Buyer wants to return item. I assume I should accept it? Things buyer says are a bit strange

[list14]

I sold a gorgeous dress that retailed for $1,000 that was worn one time.  The dress is open in the back and is closed by ribbon (see picture). It has a very wide tulle skirt with lots of layers of tulle. Because of the dress being tied in the back, the dress fits  sizes 2-12 and you adjust the back accordingly. A girl who is a size 10-12 tried on the dress and it fit beautifully.  

Buyer wants to return the dress but among the things she wrote in her messages is the following:

This dress is so defective that I cannot even donate it to a local thrift store. (seriously...? This dress is not defective - as i said there are lots of layers of tulle but there are a few tears in the tulle that I noted in the listing.  It's hardly even noticetable because there are so many layers of tulle)

As well, the sizing you gave for this dress is totally inacurate. I am a size 8 or 10. I am half naked in this dress. No way I can go out in public. (Too funny... no, she should not to out in public naked  ...)

the little zipper could not be done up. It remains spread apart, showing the top of my blue bikini underwear. This is because the dress is simply way too small -- no way it will fit size 8/10/12. Could I truly wear this in public, with my underwear showing? (maybe she should wear white underwear and save her blue bikini underwear for another day... (more eye rolls))  And should I say that yes, she can truly wear this in public with her underwear showing?

I know I'm being somewhat snarky which is not me at all but I really am rolling my eyes at what she wrote.

My questions - I assume I need to just accept the return?  Because the dress has a lot of tulle and is a very expensive dress, I took a lot of time to pack it up, with lots of tissue papers, large box, etc.  So I added cost to the shipping to cover that.  

What do I do? Just accept it? Will Ebay take out my money the same cost for return shipping?  The shipping did not cost as much as listed because I added extra to cover the time packing it.  

Thank you.

[susmcl23]

She's probably closer to a 14 and it just won't fit her. However if she has a not as described claim, you have to accept the return.

You can then issue a return shipping label through eBay.

[annasunicorns]

I would probably respond with, "Hello, Im sorry you were surprised by this, the dress is designed to show some skin in back, see the listing pictures. So may I recommend either nude underwear or putting a piece of fabric under the tie area so that your skin is not showing, if it bothers you. This dress can be worn many ways, more or less modest, depending on the taste of the lady. But this is not an issue or manufactuerer defect, its part of this item being an adjustible sized dress. Please refer to the item description for further detail."

Anyone that upset tho, sounds more like a renter or person unhappy with the amount of money they spent vs. Actual dress flaw. If shes sincere, id further mention that a simple white or beige fabric napkin will do the trick.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

"This dress is so defective that I can't even donate it to a thrift store" is a red flag and sounds to me like --just hit that refund button and let me keep it. I'm worried about what kind of shape the dress you get back will be in, but ebay doesn't have your back covered....pun intended. 

[jason_incognito]

For starters, don't jump to any kind of a conclusion. It will do you no good.

You will be taking the return. Accept that. You cannot argue your way out of this and trying will only make things worse. 

I would accept the return and send a note on a good way to pack it so that it makes it back.  When it gets back, refund the money.

I recently sold a gift card and the person wanted a refund because she said it had been used. 

I knew where it came from and knew the entire chain of ownership. It had not been used. I bit it and sent her return postage. She sent a nasty message that I ripped her off and then to add insult to it I was gonna make her return an empty card? She didn't use the return postage I sent, she paid for it herself, then I pull the card out and the redemption code hadn't been scratched off. She sent back an unused gift card. She was just not inteligent enough to figure out how to redeem it.

You could just be dealing with an idot who is kidding themselves about their size? 

[emerald40]

Not all people who are size 12 are proportioned the same.  Just because it fit your size 12 friend does not mean it would fit all size 12 women.  Better to just show measurements and let individuals judge by themselves.

One dress that can be worn by sizes 2 to 12.  Maybe, but not worn well when you get to the upper sizes.  Next time imo leave that out.  It may sound like a draw that a lot of women can wear it, but frankly what looks good on a size 2 girl is just not going to work for a full figure women.  Material can only stretch so far and it is going to show more than the average woman wants shown.

Also I do not care how much tulle is there, if it is ripped, them imo it should not be listed for purchase.  It is a snad waiting to happen.

