Smells & SNAD cases

[autopartspuller]

I have someone who has opened a snad case stating "the item smells like smoke".  I do not smoke.  I also keep my items offsite, so smoking it not an issue with me.

Here is my question.  I never claim smoke free home because 95% of my items are second hand and I could not tell you how they are cared for but, I rarely get this complaint.  So, either I can't smell it on the item or someone at the post office is smoking or the buyer is having buyers remorse.  But it's not happening here.

I see no where in the SNAD that smell is a reason to return an item.  I don't claim smoke free (even though I do not smoke).  It's a vintage item. Scents do happen.  If I notice it, I ALWAYS mention it.

What is Ebay's stance on this?  I offer returns.  She is more than welcome to return it.  I just dont feel it should be at my cost.

Thoughts?

[missjen831 · Accepted solution]

You would have to call ebay and get them to close the request in your favor and then reach out to the buyer and tell her to return at her expense. A few sellers have won SNADs for smell because they did not say the item came from a non smoking home. But I think since you accept returns, you will have a hard time finding a rep willing to close the case.

[justme2345]

have you called eBay? Not knowing what the item is hard to answer your questions.

However, if I purchased an article of clothing or curtains, etc bi would not expect it to arrive smelling of smoke.

Is it possible the box had an odor that you shipped this item in?

[autopartspuller]

It was a vintage wooden bowl.  Likely 30+ years old. 

I did not ask her if the packaging smelled. It would not have had a smell prior to leaving here. 

[thebaglady-2016 · Accepted solution]

I have been told several times over the years that smell is NOT a supported reason for SNAD. Could you just imagine if it was? Would be havoc.  IF your listing did not say it did NOT smell, you should be able to call and get the case closed in your favor.  Period.  Do NOT let them touch the case until you find someone that can comprehend their "internal" policy.  Do not agree to a return at all on the phone. Get the case closed in your favor, get the defect removed and get the case email saying it is closed IN YOUR FAVOR, WHILE ON THE PHONE.

THEN, deal with your buyer, safe from a neg and any defect.  It will require some persistence to find a rep that knows the policy.

[autopartspuller]

I called Ebay as you suggested.  The rep said because I have a 2 week return policy, she could not close the return however.  an item that smells like smoke is not considered a "damaged item".  She said that I should wait until the time period has elapsed and call back.  If the buyer has not elected to return it at her cost, that I can have the claim closed based on the fact that an item arriving with a smell does not mean it arrived damaged,

Thank you all for your responses.  I was worried about how to handle this.

[thebaglady-2016]

You just got fibbed to. They can close it right now, and you just got taken.  You need to keep calling as what you were told is NOT true. It will not become any more non-SNAD in time. The case is opened for the WRONG reason, one that is not SNAD. You need to get it closed.  THEN deal with the buyer.

They talked you off the phone, that is their job. Meanwhile, your buyer will escalate and you will lose.  You have 3 days to try and get to a rep that knows their policies.

[autopartspuller]

I did call back. I had to go rounds with the woman a couple times. She did finally tell me that she would take care of it and I would see a message within 24 hours stating that it is closed. I feel like she might have just been trying to get me off the phone. Is this correct? Does it take 24 hours to close the case?

[thebaglady-2016]

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@autopartspuller wrote:
I did call back. I had to go rounds with the woman a couple times. She did finally tell me that she would take care of it and I would see a message within 24 hours stating that it is closed. I feel like she might have just been trying to get me off the phone. Is this correct? Does it take 24 hours to close the case?

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Strike 2. She got you off the phone with nothing sent to you. You got talked off the phone again, and when you call back, there will be nothing even slightly related to what she told you noted on your account.  Have them send you the closing of the case IN YOUR FAVOR, WHILE YOU ARE ON THE PHONE.  If you don't do that, you don't win, you get talked off the phone and they have protected their fee and their buyer.  Get it?

[garmentvarmint2004]

BAGLADY...

Once again---I do not understand the advice you give to OP's when dealing with Customer Support.  You seem to be saying  that the OP has somehow been scewing up!  The OP did not allow himself to be talked off the phone.  He was made promises that the problem would be taken care of by that particular CS.  How is he going to FORCE  these people to do this for him while he is on the phone with them???  He can't FORCE THEM to do anything.

[thebaglady-2016]

You do not have to understand GV. Don't worry about it.

[garmentvarmint2004]

BAG---I said "I  not understand"---because I was trying to be tactful.  But-- I will now come right out and say "I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE ADVICE YOU GAVE."  There MAY be some way to find better CS people than the ones most Members  ger stuck with.    I think it would be a great service to all those who come to these Boards---if someone who knows how  this,would come  on the Boards and tell the rest of us---what that is,. 

