PayPal protects fraudulent sellers of counterfeit goods

[thurmanfan]

I opened up a dispute when a seller, dodjersey, sent me a counterfeit sport's jersey with an incorrect sleeve patch rendering the jersey defective.  The jersey was described as "Mitchell and Ness" (it was not) and "flannel with felt letters". Instead the jersey I received was polyester. Instead of the 1969 sleeve patch it was supposed to have they sewed on a 1951 sleeve patch.  In short, what I received was very different from what I thought I was ordering.  I live in NY and on the website, the only address provided is a Manhattan Address.  Well, it turns out the seller is in Vietnam. The only way PayPal would issue a refund is if I return the jersey to the seller in Vietnam,  The cost of the jersey? $69.99.  The cost to send the jersey with the required tracking? $72!    I saw that I could apply for a $30 shipping refund but have read that these requests are not always approved.   Since it was the seller who sent me a different item than the one described, why should I, the buyer, have to pay for return shipping?   And If I return the counterfeit, defective jersey, what is the seller going to do with it? Resell it? Of course!  I asked PayPal to require that the seller pay for return shipping.  PayPal did not.

[sharpiemarker]

@thurmanfan 

Appeal the decision and provide official documentation from authorized manufacturer/dealer or company itself that this item is counterfeit. Just telling PayPal its fake won't be too convincing.

For sellers, if the claim was that the item received was Significantly Not as Described and related to an item they sold that is counterfeit, they will be required to provide a full refund to the buyer and may not receive the item back (it will be destroyed).

But I think this will only happen on PayPal's sole discretion and I take that to mean is that if you (the buyer) have documentation verifying that it is counterfeit, PayPal may not require you to return

Your other recourse is filing a dispute with the credit card issuer, if that's how you paid, and claim you received counterfeit merchandise and perhaps you won't need to return item.

[thurmanfan]

Thanks so much. I provided proof (an email from Mitchell and Ness declaring that the jersey is counterfeit). PayPal could not care less.  Just the fact that the item is not at all as described should be reason enough for me not having to pay return shipping, no?  I sent photos and screenshots.