleable as new as goodwill gesture - they have returned it and unhappy with offer and threatening stating they will get amazon involved etc - advise needed
with thanks Sarah
23 replies
Seller_f5cnodyVjLD4S
Hi Sarah,
When selling online it is reasonable that a customer will open the box and inspect the goods.
I would be giving the full refund for original outlay as long as the item is in a perfect/unused condition, a broken seal on the box is to be expected. However, the return shipping costs should be at the customers expense.
You may be lucky and Amazon will pay the remaining 20% if an A-Z is raised, but that will still negatively affect your metrics.
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
Just in case, this item isn’t some form of personal item?
As different rules apply then, depending on exactly what it is.
Seller_xjY2WhHYVOqNi
No the item is an electronic item - but the product had clear pictures on the box of what the item is and customer changed mind after opening and breaking seal - we will loose over £170 if refund on change of mind as item no longer new ? thanks for further advise
Seller_xjY2WhHYVOqNi
Hi will if affect metrics for 1 item deciding to take chance and report for threatening negative feedback if full refund not given ? thanks Sarah
Seller_xjY2WhHYVOqNi
Thank you all so much have refunded minus postage - and advised customer thank you - just such a big hit on as small business especially when customer threatening
Sarah
Seller_DJwE1RXTpAHPh
You can reseal the box but mark the seal with ‘retailer return’ and you must not sell it as new.
By the way you can protect yourself from this in future by making it clear in your return policy notes (made visible to all future customers starting a return) that you reserve the right to deduct a restocking fee from the amount to be refunded if factory seals are broken on the box or the product is otherwise opened.
People on this thread stating that the customer is entitled to inspect the item are correct, unless you have disclaimed liability in your terms and conditions (return policy) and, in this case on Amazon, if Amazon’s own policy does not prohibit such a fee (and it doesn’t)
from Citizen’s Advice England:
The seller can also ask you to pay (or reduce your refund) if you’ve reduced the value of the item, eg if you wore shoes outside and scuffed the soles - but they can only do this if it’s in the terms and conditions.
from Amazon UK’s return policy:
We reserve the right to refuse returns or to charge you our fees and expenses if the product isn’t received in new, unopened condition.
So I advise you to refund the customer in full now, then go and write your terms and conditions to cover yourself in future.
I advise you to also state that under no circumstances will you pay for return carriage up front, even in the case of faulty goods etc, and that you will pay for return carriage only after inspection of the articles. This is legally permissible but only if it is stated in your terms and conditions.
This will a) reduce the number of fraudulent return requests for which you actually receive the goods back and b) protect you in cases where the buyer opens a return request that is not a buyer’s remorse reason, returns it after you have paid the return carriage, and you discover the return reason was wrong and it was the buyer that was responsible for payment of return carriage, because it’s much harder to defend a deduction on the order value in the refund amount than it is to just not pay the extra to reimburse the buyer
Seller_0jWlqgUh2docO
cant believe people dont familiarise themselves with basic DSR before selling online
