posted on March 14, 2001 08:20:37 AM
Hi,
I would like some feedback on "buyers remorse." What would you do if a buyer wants her money back simply because she felt she spent way too much money on an item, didn't like it and didn't bother to e-mail me prior to bidding?
To complicate matters, she wants ALL of her money back including S & H which i don't feel she is entitled to plus she got square trade involved and is now lying about my description regarding the item...please help.
[ edited by ytcollectibles on Mar 14, 2001 11:16 AM ]
posted on March 14, 2001 09:29:42 AM
Buyers remorse happens a lot with auctions whether they are online or real life. It goes along with auction fever.
However, you would never get a refund at a real live auction, so why should you get one if the auction is online?
I state my simple return policy on every auction -- refund if item is not as described. That is the ONLY way I will refund. While I don't see this kind of request often, I do enforce my policy consistently. It is nice to be able to refer the bidder to the closed auction where they can see that they had access to my policy before they bid.
The kind of return that troubles me more is the one where you know that the bidder wants to switch their damaged, defective item for your good one. To guard against that, I mark my items with an invisible mark. When they email for return instructions I tell them I will be checking my mark before I issue the refund. So far not one of these has ever come back to me!
posted on March 14, 2001 09:38:08 AM
I offer full returns for ANY reason in my TOS but require they return the item to me at their expense (unless it's damaged or misrepresented, then I pay both ways). So far, I've had one person actually ask to return something due to buyer remorse.
I cheerfully replied I was sorry they didn't like the item & to please ship it back & I'd gladly send them a refund. Never heard from them again.
I know some posters have said they feel buyers are just out to get discounts but out of a couple thousand auctions, I've discounted items due to dissatisfaction less than a dozen times. And in several of those cases, the buyer has become a repeat, good customer.
This doesn't work for everyone in every category, so you might just have to try it for a while & see what your experience is before making a long term final decision.
posted on March 14, 2001 09:47:25 AMI offer full returns for ANY reason in my TOS but require they return the item to me at their expense (unless it's damaged or misrepresented, then I pay both ways). So far, I've had one person actually ask to return something due to buyer remorse.
Almost my experience exactly.
The danger of taking a hard line against buyer's remorse is that you'll get buyers figuring out some other reason, which may not be to seller's advantage. If they know they don't have to lie to get a refund, the stress level is lower, no reason why the thing "arrived damaged", etc.
posted on March 14, 2001 10:07:23 AM
No way. This is not walmart,If they want return honors, they can shop at a real brick morter store. After all ,it was their finger that hit the bid button.
posted on March 14, 2001 02:07:11 PM
Well I had a buyer who bid an item up to $100. It started at $50 and usually sells for $50 to $60.
I have them on my web site for $60.
The problem is she noticed the one on my web site for $60 after the auction closed and wanted to buy that one instead. I said NO as I always do. In this case I had also just sold the one on the web site(to the loosing bidder) so I removed it from the web site and told her that.
So she returned it and I refunded per my satisfaction guarantee. She was smart enough to make up another reason for returning.
I NEVER refund S/H either way no matter what.
So it ended up cosing her about $8
posted on March 15, 2001 07:22:09 AM
OUT of over 800 successful auctions since 5/2000, I've had 2 folks email me with vague observations (not really complaints) about the items they received!
I IMMEDIATELY emailed them back offering 100%refund with 2X shipping: both declined & posted glowing + fb!