The only thing I have ever heard mentioned, is that the CS poeople  who work in the early morning---(somewhere in Utah----or California?)----are much more well informed than other CS folks in the rest of the country.  Therefore,   calling in the morning is your best shot at getting through to someone who knows the rules---and who actually wants to be helpful. 

I have not seen this mentioned on the Boards lately--so I do not know whether this is still true.

I hope one of the other Regulars here, DOES know whether thiis is still true.  And if so,lI hope they join this Thread..

[chords_and_strings]

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@thebaglady-2016 wrote:

I have been told several times over the years that smell is NOT a supported reason for SNAD. Could you just imagine if it was? Would be havoc.  IF your listing did not say it did NOT smell, you should be able to call and get the case closed in your favor.  Period.  Do NOT let them touch the case until you find someone that can comprehend their "internal" policy.  Do not agree to a return at all on the phone. Get the case closed in your favor, get the defect removed and get the case email saying it is closed IN YOUR FAVOR, WHILE ON THE PHONE.

THEN, deal with your buyer, safe from a neg and any defect.  It will require some persistence to find a rep that knows the policy.

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While I agree that including smell on the list of SNAD-worthy items opens an even bigger can of worms than we deal with already, I don't agree that buyers should be expected to keep items that reek of smoke (or other odors).

Sellers who smoke but don't include that info in auctions for items that will absorb that odor are irresponsible and deserve all the defects they get.  I understand that laundering items usually gets rid of it, but sometimes not, and why should buyers have to go above and beyond to get out an odor they weren't expecting?  And if it's a non-clothing item, cleaning it to remove the odor might ruin it.

Yes, I realize that sellers can't list every single thing about the history of an item, but enough buyers are upset about smoke to know that if you are a smoker, you need to put that in your auction, even if it means fewer sales. 

I don't know what the solution could be, but yes, sellers should be protected against bogus SNAD claims, and buyers shouldn't receive items that stink.

[thebaglady-2016]

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@chords_and_strings wrote:

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@thebaglady-2016 wrote:

I have been told several times over the years that smell is NOT a supported reason for SNAD. Could you just imagine if it was? Would be havoc.  IF your listing did not say it did NOT smell, you should be able to call and get the case closed in your favor.  Period.  Do NOT let them touch the case until you find someone that can comprehend their "internal" policy.  Do not agree to a return at all on the phone. Get the case closed in your favor, get the defect removed and get the case email saying it is closed IN YOUR FAVOR, WHILE ON THE PHONE.

THEN, deal with your buyer, safe from a neg and any defect.  It will require some persistence to find a rep that knows the policy.

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While I agree that including smell on the list of SNAD-worthy items opens an even bigger can of worms than we deal with already, I don't agree that buyers should be expected to keep items that reek of smoke (or other odors).

Sellers who smoke but don't include that info in auctions for items that will absorb that odor are irresponsible and deserve all the defects they get.  I understand that laundering items usually gets rid of it, but sometimes not, and why should buyers have to go above and beyond to get out an odor they weren't expecting?  And if it's a non-clothing item, cleaning it to remove the odor might ruin it.

Yes, I realize that sellers can't list every single thing about the history of an item, but enough buyers are upset about smoke to know that if you are a smoker, you need to put that in your auction, even if it means fewer sales. 

I don't know what the solution could be, but yes, sellers should be protected against bogus SNAD claims, and buyers shouldn't receive items that stink.

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I agree as well.  But could you just imagine the pile of SNAD's that would come about as a result of just smell?  I was told that if you have something in your listings--ex. smoke free, pet free, odor free, etc., THEN the buyer can claim SNAD for smell, but if you don't, feedback or another lie is your only option.  I agree that smokers should have to state that they smoke, as I detest the smell as well, but I would never SNAD a seller for it. I have sent notes, just as a suggestion and then either hung the item outside, put it in the freezer for a week with kitty litter/baking soda, washed with vinegar, etc.  Most are fixable, but some just are not.

[chords_and_strings]

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@thebaglady-2016 wrote:

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I agree as well.  But could you just imagine the pile of SNAD's that would come about as a result of just smell?

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Absolutely.  Every buyer who doesn't want/already used his item would file a claim that it stunk.

I just don't feel as though buyers should have to exert any extra effort (lots of "e"s there) to get rid of the smell.  I suppose that's what feedback is for, but then you'll have sellers saying that the feedback is a lie or malicious or whatever.  Like I said, there's no good solution unless every seller is perfectly honest in his description, and every buyer is honest when he receives his item,  which we all know will never happen.