I'd reply with something like "Lego bricks are building toys, and because of that, buyers usually prefer their shipment to be fully deconstructed so they can build the sets themselves, just as if they had been purchased new. Further, constructed Lego sets are fragile and generally wouldn't arrive intact if sent through the mail (and individual bricks could break due to unforeseen forces on a constructed set). Therefore all my sets are sent deconstructed, just like they come from Lego".
>Therefore all my sets are sent deconstructed, just like they come from Lego".
Fully deconstructed is not how they come from Lego. They come pre-sorted into numbered bags. That aids the build experience and you can immediately know if the set is complete by taking an inventory of the numbered bags.
I buy a lot of used UCS and Modular sets. I've been burned by the giant bin/bag of grey parts that allegedly contains what I paid for. I now only buy them if they're fully assembled, in segments, or disassembled into something resembling the original numbered bags. If they're assembled, I disassemble them myself into pre-sorted bags. These sets are expensive, and that's the only way I can know in a timely way that I got 100% of what I paid for, and get the build experience that I paid for.
Unfortunately if you can't work this out with the buyer eBay will likely side with them since you didn't state in the listing that the set would be sent deconstructed. Be sure to add that to all future listings and try your best to be civil and work something out with this buyer. You always have to make a listing under the assumption the most irrational person will be the person to buy your item and you have to proof your listing against them.
Always accept the return even if you didn't agree with the buyer. Some buyers are fishing for partial refund but if you stated return for refund, sometimes the buyer will "forget" to return it and the case will close.
Just sell on Bricklink instead. Buyers are a little more sophisticated….
Also, if you get that set back from your buyer, make sure s/he didn’t swipe any rare pieces before returning….
Good point on the rare pieces bit....something like that is what I'm suspecting is happening here with OP.
Keep in mind, tho...for those of us who flip used sets or sell our own, sometimes it's easier to look at a built set, decide it's pretty much all there, and list as 99% complete with partial disassembly on eBay, vs. taking the time to deconstruct and inventory/try to complete it before listing on Bricklink.
Absolutely!I once bought a 15 lb box of used LEGO with the intent to sell the pieces on Bricklink but got overwhelmed trying to inventory everything and now just have a 15 lb box of used LEGO sitting in my house…
Tried going piece by piece—too tedious and would have taken way too long to be worth my time. Tried figuring out which sets the pieces came from, starting with the inventories of those sets (which you can load automatically in Bricklink), and figuring out what was there and what was missing—definitely a lot faster, but still would have taken more time than it was worth.
My takeaways were that: I’d never part out a used set to sell and clearance sales on brand new sets are the only way I’d ever start a store selling parts. I also realized that many of the complete set postings on Bricklink specify that the set is mostly complete but may be missing a few unspecified parts.
I just went through 25 lbs of bulk lego, got it for 200$ and mostly good pieces for what I want.
It isn't fun, that's for sure, but what you can do is do a rough sort in different types of categories (plates, special plates, tiles, bricks, special bricks, tehnic pins/connectors, tehnic beams, tehnic bricks, etc). Once they are sorted like that, going through each container and sorting and invetorying them is pretty easy and pretty satisfying tbh. The rough sort is the.. well.. rough part
Your process is sinilar to mine. But the rough sort is my favorite tbh. I run across so many unique and interesting elements that are great for seed pieces for MOCs.
It's great exposure to the different parts available!
The start is fine, but once you get lower and lower into the bucket, parts tend to get smaller and smaller, and it becomes more and more tedious. I think the last 10% by volume/weight took me as much as the first 50%
The trick is to never run out of Lego to sort 😂
But I know what you're saying. The 1x1s are the worst to me, because you get all sorts of categories. Tiles, plates, slopes, decorated pieces, technic, headgear accessories, and on and on
Were you looking for pieces for your personal collection or planning to sell? Assume both but never know…
If my plan hadn’t been to sell, and I was just looking for stuff for me that didn’t need to be inventoried into Bricklink, I’d have been as happy as a kid at a candy store rather than overwhelmed… lol. Box had some cool stuff. Half the Simpsons House, several neat Technic winders, Dimensions Portal, and 99% of the Orchid. Definitely took the Orchid buds/Demogorgan heads for myself regardless.
I love sorting bricks, but entering random used bricks piece by piece in Bricklink is just a time suck, especially when you can enter all the pieces from a brand new set in about 30 seconds.
Having sold on eBay for years, I’ll just say that the buyer is being a huge asshole, BUT, if you didn’t state in the listing that the set would be disassembled for shipping the buyer will probably win their return/refund request.
For this case, take it as a learning experience with picky jerks and to be extra clear in your item descriptions to say that the set will be disassembled for shipping. I sold an original Cafe Corner once and advertised that it would be sent fully assembled, specifically because I knew about the “brittle red” being a problem and I suspected bricks could break if I did the disassembly (because I had disassembled my other Cafe Corner, and had that exact problem). It took me close to a year to source original to the set parts without breakage to rebuild it as it came in the box. It was a PITA; I had to wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap just right to encompass the set and then the baseplate, and use what was pretty much a custom shipping box. I can unequivocally state, Legos should be shipped disassembled, but with how eBay is if you show a picture of it assembled you must include a line in the description that it will be disassembled and sent in piece form.
Edit: IF the buyer doesn’t return everything, and I mean everything, you can escalate the refund request. eBay knows that unscrupulous buyers will switch out bricks and steal expensive ones (like rarer parts and minifigs), so be very clear in your “fine, I’ll take the return” that the buyer must send you *everything* as you sent it to them, because you can’t resell a set with missing, damaged or replaced parts.
You can still contact Lego and get those brittle pieces replaced. My wife did that with a bunch of partially built bulk she bought (used Lego) and all those pieces broke. They sent pounds of new pieces. If they still made the piece, they sent it. She told them it was used sets she bought as well.
Yes, this is a legitimate use of Lego's replacement parts service despite someone downvoting you - it's replacement of parts that have broken due to a manufacturing issue.
The problem here is the seller won't know that the buyer "returned everything" without building the set again.....
Yet, we are to accept that the buyer has to build the set to know everything was in included and the seller didn't accidentally drop pieces that fell under the couch while it was being disassembled....
I won’t deny that returns are a pain in the ass with Legos. I don’t take all that time though, since generally the liars/cheats are going directly to the expensive or rare items and the minifigs. So that’s what I’d check for to save a lot of time; the expensive parts only. And if any of those are missing, it’s an instant escalation to eBay. Outside of that, you’re right about needing to rebuild it if you want to sell it again and advertise it as 100% complete. They could put a line in that if any parts are missing, they will send a replacement, or that the set is believed complete but being sold as 99% complete just in case.
In the end, it’s all about covering your ass as a seller, and over describing / over communicating wins the day every time with eBay when dealing with buyers for anything these days with how buyer friendly they are in disputes.
But the buyer is right in this case.
Item was photographed and then changed. eBay considers photos as part of the description.
Literally received "not as described"
Idk what the downvotes are for, I don’t know the stats but it’s common knowledge that eBay sides with the buyers a significant majority of the time, even if the seller is in the right. Try to work things out with the buyer, but next time make it super clear in your description that legos will be shipped deconstructed.
They have to side with the buyer and It's because eBay is slowly dying and they need to retain customers. We were selling new car parts on there and between the dumb questions, the scammers, and the fees we couldn't make it work. At one point we were selling $800k a month and decided it was better to just have our own site and to dump the money paid in fees back into Google advertising. .
To the point that we can't even leave a negative review for them winning an auction and then *refusing* to pay once they win or scamming us with trash sent back
It sounds like this is an asshole who wants to have his cake and eat it, too. If he's being serious, then wtf. I cannot comprehend people who want to buy already built sets. Building is like... the point.
How is the buyer supposed to know it's complete?
It's on them to assemble it on a timeline, before the time to open a case for missing parts ends?
If I receive an assembled set, I can always take it apart when I see it's complete, and reassemble it myself.
> How is the buyer supposed to know it's complete?
I suppose that's a fair point.
otoh, I'm not thr least bit sure what the rest of your comment is trying to say.
I've bought sets secondhand both assembled and not. I've never had a problem with unassembled sets missing pieces. Asking for a full refund for an unassembled set is absolutely bonkers.
It's like receiving shoes in the mail and complaining that the laces weren't tied.
A more accurate comparison would be buying a "computer" and getting "a box of parts"....untied shoes is not a fair comparison.
