Bought poor quality plants on ebay - what to do?

annie-c

Hello

I ordered some 'cuttings' from an ebay seller - the description showed healthy cuttings with roots, and I paid for two on Buy it Now, but I was sent a small bundle of cuttings with no roots and brown ends as though they had been cut from a plant some time ago.

I contacted the seller and explained that I was disappointed, but got a rather rude reply saying that I should re-read the description because what was sent was exactly as described. I only paid just over £4 but am annoyed, especially with the rude reply!

Should I raise a 'significantly not as described' dispute, or just leave it?

I only have about 20 feedback so a negative (which would be my first and only) would ruin my score and I've just started selling. The seller has 99.6 %positive score with several thousand positive feedbacks, but on looking through I can see that the handful of disatisfied customers have received quite rude follow ups to their feedback.


I'd be grateful for advice...

Annie

Sugar_Coated_Owl

I would email the seller again and say that the items that you have received are significantly different to the description on the auction and that you would like a refund. I'd try to sort out the problem amicably to begin with before starting a dispute.

annie-c

Thanks very much for this.

I've already asked for a replacement, but received a follow-up email that said:

Come again?? You ordered? Didn´t you bid on an ebay item, which was clearely described and of which i placed a photo?
Look at it again:

and then you tell me please in how far the cuttings you received are different from that.
Regards
Chris

I followed this up, explaining that the cuttings I received had no roots, unlike the picture and received this:

by the time i packed and mailed them...they looked very much alike, that´s for sure only that i put some extra ;-)

I don't know how long to go on emailing back and forth before just forgetting about it or raising a dispute. I don't have a digital camera at the moment or I would send back a picture of what I received.

rdwarr

Time to leave negative feedback as a clear warning to other potential buyers. The seller appears to be a nasty piece of work and is treating customers with contempt rather than respect.

annie-c

I've sent the following, which I think is clear...

Thank you for your prompt responses.

However, the cuttings you have sent me are 'significantly not as described' and the sale breaks ebay rules. Your listing showed a picture of healthy cuttings with roots, but you sent me cuttings with no roots, that are brown at the ends as though they were cut some time ago. You are right, there are more than two, but without roots they are not of use to me.

I would prefer not to have to file a dispute and leave negative feedback, so I would be grateful if you would either refund my payment in full, or provide a replacement.

Thank you very much

I hate getting into disputes, but I am really cross about this!

Andybez38

Are the cuttings dead? and if not will they have time to grow roots? Cuttings dont grow roots overnight but with a little bit of tlc you might be able to revive them.

annie-c

The ends of each stalk are brown and dried up. I don't know really? I've never taken cuttings myself - that's why I ordered them from a garden-place on e-bay.

But it's worth a try -thanks!

bleugh

try growing them before complaining :-(
also, take advice on using cuttings, if you kill them or mis-handle them you can't go blaming the seller

annie-c

Thanks for this advice. I certainly didn't mean to complain without good reason, but the cuttings were in very poor condition and I was worried that if I didn't let the seller know as soon as possible, they might think I had let the cuttings die by neglect.

In any case, I have received the following, quite upsetting reply to my mail, and wish I had never traded with this seller in the first place:

Well lets say ... i will send you more cuttings, the ones i send are definitly perfectly fit for planting....you definitely don´t know what you are talking about and didn´t even try to plant them but mail nonsense mail trying to threaten me instead....
therefore i will definitely give you a NEGATIVE FEEDBACK!!!
I hope you´ll file anykind of !!!!!!! dispute f u

I have never experienced anything like this and will be wary of ebay in future.

rdwarr

annie-c wrote:

Thanks for this advice. I certainly didn't mean to complain without good reason, but the cuttings were in very poor condition and I was worried that if I didn't let the seller know as soon as possible, they might think I had let the cuttings die by neglect.

In any case, I have received the following, quite upsetting reply to my mail, and wish I had never traded with this seller in the first place:

Well lets say ... i will send you more cuttings, the ones i send are definitly perfectly fit for planting....you definitely don´t know what you are talking about and didn´t even try to plant them but mail nonsense mail trying to threaten me instead....
therefore i will definitely give you a NEGATIVE FEEDBACK!!!
I hope you´ll file anykind of !!!!!!! dispute f u

I have never experienced anything like this and will be wary of ebay in future.

Seller should be reported to eBay for a combination of feedback extortion and abusive behaviour. If you took something back to Tesco and were spoken to like that, be you right or wrong, then you'd expect the offender to at least lose their job. Same applies on eBay - he should be out.

LULUBELLE_2

Very rude seller, his customer service is appalling and uncalled for; if he negs you, be sure to neg him back. In his first reply, he could have said "Before I refund or replace, try sitting them in water for 24 hours" or somesuch - it may not have fixed it, but at least he would have been reasonable. Dreadful trader! :eek: