First off, this is my first attempt at selling on eBay period, so I'm not sure how any of this works. I've been contacting eBay through the entire process because as soon as the person bid on my item I had a feeling that they were immediately trying to find a reason for return, even though other people were bidding on my item.
The first time they ever messaged was after they placed the initial bid, they asked if my item had any chips, scratches, etc and I told them no. Immediately I was hoping the other bidder would out bid this person because I got a weird feeling from the message. Well, that didn't happen, the person who bid and asked about chips, scratches, damages, etc won. Immediately when she received the item she messaged requesting me to refund her immediately that there were chips in the cookie jar, which I assumed would happen as soon as she sent me the initial message when she was the highest bidder. I asked for photos and she didn't send any to me. I didn't give her the refund and several days later she then opens a claim. In the images she sends to ebay there's only two small chips and is claiming that it was damaged in shipping. In the same pictures theres no damage on the boxes I sent them in. I offered as a resolution two things, I could file a claim with USPS and her wait on the returns process through them or I could send her a refund with the amount I paid for the initial shipping and the return shipping, as I had listed the item with free shipping.
My main issue is that if I were to give her the full returns I will be paying to ship it to her and ship it back to myself so I am now in the negative and out more money then when I listed the item!
In my items description I listed it as used in great condition, not as new, and I also have no refunds or returns. The issue in my eyes will be the eBay money back guarantee which states they can get a refund if it arrives damaged, which I honestly think was her initial intentions from the beginning since AFTER she bidded on it was when she messaged me already asking about chips. Another person also mentioned that maybe she also had a cookie jar that was damaged and is trying to con me into taking hers for mine in great condition. I don't know what to do, and as far as the images she sent to eBay it looks like only two small chips, which to me at the price difference between new and used the price she paid was significantly lower so she still received an item at a great price. I don't even think that USPS would consider the damages sufficient for a full refund.
I don't believe she will accept either option that I have given as far as refunds, so am I protected or will eBay force me to accept the return and refund and be out the $32 in shipping? I honestly do not see her resolving this issue with me so most likely it will go to eBay to make the decision.
 - Shopify)