Accidently sold an item with wrong description.

[ryda-6727]

This was my first sale on E-Bay. I listed a US $20 birthday note with the serial number ME03121827J (Or March 12, 1827). After a buyer made an offer and I accepted it I noticed I had put down the wrong description. The picture showed the correct number and the serial number of "ME03121827J" but my description said... "Twenty ($20) Birthday Note March 12, 1827 Serial # ME04261946J Series 2013". When I noticed my error a few minutes after it sold I immediately sent the buyer a message pointing out the mistake and that I am 100% willing to cancel the order if the buyer request it. 

I should also note that this buyer bought the auction about 10-20 minutes after I posted it.  Yes I should have caught the error before I posted it... that defiantly wont happen again.

So my question is this buyer is a new account. They may not pay attention to the message I sent about the error and the willingness to cancel the order. I have not received payment yet as the item just sold. If the buyer never responds but I get the payment what issues may I face if the buyer decided to file a claim against me if I just sent it out without hearing from the buyer? How many times should I try to contact the buyer before I ship the item out after payment?

[pburn]

@ryda-6727 

If YOU'RE the one who made the mistake, YOU should be the one cancelling (and refunding) the transaction based on "out of stock." 

You can then relist it with the correct listing information. If the customer is still interested, s/he'll find the listing and repurchase it.

[donsdetour · Accepted solution]

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@ryda-6727 wrote:

This was my first sale on E-Bay. I listed a US $20 birthday note with the serial number ME03121827J (Or March 12, 1827). After a buyer made an offer and I accepted it I noticed I had put down the wrong description. The picture showed the correct number and the serial number of "ME03121827J" but my description said... "Twenty ($20) Birthday Note March 12, 1827 Serial # ME04261946J Series 2013". When I noticed my error a few minutes after it sold I immediately sent the buyer a message pointing out the mistake and that I am 100% willing to cancel the order if the buyer request it. 

I should also note that this buyer bought the auction about 10-20 minutes after I posted it.  Yes I should have caught the error before I posted it... that defiantly wont happen again.

So my question is this buyer is a new account. They may not pay attention to the message I sent about the error and the willingness to cancel the order. I have not received payment yet as the item just sold. If the buyer never responds but I get the payment what issues may I face if the buyer decided to file a claim against me if I just sent it out without hearing from the buyer? How many times should I try to contact the buyer before I ship the item out after payment?

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Hmm since this is a error in listing: almost guaranteed to be a problem:

Cancel the sale with item no longer in stock:

Note this will give your a deficit in your metrics which may not be worth the cost of doing so.

This also must be taken into consideration at all times: can you afford to lose item and money paid for it.

  The purchaser can claim item not as described, and you also have to pay shipping to have it return to you as well as the loss of what was paid for it. (Also the possibility of not getting the original item back in a return).

[pburn]

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@donsdetour wrote:

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This also must be taken into consideration at all times: can you afford to lose item and money paid for it.

  The purchaser can claim item not as described, and you also have to pay shipping to have it return to you as well as the loss of what was paid for it. (Also the possibility of not getting the original item back in a return).

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While always a good general rule to follow, the item in the OP's situation sold for only $25, with $5 shipping. Hardly a budget breaker.

[ryda-6727]

Thanks for the feedback! I decided to just cancel the order as suggested and relist it with correct information this time. Again thank you!

[mybigsale]

In my responses I usually keep my shipping date and time in mind.  

If the mistake is NOT significant (value relatively same) I would send one message through ebay:

This is to notify you the photo of the item is correct. The description mistakenly states @#@##. The correct description is #@#.  Please let me know if you wish to cancel the order, otherwise your item will be shipped on @##@ at #@#@pm (your shipping cutoff time).

If the mistake IS significant (value significantly different) I would send one message through ebay:

This is to notify you the photo of the item is correct. The description mistakenly states @#@##. The correct description is #!@#.  Please let me know if you still want the item or if you prefer to cancel the order, otherwise your order will be cancelled on @##@ at #@#@pm (you shipping cutoff). You may offer to send with a discount if the mistake would affect value of item or offer to relist with corrected information.

Worst case, buyer may file an item not as described case for a refund along with a negative review - which may happen no matter what you do depending on your buyer.  Best case, buyer still wants the item, or you can cancel at the buyer's request.

[pburn]

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@mybigsale wrote:

Best case, buyer still wants the item, or you can cancel at the buyer's request.

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And once again, a buyer who makes a mistake on a listing gets away unscathed by trying to get the buyer to reply affirmatively to the suggestion to cancel when we all know this should be cancelled using "out of stock" as the reason for  cancellation.

Not shocked to see another TRS seller recommending the best way to get out from under this kind of situation, despite it being a violation of eBay's cancellation policy. Weaseling out of the defect is the equivalent of a buyer submitting a false SNAD to get a free return.