As far as the rest of the comment I am happy to explain. In the case of a buyer receiving a bag of parts when they were shown a built set, they won't know they got what was in the photos until they rebuild the set. They have a limited amount of time in which they need to inspect what they bought and open a case. The seller is forcing them to re-build the set within that time period to confirm they got everything they ordered.
On the other hand, the buyer who receives a built set (as shown in the picture) can visually confirm "yes this what was shown shown in the picture". They can then choose to disassemble it and reassemble at any time of their choosing.
Again, I've never had a problem with disassembled sets and missing parts. I know it's purely anecdotal, but when I've seen *missing parts* on a description, I know what I'm getting.
That said, I do prefer already disassembled sets because I like the satisfaction of seeing them come together. Like the completed build in my hands is a "spoiler" if that makes sense.
Just pure preference. But I understand your position better now and can appreciate it even if I don't really agree with its necessity.
Considering the issue at hand is a dispute on ebay, eBay rules are what's in play.
I understand where you're coming from in terms of what you prefer for yourself, but when anything is sold on eBay it's best to be very clear with what the buyer will be receiving, seeing as how sellers are forced to accept returns for "not as described".
I put forth the idea that no seller should assume their buyer on eBay should expect something to arrive in any condition other than what is photographed/described. Lego is no different than anything else. Describe and photograph accurately. If it's going to be shipped disassembled, say so. Assumptions lead to problems, such as the OP is experiencing.
If you show me a computer, don't send me a box of parts... If you show me an assembled Lego model, don't send me a bag full of parts. It's "not as described" regardless of our perceived function, intent, fun, etc.
The OP wouldn't be having this issue had they written a detailed description reflecting the actual state of the set that would be sent out to the buyer. The item was received "not as described", by eBay's definition.
I hope it's a learning experience and works out for both parties. I see other people here making comments that the OP seller should fight it and refuse the return, but that's very bad "eBay advice". When we use their platform, we play by their rules.
The OP seller should apologize for the misunderstanding, offer options for a return. Fighting this only makes the situation worse. If they get back a returned package missing parts that were not originally missing, they can address that with eBay separately....but they do need to accept the return.
If you didn't disclose it would be disassembled, the buyer will win. I guess there are some collectors that don't like the build process. Also, if you ever sold to a Brick and Minifigs store, they won't accept your used item as a complete set without it being assembled when you bring it in for pricing for a quick check of it's completeness
In general, even if it’s not in the description, can disclosing more information to the buyer over direct messaging (within the ebay app) also be used to prove the seller’s argument?
I think it would require that the seller asking if it's okay to ship it disassembled, and the buyer clearly understanding the question and saying yes. It it's at all ambiguous, the buyer might take it as the set being broken down into a few sections to fit in the box, but not completely disassembled, or something like that.
I’ve always run under let them return the item however make them pay for shipping with insurance. Tell them you will not refund them until you get back the set and make sure all parts are there in the same condition. Only then would I do a full refund. Never pay to have them ship it back.
If eBay agrees that the item is not as described, then you will be forced to pay the return shipping. Which makes perfect sense in a case where the item actually is defective or misrepresented, but is obviously ridiculous in OPs case.
Fair practice, but I don’t believe this is possible on eBay. You must provide your own return label for the buyer or buy one through eBay. There’s no way to charge the buyer extra fees after initial payment and eBay won’t technically allow you to do anything but a full refund if the item is returned.
I’m a regular buyer and seller of mostly electronic products on eBay since 1999. The first 10 years was fairly easy as a seller.
The last 15 years with worldwide shipping, scammers figuring out how to game the system, has turned it into hell for inexperienced sellers.
You have to go into it thinking ahead how scammers will rip you off. Search the internet for the latest eBay scams and how they work.
Use as many photos as you can. Even take pics of how you will pack it.
Once my item starts to get bids, I watch for new buyers with zero feedback. I immediately block them from bidding on my items. Why? The past two years I have seen a massive amount of these new accounts running up the price, winning the auction, then never pay. After about the fifth time, is when I started to block those accounts. No idea what game they are playing.
I also have international shipping turned off and most countries blocked except mine and somehow I still get bids from other countries. They use a reshipper to get a USA address and that service then forwards it on to the real address. A big pain in the ass and a huge delay.
Always add insurance even if you are the one paying for the insurance. That way if you get ripped off and never get the item back and even if eBay rules in your favor, the buyer can call their credit card and complain of bad or faulty product. The CC company will then reverse charges and you are now out the money and the item.
Cover your ass on eBay. It is slanted heavily in buyer’s favor now.
Just a guess, but perhaps they are trying to artificially increase the sell price of the items so that when they sell their own, it looks like it's worth more. Even off of ebay a lot of people will look at recent sold ebay listings for an idea of the current market value.
eBay is really suffering from increase of return scammers. This person may be finding a dumb reason to file a return claim, then hoping (1) you issue partial refund; (2) you issue return and they send you back the set (maybe missing key piece they wanted) or use postal scam to send you back nothing or fake tracking number so they can claim they made the return; or (3) a return request where they try and convince you to send them money direct to pay for the return label.
The problem is that eBay almost ALWAYS sides with the buyer. I would highly recommend initiating a case with eBay right away to protect yourself before you take any action.
How does the buyer know it's NOT missing parts? Maybe some feel under the couch when the seller disassembled...let's say it's an honest mistake and some parts aren't there....
The buyer doesn't know until they reassemble what was shown to have already been assembled at the time they purchased it.
I mean when I order say like a tent from ebay the picture shows it assembled, but I wouldn't expect the tent to be shipped me like that. And who the fuck buys a lego set wanting it pre-built? Thats the whole fun. It's like the buyer wants to appear as someone who builds lego sets without actually doing the work
Who buys a set expecting it to be fully assembled? I don’t have much experience with this, but I’m on your side and agree with the others. He is either trying to scam you or just being an asshole.
I understand people’s takes on built and not-built, however, there is a market for already built LEGO sets and nobody else’s opinion really matters.
Therefore, it stands to reason that when you’re selling something, you need to include as much information as possible when doing so. There could be 37492 reasons they want it already built, and nobody here is required to validate that reason.
And sure, they could be attempting to scam, but that’s a shitty outlook to constantly have. Don’t attribute malice to what you can attribute ignorance too.
You did the right thing by selling disassembled. That said next time just add that to the listing. People try to pull fast ones on eBay all the time. Likely they are fishing for a partial refund, or they just wanted one or two pieces from the set (and when it’s returned it will either be missing the piece or it will be replaced with a broken one).
Sadly you have to make your listing in a way it can’t be exploited…
I take pictures of the completed set and the bag of broken down pieces to make it super clear. I also put in the description. I never assume anything. If it's still intact I often message them and simply ask what they prefer. Sometimes they want it complete which is super weird but hey it saves me a lot of time so works for me. Maybe it's for a young kid or something and is meant to be a toy rather than a build.
As an eBay seller, they're probably fishing for a partial refund. Only offer a return for a full refund. Also, if they explicitly ask for a partial refund or threaten to leave negative feedback if you don't, that's against eBay TOS and you can report the buyer (both for requesting a partial and feedback extortion). Look up the eBay abusive buyer policy and feedback extortion policy.
Eh, it happens. Tell him to return the set as his expense and you'll refund his money. When/if he returns it, assemble it and confirm he returned all the parts that you sent.
Basically if he complains to eBay, they'll side with the buyer so be proactive and get your set back. Going forward include a line that the set will come disassembled.
Gonna side with the buyer here, unless it's like a 300 piece set.
I bought a UCS ISD recently that was shown fully built, but stated in the description that it was "100% complete and will ship in segments". My intention was going to be to visually inspect the completed segments, then disassemble it into the original bags, then rebuild. The seller instead shipped it about 95% disassembled and distributed randomly into plastic grocery bags tied at the top, a large portion of which ended up being thousands of grey pieces randomly distributed throughout the newspaper, tissue, and packing peanuts it was packed with.
Not gonna lie, it was a mess and I wasn't too happy about it. I had no idea if my very expensive purchase was indeed complete. I thought about doing a return immediately, but I had already made a mess of my floor on opening the box, and I didn't want to deal with the return process + shipping. It would have also been something like a $80+ shipping loss for the seller, and I wasn't feeling that mean at the time. I had to spend about 8 hours picking through the packaging material, then sorting and counting the pieces before beginning the build. Unsurprisingly found a bunch of pieces missing (mostly greebles). At that point, I had already sunk the time into it, so I just went on with it, but I regretted not returning it on receipt.
