To be annoyed at this Ebay seller?

[ParkingBad]

I bought a dress on Ebay a few days ago. I was lucky enough to get it for 99p + £4 postage. The dress was described as being in very good condition.

It arrived today and it has about 6 small dark stains all over it. Not just a bit of dirt, but actual ingrained, old stains. It is a pale coloured dress so they are very obvious and it is unwearable.

I sent the seller a very polite message saying that the item was described as being in very good condition, but that it is actually stained and unusable.

The seller sent a message back saying that the stain is originally from some flower pollen, but to give it a wash and it'll probably fade in time. There was no apology, just a very matter of fact reply.

I know I didn't pay much for the item, but had I know it was stained then I wouldn't have bid on it. The attitude of the seller has annoyed me, as if it is just nothing and I'm making a fuss. But really, I may as well have just binned a £5 note than go through all the rigmarole of buying the item, and then being stuck with a stained pair of jeans!

AIBU?

obviously I meant dress at the end, not pair of jeans! Not sure why I said jeans!

yanbu

that is obviously not in very good condition! have you complained via ebay?

YANBU - I'd be giving them some very negative feedback and complaining to eBay

Open a dispute 'item not as described'
If it's not worked out between you and the seller, ebay will refund you!

Ebay will want me to return the item won't they? I was thinking then it just won't be worth complaining via Ebay as I'll end up out of pocket in the end?

Think I will leave negative feedback though.

You should get your £5 back. Who would buy stained clothes, even at £5?

YANBU defo open a case and leave Neg. It doesn't matter how much you paid, that is not fair.

Worst of all is the attitude - clearly she was aware about the stains so was deliberately dishonest.

I sell a lot and if anyone complains about a dirty mark which I hadn't noticed I give automatic full refunds and profuse, sincere apologies, and feel totally mortified. Makes no difference whether it is 99p or £50.
This seller was obviously just trying it on.

People will be able to correct me but I'm sure if they are at fault they also have to cover return postage if they want the item back? Because it's their fault you even have to pay for it iyswim.

YANBU. I've stopped sales when on realising there were actually tiny stains I hadn't noticed before. The seller was obviously aware if them if they were able to explain their origin.

Open a case and leave negative feedback. I know it's a pain in the arse, but I think it's part of the responsibility people take on when they choose to use sites like eBay. Users have to police each other, or the whole thing will turn to shite.

I've had this happen to me twice recently. Once stained the other ripped. Opened a case both times, attached a photo, eBay refunded through PayPal straight away.

Problem is PayPal will most likely want the dress returned, and that will need to be done tracked which will negate any refund.
depends how principled you want to be really, but unless you can prove a delivery you won't get a refund.

often on mumsnet people say that they dont have to return items if not as described
so worth trying

merci
Now I'm not on my phone I can clarify how that works.

When you file a 'not as described' case with Paypal it automatically requires you to send back the item to seller at your cost. To prove it got there it needs to be sent tracked, so in cases like OP's any refund would probably be eaten up in costs returning the item.

Sometimes in these cases, if you make enough of a fuss eBay will issue what they call a 'no fault refund'. Basically they are choosing to keep you happy and are giving you the refund out of their pockets not the sellers.
Buyer receives a full refund, seller still has money from the sale and item is then usually binned/donated or whatever the seller then chooses to do with it.

Most of the time you will have to return an item to the seller. No fault refunds are not that common so never count on getting one and always work out whether its worth sending back or just getting the satisfaction of a nice neg and 1 star across the board.