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If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

Original poster

Ebay woes :(

17 replies

SissySparkles · 09/11/2012 21:56

I've been selling on ebay for about 5 years now and never had any problems, 100% feedback etc....

So I'm having the usual pre-Xmas clear out, mainly old toys and clothes.

Last week I had a buyer who was unhappy about my description of the item I sold. She refused to return for full refund, so we came to an agreement that I would refund her half and she could keep it.

After I refunded her, she sent my 6, yes 6 messages ALL IN CAPITALS ranting about it and saying she STILL wasn't happy and wanted YET more money. I told her the only way to get a full refund was to return the item, and then she left me my first negative feedback.

Today I have another, she's claiming the item was "frayed". I said she could return it for a full refund. AGAIN she won't return, and now she's saying it's ripped (make your mind up Hmm) and is making WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT and I WILL REPORT YOU TO EBAY type comments. I'm reluctant to offer a partial refund as that didn't get me anywhere last time.

People just want things for free :( and my feedback will be ruined.

What should I do?

OP posts:
fergoose · 09/11/2012 22:09

no return no refund is my policy to be honest - you can bend over backwards and give them all they want with bells on and still get a neg.

HiccupHaddockHorrendous · 09/11/2012 22:10

Let her open a 'not as described' case then she will have to return it for a refund.

I started a thread earlier about an unhappy buyer. She wanted 2/3 of her payment refunded (item sold for £180)!

Every time I open this section it seems to be filled with posts about unpleasant buyers demanding refunds and it makes me sad. I have bought and sold a lot over the last 10 years but people just take the piss these days Sad and I don't think I want to sell anything else because it's not worth the hassle.

Original poster
SissySparkles · 09/11/2012 22:25

Fergoose - these people don't want to return the item though. I'd happily refund them on return of the item. I bought a ds game from a seller a while ago and the one sent was not the one on the listing, so I returned it at my own expense for a refund - because that's how it works and sometimes you might lose out on £2.50 postage but equally you do get loads of bargains.

I know what you mean Hiccup - this month has been the worse in all my ebay selling experience. I'm considering giving up selling once all my stuff on there has sold :(

OP posts:
fergoose · 09/11/2012 22:27

well if she doesn't want to return it she doesn't get a refund - and I agree, if she opens a not as described case she will have to return it. She can't make up her own rules and try and blackmail you into refunding

Original poster
SissySparkles · 09/11/2012 22:44

I told her that this is the ebay policy re: refunds and she said "where does it say this is ebay policy". Durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I also think some just want an argument, going off the multiple messages in BOLD TYPE over a short space of time.

OP posts:
fergoose · 09/11/2012 23:04

just ignore then - tell her to open an ebay case and then ignore.

Original poster
SissySparkles · 09/11/2012 23:07

I will fergoose and thanks for your advice. I suspect my feedback will suffer though :(

OP posts:
Original poster
SissySparkles · 10/11/2012 11:36

Buyer has now opened a case - she is saying she will return but wants me to pay return postage costs. What do I do?

OP posts:
SavoyCabbage · 10/11/2012 11:40

When I was threatened with getting my first negative feedback I felt sad and that it was terrible but then I decided that it wasn't 'real' whereas being ripped off and taken advantage of is real. So I took the negative.

It didn't drag my actual % down that much at all and it got back to 100% after a while. You can leave a response so people can read that and it drops off that little chart after a year.

fergoose · 10/11/2012 11:48

if the item is not as described I think you should pay return postage costs too - but ebay can't force you to

But I agree - a neg is just a red dot on a website which vanishes in 12 months -and a calm polite follow up says a lot about a seller in my opinion. you could give them all the tea in china and they will still neg - so don't let the buyer bully you.

GobblersSparklyExplodingKnob · 10/11/2012 11:52

I never do partial refunds, I love it when buyers say 'Oh I want to keep it, I just want it to have cost less' Bahahahahahaha Hmm

Wankers.

I always just offer full refund on return inculuding all postage, I cba with arguing anymore. More often then not I never hear from them again though, piss takers all.

fergoose · 10/11/2012 11:58

I agree. I reckon a lot of the time it is buyer remorse about the amount they paid - they get caught up when bidding, pay too much then once received try and get some money back.

JackieLanaTurn · 10/11/2012 12:02

I agree with the comment open a case, return the item and I'll refund in full. If it's not what you wanted, it's not what you wanted.

I have done partial refunds, but only where I think the buyer is being reasonable and there's a chance that I'm in the wrong.

I used to sell on Ebay for a living, but I got so fed up when they introduced the no negs for buyers rule. I rarely left one, but there were occasions where the buyer really did deserve one. I would never have held a buyer to ransom, but when buyers ask for prices to be dropped or are abusive or show similar behaviours, it's unfair that you can't leave feedback that reflects that situation.

I've had some awful buyers since that rule came in and some good ones too. Buyers don't communicate, they don't read the listings, then they complain that there is a flaw with the item, even if it was listed. Drives me nuts.

I now ebay for fun (although occasionally I do wonder why I carry on) and to get a bit of income for special occasions. DD, for example, will sell her old toys and games on Ebay to generate income for her new purchases. I think it teaches her the value of money and encourages her to clear out.

I feel for you. Crappy buyers should be banned imo but it'll never happen now Ebay is the kingdom of big business rather than the preserve of the small home seller.

picnicbasketcase · 10/11/2012 12:03

I buy quite a lot from eBay but gave up trying to sell anything a while back. Buyers know they can take the piss as much as they want, practically all cases will be found in their favour, they can't get negative feedback and sellers are left out of pocket trying to appease them. Rather sad really.

PiedWagtail · 15/11/2012 23:36

OP - ebay policy is for buyers to return items at their own expense, even items that they say are not as described etc. So you should be ok there!

rosiesmartypants · 16/11/2012 00:34

SissySparles - I don't know how effective it is, but there is a new Seller Protection Policy that allows you to report buyers if you suspect that they are misusing eBay Buyer Protection policy.

eBay then monitors to see if this person has a history of this type of behaviour (the eail correspondence could be used as evidence).

My sister runs an eBay shop, and has got fed up with people essentially trying to 'blackmail' her for refunds, and not returning goods....the new Seller Protection Policy uncovered a user who demanded refunds on everything she bought then left negative feedback (in my sisters case she was trying to return an item of clothing she had worn, washed and decided she didn't like!).

LineRunner · 16/11/2012 09:52

Has anyone used the recent 'Report a Buyer' function yet? It's part of the feedback process now.

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