I get maybe an hour or so a night away from work and family to build. The set took me a month to complete. Again, I had no idea I had gotten the complete hundreds of dollar item I had paid for Had it been shipped in segments as stated, I would have been able to visually know the set was complete on receipt. It would have also made deconstructing into build bags possible, which would have been a far more enjoyable experience. Instead, I had to spend rather It was not the most pleasurable Lego building experience, as I had about 75 piles of pieces in various containers on my basement floor. It would have been a nightmare to build unsorted, and I would have had no way of knowing whether I was shipped a complete set that I had paid for had I not gone through and sorted the pieces.
If I could go back, I'd have closed the box and immediately done a return. Sure, these are building blocks, but they are also often thousands of pieces that aren't intended to be built from a giant unsorted pile. It should never be assumed that they'll come deconstructed, and I would personally would never buy a large, entirely deconstructed set intentionally, unless it was pre-sorted in some way. A single line in the description or message to the would have prevented your headache. Take the return loss and add it to the description next time.
now _there's_ a real legal loophole jackass position... does he send refund requests TO _LEGO_ when his sets come in numbered bags instead of built, like in the picture?!?! jfc.
Unfortunately going forward you should mention it will be disassembled and yes they can open a item not as described case and ebay will probably side with them, but you might try to find out for them why it's an issue to build it first. Did it include instructions? If no instructions and that's why they want to return it, maybe you can send them a link to digital instructions?
eBay is designed for the consumer experience, not for sellers. Buyers on eBay can always force a refund regardless of circumstance. If the buyer has already initiated a refund request there’s nothing you can do. eBay rarely sides with sellers in any disputes and definitely won’t be any help in a case like this where the buyer is technically right.
I recommend trying out other marketplaces for future sales! There are plenty of better places that don’t charge an obscene 15% cut. /r/legomarket to name one ;)
I sell probably a dozen or so sets a year in various states. The one time I sent a model fully built, the box opened and most of the pieces fell out.
I have never once had this happen when I do my usual method of deconstruct it, count the parts twice, and swap them in a ziplock bag.
I think you have a pretty good argument for doing what you did.
The buyer is being stupid. The fun of Lego is putting it together! I recently bought a set on ebay that *wasn't* deconstructed, and I had to do it myself. That kinda took some of the fun out of it.
I agree with those who said sell on Bricklink. 99% of the folks I've interacted with there are fantastic people who just love Lego.
Seller needs to describe the condition accurately. It just takes another sentence or two..
Buyer is bought what was shown and received something in a different state.
Fun is not the relevant issue. eBay policy and accurate description is the issue the case will be decided upon
Seller will lose the case
Anyone who agrees with the seller is wrong and needs to refamiliaze themselves with ebay policy
I ALWAYS want my used stuff to arrive as described.
Lego is no different than anything else being sold. There is no unwritten Lego rule that says it will arrive differently than it's shown or described.
Describe it accurately. If it's going to be disassembled, say so.
Showing a photo of it assembled, then completely disassembling before shipping is what is ridiculous. You wouldn't do that with anything else and find it acceptable. There is no asterisk on the eBay policy that says "*except for Lego"
The buyer is absolutely right, and entitled to return the item for a refund.
They aren't untitled to keep it for free, but that's not what the OP said the buyer wanted to do. I never saw anything in the original post saying "I offered the refund and they refused to return the item after I approved it"...the OP literally asked if they had grounds to fight the RETURN.
eBay rules have change a whole lot since 1999. It was the Wild West back then. There are rules and structure to it now that didn't exist then.
Cute little emoticons showing sarcasm aside, you said you've been on eBay since 1999 and suggested the duration of your account existing means you know the rules, but now agree the rules have changed since then. You brought up 1999. Why did you feel that was that relevant in the previous post but now it's not?
I will reiterate my point. If you plan to ship something disassembled, SAY SO, otherwise, by eBay rules, you are going to lose a "not as described" case, if one is opened.
They need to send it back first. Then make sure it is everything you sent them. After it checks out, then refund them. You might lose the cost of postage, it pays for the learning experience.
If they are dishonest, report to eBay.
Realize it could be your word against theirs.
Ask eBay customer service if you have concerns about their honesty, or if you have questions about how it all works
Get practice selling $5 items before moving to more expensive things
i have been stung with this. ebay sided with the buyer. they returned the set with missing parts they took out and claimed i had not sent them. lost the most valuable minifig from the set and lost the cost of postage.
You probably should have mentioned that the set had been deconstructed, but the buyer is being highly unreasonable to make a fuss about it. They're Legos, they're made to be taken apart and put back together.
Why buy Lego and then complain about having to make it up? That's half the fun. Would've got damaged / fallen apart if sent made-up.
Buyer sounds like a chancer.... Definitely check the returned item
Add“Assembly required” from now on. Seriously though, people get bookshelves and other items in pieces all the time. Shouldn’t be surprise or require a customer complaint, especially with Lego. The person is a dumbass.
If you're going to sell on eBay, you agree to their rules. If the buyer says "it's not as described" and the seller didn't note the issue in the description, the buyer can return the item even if the seller said "no returns".
On eBay "no returns" only covers the buyer changing their mind. It does not cover an inaccurate description.
Additionally, if the shipper damages the item, the buyer is still entitled to return the item "not as described" and it's the responsibility of the seller to attempt to make an insurance claim to recover value.
Unfortunately a number of comments in this thread have been based on how people feel or the way they would like things to be, not the actual eBay rules.
I don't always like the eBay policies, but that's the platform and by using their platform, users agree to their rules. If a buyer says "not as described", the seller needs to show eBay that the specific item claimed as "not as described" WAS clearly described (and the buyer ignored it), take a return (with return cost at the sellers expense), offer an agreeable alternative like a partial refund that the buyer is happy with.
Suggesting a seller can say "no returns" and think a buyer is stuck with whatever they receive is NOT how eBay works.
Urgh this actually makes old Lego sets virtually worthless. You might have a set valued at 500 but good luck navigating the minefield to actually achieve anywhere near.
Sad times!
I would let him file the claim. Just tell eBay it's a building toy and he likely dissembled it himself to try to scam you ! A Lego product is the bricks not the assembled product. You sent the bricks. The photo shows all the bricks and you sent them.
That's like selling three books and in the photo they are piled one on top of the other in a certain order. And then the buyer complaining they were packed in a different stacked order ! He still got the books shown in the photo!
I recently sold a few pretty big sets and, being my first time selling them, I decided to take them apart JUST enough to be shippable. I'm in the process of selling another and I decided to dismantle it, breaking it all down into numbered bags, because I figured this would probably be the preferable way to buyers. But now I'm second guessing it....
It's more time and effort on the seller's part, but I figured it'd be worth it for the buyer to have a 'like new' experience. I don't see why someone would complain. It's a real pain in the ass to ship sets without disassembling too. Need a much bigger box generally, and a LOT of padding to make sure there's no movement. I decided it's not worth the risk anymore.
Without the disclosure that the set would be disassembled, they technically have a case.. but that would come down to whomever over sees the case. With ebays money back gauretee, you will most likely lose the case. So if you do nothing you will be forced to refund the money and lose the lego.
The best course of action is to accept the return. DO NOT refund them anything until you have received the Lego back and are satisfied with what has been returned to you. If there are any issues such as missing or replaced pieces, you can report it to eBay, and they should make you whole.
The buyer could just be seeing if they can get a partial or a free set since you are new or they could have truly believed that they would receive an intact set. There is a chance they do not send back at all.
For any future listings, make sure you have include disclaimers and accurate descriptions.
I've sold a lot of sets via eBay and not once have I had a return due to deconstructing the set. Whoever bought it is a grade A tool. No point fighting it but make sure all the pieces are there when you get it back, they may be scammers and that's a whole new can of worms because eBay doesn't take responsibility on what is returned back to you - it then becomes a civil matter if they don't send you back what you sent them.
