Thanks for the input everyone:  I really appreciate it.  

I'll get cracking on building my case this afternoon or tonight, and I'll definitely start with my credit card company.

Most credit cards allow you to make a claim through them within 90 days. Some will let you make a claim whenever. Your credit card company is obligated to ensure that what you buy on your credit card is as described. The burden of proof may be yours, but the obligation to provide a refund, or the legal means to fight the case in the courts is wholely theres.

So go down the PayPal claim route, be patient, and if it doesn't work out with PayPal, chargebeck on the credit card. PayPal may well require that you return the goods to the seller, and if they do, then do so with proof of delivery, full insurance, and take photographs of the item as it was delivered to you, as you package it well, and as you address it. That way, you have proof that you took every care to ensure the item was returned in the condition it was received and he can't counter claim damaged in the mail.

Had a situation back in the Summer of '08 where I was the seller.  Sold an item to a buyer in the middle east and supposedly it was received damaged.

The buyer waited quite a long time (like 2 weeks to a month) to file a dispute through PayPal as eBay wanted nothing to do with it.  So, in my defense I used whatever supported selling success stories I had dealing with my international sales - PayPal really didn't care.  

It was initially decided that with the buyer shipping the item back would receive a refund. WELL - a tracking number was posted (in PayPal dispute resolution) soon afterwards.

So, I check out the tracking number and it can't be found. Additionally, the buyer's eBay member ID suddenly disappears as no longer registered (so maybe they can buy thru a sibling, or has two accounts in two countries, or a scammer on the other end?).  Either way, I contact PayPal about these issues - they said: "well, we'll investigate."  In under two weeks, PayPal closes the case with the statement that NO REFUND IS TO BE ISSUED (in my favor).

Although it's different from yours, it's a view on how PayPal and eBay deal with these things.  The item I sold was quite a bit less than your winning bid and it was processed at the US Post Office as described  truthfully by me (not damaged)

Thanks again guys:  I read through the eBay/Paypal SNAD details earlier in the week, and called my credit card (Capital One) yesterday to see how thing would work on their end.  They explained their process, opened the dispute, and I'll have a full credit back to my account on Monday.  They said the burden of proof (and not just "I said so") is on the seller and I will have plenty of opportunity to bury him with stats and paperwork, so I'm good-to-go, I think.  

Thanks again for all of your suggestions, anecdotes, and support!

Hey, that's great news.
Good CC companies need to be promoted too (some have more red tape than others), so good for Capital One.
Keep us posted. We're all rooting for you here.

Doubtless you are right, Xaxaxe.

However, I think the seller probably didn't expect the meticulous response of a real collector.  

It is possible he just didn't pay enough attention and was surprised when Grodog didn't value the item as much as he did.  I think he was indignant and therefore foolish.

Xaxaxe wrote:Possibly.

But I wasn't real wild about the whole "no, no, no" thing when the actual answers were clearly "yes, yes, yes."

That landed right on my Dishonesty Radar. Which is next to my Asshat DRADIS.

Asshat DRADIS  

grodog wrote:They said the burden of proof (and not just "I said so") is on the seller and I will have plenty of opportunity to bury him with stats and paperwork, so I'm good-to-go, I think.

Glad it turned out well and no further worries hanging over.

Too bad the seller wasn't good-to-'Gro'

Good for you Allan.