Thread: Wrongful Chargeback by Customer

Hello,

I will try to make this long story short. Customer purchased a bag from my online e-boutique. I run and own a small e-shop and I am the person who checks the goods RIGHT before they go into the box to be shipped---I am pretty crazy about QC and really check everything over 3 times--Just launched, I want to make my business a success and want to provide great stuff and great service.

Customer gets bag and claims it was "damaged, old and used". The customer sends photos of a used and damaged, dirt bag and I realize it is NOT the same bag I sent as the bag the customer received from me (and the ONLY BAG my shop carries) has a black interior and the one the photos showed that customer sent had a white interior. Customer has now charged back the purchase, just over $500. I am in the process of responding to the claims and am having the case reviewed by Global Pay. ANyways, a package shows up at my door the other day and I see that it was from the customer, I 'refuse' it and send it back as my policy states that NO RETURNS on HANDBAGS & if you DO want to return you must contact me for an Return Auth. number and ALL returns without an RA number will be refused & returned to sender---that's what I did. Customer calls me and leaves a nasty VM and also follows up with several very nasty emails (claiming they will make me 'pay for your mistakes'). Currently customer has the bag (both bags--the new one I sent and her old one) as well as my $500.00.

Has any one had this happen to them? What was the outcome, what should I do to better my chances of winning? Also, if I DO get my money back, can she sue, what can she do? Thank You all!!! Just wanted to mention I do not use Paypal, it's all done via a merchant services account and I take Visa, MC, etc....no paypal.

Can you prove the bags are different compared to what the customer is showing (the one that does not match your own)? I think it would be the burden of proof, can you prove what you say to fight the chargeback? Paypal is most times good with things like this but I am not sure how they paid, credit card I would guess since it seems the chargeback was pretty quick...

The only proof I have is photographs I took the day the bag was received from my vendor as well as the description on my website --i clearly state the interior fabric is BLACK . Yes, she paid using a CC. I just hope this is enough to get my money back. I can imagine this is a common scam---I see it's easy to do now

You have to make your case with the bank and lay it all out for them. The more you can show to prove your case the better. As a consumer, though, I hate those RA number requirements. It feels extra work. However, those are your terms so you can show they didn't follow it.

The RA is a pain but it's pretty much a standard practice in my industry (clothing). I'm going to call Global Pay and see what's going on. I actually received another email from the customer and it was quite strange, she said she video taped the mail man packing up the bag to send it back and that she has written statements from witnesses that when she opened the box, the bag was old and used. It's really absurd. She also said "hahaha i have your money and your bag--you lose". WOW is all I had to say to that. Wish me luck!! This was one of my first sales EVER and I hope that there aren't many more of these problems

"Friendly fraud" isn't friendly.

Sounds like you have excellent terms spelled out on your site. Do you have an explicit "I have read and understand the terms" button? That can really nail down these types of things.

It's a nasty world, this E-Commerce thing.

That's not a bad idea...that checkbox for 'agree to terms'! Thank YOU