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Original poster

I don't know what to do about this buyer's claims...

52 replies

saoirse86 · 14/11/2011 22:01

I have just received this message:

^Really disappointed that basically it was washed or plunged in water and then simply put into a grey plastic mailer bag. It arrived damp, with mildew, and extremely musty/mouldy smelling. I now have to launder it again.

I'd like a good partial refund on this. When all is sorted I will leave positive feedback as everything else is ok.^

I had washed and dried this before even listing so it was about2 weeks since I had washed it before sending it, so was definitely not wet at all when I posted.

Could this have happened in transit or is she lying to get money back?

If I refuse to refund anything will ebay give her all her money back?

I feel quite upset about this as I am a good seller and always work hard to make buyers happy. Sad

OP posts:
Ponders · 14/11/2011 22:04

I would reply to her (via ebay) with what you have told us & see what she then says

I don't see how it could have happened in transit so have to assume she is trying it on Hmm

Ponders · 14/11/2011 22:07

& in any case, "laundering" doesn't remove mildew. she is def trying it on. Tell her to return it if she wants a refund!

fergoose · 14/11/2011 22:07

ok - firstly she is is guilty of feedback extortion - refund me and I will leave a positive - this is not permitted

Maybe it did get ripped and damp in transit or maybe she is lying.

If it were me I would ask her to return for a refund

It is up to you - many sellers refuse partial refund, and ask for buyer to return for refund. If she goes to eBay she will have to return at her expense before they give her your money back

Don't be blackmailed - you could refund all her money, lt her keep it and there is still no guarantee she won't leave a neg so don't be bullied

pages.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/feedback-extortion.html

thisisyesterday · 14/11/2011 22:09

ridiculous! even if you had sent it wet it wouldn't have developed mildew in the time it took to get there, unless it had been sat around for ages.

i haven't sold anything on there for ages now because the last few transactions i've had have ALL gone bad with people pulling shit like this. and they get to leave you negative and you can't leave it for them. it's so unfair.

i would e-mail them saying that it was perfectly dry and well-packaged when you sent it and thus you will not be refunding,

i would also contact ebay NOW (you may be able to access their live help thingy if you try now) and ask what they suggest and where you stand if she leaves you negative feedback.
also copy them her e-mail where she absically "nicely" threatens this... ie, she'll only leave positive if you give her a refund.

oooh or your other option would be to say no to partial refund, but you're happy to give a full refund if she sends it back.
although you then risk her sending a different item back or damaging it... so maybe not?

Ponders · 14/11/2011 22:10

Buyer says they will leave negative Feedback or low DSRs unless the seller gives a full or partial refund for an item is allowed apparently

Mum1369 · 14/11/2011 22:16

I'd tell her to send it back for a refund. If she's really not happy she will. If she wants the item and is trying it on she might backtrack.

fergoose · 14/11/2011 22:17

Yes that's true - if she is lying I don't think she will bother sending it back.

Original poster
saoirse86 · 14/11/2011 22:18

If I ask her to send it back, do I have to refund the postage one way, both ways or neither?

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 14/11/2011 22:19

yeah but she might have one that is ruined, and she might send that one back.

all she needs to get a refund is proof that a parcel was delivered to the OP.

fergoose · 14/11/2011 22:19

You need to refund the whole oriiginal payment including outwards postage, and if it is faulty you should really give her the return postage costs too, but that is at your discretion.

Ponders · 14/11/2011 22:23

yeah but she might have one that is ruined, and she might send that one back

are there really people that devious? Shock

she'll never get to heaven

Original poster
saoirse86 · 14/11/2011 22:23

This is so annoying! It's not even faulty, and even if she sends it back as she's "laundered" it, it'll come back perfect won't it. Maybe she's said she's done that in case I ask her to return it! Hmm

The other annoying thing is I couldn't work out how to change the postage costs so it would only let me charge £4 max, but it actually cost £5.66 to send it. That means I'll be at least £11.32 down if I refund the postage both ways.

I hate ebay! I knew there was reason I hadn't sold anything for months!

