Help!!!! Unhappy customer and I dont know what to do .....

[murphyslaw]

Advertised my used Radley handbag worth £85 and it was sold for £26. The customer that won the auction complained about my £5.40 charge for special delivery. I stated that I had advertised this cost at the start of the auction and I felt it was necessary to ensure the bag was fully covered. She agreed to proceed

Anyhow - she has received it today and says it is stained inside a pocket - the bag otherwise is fine.

What do I do now??? I have just forked out £5.40 and dont want to be out of pocket.
I genuinely didnt notice any stain......

[themerrywidow]

It sounds like you are an inexperienced ebayer. I had a similar problem with one of my early ebay customers. I sold a pair of shoes which I had worn once and paid over £40 for for £5 . I had advertised them as 'all leather' as both the sole and upper were leather. The buyer then complained that the lining wasn't leather, and therefore I had misdescribed them, and she wanted a refund and a refund of her postage to return them. As postage would have cost me £2.50, I said she could keep them and refunded her £5.
Unfortunately, there are some people on ebay who are - shall we say- less than stable in their approach to life. Ebay doesn't like to get involved for obvious reasons, and if you want to sell other stuff you have to protect your reputation as a seller. Did you tick the 'no returns' option?- this could give you some protection- just say sorry, you bought it & I don't give refunds. If you want to sell other stuff, offer her a partial refund- 20% perhaps. This sounds like a chancer to me- ebay is a sold as seen site. You could risk the bad feedback & see what happens. Otherwise ask her to post it back, send you the receipt for the actual amount, then deduct that from the purchase price, refund the balance & offer the bag for sale again. If there really is a stain you'll see it, if not, things will go quiet.

[Dominique07]

Yes - I have had this problem!
No matter what excellent value bundle of childs clothing; 70 pieces for a fiver FFS: the recipients are SO ungrateful and cruel. I find it a bit too stressful.
Especially when I need the money to keep buying the next size of child's clothing!!!

[WriggleJiggle]

If she wishes to return the item it is her who has to pay the return postage. You only have to pay her the exact amont she paid you. Whatever happens, make sure you do not refund anything until you have the handbag back and can check the condition for yourself.

[murphyslaw]

Thanks all - have heard nothing from her. Just checked my ebay account and she has left feedback saying she will 'live with it'

This transaction has been a real eye opener!

[LatinDAISYcal]

No advice but lots of empathy for rucbbish feedback

I've just had a similar eye opening transaction where the buyer is saying that the two items I sold BNIP weren't new and wanting a refund. I posted them next working day, responded to her complaint email within hours, agreed to take them back and refunded her the full amount AND her return postage (in spite of my returns policy) and her feedback makes it look like she had to fight to get a refund and saying that they were grubby and not new, and she gave me less than five stars for communication and dispatch time

Two new items worth £24 for £1.98 and this is what you get . Makes you wonder if it's worth it at all. I feel really upset that my 53 exemplary feedback ratings have been marred by this.

[Lilyloooohhhh]

I think when you get your first bad feedback it does really get to you , after that you see how many chancers there are on ebay and act accordingly.
If they want new and to see item go to the shop and pay full price !!
Too many want something for nothing but good to see people have a lot of good feedback before they meet these time wasters

[LauraIngallsWilder]

Who cares about a stain inside a pocket that is inside a bag???

Murphy - She sounds like a nutter, I would definately let her 'live with it'