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Original poster

Advice please regarding an awkward customer

110 replies

Rhombus79 · 08/12/2023 20:09

I'll try to to keep this as short as possible.

I have a small business on eBay. A buyer bought a fabric and wanted to return it. eBay issued return label, she sent it back. I had to pay the return postage because she stated that I sent the wrong fabric (I didn't but that is another story). But what I received back wasn't my fabric but a bunch of remnants. eBay is pretty useless in such cases. They refunded her because basically I can't prove it was the wrong fabric.

Well, she messaged me on Wednesday that there was a mixup at the post office and I have received the fabric that was supposed to go to her tailor and the tailor has received mine. She wants her fabric back obviously. First thing she asked was if I can send it back, she'll refund me the postage and the tailor sends me my fabric. I told her that's not going to work. I am not paying anything and I want my fabric back first before I return hers.

She now send me another message with a screenshot of two labels. Collection booked for tomorrow and if I am available. The tailor will send my fabric out tomorrow as well.

I have several problems with that: RM collects usually between 9 and 11 but not reliably and I am busy in the mornings, in and out. My husband is away for the week. I'd rather she sends me the label and I drop it off when it's convenient for me.
Another thing, I have no guarantee that my fabric will be sent off, she could as well cancel the label and keep the fabric.

Lastly, the weight is wrong, both parcels are over 2kg. She paid only for a small parcel. Even if I get my parcel back, I might have to pay a fee for insufficient postage.

This is really doing my head in. What would you do?

OP posts:
Santaiswashinghissleigh · 09/12/2023 07:53

As a seller my dh managed to speak to Ebay on the phone and sorted out a vile buyer.... In dh's favour.. Rare but it can happen. Stand firm op.

Original poster
Rhombus79 · 09/12/2023 08:43

GallbladderWoes · 09/12/2023 07:16

Hello OP I work for a business seller on eBay and deal with this stuff all the time.
Firstly are you a business seller? If so, when it went to a case, did you get the option for eBay to step in, and this is where they wouldn't help?

Secondly I'd do what someone else suggested and I'd contact eBay with all the proof and I'd keep at them until they sort it!

With regards to returning her stuff, you stand your ground, she's had a bloody refund and you're the one now with nothing but scraps, so to speak! The bare faced cheek of her saying it's theft if you don't return it. She's had a refund AND got the fabric.

People are awful!!!

Yes, I'm registered as a business seller. I don't usually have any issues with returns. People are mostly reasonable.
I probably shouldn't have involved eBay because I now have a defect on my account for a case closed without seller resolution.
But the whole return started of wrong and she didn't reply to any of my messages, so I was left to assume the worst. I had hoped eBay would see the bigger picture, especially since she has had 5 'false' positive feedback in the last 6 months alone from sellers because of various issues.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rhombus79 · 09/12/2023 12:08

Update: RM was here and left without a parcel. She said she is calling the police now.
Please tell me the police will laugh at her, she is really starting to freak me out

OP posts:
GreatGateauxsby · 09/12/2023 12:34

She is unhinged.
the police will laugh at her.

if she tells a pack of lies you can tell them the truth when they get in touch (that she has your material but you were forced to refund her after she made false claims) and they can have a laugh then.

OnionOnionH · 09/12/2023 12:39

I take back my previous advice, don’t return. The tailor is probably counting their blessing about the hold up.

Feckedupbundle · 09/12/2023 12:40

Tell her that you hope that she does call the police, because you have evidence of fraud on her part.
She won't call the police,I guarantee it.
If by chance she did,they'd likely just laugh at her.

Santaiswashinghissleigh · 09/12/2023 12:54

Let her crack on op... She is so shabby as her scraps of fabric....

KickAssAngel · 09/12/2023 13:14

The pieces of fabric that you do have, are they samples, or could they be used for something? Or are they so random that it could all be a complete lie?

Original poster
Rhombus79 · 09/12/2023 16:42

KickAssAngel · 09/12/2023 13:14

The pieces of fabric that you do have, are they samples, or could they be used for something? Or are they so random that it could all be a complete lie?

Well, when I got the wrong fabric back and I couldn't get a hold of her to ask what went wrong, I really assumed she is trying to scam me. But the fabrics are not random. There are short pieces, the size of a tea towel and 1-2m pieces of four different fabrics. So I believe the mix-up story.

