posted on May 17, 2001 10:59:40 AM
You have proof of what the item looked like when you SENT it, not what she received. She is saying she has proof of what it looked like when she RECEIVED it.
Without standing over her shoulder as she opened the box, you don't know what she "received".
If you straighten out the difference between "sent" and "received", safeharbor and squaretrade will have an easier time of understanding you. Square trade is a product of eBay. I used them once, but the seller refuse to acknowledge the complaint (NARU'd by then)
Not my name on ebay.
posted on May 17, 2001 11:08:20 AM
EG: Why don't you just tell her to mail it back for "inspection." Refunds are not given unless the item is in-hand, right.
MTown
edited to add: I don't think SquareTrade wants your eBay password. Don't you have to register with THEM in order to use the service?
[ edited by morgantown on May 17, 2001 11:09 AM ]
posted on May 17, 2001 11:13:06 AMmorgantown:I think Zoomin suggested that earlier too... but.. I already KNOW that it will not be returned in the same condition that I sent it in. Someone has destroyed it. I think knowing already that it is destroyed would defeat the purpose of having it be sent back to me for me to look it over. It's obvious that it is not in the same condition now that it was in when I sent it.
posted on May 17, 2001 11:13:45 AM
Squaretrade is voluntary - you don't have to get involved and, in this case, I don't think I would. Sounds like she's either doing a switch and bait, or, as you suggested, it didn't fit and she's creating reasons to force you to refund. Block her from bidding on your auctions, let her know that you consider the matter closed, prepare for the neg and prepare a factual response to it!
posted on May 17, 2001 11:18:03 AMmorgantown: I just tried to "apply" to squaretrade and there is a place where you can register with them - but to register with them, you have to enter your ebay ID and Ebay password.
mlriche: Thanks, good idea.. I am going to block her name from being able to buy from me again right now!
She paid with a MO so she can't do a chargeback.. is there anything else I should have to worry about her trying to pull?
posted on May 17, 2001 11:36:25 AM"...It's obvious that it is not in the same condition now that it was in when I sent it..."
Regardless of how you feel [trust] about the person or their intentions, you should have simply requested the item back for inspection. Nobody refunds without the item in hand, right? She probably would not have sent it back anyway!
If she did send it back, and it was switched or deliberately damaged, then you would have the proof in-hand...
posted on May 17, 2001 11:39:03 AM
It looks like she had a busy morning with her seam ripper. What a shame. Perhaps you should ask her how she would treat this transaction if she had been the seller. Kinda like when you were a kid and you did something wrong and your parents would say, 'what kind of punishment do you think you deserve?'
posted on May 17, 2001 11:41:56 AM
Morgantown: - I see what you are saying, but I think the end result would have been the same if I let her return it for my inspection or not.
If I told her to return it - and she did - and it's in the condition that her pictures show - she would probably say that's how she received it anyways and we'd be right back at square one. But then I'd have the (intentionally damaged) item, her money, and she would have nothing and then she'd probably file mail fraud charges or something like that saying I kept the item and her money.
I just don't see how this could have turned into a win-win situation without 100% agreeing with her and letting her pull all the punches.
posted on May 17, 2001 11:43:41 AM
llama_lady: According to her feedback, she's been in similar situations, and she tells her customers "My auctions are all sales final, no refund, case closed".
It also appears that she reports everything to safeharbor and calls everyone a fraud - whether they were the buyer OR seller.
posted on May 17, 2001 12:09:41 PM
clearly the buttonholes are not like that in your photos. even if her shots were of the reverse side (doubtful, since she'd likely have mentioned it), there's NO stitching at all on the buttonholes in her photos and the stitching is CLEARLY there in yours. i, too, was thinking she was doing a switch, especially with that kind of feedback. i don't see how anyone looking at these shots and comparing them could possibly think the damage was there when you had the item. looks like it was put in the washing machine and dryer! even *then* i'm not sure that abuse would take out all the stitching.
i agree, send it to safeharbor, and tell her that's what you're doing. i don't think it would make any difference if she'd sent the item back to you - you know what the it looked like when you sent it, and can see what it looks like now (if that is the same item you sent).
you're no doubt going to get an unfair neg; it's just who she is.
i don't know much at all about squaretrade. sounds like you don't *have* to do anything about it, though, and that's good news!
posted on May 17, 2001 02:22:46 PM
Hello ExecutiveGirl!
My name is Mae and I am an employee of SquareTrade. I'm responding to your question concerning our request for a password.
As SquareTrade is a company independent of eBay, we are not asking you for your eBay username and password. When you respond to a case or file a case, we are asking you to create a SquareTrade password if it is your first case, or use an already existing SquareTrade password if you have been involved in dispute resolution before.
Additionally, mlriche was exactly right in posting that SquareTrade is a voluntary service. Although we do encourage parties to first try to work things out on their own, SquareTrade has been proven to help disputing parties resolve their differences if if both of you are willing to negotiate a resolution.
I hope this is helpful information. If you have any further questions, please feel free to email me: [email protected] or post to this board.
posted on May 17, 2001 03:46:21 PM
"I see what you are saying, but I think the end result would have been the same if I let her return it for my inspection or not."
Well that's up to you. But I do not make any refund decsions unless/until the item is returned for inspection. Nor do I get into an eMail argument/debate over an item not seen physically. If it turned out to be a "switch" or "intentionally damaged item" they could fradulently report me to hell and back, but it would not get them anything.
Did you notice what the SquareTrade representative said? They do not request your eBay password.