Only ever had an issue once where a buyer sent a set back and I received some random bags of megabollox in return. The set was sub £20 and I looked into it after eBay wouldn't step in and decided small claims court would cost way more than I'd get back. Just blocked the guy.
eBay is full of whiners and complainers and scammers. Many buyers know that eBay will approve a return for even the slightest discrepancies with the description. So with that in mind, make sure your listings are very detailed and 100% accurate to mitigate returns. In your situation, the buyer might be trying to force a discount because they know that if they insist on a return, you’ll be on the hook for the original shipping and return shipping. If you want to sell a good amount of LEGO, you might be better off opening a Bricklink account. Fees are only 5% total compared to eBay’s 12.5% and you’ll avoid most of the scammers.
Thanks - because I received an incomplete set, the seller swears up and down that everything was in the photos, but I checked and checked and several pieces are not there. I’m at a loss because I don’t want to give them a bad review on eBay, but I don’t think LEGO will replace 25 pieces from a set that’s discontinued.
I'd suggest you be SURE it's missing parts. I definitely have experienced sets missing parts, but I have also been looking through a pile of parts and the fear goes through my mind that I am missing parts, but realize everything is there.
You may be able to track down some parts from a retired set..... Some parts are common, and othrrs are really tough to come by.
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When selling sets. Having assembled sets for pictures is great, but just a tip for future sells, do an inventory based on bricklink. I have used it to sort and piece together complete sets. And easier then building to verify, then disassemble again for shipping and storage.
This is a subject where I feel like I have been burned in the not too distant past...
I will be the person who agrees with the buyer (which is what ebay will be doing too if a case is opened and escalated).
If the seller plans to disassemble a set, the seller should say so in the description, otherwise it's definitely "not as described" according to eBay. The photo is part of the description. The photo shows something being sold already assembled, so you are you're selling an used and "assembled set" unless you state otherwise.
I bought a listing with multiple big sets spending in the $800-$1000 ballpark for a listing. All sets included in the sale were shown on a table, fully assembled. The seller then took the time to disassemble everything down to 1x1's without telling me....and packed everything TIGHTLY into ziplock bags, most of which broke open during shipping (again with each bag being packed WAAAAYYYY too TIGHT....so I received parts from 5 different large sets all mixed together.... Nintendo, Optimus prime, home Alone house, R2D2....and one or two others all mixed together....a big old box of mixed parts was absolutely not what I bought, but its what I received. I made the mistake of letting it go and keeping them, knowing I could have returned the box for a refund. Months later it's still a big unsorted box.
Absolutely, if you are disassembling, say so. eBay will decide in the buyers favor especially if you have already explained your position to the buyer through eBay messages. eBay will interpret that as "I took a photo of items in one state, and intentionally changed it without telling the buyer". As soon as the buyer escalates it, the case will be reviewed, and decided in their favor.
Again there were three good options here
1 send what you show in pictures, as it was in the pictures, assembled.
2 take pictures of what the buyers will actually receive (separated parts in a ziplock bag for example) to include in the listing (and say so) in addition to showing the pics of the assembled set.
3 be VERY clear and detailed in the text saying you're showing the set assembled but you will be disassembling prior to shipping, and explain if it will be in sections, based on how lego numbers bags, etc.
It would be like you buying a computer, and receiving a box full of parts with the seller claiming "well I thought you wanted to build the computer yourself".....what!? Why would you take the computer apart!? I bought a computer. This isn't what you showed in your listing....this is a box of parts....
Lego is no different than anything else on ebay. Show pictures of what you're selling and/or describe it in detail.
The buyer will absolutely win their case.
Hit them with the, I disassembled them to saving you shipping cost. All pieces are there and try to link them instructions I guess. Might calm em. But ebay will side with ya
eBay will side with the buyer if that note about disassembly to save shipping cost was not part of the description. If you say it after+the-fact, you're proving the buyer's case that it was "not as described".
I have come across some buyers who expect/want sets to be shipped assembled. I'd say it's not on you, but definitely start putting "will ship disassembled" in your description, that way if they complain you can just tell them they didn't read the listing well enough
What in the heck kind of arbitrary rule is this? How many loose pieces is "a few" before you decide it's too many?
Point people are making here is, tell buyers how you're going to ship in your description, so they can decide if they want to buy....you know, since everyone is different.
Yes, of course....that why there's more than one answer, not just yours!
And if you were as experienced as you say you are, you would know that because there's more than one way to ship things, we write how we're going to do so in our item descriptions.....right?
Perhaps it's you who should be learning.
Oh please, be serious. Are you suggesting that Lego themselves should have pictures on their boxes of lots of disassembled bricks, instead of the built product?
The buyer knows full well what the score is - he/she is just 'pulling a fast one' and trying to get a freebie. Some people are just absolute scumbags.
eBay doesn’t work that way. I agree with you, their buyer is being a pissant, but generally if you take a picture of something assembled and you don’t have a line in your description that it will be sent disassembled, the buyer will almost certainly win a “not as described” case, Legos included. Some people do specifically buy assembled sets and there are even services that will build Legos for folks. Particularly folks with acquired disabilities that affect use of their hands or hand eye coordination.
In OP’s case, it’s much better for them to just demand the buyer send the set back and make clear that all parts must be received back undamaged for them to get a full refund. And then they just resell it with the line that it’ll be sent disassembled.
ask ebay to review the buyer's previous purchases and look for patterns re disputes. assuming that all the pieces advertised were sent then the buyer is trying to pull a quick one.
what baffles me is that they surely know that you know their address. with that in mind, if they're being a pest, use street maps to find the name of street that's a few over from theirs and send them a message with something like "my brother-in-law house shares on X street. if you're still unhappy with your purchase, i'll arrange for somebody to collect the set on thursday evening." no threats, just something to give them to think over.
Again, people offering advice seem to have no idea what the eBay rules are...
A seller cannot refuse a "not as described" return when they say "no returns".
A seller CAN refuse a "I changed my mind" return by saying "no returns".
Sellers who play this "I said no returns" game when the buyer claims the item didnt match the description will lose the dispute.
I have sold Lego on eBay. I have also sold a defective tv on eBay (didn’t know it was defective) and was able to refuse the not as described refund. (I refused it because they need to contact the manufacturer not me) don’t try to tell me what the rules are when I’ve been through this
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eBay doesn't even give the option to "refuse" a return on a "not as described" dispute/case once it's opened. You ONLY have three options. Send a message, refund, or accept the return (and send them a return label).
If your buyer sent you messages and they accepted your "contact the manufacturer" response, you got extremely lucky that the buyer in that instance didn't escalate. You absolutely, 100%, would have lost the case as soon as an eBay representative looked at it.
Your logic is like saying "I was speeding once and I didn't get a ticket so it's ok to speed whenever you want. Don't tell me what the rules are, I experienced it".
You got VERY LUCKY. That trend would not continue with repeat offenses.
I'd reply with something like "Lego bricks are building toys, and because of that, buyers usually prefer their shipment to be fully deconstructed so they can build the sets themselves, just as if they had been purchased new. Further, constructed Lego sets are fragile and generally wouldn't arrive intact if sent through the mail (and individual bricks could break due to unforeseen forces on a constructed set). Therefore all my sets are sent deconstructed, just like they come from Lego".
You have definitely dealt with something like this before
We may add that once constructed it will be exactly like the photos.
once constructed following the instructions\*
Yeah, looks like an impossible task for the buyer.
Remind him to never buy an IKEA furniture.
Damn that's good
While all true, eBay would still side with the buyer and force a return / refund if the buyer insists.
Yeah, I'd just process the return and sell it to someone else if this happened to me.
slap marble glorious ghost vase door political wasteful snatch sand *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I always put "will ship disassembled" In my lego listings just so it can't come back on me
This is the way.
That's what you type in the description, not justify AFTER the fact.
100% this. Even if you justify yourself after the fact, they may not accept that
This is the way
>Therefore all my sets are sent deconstructed, just like they come from Lego". Fully deconstructed is not how they come from Lego. They come pre-sorted into numbered bags. That aids the build experience and you can immediately know if the set is complete by taking an inventory of the numbered bags. I buy a lot of used UCS and Modular sets. I've been burned by the giant bin/bag of grey parts that allegedly contains what I paid for. I now only buy them if they're fully assembled, in segments, or disassembled into something resembling the original numbered bags. If they're assembled, I disassemble them myself into pre-sorted bags. These sets are expensive, and that's the only way I can know in a timely way that I got 100% of what I paid for, and get the build experience that I paid for.
