Item not as described

valleylass

Hi
Am just canvassing some opinions on what others would have done in this situation.
Sold a tunic/top this week which was described as sheer in the title and description. Had an e mail off the buyer today telling me that the item isn't as described and is see through and she is unable to wear it.
I've offered her to return and I'll refund her money and return p&p mainly because I'm eager to keep my 100% feedback but friends and family have told me I should have said basically tough luck it was described as sheer and she should have read the description.
I've already offered the refund so won't change my mind now but what would others have done?

Angie74

First thing I would do is check her feedback left for others.

I had a similar problem today. Sold a skirt which I described as dark purple. Got an email off her today saying she's disappointed as its navy blue not dark purple. I apologised for her disappointment but said IMO it's dark purple. I then checked her feedback left for others, and almost every other feedback left for others is to moan about something not being the colour she expected, the size she expected, the condition she expected, or she didnt complete the transaction etc, the list goes on. She's just a serial moaner by the looks of it. She left all this in a positive feedback though. She also left me positive saying dispute over colour but lovely skirt.

I think some people just like moaning!

If i was you, I would have argued the point that you said it was sheer, meaning see through, before I offered a refund, then I would only offer to refund the cost of the top if she sent it back tracked. I wouldn't offer to pay return postage either or the original postage as long as there is no doubt that I had described it correctly.

valleylass

I think you're right some people do like moaning or maybe I also expect too much. I thought by describing it as sheer it would be understood-I guess next time I'll provide more if a definition!
I will pay return p&p as that's what I told her in an e mail today so I won't go back in my word but the more I think bout it the more annoyed I am!

Angie74

That would be what I would have done first off anyway. She could always argue that and open a case, and the way ebay seems to work, she would have probably won it, then I'd just have to suck it up and pay the original postage etc. But I still wouldn't pay return postage. It's not your fault that she doesn't know what sheer means. Why should you be out of pocket? But yes, for future listings I would put sheer and see through in brackets or 'please note this item is see through' somewhere, just to avoid the same problem in future. I think I will also do that if I sell anything 'sheer' in future.

techspec

Angie74 wrote: »

It's not your fault that she doesn't know what sheer means. Why should you be out of pocket? But yes, for future listings I would put sheer and see through in brackets or 'please note this item is see through' somewhere, just to avoid the same problem in future. I think I will also do that if I sell anything 'sheer' in future.

Personally - i had never heard of sheer until i read this post.

'See through' would have made the ops life a lot easier.

I think its right to refund return postage.

Crowqueen

You've done what I would do. If someone is unhappy with something then it's usually wisest to allow them to return it.

Clothing has to be presentable and it also has to fit. When buying online you are dependent on what the seller tells you - their definition of 'sheer' might be different from yours. When I think 'sheer' I think gauzy and flimsy but not totally see-through. Perhaps a photo of it with the material held so that the buyer can gauge the 'see-through-ness' of the item - when you get it back and relist it. They couldn't test that for themselves (put your hand inside it and photograph it so it gives a good estimation of what can be seen under normal circumstances).

I don't think it's ever worth saying 'tough' to a buyer who is unhappy. Quite apart from what they can do to your account, they have paid out for something sight unseen which they can't now use and although some people do come across as fussy you are working to try and please them. They do have wants and needs in this too and just telling them to push off is a bit rude when you have their money and for whatever reason they are not happy. Most sellers want their buyers to be happy because it means they get to keep the money.

The clothing market is prone to this sort of request because when I buy a book I only really care if it's readable, not what exact condition it's in (I know some people are collectors but generally speaking). When I buy a piece of clothing I want to know whether it suits me, whether it fits, and whether someone can see through it. Those three things can best be judged when I have the item in my hands, not when viewing it online. (So it is very difficult to sell clothing well online, and even harder to buy it. But if you do sell clothing you should expect and plan for this sort of request.)

I think, in short, you have done the absolute right thing. Best of luck.

Angie74

techspec wrote: »

Personally - i had never heard of sheer until i read this post.

'See through' would have made the ops life a lot easier.

I think its right to refund return postage.

I don't. The most I would offer to refund in this case is the price paid plus postage. Not the return postage. I would only offer return postage if there was a fault with the item not mentioned in the listing.

The OP mentioned it was sheer, so in my opinion, she described it correctly. But as some people don't seem to realise sheer means see through, then I for one will state this in future listings, if I have anything sheer to list that is (which I doubt, as anything I've described as sheer has a lining under it anyway )

valleylass

Thanks for all the replies.
I try to be as clear as possible describing my items and providing lots of pictures, and after selling over 200 items I guess having one returned as not described isn't too bad!

Thanks again for all the responses-much appreciated