Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/18/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a Gath Surf Convertible Helmet Black XL from eBodyboarding (Tribe Boards, Jr ******* via Amazon on December 30, 2024, for $217.20 (Order #***-2622236-6178641). The helmet did not fit properly, so I returned it according to Amazons policy. However, I only received a partial refund of $195.47, leaving a discrepancy of $21.73.When I contacted the seller, they claimed they deducted a $20 restocking fee because I selected "wrong item sent" as the return reason. However, this fee was never disclosed prior to purchase or return. Instead of simply acknowledging the sizing issue (which is critical for safety equipment), they unfairly imposed a hidden fee that was only revealed after my return was processed.Why this is a ************************ Return Fees The seller withheld part of my refund without prior disclosure, violating fair business practices.Deceptive Business Practices The fee was imposed after the fact, making it impossible for me to make an informed decision when processing the return.Potential Consumer Law Violation Deceptive refund deductions on safety gear should not be allowed, as proper fit is essential for protective equipment.I attempted to resolve this directly with the business, but they refused to issue the remainder of my refund. I am now escalating this complaint to the BBB to warn other consumers and request intervention.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/25/2025

  Our policy with items we sell on ****** is always to deduct return shipping costs from customers that claimed in invalid return reason in order to get a free return label from ****** (which they bill us for).  What type of product she bought is completely irrelevant.  This customer says in their complaint:
  
  I selected "wrong item sent" as the return reason. 
  
  And then also says,  "The helmet did not fit properly".
  
  We did in fact ship the exact item and size the customer ordered.  
  
  These deceptive practices by ****** customers make it nearly impossible to do business on that platform as ****** takes 1/2 of our profit, PLUS makes us pay outbound shipping that we don't get back, AND when customers use incorrect return reasons on ******, they get a free return label, and Amazon bills us for the return label as well.  So, we lose a considerable amount of money on every ****** return, but especially when customers do this. So, our longstanding policy is to deduct return shipping costs billed by ****** to try to recoup some of our loss.  
  
  We have since refunded this customer so this is all moot, but we've been in business for 26 years and unfortunately, some customers are just not at all understanding of how a small business works, and believe they can bend the rules (claiming an incorrect return reason to get a free return label).  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/26/2025

  ****** has now reviewed the situation and sided with me, the consumer, acknowledging that the sellers business practices are deceptive and inappropriate. Amazon returned the full amount the business improperly withheld, which speaks volumes about how out of line this sellers conduct was.
  In the business's response to the BBB, they admit to a pattern of deducting return shipping fees from multiple customers based on return reasons they deem invalideven when the item is a piece of safety equipment that must fit properly to function. This is not a one-off misunderstanding. This is a deliberate and ongoing tactic to generate additional revenue by circumventing Amazons buyer protection policies.

  
  I failed to read their reviews before foolishly doing business with them. Had I done so, I would have seen Im not alonemany buyers report similar unfair treatment and refund issues. The company seems more focused on blaming customers and gaming return logistics than standing behind their products.
  Let me be clear: I dont care what size business you are. If youre selling life-saving equipment like helmets, you have a moral and legal responsibility to make sure it works for the end userand that if it doesnt, returning it is safe, fair, and hassle-free.

  
  What disgusts me most is that the co-founder claims to be a fellow surfer. That means you understand the risks in the water. That makes your behavior even more appalling. You know betterand yet you still chose to penalize someone for returning a helmet that didnt fit.
  This issue is not "moot" because you refunded me. Its part of a pattern of unethical conduct that should be documented so other consumers can avoid this trap.
  I reject the businesss response and ask that this complaint remain visible to inform and protect other customers.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/03/2025

  Okay, nearly 400 5-star ****** Reviews.  That should tell you what you need to know about our business.  
  
  This customer got her money back from ******, who uses algorithms, not people, to make such decisions.  The issue in question is us deducting the return shipping cost Amazon charges our business when it is a "seller-at-fault" return.  This customer claimed we shipped the incorrect item, getting a "seller-at-fault" return label, which we were charged for, but later admitted she did get the correct item, but the item didn't fit, which is considered a "buyer-at-fault" return reason, meaning, we are absolutely permitted as an Amazon seller to deduct that from her refund.  This is from ******'s own seller rules conveyed to me in a live chat with them through our seller interface:
  
  As an Amazon seller, we confirm that you can deduct the return shipping costs from the refund if the item was returned due to the buyers fault, such as the item not fitting. [1] [2]
  The key points are:
  For buyer-at-fault returns, like when the item doesnt fit, you can deduct the return shipping costs from the refund issued to the buyer.
  
  Because this customer didn't bother to read "the fine print", she seems dead set on going on a vendetta to discredit us even though this issue was already resolved in her favor by Amazon's algorithms.  We could put in an appeal to get back the money they refunded her to recover our shipping fees, but we've moved on.  I'd suggest this customer do the same and worry about things that are more important.