Buyer not happy with item I sold

lauraborer

I'm after a bit of advice please. I've sold many items over the years via ebay but yesterday received my first complaint.

I sold a Monsoon cardigan, listed as 'new without tags' (which it was, unworn and unwashed). The buyer has messaged me saying they're not happy with it as they think it has been washed. I messaged them back assuring them that I'm an honest ebayer and it was definitely not worn or washed.

They messaged back saying that they're still not happy, offered to return it but said they didn't think it was fair that they had to pay P&P to return the item. Would it be best to get them to post it back and then send them the postage amount back via paypal after receiving it? Although I'd be really annoyed doing this as I really don't think it's fair that I have to do this (I have a feeling they just didn't like the item and want a refund as there's nothing wrong with it at all). Or do I suggest they raise a dispute with ebay? Never been in this situation before, any advice appreciated. Thanks

punkpink

lauraborer wrote: »

I'm after a bit of advice please. I've sold many items over the years via ebay but yesterday received my first complaint.

I sold a Monsoon cardigan, listed as 'new without tags' (which it was, unworn and unwashed). The buyer has messaged me saying they're not happy with it as they think it has been washed. I messaged them back assuring them that I'm an honest ebayer and it was definitely not worn or washed.

They messaged back saying that they're still not happy, offered to return it but said they didn't think it was fair that they had to pay P&P to return the item. Would it be best to get them to post it back and then send them the postage amount back via paypal after receiving it? Although I'd be really annoyed doing this as I really don't think it's fair that I have to do this (I have a feeling they just didn't like the item and want a refund as there's nothing wrong with it at all). Or do I suggest they raise a dispute with ebay? Never been in this situation before, any advice appreciated. Thanks

If your a private seller and they open a dispute via paypal/ebay, they will have to send the item back tracked at their expense to obtaon a refund. Personally i would make them do this, you should t have to be out of pocket just because they dont like it. If it was your misake (which you say it wasnt) then i would cover return postage.

in_the_Cotswolds

Ask them how you managed to wash it with paper/cardboard tags on it. :doh:

halibut2209

"new without tags"

Oliver14

punkpink wrote: »

If your a private seller and they open a dispute via paypal/ebay, they will have to send the item back tracked at their expense to obtaon a refund. Personally i would make them do this, you should t have to be out of pocket just because they dont like it. If it was your misake (which you say it wasnt) then i would cover return postage.

Then expect some negative feedback and your DSRs to be slammed. Also if you lose the case (which you will) when you refund you will not get your paypal fees refunded)Then on your next sale you'll get less people interested (put off by the neg) so you'll get less money.

IMO your overall ebay account is the important thing. You should keep them happy (even if it's through clenched teeth)

Depending on the cost of the item. I would apologise that they are not happy and either pay for them to return it or refund them and tell them to keep it.

You may not be happy to do this but at least your ebay account is still looking good.

Crowqueen

Buyers pay for things and condition can be subjective, particularly on clothes. IMO if you are not happy to exchange items based on someone not liking the item when it arrives, then it is becoming very hard to sell clothes at all.

While you shouldn't just cave in and refund simply if buyer is not happy with it, going all out to keep people happy is part of selling, and you should really ask them to return an item they don't want and pay postage if it is possibly misdescribed. It's not going to get any better, and stonewalling buyers and making them go to dispute only ever rebounds on you in the long run.

If you get the item back you can always resell it.

Keeping things amicable is the number one principle of selling; remember, it's not just about you, it's about the person who's paid you for something. They have a right to be happy with what they receive, particularly since they pay for something sight unseen so can't make that judgement at the time of purchase.

I know this sounds harsh but I just don't sell clothes, it's not really worth the hassle; but if I did I would have a pro-active attitude towards returns as I want everyone to be happy with what they receive. As a buyer I don't like wasting money on something that someone has overstated the condition of, and as I think this happens on a lot of private sales of clothing, in consequence I only buy clothing from business sellers.

In summary - this is normal for clothes sellers, if you don't like it or aren't prepared to accommodate your buyers' opinions and demands, take stuff to car boot sales or charity shops instead.

in_the_Cotswolds

mechanic wrote: »

Ask them how you managed to wash it with paper/cardboard tags on it. :doh:

Maybe I need new glasses!!!

punkpink

Which is a fair point but i only sell occasionally and if neg feedback left you can add a follow up stating item listed correctly, buyer changed their mind or something along those lines, people do look into feedback and are forgiving for people who expect the earth and when they dont get it leave neg feedbacks, also people will look at her feedback left, if she has done this now, its likely she has before. But as i say im just a private seller who would just be getting rid of bits no longer needed.
Paypal would of course find in favour of the buyer once the item was back with the seller. It would teach her that ebay is not a shop window where you can browse before buying, it is a contract. I have bought clothes before that i havnt liked once received, but as the seller listed the item correctly i wouldnt dream of asking to return let alone for them to pay for the return just because of my tastes! Its the risk you have buying on ebay.

