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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To tell eBay buyer to sod off?

32 replies

L0gLady · 03/06/2015 06:45

I'll be brief.

Sold a new, unopened DVD in the cellophane.

Buyer messages me last night to saying as they've opened it the case is damaged and the disc won't play "in various players".

The clincher that makes me think they're trying it on is the final knowing phrase of the message - "any idea what we can do to resolve this?" - which is code for "I'm gonna try and get a refund for this and keep the low value item anyway".

I know the case wasn't rattling when posted, so if true it's happened in transit. But I know people do this with low-value DVDs, hoping that the faff of getting it returned etc will put off the seller and they'll just refund.

AIBU to say "sorry, sold as seen"?

OP posts:

6LittleOnes · 03/06/2015 06:47

I'm afraid if they open a case with ebay they will probably win, better to ask them to return for a refund.

GoodbyeToAllOfThat · 03/06/2015 06:47

I doubt you'll win this battle. Did the buyer have good FB?

AlternativeTentacles · 03/06/2015 06:48

If they send it back, you will refund. Basic ebay policy.

sebsmummy1 · 03/06/2015 06:49

You can say all sorts of things, the problem is that he will probably raise a claim and eBay/PayPal will probably side with him anyway.

DamnBamboo · 03/06/2015 06:50

Yes ask them to return for a refund.

FWIW, I had something similar with an xbox game that I bought, which when it arrived had come loose from the casing inside and had apparently been damaged in transit! It didn't work. I could tell the seller didn't believe me and was insistent that it had work when she posted it. I said, I'll send it back for a full refund and you can see for yourself. At which point, she just refunded me. But I wasn't lying... Your buyer might not be either.

AtSea1979 · 03/06/2015 06:52

Yes tell them they must return for a refund. Most buyers can't be bothered returning it.

DamnBamboo · 03/06/2015 06:53

I should add I've also purchased new DVDs that were't properly encased. They worked so there was no problem with these particular ones, but they weren't securely held.

PickledOnionSoup · 03/06/2015 06:57

I agree, ask them to return for a refund. I had a buyer trying it on from Poland last year. I sent a DVD, packaged in the case, then bubble wrap, then inside an envelope that had more bubble wrap. (Buyer very insistent about good packaging) He tried to say it was scratched. The DVD had been used once and worked fine plus visually had no scratches. Anyway, I advised I would refund on return and never heard back. They definitely like to try it on.

RebootYourEngine · 03/06/2015 06:58

I have also bought a dvd boxset that was described as new an sealed. It came sealed but the discs werent new. Its not just buyers who try it on. Id ask them to return for a refund.

Mehitabel6 · 03/06/2015 06:59

They are trying it on but sadly will probably win. Insist you get it back before you refund.

WipsGlitter · 03/06/2015 07:02

I had someone threaten me with the police when we had a disagreement over something. I reported them to eBay which would them up even more. Put me right off eBay for ages.

littlejessie · 03/06/2015 07:04

I recently sold a manual breastfeeding pump to a lady in England who proceeded to send several rants about parts being missing and it being unusable. This wasn't correct.

I immediately offered a refund if she sent it back to me, and she quoted me £15 to do so! More than I had sold the item for. She opened a case but it hasn't gone anywhere.

littlejessie · 03/06/2015 07:06

The downside is, although I avoided a scam, she was able to leave me my first ever negative feedback and I have no right of reply. Seems very wrong!

Original poster

L0gLady · 03/06/2015 07:09

Jessie, that's bloody infuriating!

I've sent a message saying "I'm sorry to hear this" and asked them to return it.

I know those are "the rules" but I've just got a feeling about this one.

OP posts:

DamnBamboo · 03/06/2015 07:22

littlejessie you can respond to her feedback can't you? You can also leave her FB if you want. The rating will be positive, but you can write what you like. If people read things carefully, they'll get the idea. Worst case scenario is that ebay reports it and takes it down.

Whocansay · 03/06/2015 07:22

Absolutely nothing you can do other than asking them to return. I had a similar incident with a dress that I sold. I spoke to Ebay and they wanted nothing to do with it. I've since stopped selling on Ebay as the lack of support really pissed me off!

NadiaWadia · 03/06/2015 16:48

A complication is that according to the Distance Selling Regulations (or something like that), the seller is responsible for the return postage if the item is faulty. So asking them to return it could cost you even more money. From the buyer's point of view, why should they have to pay to return a faulty product?

They could certainly be trying it on, though.

expatinscotland · 03/06/2015 16:55

Tell him he needs to return it.

TattyDevine · 03/06/2015 17:00

I won't go near eBay as a seller anymore for this reason. Since they changed the feedback system it seems to have just attracted a load of chancers. If I have something to sell now, I tend to do it on Facebook selling pages, where people come to your door for the item and if for some reason they don't want it or think its not as described or just not worth it, nobody has lost any money.

It used to be a fun way to get rid of your stuff but its more hassle than it is worth these days.

SistersofPercy · 03/06/2015 17:00

To play devils advocate for a moment here Royal Mail are hardly a shining advert for handling packages with tender loving care. Just because a DVD was secure when it left you doesn't mean it was when it arrived. I've had DVD's arrive that were rattling around the case. Transit will dislodge them.

'any idea what we can do to resolve this?' is a perfectly legitimate question. If buyer had written 'I want a refund!' or 'Refund me or i'll neg you' I'd have been concerned but to me thats a buyer offering a seller a chance to resolve an issue.

Asking them to return is the best you can do. You might get a perfectly find DVD back and find they were trying it on but you do have to give them the benefit of the doubt I think.

SistersofPercy · 03/06/2015 17:03

Asking them to return is the best you can do. You might get a perfectly find DVD back and find they were trying it on but you do have to give them the benefit of the doubt I think.

tootiredtoknow · 03/06/2015 17:04

That only applies to Business Sellers Nadia although I would agree to pay for the return.

SistersofPercy · 03/06/2015 17:04

Sorry, MN really playing up for me this afternoon

Original poster

L0gLady · 03/06/2015 18:15

Thanks all.

I've responded asking for the to send it back but not heard anything yet.

DH helpfully and not-at-all annoyingly pointed out that they may just damage it anyway.

OP posts:

TedAndLola · 03/06/2015 18:24

I had a very similar situation with a game. I could tell the seller didn't believe me that it wasn't working. He told me to send it back and then he would test it and issue a refund, but I refused to pay postage to return a faulty item. He wouldn't budge, so I opened a case with eBay and won. eBay nearly always side with the buyer unless there is good proof from the seller that the buyer is lying or wrong, so I assume your situation will end up the same if the buyer isn't happy to pay postage on the return.

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