Buyer always wins in the refund situation

[VEJ]

Has anyone had an instance of a buyer returning a different item by their own admission and Paypal still refunding their payment? I had a buyer return a necklace with a different chain (replaced an antique chain for a modern one) and Paypal still gave them their money back.

[kernowlass]

@VEJ 

Paypal are the middleman in a transaction and never see what you say you sent OR what the buyer says they received and returned.

So whilst a buyer may win a claim they have to return it back to the seller at their own expense first.

Now if every time a buyer wins a claim and returns the item, the seller says it was not the same item returned and so the buyer does not get a refund then it would result in buyer protection being worthless as that would be all a seller would need to do to win the money back.

However if you think you have enough proof then nothing to stop you filing a claim in the small claims court if you have one in your country against the buyer? Again it would be a judgement call on the courts part the same as it was paypals call on your claim, nothing is guaranteed to win unfortunately.