to think that a lot of Ebay buyers are CFs?

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I just sold a few items on Ebay, all nice dresses that I have decided are a bit young (i.e. short!) for me now. Everyone paid (eventually) and I posted using Royal Mail first class as indicated on the listing.

Out of 5 items, two people have come back to me. One asked for the 'tracking number' so she could track delivery. She hasn't actually said it hasn't been delivered, and all the other items posted at the same time have arrived safely. She knows there isn't a 'tracking number' bc its first class mail, untracked. She likely also knows that if she complains to Ebay they will 100% side with her even if I show the postage receipt and she will get a full refund. I know this because it happened last time I sold things on Ebay. Do this many things really get lost in the mail?!

Another girl sent me a very short message alleging that the item wasn't as described because it didn't fit her and therefore I must have shrunk it so she demanded to return it. I replied to say that I hadn't shrunk it as I hadn't washed it (it was silk) or even dry cleaned it as had only worn it once or so (this is all true, it was in as new condition). I said usual Ebay etiquette would be to accept things don't always work out when you don't try them on in a shop, and simply sell on. She said it wasn't the same as her other items from the same brand, therefore wasn't as described and she wanted to return.

I was pretty pissed off by the pair of them, and decided enough was enough. By chance buyer 2 works in my industry but is more junior than me, and I am now client side and head of the function. I therefore wrote back very sweetly and said that I was 100% sure that the item was as described, the listing had stated no returns, and I didn't really want to refund her. However, I said, "as it happens I am due to meet one of your senior colleagues next week at your offices so I would be happy to meet up with you beforehand so you can show me your existing item and how the sizing differs and then of course you can have a refund." As I happen to be looking for some professional advice in relation to a big project, I also emailed one of her senior colleagues to set up a meeting just in case!! Funnily enough she replied to say not to worry about it and she hadn't realised it was no refunds and she would try to sell or give it to a skinnier friend!

AIBU to think that people are really naughty and completely trying it on?!

I am very impressed by the lengths you’ve gone to to stand up for yourself. And yes, many people get angry over flaws listed in the listing etc. But then again lots of buyers sell things wrongly described on the off chance you can’t be arsed to return.

They totally try it on. EBay is known for siding with buyers and always refunding. I now only offer signed for postage services and making sure description is celery accurate.

I won’t sell on eBay for this exact reason. CF buyers

Agree with you in general, but:

1. I bought an item off ebay recently which really didn't arrived. Raised a case, ebay spoke to the seller, who provided tracking information. Ebay, without consulting me again, believed them and closed the case. I was fuming and made further checks. Turned out the item had actually been delivered 120 miles away due to a new and obviously very incompetent driver. I left a message on the seller's company FB page and they did eventually refund me, but it took a lot of time and effort on my part. I have 100% feedback, 95% of which is as a buyer on ebay, and they simply closed my case. I did complain to ebay.

1. Is it Ted Baker? There are either some fakes going around which are tiny, or Ted Baker have incredibly varying sizes, because those Ted Baker silk dresses on ebay are childsized and not true to size at all.

1. I'm really shocked that you think it was ok to mix this with your professional life, and to send colleagues needless emails to sort out disputes that have absolutely nothing to do with your work.

eBay demanded I refunded two people who received excellent items for a very good price from me. I will never sell through eBay again.

I think it's really over the top to use your position in your personal and professional life to essentially blackmail a buyer on Ebay

Surely if you were so adamant you were in the right then you wouldn't have to have used such underhand tactics.

Also no returns means nothing on ebay if an item isn't as described or if the buyer claims as such.
Did you say on the listing you'd worn it several times and hadn't washed it?

Actually really unprofessional of you and you sound like a bully to be throwing your weight around with a junior member of staff. Also yes things get lost in the post and yes sometimes things don’t fit.
ALso did you really sell an unwashed item as “as new” condition??

If you get proof of postage on a royal mail parcel it will always have a tracking number even if you haven't added tracking.
Unless you posted the dress as a letter?

@QualCheckBot

Sounds like it is worth me keeping the receipt in that case, maybe all is not lost.

Not Ted Baker, and I bought it direct from the brand so I know it is genuine. Funnily enough, that brand have a 25% off everything sale this week, which might also be the reason she was no longer happy with her half price item when she could have had a brand new one for only a bit more?! I put that in my final message to her when I suggested she might like to try a 'larger size', haha, couldn't resist :)

I too think you overstepped calling attention to the fact that you are senior to this buyer; very underhand.

