Is there any need to reply to this buyer?

[bigdeals.etc]

A buyer messaged me earlier today saying they bought a Black and received a Red. They sounded pretty upset and "lecture-y" saying how much of an outrage this was. They demanded a refund and free return postage. I checked and they did indeed purchase a Red. I confirmed this in many areas... they are mistaken of the color they ordered. I have free returns and auto-accept rules though.

So I was biding my time trying to figure out how to get this person to not file a false SNAD and still be able to give them the discounted return postage. Before I knew it, the buyer sent another message basically repeating herself again and lecturing me how to sell my items (stop deceiving buyers). Threatened that if I don't answer them they will leave me a negative. Immediately after that message was sent, the buyer filed a false SNAD return which got auto-accepted. The buyer has the free return postage as they wanted and will get a full refund upon item arrival.

Do I even need to reply to this buyer's messages anymore? I feel it will only make things worse if I tell her she did in fact purchase a Red.

Oh yea... and of course... report buyer and BBL... I'm on it!

[bigdeals.etc]

So here's an update on this case. I sent the buyer a vague message that just said, sorry for the inconvenience... they actually did buy the color they received (according to ebay record) and I'll still honor a return of the item for a refund.

Buyer didn't respond and just sent the item back. When it arrived... Tada!! I noticed that the item isn't the shirt they bought from me... it's the same brand but totally different style, size, and color. I checked out the buyer's feedback page and noticed they received multiple recent feedbacks from a few of my well known competitors. It's very likely that the buyer bought this different shirt from one of them and is mistaking me for the seller of it.

On top of that, the shirt has obvious sweat stains on the back and under the arm pits (you know the white salt residue). So I can't even sell it... I doubt any buyer would buy a used sweat stained shirt.

So to summarize... I got lectured by a buyer, received a false SNAD, possible negative feedback coming, lost a sale and coresponding shipping costs back/forth and received back an item I don't sell nor can re-sell. All because the buyer perhaps mistook me for someone else.

[castlemagicmemories]

This was one for the books.  Everything went wrong, and you unfortunately bore the brunt of that.  I am so sorry.

Hoping things get better for you, and soon, and stay that way!

Happy New Year!

[bigdeals.etc]

Yea, my spidey senses were already going off when I received the first message from the buyer... thinking they might be trouble. Of course I BBL'ed and reported them.

Sometimes your initial gut just ends up being right regardless of how little you have to back it up.

Anyway, happy new year to all and bring on the returns!

[castlemagicmemories]

Oh, no, you used the R word!

Quick, say you didn't mean it and it might go away!

[penguins_dont_fly]

I wouldn't worry about the neg ... If she blatantly said "I'm going to neg you if ...", you can probably beat that for feedback extortion.

And ... She bought red, the order details say she bought  red and her messages say she got red ... If she mentions red in the feedback ...

Personally, I would appeal the whole thing ... is it worth the time and effort though?

You have concierge, right? (Or am I thinking of someone else?)

[gew6463]

Oh dear. Putting aside the loss of merchandise (not a small thing by any means), you really should not get a negative for mistaken identity 😞  I am hoping you can get a possible negative removed as the others mentioned. Since they did threaten a neg when the color was mentioned beforehand, maybe that will help. So sorry you are dealing with this. 

[patriot_bearing_supply]

Agreed. We all make mistakes... Had she been informed that she had selected the wrong color from the drop down (Or the color she got was the default).. it would have ended there. She could have exchanged it, and been happy. Now you have an unhappy customer, that thinks you shipped the wrong thing, and eBay is "forcing" you to take it back. Which they are, because you didn't handle it.

[mikeystoyz]

I agree that the OP dropped the bomb.  That being said the buyer committed theft.

I would report her to ebay, since you have free returns cant you keep 50 percent of the return for restocking?  I would also inform the buyer that the shirt you got back was not the shirt you sent.  If you really want to mess with them report them to the USPS for postal fraud.  I mean they could have made a mistake but that doesnt matter.  They will get a refund from eBay.  

I would nicely email the person that they sent a different shirt back wonder if they mixed you up with someone else.  If they respond that it was your shirt I would then file a report with the post office fraud because the shirt wasnt yours.  They will probably not do anything but the person will be on file.  I personally take any loss of money like this seriously because if they do it once the probably do it dozens of times. 

My experience was I was selling auto parts and the guy wanted to return it.  I said fine, they sent back a rock.  I double checked to make sure the guy sent back the right item.  We were not supplying the Flintstones car parts.  Come to find out the guy did this to the tune of 15k.  He was arrested and sent to prison for 2 1/2 years after all was said and done.  I might sound mean but I dont take theft kindly and what the person did was steal from you.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

So you agree it could have been a mistake yet you’re calling the buyer a thief and want him reported for mail fraud? I think intentional scammers should be reported and prosecuted but this is not a clear case of scamming.

The OP should contact the buyer with the mistaken identity thing then follow up with EBay if the buyer does not go along.

[turquoisetulips]

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@coffeebean832 wrote:

Take a screenshot of her order and circle the part that shows color- attach it to your reply:

Dear Buyer,

I'm sorry you're not satisfied with your purchase. A record of your order is attached for reference. Please return the item for a refund- a return label has already been provided through the return request.

Sincerely,

Seller

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Perfect reply  !  IMO  Tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

Personally, I would appeal the whole thing ... is it worth the time and effort though? penguins dont fly 

I think I would appeal  if this happened to me . Why take a negative plus all this hassle / expense because of a buyers error ? The OP has done the right thing so far  by blocking her  but I wouldn't let it ride . Tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

Do I even need to reply to this buyer's messages anymore? I feel it will only make things worse if I tell her she did in fact purchase a Red. bigdeals - OP 

I would take the advice another poster offered and send the buyer a screen shot of her purchase .  Obviously she has you confused with another seller . If she still leaves a negative then call e bay and present them with the evidence . Hopefully if you speak to the right person  they'll take care of it .  I wouldn't be concerned about making things worse . The fault lies clearly on the shoulders of the buyer ,, and since you've rightfully blocked her  you won't need to deal with her again . Tulips 

[thomasglasshoarder]

If the records clearly show the buyer ordered the color shipped, why would you not immediately respond with a polite acknowledgement of same.  A polite "sorry you are not happy, but that you would be happy to exchange or refund immediately" would have probably gone a long way.  Then again, some buyers are you know what and nothing would have made her happy.

[7606dennis]

I would probably merely tell them that you are sorry that they are unhappy with their purchase and send them a return label advising that you will refund them in full upon receipt of the returned item.

[coffeebean832]

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@mikeystoyz wrote:
I would report her to ebay, since you have free returns cant you keep 50 percent of the return for restocking?

---

When a seller offers free returns they can deduct up to 50% of the refund if the item is sent back in a condition other than it was received. This is not a restocking fee. Restocking fees were done away with- this deduction is because the item is altered or damaged by the buyer and can no longer be resold at the original selling price.

@bigdeals.etc

Since the buyer sent back an item from another seller- complete with stains- I would deduct the 50% allowed by your free returns policy and let them hash it out with eBay. This will also protect you from any negative feedback.

If you have concierge service as another poster suggested I might ask them what the chances are of an appeal as they can clearly see the buyer's purchase history. You can also report the buyer for abusing the MBG and sending back an item altered to the state of unsellable.