She just doesn't want to understand, that with her track record I am wary of just taking her word for it that I am getting the right fabric back this time.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rhombus79 · 09/12/2023 16:54

Well, she is now throwing big words around like appropriation and illegal possession (had to laugh at this one- isn't that for drugs, firearms and the like?) And she is sure I am getting convicted, followed by a creepy smirky emoji?

She actually uploaded now the collection proof of my fabric from her tailors' and set me another deadline of 6pm.

OP posts:
Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 09/12/2023 16:56

She is absolutely batshit crazy! What would happen if you had just binned the returned scraps?
op you’ve had lost a of wonderful advice and some suggestions as to what to do. Personally I would ignore her and block her every which way you can. (Not sure if that possible being a business). If I was feeling very petty I would use the scraps to clean my loo and cat litter trays and then send them back without any postage or a return address and hope the Royal Mail took a long time in processing the parcel and she had to pay a huge surcharge.

The police will be laughing over this long after they retire!

atthebottomofthehill · 09/12/2023 17:10

Just give her all the material and let it go

fussygalore77 · 09/12/2023 17:19

She's clearly batshit. Are the fabrics to make something sentimental do you think ( thinking of those memory bear type things) ..
If you get yours back then returning hers shouldn't be an issue she sends the right label.
She is a knob though.

Original poster
Rhombus79 · 09/12/2023 17:25

Thanks ladies for all the advice, kept me sane this weekend! I would love to just block and ignore her and do some of the more hilarious proposals but as it is my business I am going to be the adult in the room and return her fabric. The return label is valid until Friday, by then I should have received mine back and will send hers off. She miscalculated the weight, so she didn't send the right label, so she will have to pay a surcharge probably. That will have to be enough karma!

OP posts:
HarpieDuJour · 09/12/2023 17:37

If you try to hand in the parcel at the post office, they will probably check the weight and may refuse to accept it without payment.

You have my sympathy. I sell sewing patterns on eBay, and it can be a trial. I've only had one buyer try to get a free label by claiming I sent the wrong size, but I managed to get the cost of the label refunded. That was a while ago, though, I think it's harder now.

Santaiswashinghissleigh · 09/12/2023 17:40

Don't send hers until you receive yours... Surely you wait?

Jeffjefftyjeff · 09/12/2023 17:53

I received the wrong parcel on vinted due to a seller mix up. Seller was lovely. I sent off my wrong thing but never received the thing I ordered - I guess because the other buyer decided she’d keep my dress. So even if everyone was nice I’d never do that again; if someone was deceitful,tried to intimidate and was fraudulent I’d definitely not!!

Icopewhenihope · 09/12/2023 17:55

Do nowt until you get yours back! She sounds like a nightmare!

Autumn1990 · 09/12/2023 17:57

Don’t worry about the occasional negative feedback or marks against your seller thingy. I don’t think it makes that much difference to buyers as they go on price.
EBay isn’t great as a seller now as many people who can have gone to other platforms

wjpa · 09/12/2023 18:02

This is why I stopped selling on eBay. I just sold odds and ends that we were finished with, not a business, but frankly I'd prefer to put stuff in the bin than sell it to dishonest people who are out to scam stuff.

WelshFionaThePlasticSurgeryGorgon · 09/12/2023 18:04

@wjpa I am beginning to think like that too. Since posting previously I now have someone claiming they didn't receive a parcel despite there being a photo of it on their doorstep. Maybe it's that time of year people out to nick stuff.

Girlsjustwannahavefundamentalrights · 09/12/2023 18:04

Just block her. Nothing will happen. She's a thief.

prescribingmum · 09/12/2023 18:24

Police don’t have time to arrest and detain shoplifters caught red handed stealing hundreds of pounds worth of goods from shops and she thinks they will follow up on petty accusation for a parcel she deliberately sent 🤣🤣🤣

PlipPlopChoo · 09/12/2023 18:42

No legal background but I would guess this is a civil matter. You did not steal her fabric she posted it to you.

In that scenario I am waiting for my property to be returned first.

Original poster
Rhombus79 · 10/12/2023 06:16

Santaiswashinghissleigh · 09/12/2023 17:40

Don't send hers until you receive yours... Surely you wait?

Yes, I will definitely wait until my fabric is returned but she has completely gone off the rails now. I have attached her latest chat, received at 3am!

Advice please regarding an awkward customer
OP posts: