I sold some shoes as damaged but buyer now says not as described!? (sorry, quite long)

[Iwannamovenow]

I sold a pair of shoes 2 weeks ago and said they were new but had 2 marks on them, from being in a box with other shoes.

I took photos of the marks, they are clear in the photos.

There ended up being a little bidding war between 2 women for the shoes and they eventually sold for £83 plus postage.

The shoes were approx £120 new.

The buyer sent me a message when the auction first started asking for a buy it now price (cheap) because she wanted them for the following weekend.
I said no, and let the auction run.

I've just had a message, 2 weeks after she got them, saying...

'Hi, sorry it's taken so long to contact you, I've been really busy. The shoes arrived safely and are lovely except that there is more damage than I was expecting. There as an area where the silver has rubbed off, leaving the white surface beneath exposed, I was not expecting this'

I've replied saying that I did say they were damaged, and that you could see the 2 marks in the photos.

What do I do please?

Wait and see what she comes back with. You've stated your case. Could it be that she has worn them for the weekend she needed, and is now pulling a fast one?

Was the mark she described one of the photos? If so surely she doesn't have a leg to stand on?

Thanks for the replies, I wondered if she'd worn them.

I did take photos of the soles and they were shown on the listing.
The shoes still had stickers on the soles showing what they are made of.

Yes, the marks she's talking about, are the ones that i described.
The shoes are shiny silver and in the photos you can see where there's 2 small white marks.

When I posted them, the postage was cheaper than I thought... so I refunded her £1.50 and sent her a message explaining. But I never heard anything back, which I thought was strange.

She might try to open a case against you and these usually go to the buyer but if you have proof already of the marks then you should be covered.

Yes she could be trying a fast one after wearing them for what she needed.

It sounds like you're a good seller so stick to your guns.

It sounds like she is regretting paying so much. Hopefully she will be able to sell them on ebay, you have done nothing wrong - if she does open a case, call paypal and speak to them stating what you have told us. Ask them to make a note of this info, and say you think she has worn them once and just regrets buying them, because you described them totally accurately including photographs of the damage.

They do sometimes find in the seller's favour and this sounds like one of those times. Good luck.

I would ask for photos of the soles etc to show they haven't been worn and just sort a refund out (to avoid the neg feedback etc.) depending on how your rating is at the moment.

ebay is pissing me off more and more - it is certainly a buyer's tool. By the time you take out postage, ebay and paypal fees it is difficult to make any money and then I have had quite a few buyers recently who have been complete tools !

I would say to her that a refund would only be possible if she can show the mark as one that you didn't state on your listing and to prove the shoes haven't been worn by providing photos of the stickers still on the sole and showing them to be unmarked. But if they have been worn then don't refund. Ebay wouldn't take the buyers side with this surely?

It sounds as if you said there were white marks on the surface of the shoes, whereas she says the silver surface has actually worn away, showing white beneath, which is rather different.

Which do you think is actually the case?

I think she has worn them and now wants to return for a refund

I would tell her to return them in the condition in which they were sent. And of course if there is any signs of further use or wear you would be unable to refund, and would have to ask her to pay again for postage to send them back to her.

buyer has 45 days from payment date to open a not as described case, so it is quite a while before you are clear. But if she does return them it will have to be tracked.

Thanks everyone, i'll wait to see what she says.

You can see that the marks are white in the photos, they are 2 small smooth white patches, i thought about putting a bit of silver nail varnish on them when I was going to wear them, so they're easily fixable tbh.

Ebay does my head in sometimes, i'm having a clear out because we're moving soon... i've sold 5 things these past few weeks, had one non payer and now this!

I was suprised at what they sold for, compared to other (more expensive shoes i've sold on there) so maybe she's just thought she wants her money back for whatever reason.

If it was that the marks were worse than she thought, then surely you'd check the shoes when they arrived, and not wait 2 weeks before saying anything?

which is why it makes me think she bought them, wore them and now wants to send them back for a refund as she doesn't need them any more.

I had similar with an iPhone I sold last November.

Sold as for parts or not working, sold for £83, buyer contacted mr LAST MONTH to say item was not as described, phone doesn't work and she wants a refund!!!

After I'd finished ROTFL and getting advice from fergoose on here I advised her that on this occasion I'd not be able to refund, so after she threatened to report me to eBay as a bad seller and called me all manner of very rude names, I told her I would converse with her no longer and would await contact from eBay!! Of course she was well out her 45 days and I've heard nowt, but she didn't have a leg to stand on as I'd sold the phone as for parts or not working as i knew it was faulty and would only work intermittently.

It's been 2 days since I replied to her message. Nothing back from her yet

Exactly same thing happened to me, eBay ruled in her favour!! Even though I was in the right, and she left me bad feedback.
So she ended up with shoes and money!
I hate eBay! but I do sell a lot on there so it comes with the territory I guess?

So if she opens a case against me, and they rule in her favour...
she'll get to keep the shoes and get her money back?

I really don't like that idea.

No, she have to send the shoes back & as soon as she does & provides a tracking no, she'll be refunded.

How much do you think the shoes are worth ? It might be worth you saying i'll refund you £20 after you've given me positive feedback-obviously via her original payment.

Thanks, I was a bit worried then.

If she had emailed when she first got them, i'd have probably taken them back because i'm soft and offered them to the other bidder.

But I think she's taking the piss a bit waiting 2 weeks, so I don't want to offer any money back.

If she does open a case, i'll take the shoes back and relist them (unless she has worn them)

No she will only get a refund and keep them if eBay give a no fault refund from their money, and that way you keep your money.