False claim

[tobyjill22]

I've been selling for 23 years!  I have had about 10 buyers in the past make claims that an item "SMELLS BAD" and  hence makes a claim for item not as described for a refund/return and each returned item smelled fresh as a daisy. ..this is a cunning conniving way to  get a refund ..  As a long time seller, I know by now that each and every items needs to pass the sniff test in order to be listed..and this habitual. Once again, this is a claim from a buyer who offered me $10 off a $20 dress (I  do not take offers) and she bought it a week later and then  made this false claim and I'm pretty sure it did not fit her right as it was clearly described as running big with listed measurements..we all know that many buyers do not read... There is no way for a seller to protect herself from this...I told her that I no longer accept returns for this type of claim and I'm now awaiting my first negative in years...

[byrd69er]

Some people can smell the *beep* through the daisies. You may no longer accept returns for this type of claim, but Ebay does.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @tobyjill22 

How can you be certain that the item didn’t pick up an odor in transit?

Is your sense of smell excellent?  [Mine isn’t.]

Refusing a return is risky.  If the buyer isn’t refunded by eBay … they may request a chargeback costing an extra $20.

[ckimodog]

@tobyjill22 

It could very well be the courier or what ever type of shipping you use.  I had an item delivered by Amazon the other day and the package (and driver) reeked of pot/marijuana.  I about caught a contact buzz.  lol.   Sorry for your situation. 

Happy Selling. 

[tobyjill22]

It was wrapped in tissue paper inside a plastic mailer. The only thing I smell is a rat. 

It did not smell. I hope you never have to deal with this type of baloney. 

[house*of*paws]

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@tobyjill22 wrote:

It was wrapped in tissue paper inside a plastic mailer. The only thing I smell is a rat. 

It did not smell. I hope you never have to deal with this type of baloney. 

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You didn’t answer either of my questions.  

The fact that you didn’t detect any odor prior to mailing doesn’t mean there wasn’t an odor at the time it reached the buyer.  eBay knows this … which is why they automatically refund the buyer when asked to step in.

You are risking a lot more than negative feedback .  As long as you realize that … I’ve served my purpose.  It IS your decision.  Good luck!  🙂

[dbfolks166mt]

     The first mistake you made was not adding the person to your BBL when they made the low ball offer. If they filed a NAD how did you respond? You may have refused the return but when the buyer asks eBay to step in they are going to fully refund the buyer and allow them to keep the item. No returns does not translate to no refunds. 

[bill.purvis2012]

You have no choice if the buyer files a NAD claim. Either accept return or have Ebay refund it out of your funds and they will let her keep it.  

[reallynicestamps]

Remember Axe body products?
And how boys thought it smelled great?

Same difference.

There is no way for a seller to protect herself from this...I told her that I no longer accept returns for this type of claim and I'm now awaiting my first negative in years...

Hoo, boy.

You can refuse returns, but you cannot refuse refunds.

You can send a Return Shipping Label, refund on arrival, relist and resell.

You can refuse the return, refuse the refund, refuse to send an RSL when she opens a Claim, have eBay raid your Managed Payments account and/or your checking account for the refund, and get a Defect for not cooperating.

Your choice.

[inhawaii]

Just pointing out that what smells "fresh as a daisy" to you can smell bad to someone else.

That possibility is more likely than 10 buyers being wrong.

[gurlcat]

Clothing and shoes were what I was selling when I realized there was no point in trying to have No Returns or Buyer Pays Return Shipping.  They will just claim a smell, pet hair , or say the color is totally different from the photos, no matter what the real reason is.  OR (true story) claim it arrived damaged and proceed to mangle the item like some animal, to "prove" that it arrived that way.  

[yuzuha]

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@inhawaii wrote:

Just pointing out that what smells "fresh as a daisy" to you can smell bad to someone else.

That possibility is more likely than 10 buyers being wrong.

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Also, OP has a dog in their photo, which I presume is their dog. Dogs smell. People who own dogs don't realize this because they get used to it, but they DO smell, and that smell gets on everything.

[lamber9347]

Some things in life are purely subjective, such as taste or smell. What smells perfectly fine, if not wonderful, to one person smells terribly bad to another. Axe body spray is a good example of this. For OP to say these are false claims simply because the items smell fine to them is incorrect to say the least. If you do have pets in your home, all the more benefit to this buyer. If you do receive a negative feedback comment- which is the buyer's opinion only, I'm sorry to say it may be deserved. Best of luck to you....

[fashunu4eeuh]

@tobyjill22 

As a 23-year seller, you should be aware of how the Money Back Guarantee works.

When a buyer invokes a Not As Described case, you refuse to refund at your peril. Your current approach risks serious penalties for not refunding that can damage your account, so once the case is opened, it is in your best interests to minimize that damage. Because it is likely you will lose the case. 

The penalties for not refunding willingly are this: 1) your Final Value fees will not be reimbursed. 2) A defect that can downgrade your standing on eBay will be applied. 3) The buyer will be allowed to keep the item for free. 4) eBay will remove the refund from your funds and award it in full to the buyer. 

The bottom line in mail order is that you cannot prove the buyer is lying about the odor. And buyers are not currently required to provide evidence of their truthfulness in order to win the case.

[fashunu4eeuh]

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@tobyjill22 wrote:

It was wrapped in tissue paper inside a plastic mailer. The only thing I smell is a rat. 

It did not smell. I hope you never have to deal with this type of baloney. 

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You cannot back-up this statement. I agree your buyer is likely lying, but there still remains the possibility they are being truthful.

Plastic mailers, and even tissue paper, can emit chemical smells, especially if exposed to extremes in temperature like packages in transit are subject to.