What a case! I help run a small non-profit that does fundraising on eBay. An eBay buyer had a prior unhappy transaction and before our auction person could block him, bought something else and squawked. Didn't like the way two items were packaged, but sent msg. thru eBay saying, "At least both items weren't damaged." Then when I replied, he got angry and filed a refund request thru PayPal that BOTH items were damaged! I explained to PP, giving them screenshots of the eBay messages where he said they weren't damaged, and a day later, they decided he had to return both items in the condition in which they were sent, and would get a full refund. I called them to make sure and they said the buyer had to pay for the postage, and I had to let PP know that both items were indeed received in good condition before the case would be decided. Well, PP tracked the packaged, and as soon as it was delivered, they issued him a full refund, WITHOUT waiting for confirmation from me that the items were received in the same condition. Sure enough, the Buyer only returned ONE item (the less expensive one, of course). The case was closed so I had to file and appeal. I uploaded photos of the package, explaining (and proving by simple math) that the weight of the package would have clearly exceeded the shipping weight had both items been returned. (Total return was $185 but we were out $107 for the missing item.) They took two days and sent an email telling me I had to provide a signed and notarized affidavit saying that only one item was returned, and provide a separate letter explaining what amount was due. So after much time and expense, I did that too. It was easier to fax the affidavit to the number in their email from the notary's office. The next day, it hadn't shown up in the Resolution Center. I clicked on "Send a fax" and turns out they want you to use their cover sheet because it has a barcode (that bit of info was not in their email). So I printed it out and re-faxed it. Another day later and all it said in the RC was "Awaiting fax." I called them to find out what happened and they said faxes go somewhere else and have to be sent to their "back end" department later. It's faster if I upload it. So I asked exactly where I do that in the RC. TWO reps couldn't answer the question. One asked if I could email it instead and gave me an address to that "back end" dept. I sent two emails--one with just the affidavit, and the other with the affidavit and photos. Then I received an email saying they can not accept attachments! I called again, and explained the affidavit had been faxed twice, uploaded AND emailed. She said the faxes were received and a decision would be made soon. ANOTHER day and another email (two days now before the deadline to appeal), this time saying I need to provide "further documentation." I called again and the rep put me on hold for several minutes, talking to her dept. and they said they were confused because the account is listed under the nickname "Bob" while the affidavit was signed by "Robert." (In their country, no one understands that "Robert" is the legal name for "Bob" and that Americans usually execute legal documents under our legal names.) I explained that and she got it right away, said she'd let the team know and get back to me. JUST TO BE SURE, I executed another document explaining the above and confirming that "Bob" and "Robert" were the same person. Two days later, I get a final email saying, "THE APPEAL CANNOT BE GRANTED BECAUSE YOU DID NOT FOLLOW OUR GUIDELINES." Is there a difference between the call center and the online Resolution Center? The Buyer has now lied to PP twice, and gotten clean away with it. All because they don't know the difference between Bob and Robert? Do we have any recourse left? Thanks.
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