eBay

gingergottin · ‎06-08-2023

I sold a $10 dress (free shipping) a few days ago. Initially the buyer bid $6, sending me a message that she "hopes you will work with me on this." I should have listened to my intuition but I ignored it and ended up selling it for $8.

Tonight she demanded a refund because it arrived more wrinkled than it was in the photos I posted online. I KNEW this was going to happen and I'm exhausted so I just replied "Return for refund." I'm now being bombarded with emails about how she shouldn't have to pay for my mistake (apparently I'm bad at packaging? - my feedback praises my packaging routinely lol) she deserves AT LEAST a partial refund, this should be a "learning lesson" for me, she's keeping it but she'll be donating it anyway since it's ruined, it's dry clean only and can't be ironed (btw, I mention that it's dry clean only in the listing).

What can I do? I sell so few items on this account that I don't want the ding for a case and I hate to get negative feedback when I don't think I did anything wrong.

inhawaii · ‎06-09-2023

@gingergottin wrote:
So I was feeling really down about 20 minutes ago because I got what looked like an automated response saying my feedback removal was denied BUT then I went back to look at her negative feedback so I could write a polite reply and I had a message saying that the feedback was removed. Thank you for letting me vent here and for your advice and support. I'm happy it was resolved and so fast too!

Highway Patrol - Junior Brown

dhbookds · ‎06-09-2023

lol..........I obviously need more coffee!!!!!

lacemaker3 · ‎06-09-2023

@iamalwaysright wrote:
@albertabrightalberta wrote:
If you did tell the buyer to return for refund and if it's in your ebay messages but instead of returning, she just negged you, you might be successful in getting that feedback removed. You can report the feedback pointing out that messages indicate that you told her to return and she refused.

How is this so? Is this in ebay policy? I've never heard of it. This happens to me from time to time, and you're saying I have a good chance of getting the negs removed solely because I previously messaged the buyer that I accept returns for the item? And this is what you tell the rep as the reason for a feedback removal? Does it have to be a neg left after that message, or can there be other back and forth messages in between that and the neg? Interesting.

@iamalwaysright,

It's not just because @gingergottin said "return for a refund", it's because the buyer demanded a partial refund instead, without returning the item. (Sellers can offer a partial refund, if they feel it is appropriate, but buyers are not allowed to demand anything that was not offered.)

Here's the policy:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-performance-policy/seller-performance-def...

The highlighted link above leads to this policy:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/rules-policies-buyers/buying-practices-policy?id=4374#section2

wes-4507 · ‎06-09-2023

Glad the Meg was removed, but selling something for $8 with free shipping seems like a lot of work, and a lot of risk, for almost nothing.

gingergottin · ‎06-09-2023

Thank you for including the policies! I don't often have issues with buyers so I rarely have to consult the policies but it's good to know that we are (in some ways) protected in situations like this. She violated both of the highlighted items blatantly so I assume that's why they removed the feedback quickly and let me know I wouldn't receive a defect.

I agree that it's a lot of trouble for an $8 item - but I had hoped to sell it for $10 and make a couple dollars, in the end I let her negotiate me down because I've had the item awhile and wanted to get rid of it. She initially offered $6 with a note saying that she hoped I could work with her on this...red flags everywhere, I should have known better lol.

sextons-sweet-deals · ‎06-09-2023

Sounds like Karen the scammer looking for a freebie.

I would not refund anything unless she ships it back. You can reply to her negative feedback to tell your side for everyone to read.

wes-4507 · ‎06-09-2023

How many items would you have to sell to make up for a return on one $10 item with free shipping?

byrd69er · ‎06-09-2023

What can you do? Don't be desperate to make a sale. Follow your intuition. Get paid what you want to be paid. You don't owe anyone a discount just because. Your on eBay to make money...not friends.