Buyer no longer requires item

sparkle03

Hi all

I sold some shampoo on ebay for bleached hair with a purple base. It doesnt contain toner so toner wasnt mentioned in the advert.

The buyer just messaged me to say she thought it had toner in it and now she knows that it doesnt she doesnt need it anymore and wants to know what Im going to do to fix the situation.

Sounds stupid but I hate bad feedback never had one yet. But I feel it is her mistake. I sold the shampoo for £5.00 and charged £2.90 p&p (£2.75 to Roal Mail and 15p bubble pack)

I thought it would br fair to offer her a refund of the shampoo only if she returns the item but I wont refund postage as she is the one who made the mistake and I dont see why I should lose out. Do you think Im asking for trouble?

Thanks all

butler_helen

surely surely surely... shampoo is like buying knickers... you can't return it because you could have tampered with it? Although ebay is an odd world.

annie-c

Ebay count opened disputes against your seller status as from this month so you may want to think about how that might affect your account.

However, if you are sure the item was as described and if you don't offer refunds in your listings, then I'd be inclined to be polite but firm with her and suggest she sells it on if she simply doesn't want it anymore. If she opens a dispute then she will have to return it at her cost.

Crowqueen

If you are a business seller and it was a BIN sale you have to give returns on items for very little reason, and it has to be a full refund, not just item cost. Unfortunately that's law and it trumps anything else you might otherwise have considered doing.

Personally if she hasn't used any of it I would get it back and refund. Compared to the hassle of having a dispute opened and possible negative feedback, it seems wiser to accept it. She may believe she has the rights outlined above.

Knickers are also returnable under the DSRs. If the item is subject to those regulations, you have to accept items back even if they are in unsaleable condition. The only significant exemption is unsealed media which may have been copied or a software key used.

hermum

Are you a private or business seller? Was it a BIN or auction?
That will all make a difference, I wonder if you can take shampoo back to a shop & say, I've changed my mind, or if anyone would even actually bother?

Crowqueen

hermum wrote: »

Are you a private or business seller? Was it a BIN or auction?
That will all make a difference, I wonder if you can take shampoo back to a shop & say, I've changed my mind, or if anyone would even actually bother?

This is not really a good comparison. Buyers have extra rights when buying online or mail order as they can't see what they are actually buying until it turns up. First off, you have more rights if the item is misdescribed, and secondly, the DSRs provide blanket coverage of most other goods provided the buyer notifies the seller within 7 days of receipt of the item that they wish to cancel. The seller doesn't have to pay return postage if the item is not faulty, but they have to specify this in their terms and conditions otherwise they are liable to refund including postage costs.

There's no right or wrong or what is normally done - it's just how the law is.

The DSRs say nothing about shampoo and hair care products, so it is safe to assume that they are covered by the legislation.

soolin

hermum wrote: »

Are you a private or business seller? Was it a BIN or auction?
That will all make a difference, I wonder if you can take shampoo back to a shop & say, I've changed my mind, or if anyone would even actually bother?

DSRs say that anything can be changed for any reason if seller is notified within a certain time frame if it was bought online.

sparkle03

Thanks all for replying, I am a personal seller. I have messaged her this morning and told her I am happy for her to return and I will refund her the product cost.

I didnt say the shampoo had toner in it and she states that she thought it did.

Will see how she replies and go from there. Thanks again

soolin

It does annoy me when people don't read a listing and just make assumptions.