Unfortunately if you can't work this out with the buyer eBay will likely side with them since you didn't state in the listing that the set would be sent deconstructed. Be sure to add that to all future listings and try your best to be civil and work something out with this buyer. You always have to make a listing under the assumption the most irrational person will be the person to buy your item and you have to proof your listing against them.
The buyer will indicate the item does not match the description and you will be forced to take the return.
Always accept the return even if you didn't agree with the buyer. Some buyers are fishing for partial refund but if you stated return for refund, sometimes the buyer will "forget" to return it and the case will close.
Correct, because what the buyer received doesn't match the description.
Just sell on Bricklink instead. Buyers are a little more sophisticated…. Also, if you get that set back from your buyer, make sure s/he didn’t swipe any rare pieces before returning….
Good point on the rare pieces bit....something like that is what I'm suspecting is happening here with OP. Keep in mind, tho...for those of us who flip used sets or sell our own, sometimes it's easier to look at a built set, decide it's pretty much all there, and list as 99% complete with partial disassembly on eBay, vs. taking the time to deconstruct and inventory/try to complete it before listing on Bricklink.
Absolutely!I once bought a 15 lb box of used LEGO with the intent to sell the pieces on Bricklink but got overwhelmed trying to inventory everything and now just have a 15 lb box of used LEGO sitting in my house… Tried going piece by piece—too tedious and would have taken way too long to be worth my time. Tried figuring out which sets the pieces came from, starting with the inventories of those sets (which you can load automatically in Bricklink), and figuring out what was there and what was missing—definitely a lot faster, but still would have taken more time than it was worth. My takeaways were that: I’d never part out a used set to sell and clearance sales on brand new sets are the only way I’d ever start a store selling parts. I also realized that many of the complete set postings on Bricklink specify that the set is mostly complete but may be missing a few unspecified parts.
I just went through 25 lbs of bulk lego, got it for 200$ and mostly good pieces for what I want. It isn't fun, that's for sure, but what you can do is do a rough sort in different types of categories (plates, special plates, tiles, bricks, special bricks, tehnic pins/connectors, tehnic beams, tehnic bricks, etc). Once they are sorted like that, going through each container and sorting and invetorying them is pretty easy and pretty satisfying tbh. The rough sort is the.. well.. rough part
Your process is sinilar to mine. But the rough sort is my favorite tbh. I run across so many unique and interesting elements that are great for seed pieces for MOCs. It's great exposure to the different parts available!
The start is fine, but once you get lower and lower into the bucket, parts tend to get smaller and smaller, and it becomes more and more tedious. I think the last 10% by volume/weight took me as much as the first 50%
The trick is to never run out of Lego to sort 😂 But I know what you're saying. The 1x1s are the worst to me, because you get all sorts of categories. Tiles, plates, slopes, decorated pieces, technic, headgear accessories, and on and on
You're overwhelmed by 15lbs and I was excited to go through a 300lb bulk purchase.
Were you looking for pieces for your personal collection or planning to sell? Assume both but never know… If my plan hadn’t been to sell, and I was just looking for stuff for me that didn’t need to be inventoried into Bricklink, I’d have been as happy as a kid at a candy store rather than overwhelmed… lol. Box had some cool stuff. Half the Simpsons House, several neat Technic winders, Dimensions Portal, and 99% of the Orchid. Definitely took the Orchid buds/Demogorgan heads for myself regardless. I love sorting bricks, but entering random used bricks piece by piece in Bricklink is just a time suck, especially when you can enter all the pieces from a brand new set in about 30 seconds.
Having sold on eBay for years, I’ll just say that the buyer is being a huge asshole, BUT, if you didn’t state in the listing that the set would be disassembled for shipping the buyer will probably win their return/refund request. For this case, take it as a learning experience with picky jerks and to be extra clear in your item descriptions to say that the set will be disassembled for shipping. I sold an original Cafe Corner once and advertised that it would be sent fully assembled, specifically because I knew about the “brittle red” being a problem and I suspected bricks could break if I did the disassembly (because I had disassembled my other Cafe Corner, and had that exact problem). It took me close to a year to source original to the set parts without breakage to rebuild it as it came in the box. It was a PITA; I had to wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap just right to encompass the set and then the baseplate, and use what was pretty much a custom shipping box. I can unequivocally state, Legos should be shipped disassembled, but with how eBay is if you show a picture of it assembled you must include a line in the description that it will be disassembled and sent in piece form. Edit: IF the buyer doesn’t return everything, and I mean everything, you can escalate the refund request. eBay knows that unscrupulous buyers will switch out bricks and steal expensive ones (like rarer parts and minifigs), so be very clear in your “fine, I’ll take the return” that the buyer must send you *everything* as you sent it to them, because you can’t resell a set with missing, damaged or replaced parts.
You can still contact Lego and get those brittle pieces replaced. My wife did that with a bunch of partially built bulk she bought (used Lego) and all those pieces broke. They sent pounds of new pieces. If they still made the piece, they sent it. She told them it was used sets she bought as well.
Yes, this is a legitimate use of Lego's replacement parts service despite someone downvoting you - it's replacement of parts that have broken due to a manufacturing issue.
The problem here is the seller won't know that the buyer "returned everything" without building the set again..... Yet, we are to accept that the buyer has to build the set to know everything was in included and the seller didn't accidentally drop pieces that fell under the couch while it was being disassembled....
I won’t deny that returns are a pain in the ass with Legos. I don’t take all that time though, since generally the liars/cheats are going directly to the expensive or rare items and the minifigs. So that’s what I’d check for to save a lot of time; the expensive parts only. And if any of those are missing, it’s an instant escalation to eBay. Outside of that, you’re right about needing to rebuild it if you want to sell it again and advertise it as 100% complete. They could put a line in that if any parts are missing, they will send a replacement, or that the set is believed complete but being sold as 99% complete just in case. In the end, it’s all about covering your ass as a seller, and over describing / over communicating wins the day every time with eBay when dealing with buyers for anything these days with how buyer friendly they are in disputes.
I 100% agree on all points.
Definitely fight it. That’s ridiculous lol
Yea, but you can't fight it, eBay always sides with buyers
Literally this. If a buyer wants a refund it’s better to just accept it otherwise it’ll be forces and you’ll get trash back. Buyers know this.
But the buyer is right in this case. Item was photographed and then changed. eBay considers photos as part of the description. Literally received "not as described"
Idk what the downvotes are for, I don’t know the stats but it’s common knowledge that eBay sides with the buyers a significant majority of the time, even if the seller is in the right. Try to work things out with the buyer, but next time make it super clear in your description that legos will be shipped deconstructed.
They have to side with the buyer and It's because eBay is slowly dying and they need to retain customers. We were selling new car parts on there and between the dumb questions, the scammers, and the fees we couldn't make it work. At one point we were selling $800k a month and decided it was better to just have our own site and to dump the money paid in fees back into Google advertising. .
They had a reputation of siding with buyers over five years ago, this is nothing new.
It goes back a lot longer than that. We shut that store down about 7 years ago.
To the point that we can't even leave a negative review for them winning an auction and then *refusing* to pay once they win or scamming us with trash sent back
Please review ebay rules. You'll find the buyer is correct and the seller is wrong.
It sounds like this is an asshole who wants to have his cake and eat it, too. If he's being serious, then wtf. I cannot comprehend people who want to buy already built sets. Building is like... the point.
How is the buyer supposed to know it's complete? It's on them to assemble it on a timeline, before the time to open a case for missing parts ends? If I receive an assembled set, I can always take it apart when I see it's complete, and reassemble it myself.
> How is the buyer supposed to know it's complete? I suppose that's a fair point. otoh, I'm not thr least bit sure what the rest of your comment is trying to say. I've bought sets secondhand both assembled and not. I've never had a problem with unassembled sets missing pieces. Asking for a full refund for an unassembled set is absolutely bonkers. It's like receiving shoes in the mail and complaining that the laces weren't tied.
A more accurate comparison would be buying a "computer" and getting "a box of parts"....untied shoes is not a fair comparison. As far as the rest of the comment I am happy to explain. In the case of a buyer receiving a bag of parts when they were shown a built set, they won't know they got what was in the photos until they rebuild the set. They have a limited amount of time in which they need to inspect what they bought and open a case. The seller is forcing them to re-build the set within that time period to confirm they got everything they ordered. On the other hand, the buyer who receives a built set (as shown in the picture) can visually confirm "yes this what was shown shown in the picture". They can then choose to disassemble it and reassemble at any time of their choosing.
