Scammer Protection

[nakedtrees]

recently started selling on ebay again and boy are the scammers alive and well. I sold this NWT Pronovias dress for 137.50. It's a 1600 dress and I had to get Ebay to step in to even get the buyer to pay. (Should have been my first red flag). Long story short upon receiving the dress the buyer claimed that thier were alteration marks all over the sleeves. As you can see in all my photos that dress was not sent that's way. Buyer refuses to upload complete pictures of the dress. Anyway. She requested to return it.  She also threatened to leave negative feedback. Which she did. (That's a first time for that).  My funds are in hold for any future sells and I have to wait till the 11th to have Ebay step in. What is my recourse here?  I have pictures of the dress in every angle that show it was not sent that's way. What steps can I take in the future to protect myself. I'm dead set on not refunding. It's a scam and I don't think scammers should be rewarded. Plus what? She gets to mark the dress up, gets her money back and I'm stuck with a dress that is i can't sell? She also provided pictures of her Bridal store. Seems to me she has all the tools to do alterations?

[robbie31415]

It's pretty much your fault IMHO.

Forcing the buyer to pay... Never a good thing. And you asked eBay for help to get them to pay? Lol wut....

Should have been a cancellation for non payment.

[fm2000]

You can't win in this situation, you have to accept the return or eBay will step in and you will be out your money AND the dress AND you will have a defect on your record to boot. They may have made those alteration marks themselves, but you can't technically prove it; eBay will still side with the buyer (the buyer can claim it was a different dress than your sent them, or you put the marks on there after you took the photos etc.)

Approve/accept the return ASAP, and put the buyer on your BBL. eBay may remove the feedback if you ask (accept the return first!) since she threatened you with negative feedback, but it is not guaranteed.

[kraftique]

Just get you dress back and do the refund.  But- make sure when you get the package back -you film the  moment you have the package on  a table unopened. - you could weight it if you want take that shot.  Then film it being unopened- just in case the buyer pulls a return trick on you.  I have read many people not getting back what they sent or and item was ruined.

   There are to many crazies out there.

[slati_2013]

Never force a buyer to pay for anything. If they do not pay, let it go. I never, ever pursue any buyer to pay. Don't send invoices or reminders. If they want it, they will pay for it. It has been a year and more now since I had a non-paying buyer. eBay simply closed the last case for me. 

In this case you have no choice but to accept the return. She probably altered the dress and wore it for an occasion and is returning it to get her money back. Unfortunately eBay is in no position to say who is telling the truth in this case so they will side with the buyer.  If you do not refund you will not be allowed to sell on eBay. Once kicked off eBay, getting back is not easy if ever possible. Accept the return and chalk it up as a learning experience and cost of doing business. I know it hurts but every seller on eBay has been there before. 

[robbie31415]

I mean if you force something on someone...

They have the eBay MBG.

Time to comb over the entire item and find multiple issues that weren't disclosed in the listing.

It's dumb to force an item on a buyer on eBay when they have the MBG.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@nakedtrees wrote:

I had to get Ebay to step in to even get the buyer to pay.

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How does one even do that?!

[dbfolks166mt]

@nakedtrees wrote:

I had to get Ebay to step in to even get the buyer to pay.

How does one even do that?!

     I was also curious how they managed to pull that one off. Maybe the OP can elaborate a bit more. 

[reallynicestamps]

She requested to return it.

" I regret you are unhappy with your purchase. Please return it for refund. "

Rinse , repeat.

If she demands a Return Shipping Label.

"I regret you are unhappy with your purchase. Please open a Claim so I can send a Return Shipping Label"

Rinse, repeat.

Whether or not there were tailoring marks on the dress when you sent it, there are now.

With luck, they were not made with an indelible felt pen.

Never make a customer who has your product in hand angry.

She also threatened to leave negative feedback.

That is Feedback Extortion , and once you have your dress back and the angry customer refunded, you can get it removed.

[chapeau-noir]

If you're 'dead set' on not refunding and wait for eBay to step in, you will lose the dresses, the funds and get a black mark on your record for unresolved case.

I used to sell wedding dresses and I'm not trying to be flip when I say the only way to avoid problems is not to sell wedding dresses. 🥺

[pickapaper]

I just hope this isn't one of those "rent a dress" situations where the bride wore the dress and now wants to return it.    There used to be a seller on here who specialized in wedding dresses and I remember reading how that was a big problem for her. 

[luckythewinner]

I have to wait till the 11th to have Ebay step in

If you ask eBay to step in, then:

• you will almost certainly lose the dispute,
• you will almost certainly be forced to refund,
• you will almost certainly still have to pay the eBay fees
• you will almost certainly not get your dress back
• you will get a defect on your account

[mtgraves7984]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

If you're 'dead set' on not refunding and wait for eBay to step in, you will lose the dresses, the funds and get a black mark on your record for unresolved case.

I used to sell wedding dresses and I'm not trying to be flip when I say the only way to avoid problems is not to sell wedding dresses. 🥺

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@chapeau-noir 

What you said. I used to work in an upper-end consignment shop who sold wedding dresses. The very most we ever put on dresses (even $3K dresses, new with the tag) was a whopping $400... the consignee bagged $200 at (month's end of) sale. There, we'd refund within a month. (After 30 days, we'd consign it.) We had fitters and a seamstress on staff, though.

But... the 'try on' factor for dresses is what sold ours. I agree with you 100%... I'd never try to move wedding dresses here.

[cybersupply29]

Are you not able to do a partial refund?