Was i being unreasonable?

johanne

hi,

I have been selling on ebay for years - just my 2nd hand clothes and decluttering my own house etc but have 100% feedback and never had a complaint. Anyway last weekend i sold a top it sold for starting price of 99p and the buyer chose 2nd class postage so paid a total of £2.84 for the item including P+P

I had described the item fully as possible even measuring it and put 2 huge photos in the body of the listing. Sent the item immediately - even making a special trip to the post office (which is 2 miles round trip - and im 7 months pregnant with a bad back!!) to make sure i got the parcel there asap after payment received.... i only made 99p "profit" on the item.... or 31p if you take in to consideration the fact 4 of my other items didnt sell so ive had the fees for them to cover.

ANYWAY seller contacted me yesterday and said there was a hole in the top and asked what i had to say about it. So i responded promptly and said i was very sorry as i hadnt noticed when id listed could she give me more details and if she was really unhappy on return of the item id refund her the 99p bid price. I said i couldnt offer to refund the postage price though being only a private seller. I *THINK* the hole shes noticed may be where the alarm tag was on the top in the shop cos i vaguely remember there being a little alarm tag hole by the seam stiching on the back but i mean literally a pin hole !!!!! so never thought it was an issue as ive seen it on so many items ive bought brand new from shops and never complained.

Anyway tonight i received an email stating she wasnt happy with only getting the 99p refunded and would be opening a paypal dispute... I just feel really rubbish about this cos i have never had to go through this, never had a complaint in the 4 years ive sold my 2nd hand stuff on ebay... in the couple of cases where i have had to be refunded on ebay for broken goods etc ive NEVER recieved my p+P back?! So i thought it was standard practice to only offer to refund the bid price?

My question is... was i being unreasonable to only offer to refund the 99p? Or should i have accepted the loss and refunded the full £2.84 she paid?

This and recent changes in ebay have really put me off bothering to sell on there anymore.. i am only trying to clear out my pre-pregnancy clothes to make a few pennies to put towards my baby things as were on a very tight budget!

Incidentally ive now offered her the £2.84 and await her responce... so im WAY out of pocket now. And if she doesnt accept that what am i meant to do? if it goes to paypal dispute wont i get a strike against my account? Am i then going to have to refund her the cost of returning the item too? Or should i just send her £2.84 back and let her keep the blooming top - which id only worn once - and paid £12 for brand new (complete with alarm tag hole :rolleyes: ) so she got a bargain!

frivolous_fay

How much did it cost you in P&P?

poet123

If there was a hole then I too would have expected the postage back. It is the sellers responsibility to check the goods before putting them up for auction. This has happened to me as a seller and i fully refunded.

FloFlo

Just refund her the full amount through paypal (when you receive the top back) and unfortunately if you don't want a neg you'll probably need to apologise I would suggest something like 'Hi, I apologise for not being as understanding as I should have been when you first contacted me please return the item and I will refund in full including postage as soon as I receive the item. My apologies again xxx'

johanne

It cost me £1.20 in postage

I know there wasnt a hole as in something that could be sewn or even seen when worn as i wore the top once myself and fully examined (or so i thought) the top before listing then selling - i would NEVER send an item with a flaw and in the past have even contacted a winner after noticing a small stain on a white shirt id sold when packaging the item which she said was not a problem but i bleached the shirt and got it out and STILL issued a small refund in the package as a way of saying "sorry i didnt notice earlier and delayed postage by a day".

im just assuming this "hole" is where the alarm tag was on the top which was next to the stiching so it looked like it was part of the seam (as in a needle hole) ?? Cos she didnt give me any details when i asked about it.

poet123

I would ask again for clarification as to where the hole is,then refund the postage. It is not worth the hassle or the neg!!

johanne

FloFlo wrote: »

Just refund her the full amount through paypal (when you receive the top back) and unfortunately if you don't want a neg you'll probably need to apologise I would suggest something like 'Hi, I apologise for not being as understanding as I should have been when you first contacted me please return the item and I will refund in full including postage as soon as I receive the item. My apologies again xxx'

I have already apologised 3 times and have now made this offer of full refund on return of item ... and if this is not acceptable please let me know what is.

So i hope she takes me up on it! She has perfect feedback too of over 1000 as a buyer and seller so thought shed be a bit more understanding. But i have a feeling im gonna get a neg anyway.

Im just kicking myself now too as i know i dont have a leg to stand on as when i just checked the paypal payment i sent it to an unconfirmed address! (which was a business too) :doh: :doh:

Im sooooooooo stupid! Im actually sitting her with tears running down my face!! Silly pregnancy hormones i know.... but i cant believe ive left myself open to this!! All this over 2.84 - think its time i left ebay! Cant be making myself upset over something so petty!

custardy

well if you refund in full it must be after you recieve the item back.
in a PP dispute she will have to do the same

FloFlo

I'm not having a go, lol. She needs to return it to get a refund through paypal. Although if its upsetting you this much refund her and tell her to keep it. Unfortunately with paypal and ebay feedback buyers often have the upperhand.

Just remember the nice buyers you've had.

tomstickland

Many people don't refund P&P. Tell them to post it back so you can inspect the item.
Don't worry - some people are really demanding and expect everything for nothing.

johanne

FloFlo wrote: »

I'm not having a go, lol.

Oh i didnt think u were sorry if i give that impression.


Thanks for all the speedy responses everyone! Does restore my faith in people and my own ideas of reasonable behaviour!


If i wasnt guarnteed a neg for it..... id tell her "here have your money and shove the top up your backside! Next time you want something 110% perfect for under £3 go to primark... even then you'll probably find it will fall to bits after one wear/wash! So count yourself lucky!!" :rolleyes: :mad: BUT that IS my pregnancy hormones taking over and i would never be that nasty to a buyer... unfortunetly! :rotfl: