When stuff arrives stinking of smoke.....

[Whippet]

Would be interested in people's views on this.

I bid & won on a new soft toy - was listed as 'brand new, in box'. I planned to give it to DS2 for Christmas.

It arrived this morning, and as soon as I unwrapped the paper (never mind the box itself) I could tell it stank of stale smoke.

I took the soft toy out of the box, and it IS new, but also absolutely STINKS! There is no way I can give it to DS unless I wash it first (and then there is the risk of it shrinking/ dye running etc/ not looking 'new')

I know it's probably my own downfall, as th eitem wasn't listed as coming from a smoke-free home, but surely there are limits?

As a non-smoker, I almost retched when the stench first hot me .

Not sure whether to e-mail the seller, or leave neutral feedback to warn others, or what?

[Whippet]

hit me...

[thisisyesterday]

oh that's annoying isn't it

i am of the opinion that if something is sold as brand new then it shouldn't smell of smoke, it should be of "new" quality. and something from a shop shouldn't smell of smoke.

so i would e-mail them and ask for a refund, full or partial depending on whether you want to keep it and try and wash it

if no luck then i would leave negative so that other people know their stuff is liable to reek

[bluebump]

I hate this. I had a brand new bag arrive stinking of smoke but then I hadn't think to see if it was from a smoke free home etc. Luckily this was in the summer and I hung it up outside for a week and it finally cleared it but that might not be as easy for you!

[EauRouge]

Yes, I would expect something that was listed as brand new to not stink of smoke. I would ask for a partial refund too, it's fair enough with second hand stuff but not with things that are meant to be new.

[classydiva]

A smoker would not be able to smell it unfortunately, but then if it smells of smoke it has been outside the box for a considerable amount of time before being put back in. That or they smoke 60 a day.

[ShittyBangBang]

Urgh.

I once bought a doll's pram for dd, my dad went and picked it up and it bloody reeked of smoke, and I smoke myself, so that shows how bad it was!!

I do not smoke in my house, at all, so anything I sell would not smell of it luckily.

I'd ask for a refund.

[AmyFarrahFowler]

I had this happen with a top I bought recently, I was just disgusting.

I washed it and it still stank so in the end I washed it with vinegar in as a prewash and then a normal full was with loads of smelly fabric condition and that did the trick.

In the end I decided that I couldn't leave neg feedback because I should have checked if they were smoke free so decided to just not leave any feedback.

ShittyBangBang Just out of interest, would you call yourself a smoke free home when listing something on ebay? I've never realised that someone might smoke themselves but think of their house as smoke free IYSWIM (not having a go, just interested, honest )

[AmyFarrahFowler]

Sorry, I wasn't disgusting, I think I meant either 'it was disgusting' or 'I was disgusted' but somehow mixed them up.

[Honeydragon]

Dh smokes outside; but I don't list as I smoke free home.

However I have no worries on this as I have been contacted by one buyer who wanted to know how I made the items I sent smell so nice

Just out of interest is it definitely cigarette smoke as some of those plastic data bags can leave a horrible smell that clears easier through airing than smoke, it could - hopefully - be the bag?

[hillyhilly]

I would kick myself for not checking it came from a smoke free home, and wash it. However, reading the replies, actually what I think you should do is contact the seller ask if you can return it and get a refund and if not then negative feedback (assuming you are much braver than me who would think I should so that but still chalk it down to experience!!)

[ShittyBangBang]

Nope, never list as a smoke free home, because, technically, I'm not.

But, as a previous poster, I have had buyers asking what fabric softner I use as it smells so nice!