Buyer asking me to cancel

[xpress4]

My auction (196258013768) ended Sunday. The buyer hadn't paid and contacted me today asking me to cancel the order because they just noticed there is a missing dangle on the brooch. The title, description, and photo all clearly note missing dangle.

I'm pretty frustrated by the request. I'm relatively new to the process. Is it best to just cancel it as requested to avoid an angry feedback from the buyer? Should the buyer be the one cancelling? How would those actions potentially negatively impact me?

Thanks for any advice!

[gator08041971]

I would cancel.

There is nothing to be gained by trying to push it to be bought, because then you may have to deal with a return anyway. Cancel while you have control of the item, its far better for you.

If they are making the request, its not going to affect your performance.  If they haven't paid, that makes it even better.  If they had paid, and you didn't ship it yet, you can refund them too and it won't count against you as the buyer is the one making the request.

It could have been an honest mistake, they might not have noticed the piece missing and realized it afterwards.  It happens.

You get pinched if you cancel due to out of stock or something, as that reflects badly on you.

[lakefor94]

Cancel the sale with the reason as "buyer requested".

[dhbookds]

Seller has to cancel, using buyer requested as the reason.....

Much better to cancel now..........  Even if you could (and you can't) force payment and then ship......you would be open to negs and a Not as Described Return.......for which you would have to pay......

[deltilogical]

Welcome to the efficient world of cell phone shoppers.  The world is their oyster.  They don't read descriptions and are looking at a 2" photo. 

At least you didn't waste the effort and expense of shipping to only have it (maybe) returned.  Relist, block buyer, and move on!  

If you want to do e-commerce, you have to remove all emotion from it.  Its a humanless endeavour.

[toysaver]

Yeah, do what they said but also remove the extra dangle when you relist the piece.

[farmalljr]

You can wait until 4 days have past to cancel for non payment and the buyer will get a strike. In either event, however you handle it, I would block the buyer from future bids/purchases. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@farmalljr wrote:

You can wait until 4 days have past to cancel for non payment and the buyer will get a strike..... 

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That's not a good strategy, because a buyer who is aware of the nonpayment process and penalties will probably pay at the last minute, to avoid those penalties. And that can lead to the situation described above, where the seller ends up refunding anyway but is out-of-pocket for shipping both ways.

[gator08041971]

Yeah, anytime someone suggests this, makes me think they are just trying to get revenge on a change of mind buyer.

That is not a good business strategy.  So please stop suggesting this.