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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Not to give an eBay refund

62 replies

deliakate · 03/05/2011 09:00

I just sold a vintage wedding dress on eBay that I bought for my wedding, but did not wear. Before selling, I measured the dress with a tape measure around the bust, waist and hips and put these down in the listing. I also put down in the title that the dress was a size 14, as that's what the measurements I took roughly equated to in modern terms (and that I intended to have the dress altered to fit my size 12 figure).
Winning bidder turned up excited to collect her purchase on Saturday, and even when she came to the door, I thought "I hope this is not for you", because if she was a size 14, it was a large one - pushing a 16 really. Anyway, got an email last night saying the hips fitted, but the zip wouldn't go past her waist, can she have a refund.
Firstly, the listing stated no refunds, and secondly, the actual measurements in the text of the listing were accurate. She is hung up on the number 14 from the title, but I have tried to point out that with high street and vanity sizing, 14 can mean many things, and so she needed to use the accurate measurements as her guide to buying.
I don't have to give a refund do I? Can really do without the hassle, as my baby is nearly here, and I was so pleased to have finally sold the dress (for 10% of the purchase price, she has a bargain!). ????

OP posts:

BarbaraBar · 03/05/2011 16:44

Agree with Hecate and Expat.

You can't say to someone "A 14? You? You're having a laugh fatso." (or something similar).

You just can't.

Mandy2003 · 03/05/2011 16:46

Its a bit of a grey area: you clearly stated the measurements in the advert but I think to keep my good feedback I would refund.

If you go to eBay>community>discussion boards>seller central you could put the question of whether to refund with a poll so that other sellers could vote.

Vintage is very difficult. I would be within my rights to sell my 25 year old wedding dress (if I could find it) as being a Size 14 because that's what it's labelled, but it would only fit today's Size 10 wearer!

olderandwider · 03/05/2011 16:47

OP, you should have just said to her, "Yes, your bum will look big in this frock." [grin}

FIFIBEBE · 03/05/2011 16:47

EBAY seems to favour the seller, so if you want to protect your DSRs and feedback you may have to give in. Still think you are in the right though and she does not deserve a refund.

ccpccp · 03/05/2011 16:56

If the OP can reclaim all the money and resell easily then an honest ebayer would do so. Leaving a customer with an item they cant use (and suspecting that was the case from the start) isnt good business.

The buyer has returned, and politely asked for a refund. So long as the OP isnt out of pocket, and the buyers reasons are genuine, then why not?

Insomnia11 · 03/05/2011 17:14

There is no legal right to a refund for something not suiting/fitting the buyer. Most shops do it out of goodwill if the item is not damaged/unworn. You clearly stated the measurements and that there would be no refunds. Basically she can whistle for it legally unless you decide to do it off your own back. As for bad feedback - AFAIK the seller can leave feedback on the feedback to state if the buyer is BU. And it depends how much you sell/want to sell on eBay.

nickelbabe · 03/05/2011 17:20

OP could have said "is the dress for you, would you like to try it on before you take it? just to make sure?"

Having said that, she didn't have to, and she did give the precise measurements in the listing.

so, YANBU and don't refund her.

ChippyMinton · 03/05/2011 17:26

Suggest she sells it on ebay herself to recoup her outlay (and fingers crossed she doesn't make a profit - it doesn't resemble Kate's dress does it?)

melikalikimaka · 03/05/2011 17:29

What about the negative feedback, she is wrong because you did put measurements on it but she can really slag you off now.

expatinscotland · 03/05/2011 17:41

'The buyer has returned, and politely asked for a refund. So long as the OP isnt out of pocket, and the buyers reasons are genuine, then why not?'

Because it's a nuisance, the seller may have already spent the money and not have enough to refund and the seller isn't running a shop.

I'd tell her to take a hike - maybe then she'll fit in the dress :o.

Original poster

deliakate · 03/05/2011 17:55

It really is a nuisance. I've sold a bunch of things over the last few weeks, this was really the last thing before my baby comes in about 3 weeks time. I have sold a wedding dress previously, and almost all the bidders were small businesses themselves - obv going to resell the dress in their own shop - and so I don't think it was unreasonable to imagine this buyer might have been buying it to sell on, not to wear.

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 03/05/2011 17:58

If you're going to be taking a break from selling, anyhow, then I'd stick to my guns and tell her no refund. If she negs you you can answer back. It's not up to you to quiz a buyer as to what they intend to do with an item, or second-guess them, or tell them, 'This is too small on you, so I won't sell it to you,' because for all you know, she was planning to slim down or sell it on.

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