How to deal with this Paypal Dispute?

[kinderyum]

Hi all,

I've already wasted so much time on this scammy customer... ugh!

Back Story - I bought these Stand In Baby dolls from a supplier and have them on a Clearance Sale now which the supplier was/is angry about. Because of this, supplier has been bad mouthing me to people. I'm totally within my rights to have a sale on them if I want to. Anyway, I think this customer has it in her mind, from the get-go, that I might not be a good business to deal with *sigh* because the supplier told her to 'be careful dealing with' me.

I've linked to the chat transcript, below, between myself and the customer that bought one of the dolls. She contacted me saying the foam inside the case was damaged. Warning: the chat transcript is long but kind of amusing if you enjoy getting an insight into a scammer's mind lol. 

I have already installed the Shopify Fraud Filter and blocked her from futher purchases from my stores, but my question is - How should I deal with the Paypal dispute (of $178.01USD - which is 30% of total order price including shipping) that she has just placed? As per the chat transcipt you can see that we agreed that the case was worth $60USD so I'm happy to refund her that, even though the damage is very small.

Now that Paypal has put a hold on the funds, I can't refund her $60USD. I have only 3 options (screen capture linked to, below):

1)Refund the amount she wants ($178.01USD - which is absolutely ridiculous)

2)Show that I've already refunded her (can't do as I haven't and I can't do anything on the transaction as it currently stands) or

3) Send her a new case (which I don't want to as she said she doesn't want it and I just know in my gut that if I do send her a new case she will either claim it as not received or damage the parcel and claim it as damaged). 

Any advise is greatly appreciated! Oh and when I typed '5%' (in the chat transcript) it was actually a typo, I meant to type '15%'.

Paypal Dispute Resolution Centre Options:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1911/8997/files/scammy.jpg

Chat Transcript:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1911/8997/files/Berenicecompressed.pdf

Thanks in advance for any help/advise provided!

p.s. Can I manually send funds to her Paypal email address and then choose/use Option 2 in the PayPal Dispute Resolution Centre options?

[Whac-A-Mole]

if you choose option 2 (send replacement) ,Paypal expects you to upload tracking of the replacement.,if she agrees to accept an replacment.

if she does not agree,then the case will remain open,one of you could ask Paypal to review the case and decide.

My advice would be work with your buyer.

[Whac-A-Mole]

if one of you escalate to Paypal review,it could ask her to return whole at her expense and upload tracking,once it said delivered,it would refund her in full.

would that be better for y ou? 

[kinderyum]

Thanks for your response, Sumiko. Yes that would be great. I don't know how to initialise that though. Scammy customer is the one who opened a Paypal Dispute. She also escalated it, she told me. 

[kinderyum]

What happens though if she damages the product futher before sending it back? I think she could do this out of spite, she is that kind of customer. So, on 2nd thought, it would be better just to refund her (max of) $60USD and be done with it/her! 

[Whac-A-Mole]

how can you offer 65 when she asked 170?

Paypal would ask her to return the entire shipment and make her pay return shipping.

you would lose on original shipping and she loses on return shipping.

[kinderyum]

Ideally, I don't want the entire product returned, as she has already been using the doll.... so it's not in new condition... plus I wouldn't put it past her to damage it in some way, due to spite.

Surely there is a way for me to counter-dispute the amount she is claiming?? I'm fairly sure Paypal used to offer this function e.g. buyer trying to claim abc amount as a refund and seller offers a counter offer refund amount of xyz... is this not an option any more?

[Whac-A-Mole]

the two of yo can go back and forth until one of you get Paypal to review,then there is no more communication via Paypal,you two have to wait for Paypal to decide,

dont forget if she used her cc,she can file chargback with her cc issuer telling them you have not be co-operative and she could win and not return the item and get her money back and you would pay $20 chargeback fee  

[DPCreations]

With buyer-seller disputes there is no "ideally"; it is reality and business without emotions.  

[kinderyum]

Greez, none of this is sounding very positive at all...

Sounds like everything favours the Buyer...

So, basically the Buyer can claim whatever value they like for a partially faulty (very minor cosmetic issue) for a product and the Seller has no way to say 'hey, that amount is unreasonable'...?

Wow, just wow.