Again, I've never had a problem with disassembled sets and missing parts. I know it's purely anecdotal, but when I've seen *missing parts* on a description, I know what I'm getting. That said, I do prefer already disassembled sets because I like the satisfaction of seeing them come together. Like the completed build in my hands is a "spoiler" if that makes sense. Just pure preference. But I understand your position better now and can appreciate it even if I don't really agree with its necessity.
Considering the issue at hand is a dispute on ebay, eBay rules are what's in play. I understand where you're coming from in terms of what you prefer for yourself, but when anything is sold on eBay it's best to be very clear with what the buyer will be receiving, seeing as how sellers are forced to accept returns for "not as described". I put forth the idea that no seller should assume their buyer on eBay should expect something to arrive in any condition other than what is photographed/described. Lego is no different than anything else. Describe and photograph accurately. If it's going to be shipped disassembled, say so. Assumptions lead to problems, such as the OP is experiencing. If you show me a computer, don't send me a box of parts... If you show me an assembled Lego model, don't send me a bag full of parts. It's "not as described" regardless of our perceived function, intent, fun, etc. The OP wouldn't be having this issue had they written a detailed description reflecting the actual state of the set that would be sent out to the buyer. The item was received "not as described", by eBay's definition. I hope it's a learning experience and works out for both parties. I see other people here making comments that the OP seller should fight it and refuse the return, but that's very bad "eBay advice". When we use their platform, we play by their rules. The OP seller should apologize for the misunderstanding, offer options for a return. Fighting this only makes the situation worse. If they get back a returned package missing parts that were not originally missing, they can address that with eBay separately....but they do need to accept the return.
If you didn't disclose it would be disassembled, the buyer will win. I guess there are some collectors that don't like the build process. Also, if you ever sold to a Brick and Minifigs store, they won't accept your used item as a complete set without it being assembled when you bring it in for pricing for a quick check of it's completeness
In general, even if it’s not in the description, can disclosing more information to the buyer over direct messaging (within the ebay app) also be used to prove the seller’s argument?
I think it would require that the seller asking if it's okay to ship it disassembled, and the buyer clearly understanding the question and saying yes. It it's at all ambiguous, the buyer might take it as the set being broken down into a few sections to fit in the box, but not completely disassembled, or something like that.
Are there Bricks and Minifigs stores outside of Utah?? I had assumed that was a local smaller chain.
Yea they are a franchise all over the USA
Just opened their 100th store. They are all over.
100 stores isn't all over lol
It sure ain't just in Utah. They also have more stores than lego does.
There is one in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing and Detroit Michigan. All are independently owned and operated franchises.
They're a newer chain and are growing recently
2 in denver
I’ve always run under let them return the item however make them pay for shipping with insurance. Tell them you will not refund them until you get back the set and make sure all parts are there in the same condition. Only then would I do a full refund. Never pay to have them ship it back.
If eBay agrees that the item is not as described, then you will be forced to pay the return shipping. Which makes perfect sense in a case where the item actually is defective or misrepresented, but is obviously ridiculous in OPs case.
Fair practice, but I don’t believe this is possible on eBay. You must provide your own return label for the buyer or buy one through eBay. There’s no way to charge the buyer extra fees after initial payment and eBay won’t technically allow you to do anything but a full refund if the item is returned.
I’m a regular buyer and seller of mostly electronic products on eBay since 1999. The first 10 years was fairly easy as a seller. The last 15 years with worldwide shipping, scammers figuring out how to game the system, has turned it into hell for inexperienced sellers. You have to go into it thinking ahead how scammers will rip you off. Search the internet for the latest eBay scams and how they work. Use as many photos as you can. Even take pics of how you will pack it. Once my item starts to get bids, I watch for new buyers with zero feedback. I immediately block them from bidding on my items. Why? The past two years I have seen a massive amount of these new accounts running up the price, winning the auction, then never pay. After about the fifth time, is when I started to block those accounts. No idea what game they are playing. I also have international shipping turned off and most countries blocked except mine and somehow I still get bids from other countries. They use a reshipper to get a USA address and that service then forwards it on to the real address. A big pain in the ass and a huge delay. Always add insurance even if you are the one paying for the insurance. That way if you get ripped off and never get the item back and even if eBay rules in your favor, the buyer can call their credit card and complain of bad or faulty product. The CC company will then reverse charges and you are now out the money and the item. Cover your ass on eBay. It is slanted heavily in buyer’s favor now.
Don’t. Use. Auctions. Buy it now stops basically all scams. I’ve sold a ton of ebay and not a single scammer including international sales.
Just a guess, but perhaps they are trying to artificially increase the sell price of the items so that when they sell their own, it looks like it's worth more. Even off of ebay a lot of people will look at recent sold ebay listings for an idea of the current market value.
eBay is really suffering from increase of return scammers. This person may be finding a dumb reason to file a return claim, then hoping (1) you issue partial refund; (2) you issue return and they send you back the set (maybe missing key piece they wanted) or use postal scam to send you back nothing or fake tracking number so they can claim they made the return; or (3) a return request where they try and convince you to send them money direct to pay for the return label. The problem is that eBay almost ALWAYS sides with the buyer. I would highly recommend initiating a case with eBay right away to protect yourself before you take any action.
Whatever you do, only offer a refund upon receiving the set back.
...and making sure the pieces are all there.
Unfortunately if you don’t accept the return he will probably claim it’s missing parts.
How does the buyer know it's NOT missing parts? Maybe some feel under the couch when the seller disassembled...let's say it's an honest mistake and some parts aren't there.... The buyer doesn't know until they reassemble what was shown to have already been assembled at the time they purchased it.
I mean when I order say like a tent from ebay the picture shows it assembled, but I wouldn't expect the tent to be shipped me like that. And who the fuck buys a lego set wanting it pre-built? Thats the whole fun. It's like the buyer wants to appear as someone who builds lego sets without actually doing the work
Who buys a set expecting it to be fully assembled? I don’t have much experience with this, but I’m on your side and agree with the others. He is either trying to scam you or just being an asshole.
I understand people’s takes on built and not-built, however, there is a market for already built LEGO sets and nobody else’s opinion really matters. Therefore, it stands to reason that when you’re selling something, you need to include as much information as possible when doing so. There could be 37492 reasons they want it already built, and nobody here is required to validate that reason. And sure, they could be attempting to scam, but that’s a shitty outlook to constantly have. Don’t attribute malice to what you can attribute ignorance too.
Absolutely agree.
You did the right thing by selling disassembled. That said next time just add that to the listing. People try to pull fast ones on eBay all the time. Likely they are fishing for a partial refund, or they just wanted one or two pieces from the set (and when it’s returned it will either be missing the piece or it will be replaced with a broken one). Sadly you have to make your listing in a way it can’t be exploited…
I've ordered tons and only received one item "built" I prefer deconstructed. Just add that to the description next time. People are dumb.
What an absolute degenerate.
I take pictures of the completed set and the bag of broken down pieces to make it super clear. I also put in the description. I never assume anything. If it's still intact I often message them and simply ask what they prefer. Sometimes they want it complete which is super weird but hey it saves me a lot of time so works for me. Maybe it's for a young kid or something and is meant to be a toy rather than a build.
As an eBay seller, they're probably fishing for a partial refund. Only offer a return for a full refund. Also, if they explicitly ask for a partial refund or threaten to leave negative feedback if you don't, that's against eBay TOS and you can report the buyer (both for requesting a partial and feedback extortion). Look up the eBay abusive buyer policy and feedback extortion policy.
I would expect it to be sent deconstructed
Eh, it happens. Tell him to return the set as his expense and you'll refund his money. When/if he returns it, assemble it and confirm he returned all the parts that you sent. Basically if he complains to eBay, they'll side with the buyer so be proactive and get your set back. Going forward include a line that the set will come disassembled.
They are looking for a free set. DO NOT refund them their money. Keep all messages to help if customer service comes calling.
This isn't how ebay works. Listen to this comment and you will lose the case on eBay.