Crowqueen

The best thing is not to get neg feedback in the first place. Everyone gets the odd one or two, but most people treat it as a sign they failed to make someone happy, and work to make sure the same thing doesn't happen again. If you take that attitude to negs, that it's the buyer's fault for being picky or whatever, then you will simply attract more, because you have shown you don't understand it. A professional follow-up is OK, but better, particularly now in the days of feedback revision, is to make the buyer happy if possible and get them to revise it. When I look at feedback, I give the buyer the benefit of the doubt; if a seller shows they deal well with idiotic buyers, then fine; if the seller gives the impression they don't care about a well-worded neg (and the most professional way of dealing with it is to offer the buyer a return, not make them go to a dispute), then they will not get my money.

Even though you only sell the occasional item, presumably you want to keep the money and have the buyer happy with the item. If you let it go to dispute, then you have lost the chance for that; anyone looking at your feedback when you try to resell will probably be put off by the fact that someone else has already rejected it. So you will also end up with a lot of unsellable items, which kind of defeats the purpose of eBay really.

It gives the impression you don't care about your customers - you don't care that someone is forking out for something and being disappointed when they receive it - and anyone can say something is correctly described; it doesn't make it so.

To sell successfully on eBay, whether you have one sale or one thousand, you need to show your customers the respect they deserve; the respect you would show anyone who pays you to do something or for something. Handling them badly means you will struggle to make anything other than the occasional sale, and you will end up with poor results and, incidentally, paying out quite a significant outlay for not very much return.

You also put buyers off buying from anyone else on eBay, so every seller on eBay has the responsibility to keep their customers happy, not just fob them off or ignore them if they have a problem. It rebounds on everyone if someone has a bad experience, even from just an occasional seller, and walks away thinking 'that eBay site is a bad place to shop; I might as well spend my money in Primark or at a car boot sale'. We all lose out, not just you.

If you find clothes are causing problems with buyers' expectations, the simplest thing to do is stop selling them altogether.

punkpink

Crowqueen wrote: »

The best thing is not to get neg feedback in the first place. Everyone gets the odd one or two, but most people treat it as a sign they failed to make someone happy, and work to make sure the same thing doesn't happen again. If you take that attitude to negs, that it's the buyer's fault for being picky or whatever, then you will simply attract more, because you have shown you don't understand it. A professional follow-up is OK, but better, particularly now in the days of feedback revision, is to make the buyer happy if possible and get them to revise it. When I look at feedback, I give the buyer the benefit of the doubt; if a seller shows they deal well with idiotic buyers, then fine; if the seller gives the impression they don't care about a well-worded neg (and the most professional way of dealing with it is to offer the buyer a return, not make them go to a dispute), then they will not get my money.

Even though you only sell the occasional item, presumably you want to keep the money and have the buyer happy with the item. If you let it go to dispute, then you have lost the chance for that; anyone looking at your feedback when you try to resell will probably be put off by the fact that someone else has already rejected it. So you will also end up with a lot of unsellable items, which kind of defeats the purpose of eBay really.

It gives the impression you don't care about your customers - you don't care that someone is forking out for something and being disappointed when they receive it - and anyone can say something is correctly described; it doesn't make it so.

To sell successfully on eBay, whether you have one sale or one thousand, you need to show your customers the respect they deserve; the respect you would show anyone who pays you to do something or for something. Handling them badly means you will struggle to make anything other than the occasional sale, and you will end up with poor results and, incidentally, paying out quite a significant outlay for not very much return.

You also put buyers off buying from anyone else on eBay, so every seller on eBay has the responsibility to keep their customers happy, not just fob them off or ignore them if they have a problem. It rebounds on everyone if someone has a bad experience, even from just an occasional seller, and walks away thinking 'that eBay site is a bad place to shop; I might as well spend my money in Primark or at a car boot sale'. We all lose out, not just you.

If you find clothes are causing problems with buyers' expectations, the simplest thing to do is stop selling them altogether.

Very true, i dont sell clothes for the same reason, apart from one pair of jeans that were BNWT as they didnt fit me, i lost money on the sale from what i paid for them but the tags and jeans stated the size that the seller had quoted so i wouldnt dream of asking them for return postage so i could return them free of charge, after all it wasnt the sellers fault i hadnt tried them on, i was buying from a computer screen.
I do agree that you want a buyer to be happy, but at the same time if you are selling something thats not a big sale and you just make a tiny bit on it that would be wiped out, and possibly leave you in deficit if you paid for the return postage then that puts private sellers off. Buyers know they can play the system which is why so many sellers complain about selling on ebay.

caroline78

Sorry, but I think I got the same buyer as you. Sold a Ted Baker item for pennies, never worn still with tags attached. They said it was bobbly and had been washed. Offered a refund on return and they said they didn't think it was fair to return it. Left me negative feedback too.