Advice RE returns

enya_ntfc

I have quite a few pair of shoes listed at the moment as they were my Nans who died in June - she had quite a collection of brand new shoes in boxes :rotfl:

Anyway I sold some of the shoes last week, they went for about £5. The buyer has just messaged me saying they aren't wearable because the inside has gone a bit funny (I actually put this in my listing AND put photos of it on it - its nothing too bad). They are saying they want a refund on the basis I refund the return postage. I don't actually have to this do I?

I sold another pair of shoes week before and they didnt fit the buyer (Went for a bit more money - so I wanted them back) but I had no problems with the returns (they didn't complain at me not refunding the return postage). They cancelled the transaction no problem.

As a private seller I know full well I don't need to offer returns. But I choose to for the nature of the items I am selling atm.

What is the best option? I am tempted to sell the buyer to bin them tbh - I cba with paying about another £2.20 to get back a pair of shoes that aren't my size and will juts go to the charity shop after this anyway.

StacFace

If you put it in your listing and the photos accurately represent it then I would only be willing to give a refund minus postage costs once they had returned them at their expense. Ask yourself why you should pay for the mistake of another member?

If, however, the listing makes it seem less of a problem than it actually is (eg you can't really see it in the pic) then it's up to you whether to give the refund and tell them to bin or pay return postage and give full refund - as here it would be your mistake and therefore you pay.

If they open a case to say it wasn't as described you have proof (the listing) that the problem was described.

pulliptears

enya_ntfc wrote: »

I have quite a few pair of shoes listed at the moment as they were my Nans who died in June - she had quite a collection of brand new shoes in boxes :rotfl:

Anyway I sold some of the shoes last week, they went for about £5. The buyer has just messaged me saying they aren't wearable because the inside has gone a bit funny (I actually put this in my listing AND put photos of it on it - its nothing too bad). They are saying they want a refund on the basis I refund the return postage. I don't actually have to this do I?

You are only responsible for refunding the original postage, and it was something you mentioned in the auction as well. Whether you refund their return postage is up to you, but bear in mind you may have to wear a neg if you dont.

I sold another pair of shoes week before and they didnt fit the buyer (Went for a bit more money - so I wanted them back) but I had no problems with the returns (they didn't complain at me not refunding the return postage). They cancelled the transaction no problem.

As a private seller I know full well I don't need to offer returns. But I choose to for the nature of the items I am selling atm.

No, you don't need to offer returns, but you will always have to accept them because thats how ebay works. You can tick the little 'no returns' box all you like but realistically you can't do much about it.

What is the best option? I am tempted to sell the buyer to bin them tbh - I cba with paying about another £2.20 to get back a pair of shoes that aren't my size and will juts go to the charity shop after this anyway.

If you are looking at a £2.50 refund (does this include their original P+P?) then yes, I'd be tempted to refund in full and tell them to drop the shoes in the charity bag.

Its worth pointing out though that rubber and shoes degrade when kept for periods of time. Rubber can break down or dry out and crack on the first wear. If these shoes are old, even unworn they can have issues so check them extremely carefully.

melliott1963

We've been going through my late Father's things and he also had boxes and boxes of brand new shoes - maybe that's what people 'collect' when they get old!

When we looked at them, I was amazed at how many, whilst never worn, were starting to 'decompose', for want of a better word. I took a pair that looked OK, but after one day of wearing them, it was obvious there wasn't something right with them.

So I think that, what I'm saying is, whilst some of them looked OK, or only a little bit 'funny', once I'd tried them on, it was obvious they were worse than they looked. I think that for a fiver, I'd just refund and let the buyer do what they want with them.

enya_ntfc

They are leather shoes, they went for a total of £8.18 (including p+p), I know I have to refund original p+p, but I don't really want my 100% ruined by somebody who can't read a listing/look at all the photos!

I think I'm just going to refund and let them do what they want and just put it down to experience.