Buyer broke paypal rules, still wins case

[Kohla]

In October 2016 an eBay buyer bought a perfume decant/sample. In December 2016 she suddenly returned it without contacting me or paypal and claimed that she should have recieved two full sized bottles of perfume. After two months she decided this! A paypal case was opened against me and the case stayed open until March 29th 2017. They chose the buyer. The buyer broke the rules by not contacting either me or paypal and ebay has a policy of 45 days money back. She started the case as defective but she admitted that she read the listing wrong! She also sent the item back used, I cannot relist this because she may have tampered with it and I won't risk another customers health by selling it. I don't understand I didn't break the rules, she did. Why am I being punishes? Is there anything more I can do, I already lost and appeal because she returned it. Am I able to take paypal to small claims court or something? It's not about the money but the way they abuse their sellers.

[DPCreations]

What specific PayPal rules or polices were broken?

What was the specific dispute?  How did you respond to the PayPal dispute?

[Kohla]

Thank you for asking, I forgot to add that! She sent me back a used cosmetic item and did not get permission from PayPal or me to return it. I was told by a rep that she broke that rule. She also claimed it was defective or damaged but her emails stated she did not read the listing. I sent the emails we exchanged where she stated she read the listing wrong.

[DPCreations]

There are risks to online selling.  There are risks when you don't have your own legal counsel to enforce your own policies.

When using PayPal you accept PayPal policies; those are what count.  There are no separate PayPal "rules" for people to follow.

As a seller business you cannot stop a buyer from returning an item; neither can PayPal.

Anything returned separtely from instructions by PayPal becomes a buyer-seller issue only.

This is complicated by a buyer dispute of not as described.  PayPal does not oversee packaging or unpackaging  so PayPal makes a best guess about which party is telling the truth.  When PayPal decides in favor of buyer, the buyer needs to return item for a refund.  (Buyer did that in advance.)  When you dispute the product returned not being the same, again it is your word and PayPal reviews all information to determine how truthful it is.

That's the way iit works.  If you want to be in more control, don't use PayPal for payment service.

[Kohla]

I don't want to use PayPal anymore. Any suggestions on how I can receive payments? Thank you.