posted on May 17, 2001 05:35:35 AM
Ok, I have a question on what you all would do in this situation.
I sold an article of clothing, and as always, in my description I gave all details of the item, measurements, and close up pictures.
This is one of the close-ups:
Item was in great shape. I inspect clothing (1) before purchasing (2) while taking pictures (3) while taking measurements (4) while describing in detail and (5) when packaging.
Customer received this item and tells me the button holes are severely frayed and the buttons will not even stay closed because the button holes are so badly frayed. Says the item it not in wearable condition and the top button in the WORST of all the 4 buttons. She sends me pictures of the item:
Now, these buttons NEVER "popped" open for me whatsoever when I was measuring, inspecting, etc. And as you can see in MY picture of the item the button holes CLEARLY were not the way they look in her pictures. I even had to button and un-button this item a couple different times (to put on mannequin, to take off mannequin, etc) and SURELY would have noticed if these buttons looked like this. And, if they had - this would have gone directly into the garbage.
What conclusion would you come to regarding this? I know for a fact this item did not look like her pictures when I shipped it - and my auction photos prove this.
Buyer wants to send back item, and wants a refund, including all shipping. (Note: she has NEGS stating she refused to refund and she responds saying "all sales are final" and that she does not return shipping)
I know some will tell me to just refund her including shipping, but I feel as if the buyer is trying to "get one over" on me.
She is threatening to leave me a NEG and report me to Safe Harbor (I'm not worried, because I have proof of what the item looked like beforehand).
Help! What would you do?
Thanks in advance for your kind and helpful replies ....
[ edited by ExecutiveGirl on May 17, 2001 05:37 AM ]
posted on May 17, 2001 05:42:39 AM
It looks to me like she is trying to scam you the color of the two items is not evan close.
the way I see it you have to choices If you are really worried about the neg refund her money plus shipping
I would send her a e-mail with the picture of the item as it was when you shipped, point out to her that her picture was of a garment of a differnt color, tell her no refund, and wait for her neg.
posted on May 17, 2001 05:44:54 AMSkip: Thanks for the reply. However, I took my picture with a flash, and it looks like she did not - so that may be where the color difference is. It looks like the same type material as my item, but it looks to me like the button holes were "tampered" with...
posted on May 17, 2001 05:53:32 AM
I wondred about that But I do see glare in her second photo
You say she states the top bottom is the worst looking at your picture the top button is visable and it looks like it is stiched all the way around
There is no stiching visable in her pictures.
This is one of those she says vs she says
evan though you have the first picture she could claim that was not the item you sent.
as I said earlier I would not refund but would expect to be negged.
or ask yourself what a neg is worth If it is worth it to you not to be negged refund the monies of course she could still neg you evan if you refund.
posted on May 17, 2001 05:58:57 AM
Hi, EG. How long did she have it? Is it a name brand item that she might have purchased previously and is now trying to switch on you?
Personally, if I knew my item was not damaged when shipped, I'd stand firm. A neg would not bother me as much as being swindled out of hard-earned money. But, you do what you think is right.
posted on May 17, 2001 06:07:09 AM
She is not claiming that I didn't send the correct item, so she can't say I sent a different item than was in the auction. She is claiming that the button holes are frayed thus resulting in the buttons not being able to stay buttoned. (Which I repeatedly had no problem doing).
I, too, do not understand how she can say the first button was the worst - when you can clearly see that in my picture, that the top button is perfect. There is NO FRAYING. But yet in her picture, you can't see ANY stitching - just strings.
If I make a mistake in listing I refund the buyer. But this is not the case. And the money is not even the issue for me here.
My whole issue is the principle of the thing. I, too, have an "All sales final" policy - unless, of course, I make a mistake in my listing. Looks like something did not fit and "damage" is being claimed as an excuse for a refund. But not only is the damage being "claimed" - but it appears damage has been done TO this item since it left my hands.
And no mention if the Priority box it was shipped in was damaged...
I shipped this item on Monday the 14th and she emailed me about this yesterday, the 16th. So she didn't have it very long at all. I'm guessing it didn't fit her and she had to find a way to get a refund from it.
Yes, it was a good name brand item, something you would buy at Kaufmann's or Lord & Taylor.
She got it for dirt cheap, not much more than what I paid for it. I expected it to go for much higher, but you win some and you lose some....
posted on May 17, 2001 06:32:13 AM
Good Morning EG!
Well, this is not your usual fare!
Silly Girl! Before you had encountered so many fruitcakes and wacko's, you would've known this one like the back of your hand!
Send her your PIC from the auction (jealous of your photography skills, BTW), reiterate condition of item when shipped. Let bidder know (professionally, of course) "I refund upon receipt of merchandise if an item is returned in the same condition sent or if item has been misrepresented. Bidder X, if you feel that this widget meets these qualifications, by all means, send it back and I will compare it's shipped condition by using the auction photos."
How much of a newbie is this?
Any attitude?
(wondering how much hardball to play, if any)
only ZOOMIN here
edit: the amount of caffeine in my body directly correlates to my spelling abilities
[ edited by zoomin on May 17, 2001 06:34 AM ]
This lady is not a newbie. Enough feedback under her belt to know how to play the game. She is also a seller, and has negs for refusal to refund her customers because "all sales final" is stated in her auctions as well.
I have gone back & forth with her a few times on this. I have sent her a link to the auction and asked her to view the pictures in my auction. (There are several more pictures in my auction than the one I posted here). I told her I don't understand how my pics in my auction could now look like her pics.
