Deceitful buyer

Mr_Countdown

Hi. I just want to run a selling scenario past people to get their thoughts. 

I was packing a few orders one evening when I had another sale and the buyer messaged saying they needed it quickly. I replied straight away saying I can send it first thing in the morning. In a rush to get it done I accidentally packed a similar (more expensive item) and posted that the next day. I didn’t realise my error till the following evening when it was too late. I messaged the buyer and apologised and said I would pack the right item straight away and post in the morning. I also asked once they receive the wrong item to let me know and I would give a partial refund to cover postage to send it back. This was all agreed. I had notice that both items had arrived Saturday morning so messaged the buyer on Sunday morning but they have blanked me since so I suspect they are pulling a fast one and plan to keep both items. Value wise items are £40 and £50 so don’t really want to lose money. I accept it was my original error but did all I could to resolve and still posted their item out quickly. 

Any thoughts?

GadgetGuru

All you can do is try to reach out to the buyer a couple of times. 
If nothing, the threaten with contacting the police and reporting as theft, or small claims. Try sending a formal letter threatening court action to - sometimes the scare tactic is all that's needed, 

Mark_d

It's quite possible that the buyer has good reason for not replying to you immediately.  You are not the highest priority in the buyer's life.  Give it a few days before messaging the buyer again.

Given the difference in value of the items, I would have just accepted the loss of £10 because it was your error and it's not a massive amount of money.

Mark_d

GadgetGuru said:

All you can do is try to reach out to the buyer a couple of times. 
If nothing, the threaten with contacting the police and reporting as theft, or small claims. Try sending a formal letter threatening court action to - sometimes the scare tactic is all that's needed, 

Some people, including myself, don't take kindly to threats.  The police would just tell you to accept your mistake in sending the more expensive item.  There is no theft here.

If I was the buyer and you threatened me with court action, I would just laugh at you and I would decide to keep both items until receiving the legal court paperwork.

The best option is to work amicably  with the buyer, possibly offering to arrange a courier collection.  But you need to accept that the buyer isn't sitting in front of their computer waiting to exchange emails with you.

RFW

If this is the last couple of days there are any number of possible reasons why they haven't responded. There's certainly no need to be threatening them with legal action.
Most people are honest, so the chances of you having sent something to a paying customer who isn't is highly unlikely.
Try and find their mobile and send a short and polite text, they may well have gone on holiday and not checking emails.

LinLui

Mark_d said:

GadgetGuru said:

All you can do is try to reach out to the buyer a couple of times. 
If nothing, the threaten with contacting the police and reporting as theft, or small claims. Try sending a formal letter threatening court action to - sometimes the scare tactic is all that's needed, 

Some people, including myself, don't take kindly to threats.  The police would just tell you to accept your mistake in sending the more expensive item.  There is no theft here.

If I was the buyer and you threatened me with court action, I would just laugh at you and I would decide to keep both items until receiving the legal court paperwork.

The best option is to work amicably  with the buyer, possibly offering to arrange a courier collection.  But you need to accept that the buyer isn't sitting in front of their computer waiting to exchange emails with you.

I agree. Threaten me and hell would freeze over before I complied. 

They have stolen nothing and in all honesty they have not done anything deceitful. This was down to you OP. You were careless, and expect someone to make your error their priority. Perhaps they were busy on a Sunday. Perhaps they don't check their emails that frequently. And perhaps just because your courier says something was delivered doesn't make it so - only last Friday the "invisible courier" delivered an item that turned invisible too (I have CCTV - no delivery was made).

You might not "want" to lose the money, and so far you haven't lost anything at all - but make this into a battle and you will almost certainly be the loser, and possibly to a greater extent. It's a lesson in being more careful. 

Vectis

'they have blanked me' 

You only contacted them yesterday!

That's hardly 'blanking' someone!

Anyway, it was your mistake. Consider it a bonus if they decide to help you out and return the original item.

forgotmyname

I would not be happy with a partial refund for payment to return a different item.  What happens if the item they purchased it not as expected? 

They already had a partial refund so will lose out.. Pay for the postage some other way.  Pay for the courier to collect from them at
a suitable time?

Pollycat

I think the OP has gone about this all wrong.
Their expectations of the buyer responding in such a quick way - and over the weekend - are unrealistic.
Even if the items were received on Saturday morning, the OP may have been out for the day.
The title of this thread is unfair to a buyer who has - so far - done nothing wrong.
There is no evidence that the buyer is deceitful - so far.

If I had made the same error, I would have messaged the buyer and told them that I'd mistakenly sent the wrong item and that I would let them think about keeping it, even though it was more expensive - as it was my error.
However, if they wanted the original item, I would send it plus cash more than the equivalent of return postage to cover their time for my error.
The difference in price is £10.00.
Unless it is an item of clothing (and it doesn't sound like it is) that £10 difference will be less once fees are applied.
Add the cost of the return postage to be paid by the OP and the difference is even less.

I wonder what the exact wording was of the message the OP sent on Sunday morning...

And exactly how much is a 'partial refund'?

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Hello OP

Occasionally I made a mistake in sending the wrong item, say a green widget instead of red, by trying to get stuff out the door quickly and not paying attention, like you I'd send the correct item and ask for the other back but found most buyers didn't bother once they had their items so (as well as making changes to help prevent such mistakes) I simply asked for the wrong item back and would then send the correct.

Buyers were happy with a part refund for the return, if you come across someone who wasn't you'd have to do a return of the incorrect item for a refund and then they can reorder if they wish. 

A mistake is a mistake and they can't keep both but enforcing it, beyond any bluffs, is ultimately small claims which might be too much headache for £50.

It's unclear if you are a business but if you are you are only really losing the cost price minus return costs if you can source more of them item which lowers the loss, that might make you feel better, might make it even less of a reward to chase