Just received an item I bought on eBay and it stinks to high heaven :-(

[ujjayi]

It smells so bad (despite being BNWT) that I have left it in the garden! It's an intense "charity shop" aroma that is actually making me heave.

I have contacted the seller complaining about it but not entirely sure what will happen as a result.

Anyone else had a similar experience and care to share their (hopefully positive) outcome?

Yikes! Makes me shudder to think of something pongy coming into my home. Maybe you can ask the seller for a refund? You don't expect items to smell.

If in doubt I've had friends who have given ebay a call & they have been quite helpful sorting out this kind of thing.

Thanks for the info lizardqueenie about contacting eBay. I just would never sell an item that smelt like that! I would be mortified! I'm sure with a good wash it will be fine but geez, I am embarrassed for the seller!

I think it's horrid when they come with crusty marks or fag smell. Crusty marks though....how hard is it to wash an item? Dirty gerties.

It is beyond hideous. This is only my second eBay purchase - my first was a beautiful Vivienne Westwood skirt in excellent, non-smelling condition. Clearly lulled into a false sense of security!

I find clothes I buy on ebay often stink to high heaven of some dodgy washing powder. It astonishes me that so many people find these 'fragrances' desirable.

I got a lovely Monsoon coat for DD recently that I can only imagine had been extensively "Febreezed" prior to posting. I hung it in a breeze for a week and it's now fine but why why why?

Seriously why would you do this? It's fucking dreadful.

look at the description of the item - if it says "in good condition" or anything like that.... that would be your get out clause I suppose. If you paid by paypal you can claim it back, so long as you haven't already left feedback

I don't think I've ever bought anything from eBay that hasn't come marinaded in Febreeze. Is it part of the T&Cs that I've overlooked? I can't bear the stuff.

I do hate that 'charity shop aroma' - a kinda damp 'n mothballs mix.

I have a leather jacket which ex in-laws gave me which has the same whiff. I might have to buy some industrial strength Fabreze or similar (as leaving it in the garden did not reduce the pong one bit)!

I've completely gone off buying clothes from ebay. Once, many years ago, people bothered to wash stuff before sending it. These days they spray it in cheap perfume or fabreze. So lazy. It makes my skin crawl.

I've only ever had one really badly Febreezed item, a (machine washable) parka for DD. I washed it, hung it out on the line for ages and eventually the faint & not unpleasant whiff of dog which I suppose the Febreeze was meant to cover faded away, but the horrid Febreeze smell stayed for ever.

It was quite cheap & sold as used & so I just put it down to experience.
I'd have been pissed off it was BNWT.

If it's still a good item at a good price just stick it in the washing machine/dry cleaners and wait till it smells like a spring meadow.

Even if things smell as fragrant as a baby's head I still need to know that I personally have cleaned them. A bad smell is better than a tear or a stain.

yes, I seriously wish ebay would put some kind of "please do not baste in febreze" note to sellers. I have even had new with tags items sent to me absolutely stinking of the stuff. I couldn't work out what it was until a friend identified the fragrance.

All this talk of febreeze has made me realise that it does actually smell of the stuff - a weird musty but chemically, nasal stripping aroma.

Faustina - haven't left feedback yet, just contacted the seller. Why would that make a difference though?

I have sold so much stuff on eBay and always, always wash each item - except if it is BNWT.

Squoosh it is a nice dress but and I agree that I would always wash all vintage and second-hand items before wearing and I totally understand that it is better than a tear or stain. It's just that it stinks so awfully that it is putting me off it! Clearly I need to just get a grip :o but am still in head-shaking in disbelief mode!

I always wash and iron stuff before photographing and putting on ebay and it wouldn't occur to me not to do so! Some people are just plain cheeky.

Some people are just yeuch! Wait till your dress is sparklingly clean, this will all be a distant memory!

Some people are skanky fuckers. And most are ebay sellers

...because if you pay for something with paypal, you can do a reversal (can't remember the exact term for it) if it's not as described. As a Seller, if someone pays you for something, the money isn't actually yours to keep until a certain number of days is up, OR the buyer leaves positive feedback.

if you, as a buyer, open a complaint against the seller, ebay/paypal won't release the money until it's settled.

If it's really manky and you don't want it, and it was described as in good condition, then that's what I'd do

I am an ebay seller and it seems you cannot please everybody. People are moaning if you wash an item because they don`t like your particular brand?What are we supposed to do? Email each buyer and ask what Arabian perfume they would wish their item to be washed in? I presume you bought the item for much cheaper than if it was new .I do believe items should be clean and unmarked unless stated but really....

I just ordered a dress which turned up yesterday and it stinks of old cooked food and mustiness.
Horrible.
Thinking of just chucking it as it doesn't fit perfectly either

Not moaning about brand. Just wish items were clean and fresh. You can't really wash in Febreze, despite what the adverts say.

I had a cardigan stinking of BO from eBay once. Had to wash it about 3 times to get the smell out and haven't been able to bring myself to wear it even though it's clean now. Gross. Should've complained but I didn't.

I've just binned a cardigan I got from eBay as no matter what I did I couldn't get rid of the revolting cloying scent the seller had sprayed to mask the fag smoke. I got rid of the fag smell with one wash but the scent........ I couldn't wear it and wouldn't feel happy selling it smelling like that. Complete and utter waste of £15

Opposite here.. i emailed a seller to tell her something she sent me smelt gorgeous.. she happily told me what she'd washed it in

Can I ask what it was ? nosey...

I'd expect things to be clean anyway october. Not for people to just take stuff out their dirty laundry bin and stick it on ebay. I sell on ebay and I always wash stuff first, even if I dont mention its been washed.