Attitude? She hasn't gotten "nasty" with me, and I have remained professional in my emails to her as well - but she did tell me she is reporting me to Safe Harbor and has also threatened negative feedback.
posted on May 17, 2001 07:13:30 AM
Hi eventer: I agree, that those button holes were heavily pulled apart.
I am standing firm on this so far. It would be one thing if the damage she is claiming was something that was possible I could have overlooked. NO WAY could I have ever overlooked something like that.
I have saved every email from her, and also have all pictures that were posted in my auction, should safeharbor contact me. (I highly doubt they would, but you never know)
Unfortunately, I don't think that her emails of "refund me or I'll neg you" would be considered feedback extortion according to ebay....
I'll be pleased to be a reference as to the straight forward manner in which you do business.
The fact that the button holes are in great shape in your photograph indicates to me that there is a much larger story that needs to be told on the buyer's end.
posted on May 17, 2001 08:43:31 AM
I would e-mail her back onc only stating, "The item was in perfect condition when sent. I did not mis-represent item, so my stance remains: All Sales Final.
Then ignore any further emails that come from her.
posted on May 17, 2001 08:58:39 AM
Excuse my lack of wording, I have a migraine this morning!
IMHO, in the most professional of terms, make her aware that the validity of her claim is negligible ~ due to her questionable practices, if necessary, you will be forwarding all info & pics to Safe Harbor.
I firmly believe, if you must continue to correspond with this person, it is time to CYA.
*hope you know me well enough for this to make sense*
posted on May 17, 2001 09:17:48 AM
Executive Girl-
At first I was completely on your side on this one. Then I took a really close look at your auction picture. The second button definitely shows signs of fraying in the picture (although I still agree with you, the top one looks fine).
Would this be a case where you and the buyer can reach mutual agreement - perhaps a refund of part of the cost, enough to have a seamstress redo the buttonholes?
posted on May 17, 2001 09:21:10 AM
It's obvious that the item wasn't shipped damaged and since the damage is confined to the buttonholes, I can't see how it could have been damaged in shipping either.
Refuse to refund anything. If this happened to me, I'd even tell her that it's obvious the damage occurred after she took possession of it, therefore, she isn't entitled to a refund.
You've said before that you have very high feedback, so a neg from this buyer will really mean nothing in the big picture.
The 2nd button shows NO FRAYING. I don't know what you are looking at in the picture, but it isn't fraying. You can't see the stitching in that picture like you can the other 2 buttons, due to the angle I took the picture in. There was NO FRAYING.
This buyer is saying ALL the buttons are horribly frayed like the pictures she sent me that I posted above. That is clearly UNTRUE if you look at the other 2 buttons.
I would not sell an item like that.
I would have seen the fraying while BUTTONING UP and then UN-BUTTONING the item, and then I would have thrown it in the GARBAGE. I do NOT sell merchandise like that.
To those of you saying I should ignore her - I did not respond to all of her emails yesterday. I was REALLY trying to ignore her emails, but they kept coming and I caved in and responded.
I don't think I will respond to any more of her emails though - I've spent more than enough time on this one.
Zoomin: You have a good point there, and I will definitely be holding on to all of my pics & her emails. BTW - what does "CYA" mean?
posted on May 17, 2001 09:49:25 AM
I am wondering if she is showing you pics of the inside of the fabric. The reason I ask this is because I had a top once that was similar to this fabric where the buttonholes looked fine from the outside but the inside started to fray. Each time I buttoned it I had to make sure the loose ends didn't come through to the outside. Once buttoned you could not see the damage though the buttonholes eventually got looser.
I will admit that it never looked that bad but when pictures of damage are blown up it always looks way worse than it is.
posted on May 17, 2001 09:57:11 AM
I also don't see any damage in the second buttonhole from EG's picture. I can tell that the fabric is at an angle because of the way the buttons line up, so the second buttonhole won't show up quite the same.
Also, there's no way the fraying could be on the inside. Did you ever try to button or unbutton something when there's even one thread out of place? You can't do it without a struggle and nearly tearing the darn loose thread in the process!
posted on May 17, 2001 10:03:07 AM
Stand firm E.G.
Tell her that after thinking things over you cannot give a refund (unless you want to). Remind her that your photos do not look anything like hers and when the item shipped it looked like the photos in the auction.
CC a copy to safeharbor since she mentioned she will contact them anyway. Mention that to her too. She will more than likely back down.
posted on May 17, 2001 10:04:20 AM
The buyer's idea of fraud charges to Safeharbor is a good one-you inform her that you will file charges with Safeharbor (you have photos and emails). Her negs point out that she may be a shrewdie who knows how to fully play the return game and go just a bit too far. Good sellers will bend over backward for someone with a legit complaint and should aggressively go after the others with what may be a spurious complaint.
posted on May 17, 2001 10:33:37 AM
thanks, misscandle. Yup, EG, cover your tush time.
*could this be another one of my fellow Floridians???*
Why is it always one nut job bidder that takes up so much of a seller's time? grrrr!
Sorry, no experience with squaretrade, but you've got lots of ears here that are ready, willing, and able to help you respond.
(especially if you have a hard time maintaining your frustration!)
*sigh*
at least it's not Monday
posted on May 17, 2001 10:53:31 AM
EG:
I understand your reluctance to disclose that info. Do you need to "be you" to respond?
I might be able to help ~ not sure of the format for SquareTrade. If you just need to enter that info to "get in", I may be able to assist.
e-me.
*sheesh I hope I'm making sense with this migraine*
sorry if I'm not!
posted on May 17, 2001 10:55:14 AM
Give no one your password,period, ever.
I agree that it looks like she's showing the inside of the fabric, and the fact that she seems to be increasing her list of damage may work in your favor if she choses to pursue it.
Best of luck with her.
