Ebay etiquette for refund. Advice please

Have you checked eBay to see if there is some sort of escrow service?

Ah, no I haven't but that sounds like a good possibility. I will have a look, thank you [:-)]

I'd tell her that you're happy to refind her money once you've received the item back.

The standard procedure is the buyer returns the item before a refund is issued.

One thought though, is it possible she's copied the disk and is trying it on? I'd be tempted to say it's hard luck, as long as your description was accurate.Also, what method did you use to post it to her? Unless it was a fully tracked online one then she could try a PayPal dispute and it will be found in her favour if you can't prove online that she received it.

Interesting thought. I suppose anything is possible although the reasons she's giving for wanting a refund seem genuine. However we sold a similar item on the same basis (this is software which we bought, downloaded the key code for but never installed on the PC, this was stated very clearly on the listing) and there have been no problems with that copy.

I sent the disk by Special Delivery and have on-line proof she's got it. I may be wrong but I don't think she can dispute through PayPal or Ebay after 30 days have passed.

I've just looked in to Escrow and it costs 2%. That doesn't amount to much but added to the postage and paypal fees it will mean I'm another few pennies out of pocket which irks me a little.

Insist that she return it before you refund. If she takes it to paypal and starts a claim they will tell her she must return it by an online trackable service (at her own cost) BEFORE issuing a refund, although I have doubs that they'll find in her favour. Either way, you get your software back and she gets her refund.

She has almost definitely either:

Copied the software.

OR

Has a major case of buyer remorse.

If she won't send it back tell her to open a dispute with paypal.

x

ETA: Don't use an Escrow service. You'll lose any and all protection you may have from both ebay and Paypal. In a sense Paypal will be acting as an escrow service anyway.

It's 45 days.

x

Thanks BWC, I'll email her this evening. I wonder if there is anything I can do if I find that she has copied the software and in fact, whether I would even know!

After that period there is absolutely no way I'd be refunding, especially on software that she's blatantly copied after getting all the tech support she needed. Sorry, but I think you're being taken for a mug for even considering it.

Perhaps I am too nice for my own good. I sold the item on 7 June, she received it the next day and then the first email she sent telling me that it wasn't working was sent on 15 June.

Definitely. Is this software you've written yourself or something you're selling on? I still think it sounds dodgy.

Something I am selling on. Basically, My husand bought a copy for his own use and then his company gave him a laptop with the stuff he needed.

You might actually find you're not permitted to sell on the license to use the software, so the sale itself could be on dodgy ground in the first place. I have to say that you're not responsible for technical support in that case and that was merely an act of goodwill. I would absolutely not accept the refund - the purchaser has no grounds for a refund and should be taking up tech support requests with the company who manufactures the software (if it's something like Photoshop or any other mainstream product there are loads of forums out there at the very least).

The software was brand new, never installed and unregistered but I take your point.

Thanks for your help, the girl who bought it says she's had a techy friend take a look at it and tried to install on a different computer but still gets the same problem.

Grr, I feel really uneasy about the whole thing, I really hate having a conscience!

It's not your problem. Provided the software says it should work on her computer with her spec (and her responsibility to check this) then I wouldn't be giving it a second thought. Let her sell it on if she must. If it was unopened then the value is ruined for you.

I agree with what others have said. Tell her she can't have a refund now, it's too late