From your own admission in this thread I see several red flags as to why a buyer would have to return this dress.

[a_c_green]

---

@jason_incognito wrote:

You will be taking the return. Accept that. You cannot argue your way out of this and trying will only make things worse. 

---

Agreed, although I would put it this way: You will be refunding. Accept that. So you might as well request Return for Refund and get the dress back as well.

At that point, you can regroup, make whatever repairs might seem necessary, and relist.

[lunalapin1912]

You should just put the measurements into the listing. Do you know if it's the old sizing or the new sizing? Today's sizes are much larger than the sizes of the 1990s which are larger than the same sizes of the 1960s.

Was it in American sizing or Asian sizing?  Big difference there.   Really, it's not safe to leave out the exact measurements.

[list14]

Thanks for your input!

[smileytown18]

In my experience with buyers, many kid themselves with their sizing. I'm not sure why, maybe it makes them feel better. I have had people send me their measurements and they claim to be a size that makes no sense. Usuall its a size they ONCE were. (pre-baby, pre-wedding, pre-cake-eating fest, or whatever....)

That being said, I never heard of a gown that fits 2-12. The front should look odd, theres a certain size it should fit (up or down a bit).

[castlemagicmemories]

It seems to me that the dress is for a child's size 10-12, judging by the picture, and a woman who is size 10-12 bought it.  If you didn't have measurements in the listing, adding those might have helped.  

[castlemagicmemories]

Accept the return.  Buyer may decide not to return (the blue bikini underwear showing may have grown on her, LOL)

[coolections]

Size 2 to 12 ? Where did you come up with that ? You should have never put that in the listing as you made it sound like it fits almost anyone. My guess is a size 2 to 12 fits a size 6 to 8. Anyone person other than size 6 to 8 it will most likely not fit. Also you cannot say it is not defective then go on to say it has tears. It is a MUST that anything you write in a description is the exact item the person will get.

[robot-hands]

---

@list14 wrote:

I sold a gorgeous dress that retailed for $1,000 that was worn one time.  The dress is open in the back and is closed by ribbon (see picture). It has a very wide tulle skirt with lots of layers of tulle. Because of the dress being tied in the back, the dress fits  sizes 2-12 and you adjust the back accordingly. A girl who is a size 10-12 tried on the dress and it fit beautifully.  

Buyer wants to return the dress but among the things she wrote in her messages is the following:

This dress is so defective that I cannot even donate it to a local thrift store. (seriously...? This dress is not defective - as i said there are lots of layers of tulle but there are a few tears in the tulle that I noted in the listing.  It's hardly even noticetable because there are so many layers of tulle)

As well, the sizing you gave for this dress is totally inacurate. I am a size 8 or 10. I am half naked in this dress. No way I can go out in public. (Too funny... no, she should not to out in public naked  ...)

the little zipper could not be done up. It remains spread apart, showing the top of my blue bikini underwear. This is because the dress is simply way too small -- no way it will fit size 8/10/12. Could I truly wear this in public, with my underwear showing? (maybe she should wear white underwear and save her blue bikini underwear for another day... (more eye rolls))  And should I say that yes, she can truly wear this in public with her underwear showing?

I know I'm being somewhat snarky which is not me at all but I really am rolling my eyes at what she wrote.

My questions - I assume I need to just accept the return?  Because the dress has a lot of tulle and is a very expensive dress, I took a lot of time to pack it up, with lots of tissue papers, large box, etc.  So I added cost to the shipping to cover that.  

What do I do? Just accept it? Will Ebay take out my money the same cost for return shipping?  The shipping did not cost as much as listed because I added extra to cover the time packing it.  

Thank you.

---

Is that even a thing? Sounds like unrequired embellishment to me.

Someone that needs to embellish or rationalize a way to avoid paying return shipping is just part of the game anymore.

BBL first.

Just send your address maybe they are noob enough to just send it back without opening a return.

[emerald_door]

Did the buyer open a Not as Described case?  You will have to take it back and refund shipping both ways. 

In the future, list the actual size, along with measurements.  if the picture shows it on a size 2 model, we can only imagine how it will look on size 10 or 12.  You could also show it on the larger size model to make it clear exactly how it fits her.