Ina Steiner EcommerceBytes Blog
News and insight focusing on ecommerce.
by Ina Steiner, Editor of EcommerceBytes.com
Thu Apr 25 2024 23:04:13

eBay Refuses to Override AI Ruling in Claims Dispute

By: Ina Steiner

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There's an old expression about bureaucracy: "you can't fight city hall." When it comes to customer service in 2024, it may be apt to say, "you can't fight AI." 

A seller wrote to us and said that after eBay refunded a buyer from her bank account for a case of buyer's remorse, she contacted the company. "When talking to eBay staff, they said they aren't the ones doing the refund," and they told her there was nothing they could do about it - because AI had made the decision about the claim.

The seller explained that the buyer had sent her a message that her jeweler was unable to make modifications to the diamond ring she had purchased and wanted her money back. "That's considered buyers remorse, which is not refundable. But instead, she checked the 'not as described' option to force an automatic refund."

Was the eBay customer service rep simply using AI as an excuse to get the seller off the phone? Or does eBay have a policy of not allowing sellers to question decisions made by automated bots? Either way, it doesn't bode well for sellers or buyers who want a human review of a ruling made by AI.

eBay has been boasting how it uses AI technology to save money. Last month, eBay CEO Jamie Iannone told attendees of a Wall Street conference that he is using generative AI to save on the number of customer support agents that are needed to respond to issues between buyers and sellers.

And in February, Iannone said during the company's 4th quarter earnings call: "In our customer support centers, we've been using AI to really change the level of engagement we have with customers and the productivity."

That the "level of engagement" eBay has with customers had changed was proved true in this case. But from her perspective, not in a positive way.

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Perminate Link for eBay Refuses to Override AI Ruling in Claims Dispute   eBay Refuses to Override AI Ruling in Claims Dispute

by: MIscetal This user has validated their user name.

Mon Apr 29 15:57:14 2024

Tiresome antics, too much finely sliced parsing...

I keep getting the same survey for the Sellers page - I keep telling them that the thing I want as a seller AND as a buyer is cleaner search!

Just because the word "plate" is in a listing does not mean that when I ask for Shenango Restaurant Plates I want to buy souvenirs or machines.  Then asking the same question another way, I get silverplated condiment jars and camping supplies.

Perminate Link for eBay Refuses to Override AI Ruling in Claims Dispute   eBay Refuses to Override AI Ruling in Claims Dispute

by: BargainzBabylon This user has validated their user name.

Mon Apr 29 21:17:05 2024

This isn't adding up. The seller has a stated no-returns policy on this item, the buyer does an end-run around this policy and files an INAD to get their money back and hey presto** "AI" refunds it without any input from the seller? An INAD case provides 3 days for the seller to approve it, or ask eBay to "step in" (translates as "Lose the item, lose the money, get a big black mark for unresolved case") - if the seller just sits on it, the buyer is automatically refunded.

Agree with 2cents - AI is a lot of stupid as it's being hastily rolled out by clueless CEOs without due diligence, but this was a seller-created problem and worked the same as it did before AI. The buyer needs to be reported for abusing the system, maybe the seller can think twice about a no-returns policy.

People who know little about AI blame it for everything - par for the course for front-line CS at eBay.  

Perminate Link for eBay Refuses to Override AI Ruling in Claims Dispute   eBay Refuses to Override AI Ruling in Claims Dispute

by: my2cents This user has validated their user name.

Tue Apr 30 02:41:33 2024

I don't see anywhere in the article that says the seller had a NO Return policy.  @BargainzBabylon do you have additional information from the affected seller?

AI does NOT process an INAD.  When a buyer files an INAD, the seller has a few days to respond to it, unless the seller has their return preferences set up to auto refund any INAD, could be under a certain dollar value.  The Seller sets that up.  That is the ONLY time that an INAD gets automatically refunded.

Perminate Link for eBay Refuses to Override AI Ruling in Claims Dispute   eBay Refuses to Override AI Ruling in Claims Dispute

by: clu3 This user has validated their user name.

Tue Apr 30 06:33:17 2024

“ “… we've been using AI to really change the level of engagement we have with customers and the productivity." “

Hard to believe a company would be proud to say they aren't engaging with customers.

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