posted on April 30, 2006 09:46:32 AM
I listed a lot of damaged antique items. All damage was clearly noted in both photos and words. I know some people can’t or won’t read and that listing damaged items is usually a big no-no but I have done so with this type of item in the past with no problem.
Some buyers are willing to accept the damage and some people like to restore these items. I have sold to both.
These items were listed with a BIN and a previous buyer BINed them within a day or so.
Because she was a previous buyer, I offered free shipping. She calls me “the nicest person on eBay.” (lol) She also says that while she “usually” only buys “perfect items” she has wanted some of these for a long time and has decided to settle. (In so many words.) I should have known!
She BINs something else a few days later and then sends a personal check.
I ship the day after I receive the check. I insure the package. She lives very close by. Priority Mail usually takes a day, never more than two.
Five days later I receive an email stating that one item is damaged in such and such a place. It sounds like the same damage that was both described and photographed. I think perhaps she is confused? Or maybe something happened during shipping?
So, I write back and ask if this is the old damage or new damage? I hear nothing. I write again and say that if it is new damage, we should file an insurance claim with the USPS. I still hear nothing.
In hindsight, I realize that at this point I probably should have pulled CI and given her a call but I assumed no news was good news. I thought she went back, read the listing again and realized that this was old damage and she basically accepted said damage by BINing the listing.
Yesterday, I received a package in the mail. She sent the items back! Now it is too late to file an insurance claim and I still don’t know what the damage is because I haven’t opened the box. I haven’t opened the box because I am leaning towards refusing delivery and sending the box back to her tomorrow. She knew they were insured. Why on earth would she send them back? She had to go to the PO to do so, would it have been that much more difficult to take it to the PO for inspection during the claim process?
Ninety five percent of me is leaning towards sending the package back but five percent (probably the nicest person on eBay five percent, lol) is leaning towards a refund. Either way, I no longer want her business so she has been blocked. I don't even care if she negs me.
posted on April 30, 2006 10:20:49 AM
How did she pay ??
You will have a hard time explaining to the USPS folks that you sold some damaged goods and they get damaged in transit and USPS should pay.
This sounds like buyer remorse,she looked at the damaged goods and dont find them appealing,so she returned them.
/ lets all stop whining !! /
posted on April 30, 2006 11:07:55 AM
Why don't you get her CI now and call her? It's hard to believe that she returned it without your OK or even letting you know that she was returning it.
I bet she stops payment on the check as well so if you refuse it, she has the item and her money back.
posted on April 30, 2006 11:10:57 AM
Thank you for the replies.
"How did she pay ??"
Personal check.
"You will have a hard time explaining to the USPS folks that you sold some damaged goods and they get damaged in transit and USPS should pay."
I realize this. I know that sometimes they refuse to pay a claim even if they are clearly at fault and a perfect item has been destroyed.
I do feel responsible for getting the item to the buyer in the same condition as described and IF she had presented them for inspection and the USPS had denied the claim, I would have refunded but now we will never know.
I do wrap extremely well. I'm a bit obsessive about that. I have been selling through the mail for about twenty years (since way back in the Antique Trader Weekly days) and have only had one other damaged item thus far (knock wood ) and that was something that traveled to Australia by the slow boat.
"What are your Terms of Sale list in your auctions?"
I don't list terms of return. I know that sounds dumb but it has worked so far. I deal with things on a one to one basis. I have refunded for mistakes in the description and buyer's remorse in the past. Maybe four or five times on eBay?
I do send a letter with each shipment asking the buyer to please contact me if they are not happy. I also ask that if the item arrives damaged that they save all the packaging and contact me asap.
Even if the item is not insured, I still want to know how it was damaged.
So I will refund for damage but when the buyer doesn't even give the USPS a chance to deny the claim it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
posted on April 30, 2006 11:19:23 AM
"Why don't you get her CI now and call her?"
I can't talk to her for a day or two because I've been sick and I lost most of my voice. Even my own family can't understand me very well or I might ask them to translate.
It's possible that being sick is making me extra cranky. I will admit that. I haven't been sleeping much.
I do include my own phone number in the letter I send with every package and she hasn't bothered to call me. We have caller ID and a machine and I see no calls from that area or any unknown callers or messages.
"It's hard to believe that she returned it without your OK or even letting you know that she was returning it."
She did mention something along the lines of "you don't know how much I hate making returns" so I kinda figure she didn't want to talk to me directly.
posted on April 30, 2006 11:21:39 AM
why should she waste her time to go to post office and show them how damaged items got further damaged in transit??
It is a lot easier to make up some excuse (your item may not be damaged in transit) and returned them.
More,even if it were damaged in transit,what is the big deal if more damages are piled over already damaged goods?
This could be her thinking as a bidder on Ebay.
Has the check cleared yet?
/ lets all stop whining !! /
posted on April 30, 2006 11:50:41 AM
"why should she waste her time to go to post office and show them how damaged items got further damaged in transit??"
Maybe for the same reason she wasted her time standing in line to purchase the postage to send them back?
I don't see much of a 'wasted time' difference between visiting the PO to buy postage and visiting the PO to present an opened box for inspection.
Maybe an extra five minutes?
The possibility of wasting time is what you risk when you buy online. Stuff happens. If you can't deal with that possibility you go to the flea market or Nordstrom and fondle BEFORE you buy.
Not to mention she knew the items were damaged. That was made very clear and she even admitted that she was straying from her usual path of "perfect."
posted on April 30, 2006 12:20:14 PM
she strayed from her path of perfect-thats the key right there,you just broke the Da Vinci code!
She strayed and saw and regretted,no more straying,she said to herself.
As for why cant she stand in line and show the postal clerk the damage of the damaged goods,well she has to strain to explain why she bot damaged goods in the first place and why she should care if they were further damaged?
The postal clerks will deny her and the bystanders will laugh at her and she will look like a fool .
posted on April 30, 2006 12:25:22 PM
Since you asked ...
Usually, in similar situations, I look past the immediate aggravation and determine what I would like the outcome to be.
In your case, since I'm pretty much of a wimp, I would probably accept the package, shrug, go on my way, and write it off. And since items were not in perfect condition to start with, does it really matter (worst case scenario) if they were damaged in transit? If you can relist, do so, if not, toss 'em out.
So, I would refund as soon as I have assurance that her check has cleared. That way, I don't get ulcers or a bad taste in my mouth, and I sleep better.
It doesn't sound like it's worth the time, effort or aggravation on your part. In a year, will it really matter? Have found in the past that when I get annoyed (as I think you're fully entitled to be!), and get a stubborn streak and mount my high horses, it mostly affects me, not the other person (much as I'd like for THEM to be tossing sleeplessly with remorse).
posted on April 30, 2006 07:47:44 PM
Open the box. She sent the items back on her dime. If the items are in the same condition as you sent them, great. Relist them and sell them to someone else.
Then refund the purchase price and keep the shipping amount and move on.