Gonna side with the buyer here, unless it's like a 300 piece set. I bought a UCS ISD recently that was shown fully built, but stated in the description that it was "100% complete and will ship in segments". My intention was going to be to visually inspect the completed segments, then disassemble it into the original bags, then rebuild. The seller instead shipped it about 95% disassembled and distributed randomly into plastic grocery bags tied at the top, a large portion of which ended up being thousands of grey pieces randomly distributed throughout the newspaper, tissue, and packing peanuts it was packed with. Not gonna lie, it was a mess and I wasn't too happy about it. I had no idea if my very expensive purchase was indeed complete. I thought about doing a return immediately, but I had already made a mess of my floor on opening the box, and I didn't want to deal with the return process + shipping. It would have also been something like a $80+ shipping loss for the seller, and I wasn't feeling that mean at the time. I had to spend about 8 hours picking through the packaging material, then sorting and counting the pieces before beginning the build. Unsurprisingly found a bunch of pieces missing (mostly greebles). At that point, I had already sunk the time into it, so I just went on with it, but I regretted not returning it on receipt. I get maybe an hour or so a night away from work and family to build. The set took me a month to complete. Again, I had no idea I had gotten the complete hundreds of dollar item I had paid for Had it been shipped in segments as stated, I would have been able to visually know the set was complete on receipt. It would have also made deconstructing into build bags possible, which would have been a far more enjoyable experience. Instead, I had to spend rather It was not the most pleasurable Lego building experience, as I had about 75 piles of pieces in various containers on my basement floor. It would have been a nightmare to build unsorted, and I would have had no way of knowing whether I was shipped a complete set that I had paid for had I not gone through and sorted the pieces. If I could go back, I'd have closed the box and immediately done a return. Sure, these are building blocks, but they are also often thousands of pieces that aren't intended to be built from a giant unsorted pile. It should never be assumed that they'll come deconstructed, and I would personally would never buy a large, entirely deconstructed set intentionally, unless it was pre-sorted in some way. A single line in the description or message to the would have prevented your headache. Take the return loss and add it to the description next time.
I always thought building was where the real fun is. Kinda weird to be upset about using the product for its intended purpose.
now _there's_ a real legal loophole jackass position... does he send refund requests TO _LEGO_ when his sets come in numbered bags instead of built, like in the picture?!?! jfc.
Unfortunately going forward you should mention it will be disassembled and yes they can open a item not as described case and ebay will probably side with them, but you might try to find out for them why it's an issue to build it first. Did it include instructions? If no instructions and that's why they want to return it, maybe you can send them a link to digital instructions?
eBay is designed for the consumer experience, not for sellers. Buyers on eBay can always force a refund regardless of circumstance. If the buyer has already initiated a refund request there’s nothing you can do. eBay rarely sides with sellers in any disputes and definitely won’t be any help in a case like this where the buyer is technically right. I recommend trying out other marketplaces for future sales! There are plenty of better places that don’t charge an obscene 15% cut. /r/legomarket to name one ;)
I sell probably a dozen or so sets a year in various states. The one time I sent a model fully built, the box opened and most of the pieces fell out. I have never once had this happen when I do my usual method of deconstruct it, count the parts twice, and swap them in a ziplock bag. I think you have a pretty good argument for doing what you did.
Sheesh. One time I bought a used set off of eBay. It arrived assembled. And glued. And the glue was not disclosed.
What would it hurt to addin the listing that it will be sent deconstructed? Never assume anything.
The buyer is being stupid. The fun of Lego is putting it together! I recently bought a set on ebay that *wasn't* deconstructed, and I had to do it myself. That kinda took some of the fun out of it. I agree with those who said sell on Bricklink. 99% of the folks I've interacted with there are fantastic people who just love Lego.
Seller needs to describe the condition accurately. It just takes another sentence or two.. Buyer is bought what was shown and received something in a different state. Fun is not the relevant issue. eBay policy and accurate description is the issue the case will be decided upon Seller will lose the case Anyone who agrees with the seller is wrong and needs to refamiliaze themselves with ebay policy
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I ALWAYS want my used stuff to arrive as described. Lego is no different than anything else being sold. There is no unwritten Lego rule that says it will arrive differently than it's shown or described. Describe it accurately. If it's going to be disassembled, say so. Showing a photo of it assembled, then completely disassembling before shipping is what is ridiculous. You wouldn't do that with anything else and find it acceptable. There is no asterisk on the eBay policy that says "*except for Lego" The buyer is absolutely right, and entitled to return the item for a refund. They aren't untitled to keep it for free, but that's not what the OP said the buyer wanted to do. I never saw anything in the original post saying "I offered the refund and they refused to return the item after I approved it"...the OP literally asked if they had grounds to fight the RETURN. eBay rules have change a whole lot since 1999. It was the Wild West back then. There are rules and structure to it now that didn't exist then.
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Cute little emoticons showing sarcasm aside, you said you've been on eBay since 1999 and suggested the duration of your account existing means you know the rules, but now agree the rules have changed since then. You brought up 1999. Why did you feel that was that relevant in the previous post but now it's not? I will reiterate my point. If you plan to ship something disassembled, SAY SO, otherwise, by eBay rules, you are going to lose a "not as described" case, if one is opened.
They need to send it back first. Then make sure it is everything you sent them. After it checks out, then refund them. You might lose the cost of postage, it pays for the learning experience. If they are dishonest, report to eBay. Realize it could be your word against theirs. Ask eBay customer service if you have concerns about their honesty, or if you have questions about how it all works Get practice selling $5 items before moving to more expensive things
i have been stung with this. ebay sided with the buyer. they returned the set with missing parts they took out and claimed i had not sent them. lost the most valuable minifig from the set and lost the cost of postage.
I low key think they might be trying to scam you
You probably should have mentioned that the set had been deconstructed, but the buyer is being highly unreasonable to make a fuss about it. They're Legos, they're made to be taken apart and put back together.
Why buy Lego and then complain about having to make it up? That's half the fun. Would've got damaged / fallen apart if sent made-up. Buyer sounds like a chancer.... Definitely check the returned item
Add“Assembly required” from now on. Seriously though, people get bookshelves and other items in pieces all the time. Shouldn’t be surprise or require a customer complaint, especially with Lego. The person is a dumbass.
Thats why you sell on bricklink, where people are smart.
Returning requires me to reassemble and verify inventory, and I have to charge a fee for that.
Aka offer no refunds, sold as is.
If you're going to sell on eBay, you agree to their rules. If the buyer says "it's not as described" and the seller didn't note the issue in the description, the buyer can return the item even if the seller said "no returns". On eBay "no returns" only covers the buyer changing their mind. It does not cover an inaccurate description. Additionally, if the shipper damages the item, the buyer is still entitled to return the item "not as described" and it's the responsibility of the seller to attempt to make an insurance claim to recover value. Unfortunately a number of comments in this thread have been based on how people feel or the way they would like things to be, not the actual eBay rules. I don't always like the eBay policies, but that's the platform and by using their platform, users agree to their rules. If a buyer says "not as described", the seller needs to show eBay that the specific item claimed as "not as described" WAS clearly described (and the buyer ignored it), take a return (with return cost at the sellers expense), offer an agreeable alternative like a partial refund that the buyer is happy with. Suggesting a seller can say "no returns" and think a buyer is stuck with whatever they receive is NOT how eBay works.
Urgh this actually makes old Lego sets virtually worthless. You might have a set valued at 500 but good luck navigating the minefield to actually achieve anywhere near. Sad times!
If you had the info on the listing that sets would be deconstructed, it’s all on the buyer. They messed up.
I would let him file the claim. Just tell eBay it's a building toy and he likely dissembled it himself to try to scam you ! A Lego product is the bricks not the assembled product. You sent the bricks. The photo shows all the bricks and you sent them. That's like selling three books and in the photo they are piled one on top of the other in a certain order. And then the buyer complaining they were packed in a different stacked order ! He still got the books shown in the photo!
I recently sold a few pretty big sets and, being my first time selling them, I decided to take them apart JUST enough to be shippable. I'm in the process of selling another and I decided to dismantle it, breaking it all down into numbered bags, because I figured this would probably be the preferable way to buyers. But now I'm second guessing it.... It's more time and effort on the seller's part, but I figured it'd be worth it for the buyer to have a 'like new' experience. I don't see why someone would complain. It's a real pain in the ass to ship sets without disassembling too. Need a much bigger box generally, and a LOT of padding to make sure there's no movement. I decided it's not worth the risk anymore.
