Been a While but... I love feedback hostage takers.

[k-bar-ksaddles]

Not really, no. I don't love them.  But it's been a while since I had anyone have trouble with anything I've sold - until this week.  Sold a child's saddle, used.  I cleaned it, conditioned it, checked it for soundness, it was a good little saddle made by a reputable maker.

It sold in 24 hours of being listed with a package deal for a complete set up.

Several days after it was delivered, I got a snotty message that began with: I don't want to leave you negative feedback but.... and the chief complaint was that there was some rust on the screws at the swells - which is normal.  They threw in later that the leather was 'so brittle it almost came apart'.  Which was not true at all.  It was such a nice little saddle, I was tempted to keep it for my own granddaughter.  I had two rodeo friends tell me it was too nice to flip, that I should keep it.  Buyer said they paid a ridiculous amount of money for it and wanted a partial refund.

The partial refund would have made the saddle price at about their initial low ball offer.

Thanks to being here off and on and reading, reading reading, I wisely messaged them back a simple: I'm sorry you're not satisfied with the item. Persuant to eBay's return policy, please open a return, I will pay for the shipping back, and upon receiving the items in the condition they were shipped out, I will refund  in full.

Lo and behold... 

Suddenly no no. It's fine.  Really. My son insists on keeping it... 

In the meantime, I'd looked at their own feedback - been here since 2007, had a 24 score, and had never, ever, left anyone, feedback, for anything, ever.

So.

Yeah. Whatever.

I don't get people.  It's dishonest and aggravating.  

Thanks for all the advice given to me in the past and to others that I lurked around and read, Community.  

[18704d]

Kudos for doing the right thing!

For knowing, the wisest answer.

And..

If / when a good seller ever gets such a Neg.

Try not to dispair.

Because it IS Possible to use an undeserved Neg

to warn Future.. Partial Refunders that you don't cave in.

For example:

Neg:  The Item Was (bad) .. and Seller Refused To Work With Me.

An effective follow-up reply:

I'm Sorry, I Never Give Refunds unless the Item Is First Returned To Me.  Thanks.

See?

Lynn

[k-bar-ksaddles]

Oh I was fully prepared for a polite but firm response to any neg feedback.  I'll take the neg before caving to extortionists.  That just ticks me off and once you start it, they'll be on you like buzzards, picking you to death. 

Honestly, I have some trash saddles - but when I DO list one, I make it known its garbage and fit for breaking colts or even just decoration or parts.  I usually flip those locally to folks who want a saddle they don't care about for those first few rides on a youngster though, that way if it gets torn up, no harm, no foul.

[juststuffisell]

It's a growing trend on eBay the extortion for a lower price after the sale is complete. Many will pipe in about it as it really is a subject that makes us sellers salty.

Cheers

[gracieallen01]

You would be surprised how many come here, read the advice and then figure, 'Well, maybe this one time I'll go ahead and give them a partial - they were so polite, you understand".  Although, if you've been reading here, then you've already seen it happen.  Somewhat irritating. 

Sure wish more would take the high road rather than figuring it is 'just the cost of doing business'. 

[fsdfasdf-0]

---

@k-bar-ksaddles wrote:

Buyer wanted a partial refund.

Thanks to being here off and on and reading, reading reading, I wisely messaged them back a simple: I'm sorry you're not satisfied with the item. Persuant to eBay's return policy, please open a return, I will pay for the shipping back, and upon receiving the items in the condition they were shipped out, I will refund  in full.

Lo and behold... 

Suddenly no no. It's fine.  Really. My son insists on keeping it... 

Thanks for all the advice given to me in the past and to others that I lurked around and read, Community.  

---

Works like a charm.

First time I tried "please return for refund" I was amazed at the results myself.

[k-bar-ksaddles]

My very first sale here as my tack shop, not as an individual was someone trying to pull that on me. Kept nagging over the course of a week and a half or so for a partial refund. In fact, they claimed initially that I gouged them on the shipping - it was a priority mail flat fee from the get go.  They wanted free shipping and a refund for the priorty mail they had to pay.  I politely declined.  THEN came the SNAD.  Not sure what they were thinking - because they were trying hard to keep the stuff they bought... but I complied for a return, and they never sent the items  back (A tack set for a horse that they claimed was covered in sweat stains - it looked brand new, it had never been on a horse).  Ebay closed it in my favor.

I noticed some time later the buyer  sold some horse related items and received... LOL Neg feedback from someone who demanded a partial refund and didn't get it.

Karma, baby. Sometimes it's instant.

Interestingly enough - like my recent attempted extortionist, the first one had never left feedback for any item they had ever bought, in all the time they'd been on eBay, but they sure threatened to leave neg for me as a seller.

[southern*sweet*tea]

I used to get partial refund fishers and post-sale discount extortionists...not often - maybe four or five times a year - but since I changed to free returns over two years ago I haven't gotten a single one.  They have no excuse not to return since I'm paying for it, so I guess they don't bother to try the extortion.

With rare exception you should always tell the buyer to return for a refund. These people extort practically every seller they buy from because they get results from sellers with no spine.

[emerald40]

How many stores in real life offer partials.

How many people want supposedly defective merchandise.

How does getting money back make that item now useable.

[rdj831]

The buyer was probably a reseller or flea marketer in the real world and was fishing for a better price for resale. I have run into quite a few of those.

[defeated247]

BLOCK immediately. Protect yourself

[a_c_green]

---

@emerald40 wrote:

How many stores in real life offer partials.

How many people want supposedly defective merchandise.

---

Funny you should mention that...

I've haggled discounts on distressed or incomplete merchandise a fair number of times. Sometimes it's the display model for something seasonal that won't be getting restocked, or is missing something I can live without. You do have to get past the front-line clerk who's not authorized to discuss anything beyond the weather, but generally they're more than happy to get the manager and hand the matter over to him or her. That's when you'll get an actual answer as to whether they can come down on the price at all, and they do that often enough to make the effort worthwhile. (The key is to not be a jerk about it. I'm fascinated by the number of people who think being rude or pushy will work, as if the store somehow owes them the extra discount.)

...and yes, you do your haggling at purchase time, not when you're bringing it back... 

[turquoisetulips]

Sure wish more would take the high road rather than figuring it is 'just the cost of doing business'.   Gracieallen 

I was on that road just yesterday . A buyer was requesting a return for refund  on a necklace she purchased from me on Nov. 11th . Her reason was she decided she just didn't like it enough to keep and proceeded  to  go on as if  the return for refund  was in the bag . I declined the return because I already provide a 30 day free return policy . IMO nobody needs to keep a purchase for nearly 6 weeks  before they decide they don't like it . E bay closed the return . Tulips

[vintagecraze50]

If the item is bad enough to compalin about, then it is bad enough to send back. If it is not that bad then I guess they keep it. Good Job on the EVER Famous RETURN FOR FULL REFUND MANTRA. It works exceptionally well with partial refind scammers.

[vintagecraze50]

How many other stores offer partial refunds: none that I know of. Sure would be nice though because you could buy a whole lot of nice things and then go back to the store complaining of defects and get some great deals. LOL!!!!