What do youdo when you have one of these...

[ellchadan]

I sold a dress to a buyer who contacted me saying they were on a fixed income and would like to pay 10 less for the item.

I thought "Sure, I can do that." So I did, they paid and I shipped the item.

I checked my email this morning( I could not check my emails because my power was down due to the California outages.) and they contacted me saying the dress smells musty (It smelled like detergent) and they have allergies and unless I will cover the dry cleaning, they want to return.

I don't want another return as my seller dashboard says I already have 3, though when i try to view them it says zero (?).

Should I just give them a full refund and be done with it or should I have them return it?

[thedeadheadshop]

Have them return it and put them on your BBL. This ordeal started with a negotiation for $10 off. The fixed income story is probably baloney. Now that they have the item they're looking for yet again another concession from you.

They're probably hoping you'll just refund and they'll get it free. So on principle alone I would have them return the item. At some point enough is enough.

[scga912]

They want dry cleaning expenses for a pre-owned, machine washable item?

Need a bit more info, but I'm leaning towards Return for Refund. 

[gagnon234]

That's nervy of her.
I'd tell her to return it. Wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't.

[7606dennis]

Basically, you need to accept the return and pay the return shipping.  I would advise that you put them on your BBL and use this as a learning experience.  

[ellchadan]

Doesn't ebay penalize you for more than X amount of returns in a year?

[cashvaluerecovery2011]

This is a classic scammers trick. Put out a feeler email to see if you are easy. Get the item and see if you will be easy again. These people get huge discounts or outright free stuff all year long with no problems to their account because they arent breaking ebays rules. They abuse the heck out of sellers and sellers just fuel the fire giving them what they want.

So my opinion is no way do they keep it. Return for refund. If you are top rated and it comes back altered or damaged you can refund 50%. For sure block this buyer. In the future understand that a persons first contact with you being a hard luck story is someone expecting YOU to fulfill their entitlement.

Ive had problems in life. I would never share that info with a stranger. I sure as heck wouldnt be haggling over a dress on ebay if i was broke.

[gagnon234]

Look on your seller dashboard to see how you're doing in ebay's eyes.

[ellchadan]

You just made me laugh so hard. Thank-you!

[ersatz_sobriquet]

Even millionaires are on a "fixed income". She's a shyster. 

[ellchadan]

I just don't want them to be able to leave negative feedback and I don't want to pay more for all future listings because I had more than 3 returns in a year (which is common in the clothing category).

[ersatz_sobriquet]

Well you could start giving everyone who complains free stuff and not requiring a return, and that would avoid that return metric, and that would avoid bad feedback, and that would avoid those higher fees, and ebay and the "buyer" would both be very happy with you!!!

but in the end how will your wallet take that? I don't think you signed up to sell to become the lady with the "free stuff" and believe me, she will tell her friends. 

[pjcdn2005]

Your rates are not going to go up unless you have 10 or more not as described cases in one year and you are rated 'very high' against your 'peers'.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-performance-policy/service-metrics-policy...

If you are rated Very High in a category, but you had fewer than 10 'Item not as described' return requests from unique buyers, or your 'Item not as described' rate is under 1% in a specific category during the evaluation period, you will not be subject to consequences

[ellchadan]

This has been better that SNL, thank you everyone for the help and for making my day!

[mrdutch1001]

taking a return and accepting any demerit points from eBay far outweigh letting this situation go without some responsibility from the buyer. Taking a stance against buyer abuse also makes a better and stronger seller going forward.