What's this new craze with buyers wanting partial refunds? Please help!

[MiniTheMinx]

I run a small (well micro) business from home and some stock is sold on ebay.

Until recently we have had glowing feedback, happy customers and some profit. However we are now being deluged with messages from customers saying the "the item was great but........." seeking partial refunds. No one asks to make a return despite the fact that we have a returns policy and we accept returns and ask for items to be sent back so we can refund.

Customers do not want to return, they capitulate and string it out and eventually the intimidation kicks in, I feel so helpless because any small miscommunication might end in negative feedback.

Is it just me who thinks that now people have much less money they are more inclined to chance their hand and getting money back on things they actually want to keep.

It's a bit like an ebay AIBU?????????

They can fuck off. Would they do this in a shop? ''Oh, it's lovely, but I want some of my money back'. If the item is damaged or not as described that's one thing, but in that case they should return it, not demand a reduction after paying.
Keep all the messages, forward them to Ebay if necessary, tell the customers that if they are dissatisfied with items you will refun if the items are returned but not otherwise.

I have once or twice given a customer a partial refund for an item when the customer disagreed about the condition of the item (general junk that I was selling to be rid of it as much as anything) but gave the customer the option of returning it for a full refund. However, if you are selling new/crafted goods, the customers are being cheeky fuckers.

Ohh I so wish I could tell some of them to fuck off. I'm a business seller so I can only ever dream of telling some what I think!

My items are all new and I am really careful about quality. Mainly children's clothes and gifts, baby gifts. Even the personalised gifts, people send a message saying all is great but.......I have actually taken much of the contracted personalised gifts off sale because I can't offer a refund but I feel pressured at let them keep it and give them back their money. I must be doing something very wrong for people to think I'm a push over

I wondered if this will be become more of a pattern as people have less money to spend?

Honestly I think you can stand your ground and refuse to refund unless the item is damaged/defective/not as described and unless they return it. I honestly can't think of any business that can be expected to give customers a percentage of their money back just because the customer asks - haggling at the time of purchase is a totally separate thing.

I have def noticed more people claiming things are wrong once they receive the item, not interested in returning it though, oh no! They just want something for nothing.

I'm not a business seller - just our own bits and bobs.

This has happened to me a couple of times. I email back to say something like ' so sorry to hear that you are disappointed. Obviously you won't want to keep an item that is not what you expected, so if you send it back I'll refund in full'. Even if I lose out on part of the postage I'd rather do that than let them get away with what is basically theft.

Funny how I never hear from them again after that, and they don't seem to leave feedback either, probably worried I'll make some comment about their wanting a part refund for perfectly ok goods.

So maybe there is a rising tide of people wanting more for their money or chancing it.

Fliberty, that is exactly what is happening, I ask them to return, they never want to return even if I offer to pay return postage costs!

I sell personalised goods. They are the worst for people trying it on and I think it came from MSE. As they item is personalised they think you won't want it returned as you can't use it.

Every time I have a customer try this I offer for them to return he item and I will replace, as I do not like my customers receiving inferior merchandise.

Only once have I had an item returned and tbf it had been damaged in transit, and the customer had not been trying it on

Hi Hully, that's interesting too because it is the personalised gifts where this seems to happen. Actually it's been a real pain and a couple of buyers were a bit intimidating, I'm too soft???? I will just keep asking them to return as I have been. Thank you everyone for your advice, last night I actually didn't sleep worrying about some silly £8.99 cup because it seemed liked the final straw!

I have customers come to my trade stand demanding a discount and be really aggressive. I hold my ground and say its a matter of professional pride and I won't have sub standard goods in people's possessions, and would rather replace at a loss than discount the item.

They always decide its fine then

If you speak to anyone who does made to order you'll always hear similar tales

They never actually have the item with them for me to see either

Strange that ! I can believe it Hully. Most of my stuff is ceramic, I had one customer "demand" I send it next day! can you imagine, why oh why, I thought it was just me dealing with these peeps but obviously not.

I haven't done any trade fairs, do you do well and is it really worthwhile. I should imagine it takes a lot of planning.

It's me back under my real name

In our case the organisation is insane as we print mugs, t shirts and jewellry while you wait. We can do well we can just about cover our costs. It depends on the event. Either everyone does quite poorly and moans.

Also we do open air events which require to massive gennys to run everything!

We have a good reputation in our field for being bonkers to do it

Either should be Sometimes

MSE does occaisonally have threads which are less about how to save money and more about how to rip other people off and this sounds like one of them.
Really, don't stand for it. Have a note on your listings which says something like 'If item is damaged or defective you can return it for a full refund; no partial refunds given.'

As a teenager I worked for a pizza chain. It used to amaze us how many people would demand a replacement pizza because something wasn't right then send back a few crusts. It's either good enough to keep, so keep it or it's bad enough to send back and get a refund/ replacement. I think I'd be making some sort of statement on my items saying something on those lines.

SGB, thank you - I am always careful what I say about MSE, as I've found they can be quick to take offence if you describe them as less than perfect on other websites

As long as a large proportion of customers are happy with the quality of your products I'd say you are fine and they are trying it on, so stick to your guns.

I've had this happen to me too. A woman wanted to pay half for a tailors dummy I sold because she hadn't realised it was a bust only and not a proper dummy - jargon I know- but it had said it in the blurb and the photos showed it really very clearly. I said to her I'd be willing to refund if she returned it to me and after a lot of emailling I never heard from her again so surely it wasn't as bad as she made out!!!!

It's just happened again today, this time I asked for photos, made some sympathetic sounds because i can't be sure from looking at photo (item was sent direct from manufacturer). I'm intrigued to see what was sen now because the company is taking on too many new contracts and they are running ragged over upcoming trade show. Offered to refund in full once we have taken receipt of the item as a return. Then customer says i misunderstood their intentions and they would like to keep it! arrrrrhh, so mad with it.

Thanks for the idea for the terms SolidGold, we are going to look at rewriting our terms in idiot proof language because it's always text speak typers who complain. Maybe I need to make all the words one syllable and we will display in red font size 30 or something so they have no reason to think I'm some philanthropist who just loves ebay.