‘Why did eBay side with the buyer when he returned my Apple MacBook?’

Isold a non-working Apple MacBook on eBay for spares for repairs. With a lot of bids it went for £460. After I sent the item off, the buyer asked for a return and refund as, he said, it did not match the description.

The item I received back was a different MacBook. It was much more damaged and worth far less, if anything at all, especially as I don’t have its box or paperwork. The buyer insisted I had fraudulently sold him this item and that the pictures I posted on the listing were of another MacBook.

I disputed the case but eBay refunded the full payment, including the cost of the tracked postage both ways, to the buyer. I appealed the decision but eBay insisted I had received the item back.

I understand the buyer claimed there was a scratch on the screen that hadn’t been properly declared and that the date of the product was not as described.

You say you accepted the return as you assert that eBay always backs the buyer in disputes of this nature. Perhaps you would have fared better had you challenged the buyer at the outset asking, before permitting the return, in what way the product didn’t fit the description.

I did ask eBay abou t the buyer’s track record and apparently there is nothing in their previous history of doing this before. I have been unable to reverse this negative outcome for you.

• Jessica Gorst-Williams tackles consumer problems for Telegraph readers every week. To contact her, click here. If you want to ask a general money question, email [email protected] The best of the answers are included in our weekly newsletter