BTW, good luck however you proceed! These cases are never fun. I've got one right now where a bidder is claiming they mailed me cash [nothing arrived but an empty, untampered, envelope w/invoice]! Fraud is becoming a hip sport on eBay; consequently, I think we all need malservice insurance!
posted on May 17, 2001 04:22:09 PMsquaretrademae: Thank you very much for posting! I just went back to the email and clicked on the "Respond" button, and this time, the page did NOT ask for my password, and the last time it DID. The page is now different than it was last time, very weird! But I am attempting to answer it now, will let you know if I have any problems this time. Thanks again!
Rainybear: I am sure the item was not damaged during shipping. I think if the box was wet or damaged, the buyer would have told me about that. Besides - her ONLY complaint at the beginning was one button hole being frayed. If it was damaged during shipping I think a lot more than just a button hole would have been damaged. In 3+ years on ebay I have never yet had a clothing item get damaged during shipping.
I just checked her bidding history like you suggested, and she only bid on 3 other clothing items in the past month, and none of them look like she could have switched them with mine. (But that was a good idea though!)
squaretrademae: I filled out the response and entered the info about 5 minutes ago and clicked on "finish" and the form is still "working". How long does it usually take to go through?
posted on May 17, 2001 04:32:41 PMsquaretrademae: After I hit the finish button, the page was working for about 10 minutes, and then I finally got the "page not found" error.
Maybe this is a sign I'm not supposed to respond to this? I'm having an awfully hard time with ST ....
posted on May 17, 2001 05:44:27 PM
My first thought was similar to what others have said; that she is trading it for one she already owned that was damaged.
But now I think perhaps she washed it? It looks to be something that needs to be dry cleaned. Especially since she has said the seams are damaged and the material is rotted, if she washed it (even on delicate) it could cause this kind of damage.
posted on May 17, 2001 06:14:40 PM
I think Malady is right. I think she washed it, realized she made a bad mistake and is trying to make you pay for it. Kinda like buying something at Walmart, breaking it and taking it back the next day, saying "that's the way I found it".
Not my name on ebay.
I just responded to a complaint with Square Trade today. Similar situation, only my buyer claims item was not as described, was immediately offered a full refund, but refused it. She bought another item just like it 2 days after mine. I figured it was buyers remorse until she refused to return it. Then when she negged me, I negged her back (factual and unemotional). I couldn't figure out what it was she wanted from me.
Yesterday, I get the complaint from Square Trade, over a month after the fact, and I see she's lying about several things that were supposedly said in emails between us. She still refuses to return the item, but wants her neg removed... thus the Square Trade complaint. I gladly responded to the complaint and requested a mediator so I can forward all of our emails (saved every one) and prove that this whacked buyer is lying.
posted on May 17, 2001 06:19:27 PM
Hi ExecutiveGirl!
I sincerely apologize that it was taking so long for you to log in. I've checked with our QA department to see what the problem was. If you'd like to send me your email address I can check and see if your response went through.
As for it being a sign that you're not supposed to respond, all I can say is that it doesn't cost you a thing to respond, so what do you have to lose?
And of course, although I might be biased, I think it will make you look good in the eyes of your buyer!
posted on May 17, 2001 06:24:28 PM
Yep, she definetely washed it. Either that, or she busted out of the darn thing. Geez, EG, what is with your bidders?!?!? You get them all.
posted on May 17, 2001 06:40:40 PMSTmae: Thanks, I have just sent you an email.. thanks for looking into this for me!
I personally don't think that the bidder washed the item. It was definitely NOT a washable item, it had to be drycleaned. I think if she washed it, the entire item would have looked like that (frayed), not just the button holes.
I personally think she tried it on, it didn't fit, read my auction and saw "all sales final" and decided to tear out the button holes to make it look like it was defective when she received it.
At this point, I don't even CARE anymore what she did to it... all I know is it was NOT in that condition when I shipped it out and my pictures are proof of that.
Another thing, in an email she sent to me, she stated "I am not trying to be difficult but feel that this item was misrepresented though maybe not intentionally."
Then, in the Square Trade complaint she made the comment "the damage is impossible not to notice."
Well.. which is it? She can't keep her story straight for one minute!
Argh!
[ edited by ExecutiveGirl on May 17, 2001 06:47 PM ]
posted on May 17, 2001 10:53:41 PM
Buyers remorse, probable didn't fit. If she's a seller I don't understand why she didn't re-sell the item, she could have recovered her money. Her stupidity by damaging this item in an attempt to get a refund has cost her. I can't believe she thinks she can get away with such a blatant lie.
I bought a pair of sandals & they didn't fit, too wide. I took better pictures and sold them at a nice profit, almost double what I paid. EG you said you thought the item would have brought more that it did. This dumb buyer could have maybe turned this around to her advantage and made a profit too. Instead she resorted to destroying and lying & is now left holding the rag she created. I hope you do not under any circumstances refund her money. I hate to see you negged, but I would hate it even more if this woman got her way.
Is it possible that if you win with Square Trade she will not be able to neg you?
posted on May 17, 2001 11:03:54 PM
Try this EG....
Tell the buyer you will refund as soon as you recieve the item back ,and are able to "check the invisible mark I put on ALL tags of clothing I sell"....
Doesn't matter if you do or don't "mark", but the fear of God will be put into this buyer, and I will bet that responses will change!!
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
posted on May 17, 2001 11:35:27 PM
PIMP! Tom, you hit the nail on the head!
Well, maybe.
OTOH, the button holes probably became frayed when she tried to close the buttons.
*sigh*
Clothing just shreds to pieces when trying to trap in such a well-endowed chest.
(hanging my head in shame. sheesh. Tom solved it before me, again!)
