Three years in, my first bad experience with a buyer

I just got a message from someone who bought a $50 record over two months ago. They're claiming they've been traveling for two months and just got around to opening the package. I rated the record NM which means it looked perfect and that cut A1 played like new. I playtest every record from A1 to the beginning of A2 because I want to listen to the noise in-between tracks. I can't 100% play test every record and I figure A1 is the cut that's going to get the most play. The buyer is claiming a "highly visible scratched area on track A1. The record has hard skips on that track."
I pride myself on my accurate grading, and my customers consistently praise the accuracy of my grading. I have 27,000 records to sort through and I'm in this for the long hauI. I know there is absolutely no way I would have rated a record with a "highly visible scratched area" anything above GOOD+, let alone NM. If it skips on A1 it gets trashed or sold for fifteen cents to a bulk buyer who I've sold thousands of records to. I have graded hundreds perfect looking records VG+ or below because of play testing that revealed noise. I've offered the buyer a full refund but I'm afraid he'll simply damage the record and return it. Now I'm thinking I should photograph everything above a certain price point. Just venting, I know I'll have to issue the refund after I get a worthless record back, because that's how it works. .

Record_Haven
Now I'm thinking I should photograph everything above a certain price point. Just venting, I know I'll have to issue the refund after I get a damaged record back, because that's how it works. .

Photos might help a tiny bit, but prove nothing and hold no water, in the end.

All you can do is call their bluff. And you should.
Tell them to return the item. Do not offer a partial refund. They'll likely opt to keep it.
If sellers do this enough PayPal will see the pattern and hobble the seller buyer.
It's the only defense we have. If sellers stick together on this it will go a long way in eliminating these thieves.

Maybe be proactive and PayPal (and speak w a human) before buyer even returns the item, and give your side.

What is the rating of the buyer?

They could be scamming you. It could also be that out of 27,000 records, a mistake in grading can happen.

Point being, there's a lot of plausible scenarios.

Best just to assume 'shit happens' sometimes when selling goods and to just bake that into the total cost of doing business.

Sonny.
What is the rating of the buyer?

!00% but only 13 reviews.

DarreLP
They could be scamming you. It could also be that out of 27,000 records, a mistake in grading can happen.

Point being, there's a lot of plausible scenarios.

Best just to assume 'shit happens' sometimes when selling goods and to just bake that into the total cost of doing business.

I've only graded about 3,500 so far. I can see someone saying my NM is really VG+ or my VG+ is VG, but he's saying a NM is F or P, both visually and audibly. The kicker is he's saying it's on A1, the only cut I actually play test.

Maybe the buyer has inadvertently damaged the record by listening to it.
Unfortunately in this case you can not prove it and you are defenseless.

Record_Haven
I rated the record NM which means it looked perfect and that cut A1 played like new. I playtest every record from A1 to the beginning of A2 because I want to listen to the noise in-between tracks. I can't 100% play test every record and I figure A1 is the cut that's going to get the most play.

The concept of play grading is argued on this forum a lot. I really like your approach to that subject. Good one.

Record_Haven
They're claiming they've been traveling for two months and just got around to opening the package.

Sonny.
... you are defenseless.

Not really considering the timeframe for filing PayPal SNaD claims is 30 days from date of delivery (in the US).

BarnyardOrbit
Not really considering the timeframe for filing PayPal SNaD claims is 30 days from date of delivery (in the US).

That is really good to know. As both a buyer and a seller. Thanks for posting this.

Earjerk...
All you can do is call their bluff. And you should.
Tell them to return the item. Do not offer a partial refund. They'll likely opt to keep it.
If sellers do this enough PayPal will see the pattern and hobble the seller buyer.
It's the only defense we have. If sellers stick together on this it will go a long way in eliminating these thieves.

This every time

you may also be protected by PayPal ~ https://www.paypal.com/ca/legalhub/paypal/agreement-full#seller-protection

2tec
you may also be protected by PayPal

Seller Protection only applies to INR and "unauthorized transaction" claims. This would be a SNaD case and the buyer is already outside the 30-day window to make such a claim (within the US, at least). Record_Haven is technically in the clear.

If you are very confident of your grading, you definitely want to get the item returned to you. If there's any damage you won't be able to tell whether it was inflicted after you shipped it out, but at least you will have the item back to inspect.

I'm in similar stage as you - 3 years, 400+ sales, 200+ positive s, only a handful of "Issues". Only two or three times have I had to pay for return postage, and one time the record did NOT skip on my player when I got it back ... so that was just a different in players.

Mistakes happen, be accommodating, professional but firm. I agree with others above that gentle push back will avoid encouraging abuse/fraud it that is the case here. In the long run, the cost of errors, differences in players and such, is a "low cost of doing business."

HTH

btw, what is SNaD?

edit - Something Not as Described , I assume or similar.

Additionally, I do fully play test my valuable items before I list them. It doesn't protect against damage, player differences or fraud, but at least I am confident in my grade.

djaskin
btw, what is SNaD?

edit - Something Not as Described , I assume or similar.

Close. SNaD = "Significantly Not as Described" and INR = "Item Not Received"

It's quite a bit of reading, but familiarizing one's self with the PayPal Agreement and paying attention to when they make changes to it can benefit all sellers. For example, the 30-day window for SNaD claims in the U.S. is a relatively recent change (from 180 days).

djaskin
I agree with others above that gentle push back will avoid encouraging abuse/fraud it that is the case here

Fraudsters often respond with over-the-top hyperbole and indignation to any sort of push back. Pretty much a dead giveaway that they're on the take.

BarnyardOrbit
Not really considering the timeframe for filing PayPal SNaD claims is 30 days from date of delivery (in the US).

I assumed it was 90 days, just like most PayPal transactions! Good to know.

In this case, Record_Haven, save that correspondence w buyer and be sure to submit it to PayPal in case he changes his tune and tries to say it's a different issue that caused him to want to return (which may not fall in that 30 day window).

Also, is this 30 day window maybe a UK/EU vs. US thing?

Earjerk...
I assumed it was 90 days, just like most PayPal transactions!

Not aware of any that are 90 days in the US, just 30 (SNaD) and 180 (INR).

Earjerk...
in case he changes his tune and tries to say it's a different issue that caused him to want to return (which may not fall in that 30 day window).

Could only try INR, and that's where Proof of Delivery comes in.

Earjerk...
Also, is this 30 day window maybe a UK/EU vs. US thing?

Very possible (if not likely) given the variance in consumer protection laws. You can change the locale at the link posted above.

BarnyardOrbit
Not aware of any that are 90 days in the US, just 30 (SNaD) and 180 (INR).

Oh! Yes. They changed it some time ago to 180. Thanks

Earjerk...
They changed it some time ago to 180.

Correct. I believe the timeframes for both were lengthened to 180 during the COVID era, which made sense for INR (and probably still does). Evidently they came to their senses on SNaD.