People who cut the care label and size tags from their clothing

I know a bunch of people who do this because they don't like the feel of it when they wear the clothing. That's fine, I can respect that. But I have a question for those people, is it okay to do this on an item that you planned to return? I currently have a buyer like this but I've experienced this before numerous times in the past.

There's numerous times that I would receive a returned item from a buyer where the tags are completely missing and I wouldn't hear a peep about it from the buyer beforehand. The current buyer I'm dealing with messaged me about the shirt and provided a photo to verify his complaint wanting a refund or replacement. Aside from that issue regardless if it's valid or not, he cut off all the size label tags from it. When I mentioned "I see the tags have been cut off the shirt. Do you have the tags to include with the return for a refund?"

He got defensive explaining to me why he cuts off the tags of everything he wears and continues to restate how the shirt is not as described. Btw, he did not answer me if he still has the tags or not. ðŸ˜€

So I ask, is it appropriate to cut tags off of clothing when you aim to return it for a full refund?

iamalwaysright

6 View listings

Posted 7 months ago · Edited 7 months ago·Last reply 7 months ago

25 comments

le-5262

·7 months ago

854 View listings

That is SO rude...

I'd surely be irritated.

pickapaper

·7 months ago

4681 View listings

@iamalwaysright wrote: "The current buyer I'm dealing with messaged me about the shirt and provided a photo to verify his complaint wanting a refund or replacement. Aside from that issue regardless if it's valid or not...."

"He got defensive explaining to me why he cuts off the tags of everything he wears".

Does the buyer have a valid complaint about the shirt not being as described? Is something wrong with the shirt? Did he cut the tags off planning to keep the shirt but then noticed something "wrong" that made it not as described?

msha3839

·7 months ago

2027 View listings

Technically buyer altered the merchandise and admitted to it..if Iâ€™m not mistaken, this voids money back guaranteeâ€¦

meme6253

·7 months ago

3989 View listings

I would say that it is not appropriate at all to do that, The customer has now ruined your item, Because it is my understanding we as sellers cannot sell clothing without the original tags still in place.

gurlcat

·7 months ago

2004 View listings

@iamalwaysright Has the buyer actually filed a return yet, or is he just at the private message refund attempt stage?

If the latter, it's possible he can't do a return because he's had enough abuse reports to have lost his MBG privileges. The fact that you say "he continues to restate the item is not as described" kinda suggests that, because if he could file a return he would have by now.

What's his feedback left for others like? Also his feedback as a buyer -do you see any snuck-in tattle reports by sellers? (I don't care what anybody says, I love seeing those ðŸ¤£).

iamalwaysright

OP7 months ago

6 View listings

@gurlcat wrote:
@iamalwaysright Has the buyer actually filed a return yet, or is he just at the private message refund attempt stage? No formal return filed. Just messages thus far.

If the latter, it's possible he can't do a return because he's had enough abuse reports to have lost his MBG privileges. The fact that you say "he continues to restate the item is not as described" kinda suggests that, because if he could file a return he would have by now. Yes thatâ€™s possible. But it could also be that he took my scare tactic bait about the refund amount deductions.

What's his feedback left for others like? Also his feedback as a buyer -do you see any snuck-in tattle reports by sellers? (I don't care what anybody says, I love seeing those ðŸ¤£).
Buyer actually left me a negative days before he ever even messaged me. eBay already took care of that for me and removed it. I just checked his feedback page, he has a score a bit over 150. Turns out over 100 or so of them are from being a seller. He sells mainly a few car parts and mostly model cars. His feedbacks as a buyer to other sellers are mainly positive feedbacks but I see some false positives (ones with negative comments). I also see two negs he left with the â€” comment that indicates his comment was removed by eBay. Also as mentioned above thereâ€™s the negative he left me that got removed.

dolcetreasures

·7 months ago

4666 View listings

There is not one retailer that would accept a returned garment with the tags removed, not one. The buyer is bamboozling you.

stuff4divas

·7 months ago

7585 View listings

@iamalwaysright

definitely not if u r going to return, i too cut off my labels, but only for the clothing i keep

do u offer free returns so u can deduct for the alteration?

wastingtime101

·7 months ago

0 View listings

@iamalwaysright wrote:
is it appropriate to cut tags off of clothing when you aim to return it for a full refund?

Obviously not. Even paper tags should remain affixed.

If the item is altered or washed the buyer should not be filing a return request. It's not necessary to cut the tags off a shirt to see if it fits, if you like the fabric, etc.

Someone needs to teach that idiot there's a thing called "try it on first."

If they filed a formal return, report them for abusing the eMBG.

mamacassidy

·7 months ago

3239 View listings

Of course it's not appropriate. If you alter or damage the item in any way, you should not be able to return it.

I know, this is ebay, and the rules are different here. In your case, if the buyer returns it with parts of it cut off, I'd just deduct part of the refund, report the buyer, and then block them.

If this is something they do often, then hopefully every seller is reporting them.

iamalwaysright

OP7 months ago

6 View listings

@mamacassidy wrote:
Of course it's not appropriate. If you alter or damage the item in any way, you should not be able to return it. Apparently according to the responses Iâ€™m getting from eBay to say to have them file a return and keep 50%, they are indirectly saying that it IS appropriate to return such an item.

I know, this is ebay, and the rules are different here. In your case, if the buyer returns it with parts of it cut off, I'd just deduct part of the refund, report the buyer, and then block them.