I haven't sold with them for years due to this.

Actually astonished that you involved your work and tried to power play her. That’s disgusting.

I used to sell - and buy - lots on ebay and it was great.

Now it has become a nightmare to sell on. Ebay always side with buyers. Buyers increasingly try it on, knowing this (which perplexes me - I never have and never would falsely claim an item was damaged/ in some way different than advertised unless it really was). So YAdefinitely NBU, OP.

I currently want to sell a high-quality DSLR camera and some nice shoes and bags, and I have no idea how to do so. I don't like FB selling (the unpleasant metaphor of "shitting on your own doorstep" comes to mind with that) and I'm not prepared to be ripped off by ebay...

Any recommendations for good alternative selling sites, wise MNetters?

Things do get lost, yes. I’ve had a couple of orders that never arrived. Very frustrating for all involved, but hardly the buyers fault.

As for bringing your professional life into this - well, I use the term ‘professional’ extremely loosely there. Watch out that habit doesn’t bite you op, because nobody in any industry I’ve worked in would be impressed with that sort of behaviour.

You crossed a line. A big one. Yabu!

Something unwashed and worn "once or so" is not in new condition

Your feedback must be interesting.

Yeah I also think you were out of order and unprofessional to bring work into this

Advertised as used, I'm using 'as new' as a figure of speech in my post to indicate it was as good as new with no signs of wear. I don't dry clean my clothes after every time I wear them for a few hours, which I think is normal. Sorry if you think I sound like a bully, she's not junior, she is a grown woman and qualifed professional, she is just more junior than me, and as a head of department client side I am in a position to use her company's professional services. As it happens, I actually am going to go to the meeting with her colleague as the person is well suited for what I genuinely need and I am meeting with a number of suppliers, I just might not have contacted that particular company usually. I was very polite and would have been very happy to have met her, been shown the other item she claimed to have, and give her a refund and take the dress back to avoid it getting lost in the mail (again!) She might not have been trying it on, but regardless, the item was advertised as non returnable and was as described, so not my problem it doesn't fit!

I agree the buyers sound like CFs but it was wrong of you to bring the matter into your professional life.

I'd have responded 'Sorry, I don't conduct my personal business in work time' and raised a case on eBay; and if you'd brought it up with my manager I'd have been raising a grievance against you.

You're crazy, why on earth would you do that to someone?

Also if you buy postage through eBay you can track normal items to see if they have been delivered as they all have a barcode number thing now.

YANBU - As a seller it is getting really difficult to deal with them very few buyers who do try to pull a fast one if they raise an issue such as non receipt of item. It is common knowledge that more often than not eBay side with the buyer. I also have a no refunds policy since receiving back a few dry clean only garments on returns only to find them with deodorant or make up marks on so I have had to pay for them to be cleaned again so I can resell.

If a buyer requests a return because it doesn't fit I will refuse and refer them on to eBay. If you mention that you have to accept a faulty item on return they will often damage the product then contact you a day later to say they have just discovered the fault.

I have just sold a brand new designer dress on eBay today and have sent the item special delivery using eBay to generate the label so I am covered in case the buyer says she hasn't received it. The buyer is a new member with 0 feedback so I am leaving the funds in my Paypal account as I am wary of potential issues.

I am put off selling a lot of cheaper stuff as the postage to get it tracked is too expensive with Royal Mail and the eBay Shutl service has no local drop off points to me.

I have also had a few issues with the eBay service where you can send the item with an eCP number to shops like Argos etc, if the receiving store doesn't follow the process correctly and enter the parcel on the system as received it can cause huge issues as the buyer has no notification email sent enabling them to pick up the item. I had an irate buyer who couldn't collect her item for 10 days and even though it was out of my hands she messaged me multiple times a day.

You’re a weird psycho. Jesus Christ.

You’re out of order to basically threaten her by bringing her boss into it. I don’t think that’s professional at all.
As for the other person, asking for the tracking number is not really a big deal.
Also agree with PP that selling worn and unwashed stuff is not “nearly new” and is a bit rank!
Not sure you are suited for eBay selling?! (I don’t buy second hand things on eBay myself before you think oh you are only siding with the buyers because you do these “cheeky” complaints yourself)

I don't dry clean my clothes after every time I wear them for a few hours, which I think is normal.

But paying good money for something worn and unwashed is a totally different scenario.