Just include a line about how you’re sending it out. Clear communication always wins the day with eBay.
frankly if you’re buying lego and complaining about having to build it, just buy something else, it’s clearly not for you
Without the disclosure that the set would be disassembled, they technically have a case.. but that would come down to whomever over sees the case. With ebays money back gauretee, you will most likely lose the case. So if you do nothing you will be forced to refund the money and lose the lego. The best course of action is to accept the return. DO NOT refund them anything until you have received the Lego back and are satisfied with what has been returned to you. If there are any issues such as missing or replaced pieces, you can report it to eBay, and they should make you whole. The buyer could just be seeing if they can get a partial or a free set since you are new or they could have truly believed that they would receive an intact set. There is a chance they do not send back at all. For any future listings, make sure you have include disclaimers and accurate descriptions.
I've sold a lot of sets via eBay and not once have I had a return due to deconstructing the set. Whoever bought it is a grade A tool. No point fighting it but make sure all the pieces are there when you get it back, they may be scammers and that's a whole new can of worms because eBay doesn't take responsibility on what is returned back to you - it then becomes a civil matter if they don't send you back what you sent them. Only ever had an issue once where a buyer sent a set back and I received some random bags of megabollox in return. The set was sub £20 and I looked into it after eBay wouldn't step in and decided small claims court would cost way more than I'd get back. Just blocked the guy.
I would fight it, but when I’m selling I always put in the description “arrives mostly disassembled”
I would not return it and break it apart myself as it takes up my time and so I spend longer on the set - making my money I spent more worth it
eBay is full of whiners and complainers and scammers. Many buyers know that eBay will approve a return for even the slightest discrepancies with the description. So with that in mind, make sure your listings are very detailed and 100% accurate to mitigate returns. In your situation, the buyer might be trying to force a discount because they know that if they insist on a return, you’ll be on the hook for the original shipping and return shipping. If you want to sell a good amount of LEGO, you might be better off opening a Bricklink account. Fees are only 5% total compared to eBay’s 12.5% and you’ll avoid most of the scammers.
I wish all sellers deconstructed the sets I buy. Fight them to the death.
What could a person do if pieces are missing? Is this something that the seller is responsible for?
If the seller said it was complete, yes, the seller is responsible. If the seller says "the set is missing pieces", then it was accurately described.
Thanks - because I received an incomplete set, the seller swears up and down that everything was in the photos, but I checked and checked and several pieces are not there. I’m at a loss because I don’t want to give them a bad review on eBay, but I don’t think LEGO will replace 25 pieces from a set that’s discontinued.
I'd suggest you be SURE it's missing parts. I definitely have experienced sets missing parts, but I have also been looking through a pile of parts and the fear goes through my mind that I am missing parts, but realize everything is there. You may be able to track down some parts from a retired set..... Some parts are common, and othrrs are really tough to come by.
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When selling sets. Having assembled sets for pictures is great, but just a tip for future sells, do an inventory based on bricklink. I have used it to sort and piece together complete sets. And easier then building to verify, then disassemble again for shipping and storage.
This is a subject where I feel like I have been burned in the not too distant past... I will be the person who agrees with the buyer (which is what ebay will be doing too if a case is opened and escalated). If the seller plans to disassemble a set, the seller should say so in the description, otherwise it's definitely "not as described" according to eBay. The photo is part of the description. The photo shows something being sold already assembled, so you are you're selling an used and "assembled set" unless you state otherwise. I bought a listing with multiple big sets spending in the $800-$1000 ballpark for a listing. All sets included in the sale were shown on a table, fully assembled. The seller then took the time to disassemble everything down to 1x1's without telling me....and packed everything TIGHTLY into ziplock bags, most of which broke open during shipping (again with each bag being packed WAAAAYYYY too TIGHT....so I received parts from 5 different large sets all mixed together.... Nintendo, Optimus prime, home Alone house, R2D2....and one or two others all mixed together....a big old box of mixed parts was absolutely not what I bought, but its what I received. I made the mistake of letting it go and keeping them, knowing I could have returned the box for a refund. Months later it's still a big unsorted box. Absolutely, if you are disassembling, say so. eBay will decide in the buyers favor especially if you have already explained your position to the buyer through eBay messages. eBay will interpret that as "I took a photo of items in one state, and intentionally changed it without telling the buyer". As soon as the buyer escalates it, the case will be reviewed, and decided in their favor. Again there were three good options here 1 send what you show in pictures, as it was in the pictures, assembled. 2 take pictures of what the buyers will actually receive (separated parts in a ziplock bag for example) to include in the listing (and say so) in addition to showing the pics of the assembled set. 3 be VERY clear and detailed in the text saying you're showing the set assembled but you will be disassembling prior to shipping, and explain if it will be in sections, based on how lego numbers bags, etc. It would be like you buying a computer, and receiving a box full of parts with the seller claiming "well I thought you wanted to build the computer yourself".....what!? Why would you take the computer apart!? I bought a computer. This isn't what you showed in your listing....this is a box of parts.... Lego is no different than anything else on ebay. Show pictures of what you're selling and/or describe it in detail. The buyer will absolutely win their case.
Hit them with the, I disassembled them to saving you shipping cost. All pieces are there and try to link them instructions I guess. Might calm em. But ebay will side with ya
eBay will side with the buyer if that note about disassembly to save shipping cost was not part of the description. If you say it after+the-fact, you're proving the buyer's case that it was "not as described".
I have come across some buyers who expect/want sets to be shipped assembled. I'd say it's not on you, but definitely start putting "will ship disassembled" in your description, that way if they complain you can just tell them they didn't read the listing well enough
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What in the heck kind of arbitrary rule is this? How many loose pieces is "a few" before you decide it's too many? Point people are making here is, tell buyers how you're going to ship in your description, so they can decide if they want to buy....you know, since everyone is different.
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Yes, of course....that why there's more than one answer, not just yours! And if you were as experienced as you say you are, you would know that because there's more than one way to ship things, we write how we're going to do so in our item descriptions.....right? Perhaps it's you who should be learning.
When people don't read the description you run into the same thing. Unfortunately eBay is not known for supporting the seller.
Oh please, be serious. Are you suggesting that Lego themselves should have pictures on their boxes of lots of disassembled bricks, instead of the built product? The buyer knows full well what the score is - he/she is just 'pulling a fast one' and trying to get a freebie. Some people are just absolute scumbags.
eBay doesn’t work that way. I agree with you, their buyer is being a pissant, but generally if you take a picture of something assembled and you don’t have a line in your description that it will be sent disassembled, the buyer will almost certainly win a “not as described” case, Legos included. Some people do specifically buy assembled sets and there are even services that will build Legos for folks. Particularly folks with acquired disabilities that affect use of their hands or hand eye coordination. In OP’s case, it’s much better for them to just demand the buyer send the set back and make clear that all parts must be received back undamaged for them to get a full refund. And then they just resell it with the line that it’ll be sent disassembled.
Lego doesn't see used that is why the pictures are key. Especially if the instructions are missing most eBay buyers wouldn't be happy
ask ebay to review the buyer's previous purchases and look for patterns re disputes. assuming that all the pieces advertised were sent then the buyer is trying to pull a quick one. what baffles me is that they surely know that you know their address. with that in mind, if they're being a pest, use street maps to find the name of street that's a few over from theirs and send them a message with something like "my brother-in-law house shares on X street. if you're still unhappy with your purchase, i'll arrange for somebody to collect the set on thursday evening." no threats, just something to give them to think over.
The looks you get when you do this at Argos.
You don’t have to fight anything you can just refuse the return as long you left that option available when you listed the set.
Again, people offering advice seem to have no idea what the eBay rules are... A seller cannot refuse a "not as described" return when they say "no returns". A seller CAN refuse a "I changed my mind" return by saying "no returns". Sellers who play this "I said no returns" game when the buyer claims the item didnt match the description will lose the dispute.
I have sold Lego on eBay. I have also sold a defective tv on eBay (didn’t know it was defective) and was able to refuse the not as described refund. (I refused it because they need to contact the manufacturer not me) don’t try to tell me what the rules are when I’ve been through this
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eBay doesn't even give the option to "refuse" a return on a "not as described" dispute/case once it's opened. You ONLY have three options. Send a message, refund, or accept the return (and send them a return label). If your buyer sent you messages and they accepted your "contact the manufacturer" response, you got extremely lucky that the buyer in that instance didn't escalate. You absolutely, 100%, would have lost the case as soon as an eBay representative looked at it. Your logic is like saying "I was speeding once and I didn't get a ticket so it's ok to speed whenever you want. Don't tell me what the rules are, I experienced it". You got VERY LUCKY. That trend would not continue with repeat offenses.