If this is something they do often, then hopefully every seller is reporting them. As do I hope.

mamacassidy

·7 months ago

3239 View listings

LOL, yes, that's exactly what my second sentence said.

iamalwaysright

OP7 months ago

6 View listings

@mamacassidy wrote:
LOL, yes, that's exactly what my second sentence said.

Yup. Canâ€™t block them yet tho. Thanks for that ebay!

christworks

·7 months ago

1406 View listings

@iamalwaysright

"Dear Buyer, you have admitted that you damaged the shirt by cutting off the tags. I will accept your return. We also will report your account to eBay for return abuse upon receipt of the item. This is because you removed the care tags on an item that you intended to return. eBay takes return abuse seriously. They often take serious action, up to and including permanent account suspension, especially if buyers have been reported in the past for similar behavior. "

I think sellers need to stand up for themselves more. These bad buyers will run you over time and time again if you don't make some attempt to call their bluff. They know what they are doing. This isn't the first time they've done it. As long as your words are carefully chosen, you can tell a buyer they will be reported for return abuse and it not be considered a threat.

iamalwaysright

OP7 months ago

6 View listings

@christworks wrote:
@iamalwaysright
"Dear Buyer, you have admitted that you damaged the shirt by cutting off the tags. I will accept your return. We also will report your account to eBay for return abuse upon receipt of the item. This is because you removed the care tags on an item that you intended to return. eBay takes return abuse seriously. They often take serious action, up to and including permanent account suspension, especially if buyers have been reported in the past for similar behavior. "

I think sellers need to stand up for themselves more. These bad buyers will run you over time and time again if you don't make some attempt to call their bluff. They know what they are doing. This isn't the first time they've done it. As long as your words are carefully chosen, you can tell a buyer they will be reported for return abuse and it not be considered a threat.

Maybe I shouldâ€™ve done this instead. Itâ€™s more aggressive than my passive aggressive approach. I couldâ€™ve also added that Iâ€™ve gotten a few buyers suspended because of this same reason lol. As Iâ€™m not shy with reporting buyers and I know some are no longer registered.

tobaccocardyahoo

·7 months ago

5565 View listings

If this forum permitted naming and shaming, this buyer and his ilk should be identified so clothing sellers could add him to their blocked lists.

Ebay should provide an opt-in service to notify sellers of who they are or automatically add them to blocked lists.

And I do not sell used or new clothing.

simba6

·7 months ago

2327 View listings

While items are supposed to be returned in the same condition as received, eBay can't enforce it. It's a he said / she said problem. Many people treat retailers as free clothing rental businesses. Most in person stores place a large tamper proof tag on the front of garments and refuse to take them back for refund if it's been removed. But you can't do that here.

pickapaper

·7 months ago

4681 View listings

@simba6 wrote: "Most in person stores place a large tamper proof tag on the front of garments and refuse to take them back for refund if it's been removed. But you can't do that here."

Yes, you can put one of those tags on a garment on eBay. The only difference is on eBay, if the buyer files a INAD, the seller can't refuse to take it back. I sometimes put one of those security tags on something I sell with a notation that tag must remain intact for return. I realize that the buyer can cut the tag off and swear it was never on there but I do it just "to keep an honest person honest" and I really feel it can help keep something from being worn then returned. I have only had one instance where the buyer removed the security tag; it was a bracelet and the buyer not only removed the tag, she damaged the bracelet on purpose so she could return it on my dime (luckily I was able to repair it).

adamcartwright

·7 months ago

46 View listings

@simba6

Not he said/she said because the buyer has admitted to his actions in writing, which eBay would be able to confirm.

simba6

·7 months ago

2327 View listings

eBay does not seem to look into things like that. I have had sellers refuse to ship and canceled saying I requested it. That too could be checked but it's not.

gurlcat

·7 months ago

2004 View listings

@simba6 wrote:
eBay does not seem to look into things like that. I have had sellers refuse to ship and canceled saying I requested it. That too could be checked but it's not.

@simba6 You must not be contacting eBay on social media then. They absolutely will review messages to see what was said.

As for cancellation reason, when you say "that too could be checked" -are you talking about some kind of automatic checking? That doesn't happen. You have to take initiative and REPORT when a seller puts it on you. Even if you don't care to tattle on a seller so they get a defect, you should care that YOU have a buyer strike every time a seller does that.

wastingtime101

·7 months ago

0 View listings

@gurlcat wrote:
@simba6 You must not be contacting eBay on social media then. They absolutely will review messages to see what was said.

Phone reps will review messages.

When it comes to phone reps I'll put it this way:

If you are an informed buyer/seller, you will know whether the rep knows what they're talking about and whether you need to speak with a different rep. A lot of the phone reps are great ... and a lot not so great. But if you yourself are informed, then you'll be able to spot the difference. It's not necessary to go to social for good CS.

@gurlcat wrote:
As for cancellation reason, when you say "that too could be checked" -are you talking about some kind of automatic checking? That doesn't happen.

Yes they do. Sellers often get hit with unexpected out of stock cancellation defects for abusing the 'problem with address' and 'buyer requested' cancellation reasons weeks or months after the fact - from reviews by both humans and AI. eBay actively monitors this.

But if you want to guarantee it's caught then yeah, you need to report it.

12345jamesstamps

·7 months ago

8852 View listings

Not appropriate...

And I am that one guy who cut labels off everything...even the outside of a pair of jeans.

Are you in the business of clothing on approvals? This is that person who you are dealing with.

A buyer would try the item on first before cutting those tags off...a normal buyer that is.