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eBay

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

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Original poster

Buyer querying size of item bought - suspect they want a refund, wwyd?

68 replies

SirChenjin · 15/05/2014 20:20

Sold a boys jacket recently - title advertised as aged 5-6, with the detailed description stating "(size 110cms or aged 5-6years)"

They've said that it's not been sized correctly, and have linked to the ebay conversion chart which states 5 Years 104 - 110, 6 Years 110 - 116.

I'm not a professional seller, I just sell bits and pieces that the DCs outgrow. It also states that I do not accept returns in the Returns bit.

Wwyd??

OP posts:

SpringItOn · 16/05/2014 08:28

Don't go halves! She's trying it on. Tell her to return it and you will refund once you receive it. It is highly likely she will not return it, she's trying to pull a fast one, call her bluff. Return Postage is her problem.

We recently had this with a Hornby train set we sold as 'parts not tested and we do not know if this train set works' When the buyer disputed it as it 'didn't work' we told him to send it back. Numpty. He never did send it back.

OwlCapone · 16/05/2014 08:28

TBH, if 104-110 is 4-5, I would say a 110cm size equates to 4-5

deepinthewoods · 16/05/2014 08:29

"According to ebay's own sizing - 5 Years 104 - 110, 6 Years 110 - 116, so I would think that "110cms, aged 5-6" is a fair description?"

But that is 3rd party information of an item that ebay have not seen. It's you as a seller to describe your item accurately, not rely on a guide.

MirandaWest · 16/05/2014 08:29

I'm pretty sure she is meant to pay return postage. In general people seem to be getting pickier on eBay now and will seek refunds where before they would have just accepted it. Is annoying.

ilovepowerhoop · 16/05/2014 08:29

Next gives 110cm as an age 5

WandaDoff · 16/05/2014 08:30

Nope, return postage is her responsibility.

She must send it by trackable means too or there would be nothing she could do if it didn't arrive

ilovepowerhoop · 16/05/2014 08:30

from that ebay guide I would say 110cm is age 5 (or 4-5) not age 5-6 as 116cm is the age 6 size.

deepinthewoods · 16/05/2014 08:32

Just cough up. Buyers on ebay are fine, those of us who sell seriously take good customer service as top priority. There will always be some little problems now and again, but it's best just to suck it up and move on.

WandaDoff · 16/05/2014 08:35

I can't remember if its a week or four days before a case can be escalated. You can't do it immediately afaik.

VivaLeBeaver · 16/05/2014 08:39

PI feel sorry for sellers on eBay.

If I bought something from Next and it was the size advertised and the size I'd ordered. There's always a risk it might not fit. Different items vary. next don't tell you the measurements from seam to cuff, etc.

So if it didnt fit and I had to return it I'd expect to be down £4 on delivery charges. Its the risk you take buying over the Internet.

DeputyPecksBentBeak · 16/05/2014 08:45

Sounds to me as if she's already sold it on. If she's intending to sell it to a parent at the school gates as she said then she probably already has.

Personally, I'd ask for the item returned (she has to pay the postage as far as I'm aware) and you will then refund her the money (what she paid for the coat and the original postage she paid on the item at time of sale).

You can then sell it again, without the risk of having to refund her the money and her getting to keep the coat.

That way she'll either return the coat and then it's no problem, or she'll be shitting herself because she's sold it on. I'd imagine in that scenario she'd drop the dispute.

LavenderGreen14 · 16/05/2014 08:48

just tell her to return for a refund - and don't respond to any other demands.

deepinthewoods · 16/05/2014 08:49

VIVA-

"PI feel sorry for sellers on eBay.

So if it didnt fit and I had to return it I'd expect to be down £4 on delivery charges. Its the risk you take buying over the Internet."

I agree, although it's always a risk you take as a seller when you sell clothes.

That's why of the 4000 items I sell a year less than 10 are items of clothing.