OP posts:
fergoose · 14/11/2011 22:26

if she washes it then she has accepted it and she can't return it - she needs to send it back in the condition in which it was received

sorry I was wrong about the feedback extortion - I wonder if they have changed the rules, I can't believe they allow people to threaten a neg if they don't get a partial refund

Ponders · 14/11/2011 22:28

see I don't understand why, as it's something washable, she would be entitled to a refund even if she did have to launder it (which we all doubt here!) - it's just one extra wash at the start of its life with her (whatever it is)

tell her you'll pay her the cost of one dose of Ariel & a few pence worth of hot water & electricity - say 50p altogether. That's reasonable - how can she possibly be entitled to any more than that?

fergoose · 14/11/2011 22:30

And don't we all wash stuff we buy on eBay before we wear it anyway, I know I do?

Ponders · 14/11/2011 22:31

exactly, fergoose!

Original poster
saoirse86 · 14/11/2011 22:34

I do too! But I also don't make up lies to get money back off someone who was in desperate need of that money!

It was a dressing gown here.

OP posts:
fergoose · 14/11/2011 22:36

And another thing, please don't be scared of getting negative feedback. You can leave calm, measured response. It is only a red dot on a website, it does not reflect badly on you, and it will be gone in 12 months.

You will always find some buyers who will never be happy no matter what you do, the odd neg with a polite response does not put me off a seller at all. I actually find polite responses encouraging that a seller has been good when things have gone wrong.

If it were me I would say, Dear buyer, sorry, cannot understand how this happened, please return in unwashed condition for a refund; here's my address.

Just be polite, calm and reasonable, and do not be bullied.

thisisyesterday · 14/11/2011 22:38

i say tough titties to her.

Mspontipine · 14/11/2011 22:44

You've reminded me of a transaction I had a little while ago with a seller. I bought 3 BNWT tank tops from her and when they arrived they really smelled of a kind of damp musty smell. They all had tags etc and were new but possibly they had been stored somewhere where it was a bit whiffy. I do have a very keen sense of smell and so does my son. He had a whiff and said they were smelly too. They couldn't be worn without washing first due to this smell. I messaged her and she said that she had sold tons (she had) and nobody else had mentioned the smell - no mention in her feedbacks. She said they'd been stored in her house and couldn't think what smell was. Maybe that's just the way her house smells (as some houses do) and she's not aware of it (as most people usually aren't) I know a friend of mine said she always knows which clothes have been handed down to her by a certain friend as those clothes had a certain smell (a kind of not been able to get dry damp washing smell) and her daughter could definately smell it too. Some people are just more aware of smells than others and to them it is important how things smell. Some people are not so aware and do not notice it!!

My seller refunded me £3 (£1 per item) to compensate. Items were £5.99 each. I was happy with that and left her positive feedback. Did not threaten her with feedback system however - just emailed her and told her how it was and waited for her to offer a solution which was satisfactory to us both.

Could it be that your item hadn't dried through eg a stuffed item?? I know some things can feel suface dry but damp comes through.

It's going to end up costing you way more if you ask for her to return item. I would offer partial refund and let that be an end to it.

That's what I would do :) (I usually sell on Ebay, very little buying but I offer a tip top customer service and expect the same in return)

Original poster
saoirse86 · 14/11/2011 22:46

I'm not concerned about a neg at all TBH, and I can't see myself wanting to sell anything else for a while.

The thing I'm most worried about is not having the money as I really was desperate for it and it has already gone. But then I suppose I'd rather refund and re-sell it than have the money taken from me by ebay and not get it back.

OP posts:
fergoose · 14/11/2011 22:49

eBay will not take the money from you and let her keep the item, they will freeze the money and only give it her once she provides proof of delivery. If she doesn't return it they give you back your money.

Ponders · 14/11/2011 22:50

then email & offer her a refund of the cost of one wash - I don't see that (even if true Hmm) she's entitled to any more than that, & I wouldn't have thought that ebay would either

after all, she says "I will leave positive feedback as everything else is ok" - so one wash (paid for by you) & all is hunky dory Grin

thisisyesterday · 14/11/2011 22:51

i would ask for some pictures of the mildew

Original poster
saoirse86 · 14/11/2011 22:52

But that's the thing, my house is not one of those houses and I always put extra fabric softener in the wash to make sure clothes I've sold smell nice. It's a dressing gown (link above) and had been hanging up for two weeks before sending it. I had also put this (and some other items I sold) in the dryer so I seriously don't believe there is any way it was damp before sending it.

OP posts: