Strange buyer question - casual seller, please help

[stuff-n-suds]

Hi everyone.

I received a weird question from a buyer. 

I'm a small, casual seller - sold a camera lens I had ordered by mistake and had laying around the house. Lens was in original packaging, never opened, except for inspecting it for defects. 

I researched same and similar items, priced accordingly, and wrote a lengthy listing, using the manufacturer's information.

Byer sends a message saying they ordered it by mistake, that they thought it was a different kind of lens, - and why did I price it the way I did, as they could find same lens for half that? (Undobtedly overseas sellers and through Amazon. Who knows also if they had a close-out sale..)

They did not ask to return it... yet... 

Here's the link to the ended listing, is it in any way confusing? Buyer thought it was a wide-angle lens. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/122863716586

I have a 14 day return period with 20% restocking fee. Item sell price was $225. 

I guess it it just wait and see... 

How often do you guys get these? It makes me want to not offer returns.. But then it is easy to say the item was damaged isn't it.... 

[banana*shoe*boutique · Accepted solution]

Keep the messages from your buyer.  Do not contact them outside of eBay.

I would do nothing until they request a refund.

Then come back here again and let us know what reason they used.

I know nothing about camerasso I won't comment on your listing but it does seem like you provided a lot of information.

[a_c_green]

Wellll... at its 18mm setting, it is a wide-angle lens, but it sounds more like your buyer is fishing for an excuse to return it. I have to say that he does have a point about your pricing, because when I looked at your completed listing, eBay simultaneously barraged me with a whole lot of other listings for the same item, and those prices were indeed significantly less than what your buyer paid for yours. 

I'm not defending your buyer here, just pointing out where he's coming from. 

If it is in fact in brand new condition, I'd just take it back for a full refund and not fight over the restocking fee if the buyer protests. 

A little off-topic here, but from what you said in your description, when you found you'd bought a second example of the same lens that came with your camera, why didn't you just return it immediately?

[muttlymob]

Buyer thought it was a wide-angle lens. 

Well, it is a wide angle zoom.  What specifically did he think he was buying?

The only issue I can see with the listing (other than your copy/paste of manufacturer write-up, which really shouldn't be done without the manufacturer permission) is in the very last 2 lines at the bottom:

"Package includes: Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Zoom Lens with front & rear lens caps, lens hood and cleaning cloth."

Everything else in the listing is for an 18-55mm zoom, except this one line.  Hard to believe your buyer didn't see anything but that last bit though.

[banana*shoe*boutique]

@a_c_green

The time for the buyer to price check was BEFORE they committed to buy.

Again, I know less than nothing about cameras so I'm not even price shopping, but it seems to me the buyer is having remorse and looking/phishing for an excuse to get a free return and no restocking fee.

[stuff-n-suds]

Good advice, thanks. I will certainly come back here with an update if they do that.

[stuff-n-suds]

It is in brand new condition. Buyer has not asked to return it (yet).

I had thought of returning the lens, then forgot. By the time I remembered 30 days had passed, so I decided to sell it instead. I am not selling it because it is a duplicate, I am selling it because I want to sell it. I guess for your own purposes you could look at it as retail arbitrage.

The line in the listing is there to explain how I purchased it, and why I have not used it.

[stuff-n-suds]

Yes, I definitely messed up on the last bit.

I did not copy / paste from the manufacturer exactly. I built a unique listing. That said, perhaps I was way too close in my description and should have made it a lot more different. I'm aware of IP lawsuits... Hopefully it was different enough not to land me there...

They did say that my listing was for the correct item and that they had made a mistake when ordering. I guess that can happen.

I did exactly that myself when ordering this same lens from Amazon....... My fault entirely.

[stuff-n-suds]

I agree about the price check. I have seen books online for example, for hundreds of dollars where you can get them for just 10 bucks or so.

I do believe they purchased by mistake; as I did too when I bought it--to no fault then of Amazon or the listing.

I don't think this entitles them to a free return. It does fall under my 14 day return policy which cites restocking fee and customer pays for shipping. I agree they are probably fishing.

I don't get why else they would contact a seller and complain about the price.