What would you do?

Emerald_Lilly

On the 23rd of August I won a set of DVDs cheaply on eBay which were meant to be sent first class. On the first, they still had not arrived so I sent a message to the seller asking when they were likely to arrive. There was no response so a bit later I opened a dispute.

The seller then came back with a whole host of excuses saying there had been illegal activity on the account, that a house move had confused things etc. They also answered saying they were the social worker of the account holder (whose name was apparently the uniquely named 'evil' character from the DVD series I had bought!). Despite taking the mick, I said if the DVDs arrived within the next three days that all would be well. If not, I would leave negative feedback...I left negative feedback.

Yesterday, I escalated the claim and was awarded a refund. However, that afternoon the DVDs also arrived! I contacted the seller saying he/she can have them back if s/he pays postage but says I should and that I am stealing! S/he said that s/he'd change the positive feedback s/he gave me to negative but upon learning this was impossible has threatened to get mates to sabotage my auctions!

What would you do? Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!!

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Just tell the seller the goods are awaiting their collection via courier or if they send you the postage you will return them.

If the messages about wrecking your actions were sent via eBay report them, each email has a report link on. Most people are talk so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Also worth having two accounts, one to buy and one to sell to avoid this kind of situation.

soolin

Please tell me that you don't buy and sell on the same account

If you don't then just ignore seller, just email one more time saying item is available for return if they provide an SAE for you.

If you do buy and sell on the same account then I would seriously suggest you stop selling and open a new account with an entirely different user name for selling in the future. Whilst your buyers sounds, to put it politely. slightly crazy they can do a lot of damage to you selling wise. Whilst ebay will sort this out for you it may take time and effort on your part and cost you some sales meanwhile.

bris

Depends if you want to give in to blaickmail or not. If you want to stand your ground, block the buyer and set you preferences tight to include blocking anyone who doesn't have a credit card on file. if his mates value their accounts then they will not be able to ruin your auctions withou harming their own account with unpaid item strike etc. I can't see them giving CC details to accounts they want to use for spoiling auctions.

Crowqueen

You can't really be stealing if she sent them to you voluntarily, which, unless you somehow astrally projected and forced her at gunpoint to post them to you, you haven't committed any crime.

If you want them then I'd repay, this happened to me before Christmas and sod's law dictated that the item turned up the day after I had got the refund. I did repay but I still left a neutral for the seller because she'd messed me around for three weeks and ignored me when she had promised me a refund.

If you don't want them, then tell her they are hers as long as she sends the postage for them, then ignore her. I agree with Soo, unfortunately - she sounds a bit of a nutter anyway and if you can move your sales then do.

Percy1983

Is it just me who would resend the payment and maybe change the feedback to a neutral?

Crowqueen

Percy1983 wrote: »

Is it just me who would resend the payment and maybe change the feedback to a neutral?

They are threatening to wreck OP's auctions! What kind of "neutral" behaviour is that?!

Yes, I think it's just you.

As I said above, in this situation I've resent payment but after the way the seller has behaved I wouldn't change any feedback. I might leave a follow-up, but after the way the person who messed me around treated me, I made a minimum of fuss repaying through Paypal and left it at that - I didn't even contact her to say it had turned up.

Even though the item arrived eventually, being accused of being a thief is a pretty negative and upsetting experience, given that she may be thinking of getting the police involved and even if you're in the right that can be pretty intimidating to deal with, not to mention collateral damage to her own sales.

soolin

Percy1983 wrote: »

Is it just me who would resend the payment and maybe change the feedback to a neutral?

I suspect it is probably just you.

There are so many reasons in that first post for leaving a neg- not least fo which making me bother with a INR claim. So the neg would stay.

Emerald_Lilly

Sorry, my internet went down just after I posted.

Thanks for all the replies.

Soolin- yes, I am idiotic enough to not have separated my buying and selling into two accounts. It just never occured to me!

bris- that's a good idea and I've now blocked buyers without a credit card, thanks.

Crowqueen- thanks. I'm worried if i repay, then they'll just go ahead and ruin me anyway :mad:

Thank you for the advice. I will not be changing my feedback. They really took the mick and I wish someone else had warned me! I think it all stemmed from the fact that the DVDs went too cheap so they hoped I would kick up a fuss and ask for a refund in the dispute.

Percy1983

Realistically you need to either pay or send them back, if you don't the thief comment will be justified.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Realistically you need to either pay or send them back, if you don't the thief comment will be justified.

No it isn't, theft is an attempt to dishonestly obtain property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it, the OP has informed the seller that the item arrived and offered to return it at the seller's cost, at no point could they be accused of theft in any manner. The seller should pay the return as (I assume) they didn't post them within the terms on the listing.