It's all moot at this point, anyway, because the OP has already sent the customer messages and the customer has not responded.

[mybigsale]

It's not the best way to "get out" of anything.  The buyer purchased the item. The buyer is given the option of what they wish done.  The item was not "out of stock", a mistake was made in the description and the item was not as described. There is no violation in eBay's policy in asking the buyer how he would like to proceed.  It ensures following all of eBays requirements, including sticking with shipping times.

If my item was canceled, without my input as the buyer (what this seller did at others recommendation), you had better be expecting a negative review and deserve a "negative" mark by eBay. The accepted solution is wrong because it totally dismisses the buyer - who is now going to be **bleep**ed off the order was cancelled without prior notice.

I mainly use this tactic as it applies to buyer requests after purchase (such as changing address, discount requests, or invalid shipping requests).  It follows all of eBays policies and works in a variety of situations to keep sellers in compliance with eBay's policies and keep buyers happy - feel free to ignore my advice.

I am a TRS with 100% Feedback, Zero Return Requests, Zero Not as Described Cases, Zero Late Shipping Cases and Zero Cases of Cancelled Orders (except for non-payment cases and invalid address). I have been on eBay since 2000 and follow all of eBay's policies.

[fern*wood]

I personally would have given the buyer more time to respond.  They may actually  have wanted the item regardless of the error.  There was still time to cancel for out of stock if not.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

I would not have canceled, I would have done what @mybigsale  suggested, as many buyers would still want the item.  Too late now, but something to consider if it happens again. 

[bubu-luba]

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@pburn wrote:

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@mybigsale wrote:

Best case, buyer still wants the item, or you can cancel at the buyer's request.

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we all know this should be cancelled using "out of stock" as the reason for  cancellation.

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Why is that?  

eBay says

• Canceling an order because the item is out of stock will result in a transaction defect, as sellers are responsible for fulfilling the items they've sold. Learn more about the factors that affect a seller's performance level

Seller was not out of stock, so would that false reason?

Seller made a typo, but the majority of the description is correct.  It is not like they listed on eBay and sold the item elsewhere making it out of stock when someone purchase it from eBay.

eBay does not have a block to check that states error with listing, the real reason.  So how is stating a false reason "out of stock" justified?

Obviously item is not "out of stock" as it has been relisted with the typo corrected.  

[pburn]

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@mybigsale wrote:

The item was not "out of stock", a mistake was made in the description and the item was not as described.

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Well, that's the way I would expect you to interpret it.

If you list something you don't have, that's "out of stock." Period.

[bubu-luba]

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@simply-the-best-for-you wrote:

I would not have canceled, I would have done what @mybigsale  suggested, as many buyers would still want the item.  Too late now, but something to consider if it happens again. 

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Absolutely a buyer may still want the item.

I have made a typo before and informed buyer.  Buyer still wanted the item and completely understood what they were getting based on pictures within the listing.

[donsdetour]

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@bubu-luba wrote:

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@pburn wrote:

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@mybigsale wrote:

Best case, buyer still wants the item, or you can cancel at the buyer's request.

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we all know this should be cancelled using "out of stock" as the reason for  cancellation.

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Why is that?  

eBay says

• Canceling an order because the item is out of stock will result in a transaction defect, as sellers are responsible for fulfilling the items they've sold. Learn more about the factors that affect a seller's performance level

Seller was not out of stock, so would that false reason?

Seller made a typo, but the majority of the description is correct.  It is not like they listed on eBay and sold the item elsewhere making it out of stock when someone purchase it from eBay.

eBay does not have a block to check that states error with listing, the real reason.  So how is stating a false reason "out of stock" justified?

Obviously item is not "out of stock" as it has been relisted with the typo corrected.  

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well such should be one of them option to cancel a sale being:

Incorrect description. Still might get a seller a ding, but would be better.

As for the asking a purchaser if they what it, or if they desire to cancel: that is an option as well: if they respond.... Seems in a lot of cases they do not......

Risky to send it: can cost more for a return of course.....

[pburn]

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@bubu-luba wrote:

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Why is that?  

eBay says

• Canceling an order because the item is out of stock will result in a transaction defect, as sellers are responsible for fulfilling the items they've sold. Learn more about the factors that affect a seller's performance level

Seller was not out of stock, so would that false reason?

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Here's the easiest way to explain this:  Did the seller have the item s/he listed?

If the answer to that question is a resounding, "NO," then the item is out of stock. Whether that cancellation reason gives a seller a defect or not is superfluous.

Sellers constantly whine about buyers trying to get out of transactions by choosing SNAD reasons for returns. This is no different. Buyers trying to get out of transactions without paying for the return versus sellers trying to get out of transactions without a defect.