Shoopshoop2 · 16/05/2014 08:50

Ask her to send it back. She's already lined a buyer up,so she obviously wont,nor will she sell it for half the price!

Freckletoes · 16/05/2014 08:51

Quite frankly I don't think you have done anything wrong. If she wasn't prepared to message you for exact measurements then she took a chance. You could walk into 10 different high street stores and buy clothing for a 5-6 yr old and they would all be different sizes. Plus my kids at 5-6 were far smaller than their friends-so would wear smaller clothes-they were still the same age though! I also have personally found European kids clothing is often on the small size compared to UK shops. Anyone who uses ebay regularly knows that buying an item unseen is a gamble and if it doesn't fit right then you either shoulder the loss or sell it on again!

Unfortunately ebay will probably work against you as a seller as it is now all geared towards keeping buyers happy. If she is insisting on a partial refund then she can just return the item to you. The suggestion that you give her half the money and she keeps the item to then sell on is unbelievable! She will probably sell for more than she paid and walk away with a tidy little profit from your item!

I've never been involved with a complaints procedure on ebay so no advice to give I'm afraid. I am just surprised that someone would start a complaint about the fact that something doesn't quite fit!

The lesson to learn from this has already been mentioned above-state the label size of the item but also take the key measurements to avoid a dispute like this in the future.

Good Luck!

Original poster

SirChenjin · 16/05/2014 09:04

Thanks so much everyone. Definitely a lesson learned on my part - be very very specific in terms of sizing.

Will email her and advise her to return in the condition it was sent using recorded delivery. Once received I will refund. Does that sound right?

OP posts:

deepinthewoods · 16/05/2014 09:11

Sounds about right- you can't insist on recorded delivery though. Who she engages to ship the parcel is up to her.

deepinthewoods · 16/05/2014 09:12

If you don't it back then you don't refund- the onus would be then on her to prove she sent it.

LavenderGreen14 · 16/05/2014 09:31

just tell her to return it - and do it via the resolution centre. Signed for delivery is for her security not yours.

Stepawayfromthezebras · 16/05/2014 09:37

That sounds right and I'd also block her from future bidding. She sounds like a bit of a chance and with the selling policies ebay have now, you can't risk her trying to pull the same stunt again

Original poster

SirChenjin · 16/05/2014 09:53

I can't seem to ask her to return item in the resolution centre (unless I'm doing something wrong, which is probable...).

She has opened a resolution stating that the item was not as described (hmm..) and that she wants a partial refund. If I click on 'Respond to case' then it takes me to another page where the amount she wants back is showing and I'm asked to click here to refund....but I don't want to partially refund!

How do I tell her formally that I want the item back and then I will refund?

This has really put me off selling on ebay - the whole thing seems so complicated. I only wanted to raise a few pounds for something that DC1 is doing later this month

OP posts:

LavenderGreen14 · 16/05/2014 09:54

you can send a message in the resolution centre though?

Original poster

SirChenjin · 16/05/2014 10:00

I'm not sure...I just can't work out what to do from the Resolution Centre - resolutioncentre.ebay.co.uk/

OP posts:

Original poster

SirChenjin · 16/05/2014 10:19

Scrap that - just worked out how to send a message. Will wait and see what she says, but it does seem as if I have to pay the return postage "In general, sellers have to pay for return postage costs, unless they specified in their return policy that buyers pay for them"

So - she pays for the postage plus cost of item, it doesn't fit, she returns to me for full refund ie cost of item, plus cost of original postage, AND I pay for the return cost as well? eg cost of item plus effectively 2 lots of postage?

OP posts:

nauticant · 16/05/2014 10:34

In most cases, the buyer pays for the return postage. You should be offering to refund her the amount of money she paid in making the transaction, that is the buying price and any postage she was originally charged.

Just bear in mind that messages sent via the Resolution Centre have two purposes. The first is to convey your views/offers to the other party. The second is to enable any ebay employee who later reads your messages to see you have been eminently reasonable in your approach.

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