Buyer claims item smells bad

[sethandlorismama]

I recently sold a nice blouse and the buyer messaged me to say that it had a bad smell when she received it. I asked for a description of the smell and she said it smelled musty and stale. I was confused by this as the item did not smell musty or stale when it was in my home. She said she had to have it professionally laundered to remove the smell. I went ahead and offered a partial refund of about 30% of the sold price as a courtesy and I guess that wasn’t good enough, because she has now informed me that she’s going to message eBay. What should I expect now? Is eBay going to take her side? I’ve heard a lot that eBay always takes the buyer’s side. 

[banana*shoe*boutique]

In the future, I would not offer/send a partial refund.  It's best to send a return label and refund.

As for what will eBay do...I have no idea.  Have you sent the 30% refund or just offered one? 

[emerald40]

No partials.  If a blouse smells, as she claims, would you wear it at any price.

Return for refund.

[couldabeenworse]

I’ve heard a lot that eBay always takes the buyer’s side. 

Had the buyer just filed a Not As Described claim with eBay, eBay would have undoubtedly have had here return for a full refund, with you paying the return shipping.   Most likely, that is still what they'll do.  On rare occasions, eBay will offer some sort of partial refund at their own expense, and allow the buyer to keep them item.

In the Good Ol' Days up to about six months ago, if a buyer admitted laundering an item, the seller could call to have a claim closed in their favor, but that no longer appears to be the case.

Unless you are concerned about possible negative feedback, there's nothing for you to do until you hear from eBay.

Good luck....

[saha_8051]

She said she had to have it professionally laundered to remove the smell

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She altered the item. You could fight the return 

[ed8108]

Buyer has significantly altered the item by removing the pleasant musty

smell, & unable to return it in the same condition as received. 

EBay won't be able to help the buyer put the musty smell back !

Do not delete those ebay messages from this buyer admitting her inappropriate behavior in altering of this item's fragrance.

Good luck in a possible interaction with ebay related to this issue.

[castlemagicmemories]

I believe professionally laundered means she altered the item, and thus cannot return it in the condition that it was sent.  You are not responsible for the cost she decided to incur by having it professionally laundered.

Ebay has stopped mediating in situations like this in recent months, though, so that information may do you no good.  

[ed8108]

Buyer admitted to having altered the item, this was done without your knowledge and consent, and then afterwards decides to complain.

Unusual & suspicious buyer conduct.

[sethandlorismama]

I offered the partial refund because when I first asked what she would like me to do she said reduce the price. So that’s what I did, I offered to refund part of the money. That’s when she responded and said she was going to message eBay. I have only offered, I have not sent any refund.

[sethandlorismama]

Of course I would not wear something that had a bad smell for any price. But it did not smell when I mailed it. How did it pick up a bad smell in route from my home to hers? 

[ed8108]

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@sethandlorismama wrote:

Of course I would not wear something that had a bad smell for any price. But it did not smell when I mailed it. How did it pick up a bad smell in route from my home to hers? 

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The question you may be asking yourself did the item have a bad smell and was it ever professionally laundered ?

 No partial refund

[n2knowledge]

Smells are subjective.  My sister lives in humid Texas - I can smell musty things from her house (fabric, paper goods etc.)- and she can't smell it - because she lives in it.  So yes, mold /must is stronger for people that might live in dryer areas.  As far as professional cleaning - I could not get musty odors out with baking soda, vingear and bleach even - the fabric I once bought I had to toss out - so if she got the item cleaned and it still smelled mold and musty - she probably does not want it.  I don't think washing a piece of clothes counts as not as original - unless it was new with tags and the tags were removed and it was then washed.  Return for full refund is the best bet - unfortunately with Ebay's BUYER protection - the Buyer will get their money back for item NOT as DESCRIBED - it's not a pleasant thing for sellers - but it happens.

[emerald40]

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@sethandlorismama wrote:

Of course I would not wear something that had a bad smell for any price. But it did not smell when I mailed it. How did it pick up a bad smell in route from my home to hers? 

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That is not what I meant.  If she truely believed it smelled she would never want to wear it.

She is just looking for money back.

[ed8108]

Buyer says that this purported smell is now gone, she wants to keep the item, buyer has asked for a partial refund, but wants more than 30% off.

[dilo-8873]

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@ed8108 wrote:

Buyer says that this purported smell is now gone, she wants to keep the item, buyer has asked for a partial refund, but wants more than 30% off.

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That’s exactly the way I read it!