Buyer wants refund - WWYD?

[CarnivalBizarre]

Sorry if this is long - I have been selling on ebay for about 7 years and this is the first time this has happened to me

I sold 2 items last week to the same buyer - they were listed as 'cold cast sculptures' as per the stickers on the back of the items

The buyer paid a good price for them and they were dispatched the following day and recieved by the buyer yesterday

Today I got an email requesting a refund for the items as they were not what he assumed they were (bronze) but resin

Nowhere in the listing did it state that the items were made of bronze so I contacted ebay who agreed that I had listed the item correctly and didn't have to offer a refund but to be aware that the buyer may raise a dispute which is rather non comittal as I know through hearing other stories from sellers that ebay most often find in favour of the buyer and issue a refund regardless

The buyer did not at anytime contact me to verify the material of the items but as he stated in his refund request 'had assumed that they were bronze because the pictures looked like bronze'

Sorry for waffling but I am right pissed off

I have as a gesture of goodwill offered to refund him 50% to avoid a pain in the arse dispute

Do you think I am being fair ....unreasonable....or a mug?

I would have said that he could send them back to you and you would refund the sale price of the item but not the postage. and then offer them to the next highest bidder.

I think you are being more than fair. Or could always do what theanimalswentinwobytwo suggested.

Thanks for your replies, I have thought about this more (tearing my hair out really) and have re looked at my listings

I listed the items in the homes and gardens > decorative> sculptures and the buyer decided to place bold bids thinking that they were bronze antiques/collectibles without asking me first to clarify what the items were made of

I now feel that I have been more than generous by offering half their money back but have heard nothing back from them

I think I might wait for them to file a dispute and let ebay deal with it as I have confirmation that it was due to their 'assumption' that they bid so boldly

I might add that they were 2 separate listings for similar items so the buyer had plenty of scope for asking questions about the items - if you want to see the items I can show you via email ...just so that I can see what you think and that I am not being unreasonable

I would have offered a full refund upon return, but he pay the return costs.

A good seller would do that.

If he raises a dispute which he could do he may no doubt win, in that case he gets a full refund and you get a mark against your account.

Just to update - the buyer accepeted the 50% refund and said that he would relist the items himself and if the items sold for more than the 50% he had been refunded he would split and further money with me which I thought was a really nice gesture. He also left me positive feedback on both items - alls well that ends well