Feedback dilemma on purchased item.....

[amck5700]

I bought a polo shirt for my son described as New without Tags - the auction finished last Sunday and the item arrived today. However, when i say arrived, my neighbour took it from the postman as he didn't want to put it through the letterbox - It was packaged in a brown envelope only - it's been pee-ing down so envelope was basically disintegrated and the shirt was hanging out - when I got home my neighbour gave me a wet t-shirt and a piece of brown paper that used to be the envelope!

Anyway, there are stains on the front of the t-shirt - they could have conceivably have come from the envelope or something else in the mailbag but to me they actually look like old stains.

Also, the t-shirt has been washed as I can smell the fabric conditioner - I have a sensitive nose to it as we can't use it because of my OHs allergies.

I only paid 99p but the postage charge was 4.75.

They have 14 pieces of feedback - most positive and one neural where they hadn't put enough post on the parcel.

WWYD?

There is no visible stain on the photo but it is almost like a yellowy stain on a blue t-shirt - like where you have been eating fruit and it has dripped and marked your top.

Send an email explain you are not happy and why. See what comes back

I would email the seller first - charging £4.75 for a small parcel is nothing short of fee avoidance

If I didn't get a decent reply/substantial refund I would give a neg and low stars tbh

I guess I feel that the shirt only cost 99p so if if it had arrived intact, I probably wouldn't have been that bothered and now i feel a bit annoyed but also don't want to make a huge fuss when actually it didn't cost that much.

I'll send a note I think and see what happens.

This is what I have put in my note to send, what do you think?

Hi,

Just to let you know that the item arrived today, my neighbour took it in as the postman could not put it through the letterbox as the envelope it was packed in had disintegrated in the rain and the t-shirt was loose and wet. Given that you charged 4.75 for postage and the actual cost was 2.20 I think you could have used some plastic wrapping, even a used bag would have been better.

Also there are stains on the front of the shirt - I don't know if these are from the mail bag or envelope, but they do look like they could have been there already. Can you confirm? Additionally the t-shirt has also been washed when it was described as new, can I ask why?

Look forward to hearing from you

I would add to your email what you want from the seller - people respond well to being told what's expected of them. So maybe just state the facts, take out the "Can you confirm?" and "Can I ask why?" and just end with, "I will therefore be requiring a full refund including postage" or similar, and negotiate from there (e.g. if you want to keep the shirt, negotiate a partial refund)

Ah good advice Anna - except I've sent it now. Thing is I guess I don't know what I want - except the shirt to be without a stain - although my son is a messy blighter anyway so probably would have it stained on first wear anyway!

...and then i'd feel bad if it came out first wash too :(

sorry - meant to start new thread - have reported it! Apologies

you can't leave a negative comment for a buyer - you can follow up the feedback she left you, but as she didn't leave a neg, I would prob leave it, if you follow up you are drawing attention to her comment

i think you should go for a full refund. Firstly £4.75 is blatant fee avoidance. I would charge £2.40 for most clothing items (not coats) and that would include a proper waterproof mailing bag. Secondly the packaging is very poor condition and for what they charged you've every right to expect top notch packaging.

If you see my recent thread about a buyer complaining the jumper I sent them was stained you'll see it turned out that the marker pen had somehow seeped through even the waterpoof pack and stained jumper. MY fault - obviously not intended but certainly not down to my buyer. I asked them for a photo of stain, they sent it, I refunded in full and told them to keep the jumper as it would still be usable as play wear. OK it may have taken my buyer a few minutes to sort out a photo but better than asking them to trek to the post office to return it

Hope you have a sensible seller -either way give them low stars for p&p that's a stupid price

Bloody heck I wouldn't even have bid with p&p that high. Cheeky fuckers.

Anyway, hope you get a full refund - and leave a neg.

The reason I paid that for postage was that I didn't notice before I bid. I had just done a search and that item was ending in a minute or so - it was the same top my son has in another colour so I quickly chucked a bid in without really looking at the postage - then as it was a new item that i'd just paid 99p for, in the grand scheme of things I was happy enough with the overall cost. I would have expected it to be packed properly though.

I had a response back just saying that the item was new and must have been marked in the post.

So i've gone back and said that they haven't told me why a new item will have been washed or why they have charged that for postage. I've said I will wash it and if the stains don't come out then I expect a full refund for an un-usable item.

We'll see what happens next :)

Thanks for your comments everyone.

okay - you are right, cheeky fecker indeed - here is the response I just got!!:

Dear Customer,

It's not my fault that the package was ruined I did my bit by putting it in a suitable package, how was I meant to know it was going to rain? And all my sock is clean and has a nice smell. I hope the stain does come out for your sake and you are happy about the products. However I am sorry for the inconvenience caused by the rain.

Clearly isn't willing to accept returns or admit she's in the wrong then. I think I'd open a case against her.

That's just what I am about to do picnic - think I will simply respond stating that I have opened a case with the resolution centre.

if you wash it you can't return it in the condition in which it was sent - I would just open a not as described case if I were you

and also as a seller it is her responsibility to get the item to you, rain or no rain.

hi fergoose - yes that's what I am going to do - if the seller had been pleasant and willing to work it out then I would maybe have tried to compromise here but no chance now - what a cheek!

just make sure you send it back with a signature and you will get a refund - then you can leave appropriate feedback and stars.

thanks for the advise fergoose, it's not so much the money here, it's the principle!

no I totally agree - greedy seller, fee avoidance then washing their hands of the item once it has been posted very poorly packaged. +

I would respond
Dear seller
Thank you for your note. Unfortunately you did not use suitable packaging. I am sure you are familiar with the British climate and therefore can not understand why you did not take the possibility of rain into account when packaging the top. Please will you issue me with a refund as the top is unusable and stained.

There is no way brown paper envelope would stain a blue shirt like that.
Even without the rain, a simple envelope is inadequate packaging.

I'm annoyed on your behalf. Shall we have some gin later and send them evil thoughts? :o