Oh FGS! How to ask --rude-- buyer to return items advise please?

[GrahamTribe]

OK, it's me again!

My buyer who I guessed I'd have problems from before she even bid with her aggressive, mannerless questioning style wants to return some items as "not as described". She won a bowl in one auction and a cup, saucer and plate set in another. She wants to return all the items except the cup as she says the others are "seconds". I have no idea if she's right, to my untrained eye these vintage chinaware items are in beautiful condition but I'll take her word for it. So she wants me to replace the plate and saucer and also replace the bowl because the items are "not as described".

She's wrong there because I said nothing either way about them being first class or seconds but because I couldn't remove it when I listed the items I've got "returns accepted" on the bloody thing so I have to accept them. She did ask if they were first class before bidding but (and this is the honest truth) I forgot to answer her whilst replying to the other questions she was mannerlessly barking at putting to me.

I'm just replying to her through gritted teeth, saying I'm sorry to learn of that, asking what makes her say it for my future reference as I don't want a repeat of this obviously and explaining that A. the other items I have are almost certainly also going to be seconds if these are as they all came from the same source and B. that the cup/saucer/plate trio came as a set and I'm therefore unable to replace individually anyway. I have instead offered to refund her the cost of the items if she would like to return them to me.

Here's the question at last - how should that return be made? Should I ask her to return recorded delivery? Or a special, tracked service? Or will standard mail do?

And another thing - how the hell do I remove the "returns accepted" thing from my listings when the tick box option to do so is greyed out and won't let me tick it? I'm happy to return in case of genuine mistake etc but I'd rather not encourage the beligerant!

Thanks in advance and sorry to keep asking so many questions! :)

all vintage pieces are not first class, ok some could have been factory seconds when they left factory,

but i suggest some disclaimer ( i sell vintage cermaics as business )

" all items are vintage and as such will have small marks, wear to gilding, age related crazing etc, I do mention all chips cracks and restoration but if you are looking for pristine pieces this will probably not be suchso please feel free to ask questions before auction ends"

if you are a business you have to accept returns, if you sell BIN you also have to accept returns

a private seller with auction can tick no returns but will still be forced to accept if not as described or faulty/broken on arrival

I normally ask for return to be as sent if i sent normal second classi would expect return same way, ie i am not going to refund you 1st class tracked when i sent with large letter stamp, however if your mistake you have to pay return postage

I would get her to return all items for refund as you don't want her wanting refund for second batch, then add her to your list of banned bidders

Thank you ever so much. (Now I'm wondering which of the millions of sellers you are !). I think I'll ask her to return the items standard class then and request that she obtains proof of postage when she does so.

WRT ticking the "no return" box, the damn thing won't let me. It's there but it's in pale grey whereas anything tickable is darker and this means that the option to tick to remove the "returns accepted" info unavailable.

Thank you as well for the info on adding a disclaimer. I'll do that in future though this time round I'm damned if I can see what the hell is wrong with these items!

next time try doing advanced and set out using template which will keep all your terms etc for next time also try going to accoutn and setting preferences you can write a returns policy there which will attach automatically to every item but obviously it must be legal

but you can say returns accepted but only item cost refunded not postage unless damaged or fundamentally not as described in which case postage will be refunded. In case of damaged items photos will be required and also packaging kept to enable claim for damage with delivery service blah blah blah

If she raised a dispute, Ebay would tell her to return by a TRACKABLE method. As only then they can see that it's been returned - as a unscruplious seller might say they never received the items back!

just like unscruplous buyers may say they never received!!