Trying to Decide About a Total Refund

[catnipdelight]

I am getting rid of random things.  I listed multiples of some vintage nylon stockings (not panty hose) new in sealed package from the 70s.  The original tag on the package which was from an upscale store back in the day, suggested that there were 3 pair of nylons in each package.  I had no reason to doubt that.  Most vintage nylon packages that I have contain at least TWO pair.  

I have sold nylons before, but never this brand.  I had 6 packages.  The buyer purchased 3 of them.  I noticed that during the night, he had first attempted to make me an offer, but then changed his mind and paid full price--I wasn't asking nearly what some people get for these, by the way.  Because he purchased multiples, I reimbursed him a shipping discount.   I had a package to send, so I put his package together and mailed it in mid-morning. 

That afternoon, I checked my email and saw a message from this buyer ... he had purchased another LOT of vintage nylons (different brands, none the same as the first ones), and asked me to "combine shipping."   I told him I had already shipped the items from the morning, but agreed to ship for only $2.  So I sent them later in the afternoon.

The NEXT DAY, this guy messages me again and asks "how much" would it be if he purchased the remaining 3 packages of the upscale store brand ... I gave him free shipping minus a couple dollars and put those in the mail yesterday morning.  

TODAY, I get a message from the buyer saying the first package arrived and he is "disappointed."  Because he states there is actually only one pair of nylons in each package.  Not three as the package says.  I don't believe that.   I told him this:  Go ahead and return ALL of the nylons to me when you receive all of them.  Ship all of them back to me without opening ANY more of the packages and I will reimburse you in full, with the exception of the shipping back to me, which should run him $5 or so.  

He has not yet filed an Item Not as Described.  I just want to put this behind me in the easiest way.  Any  advice or thoughts?     

[chapeau-noir]

I would say the ball is in his court, now. He has to file for a return. He may file only for the return of that particular order (you can't actually force him to return the items he wants to keep), he may wait for the others to arrive, or he may just drop it. 

[rosachs]

He definitely needs to file a Return Request for ANYTHING he wants to return, so that you, he, and eBay all have a record that all purchases were returned.

Or they may have just been fishing to get something for free, seeing if you would panic and rush to refund them and never bother about the return (it's a newbie thing that some folks take advantage of).  When you ask these folks to 'open a return request', they go silent and don't return.  Why?  Because they don't want a record, on eBay, of them returning anything.  Doing so would limit, eventually, their ability to purchase anything else -- a buyer who eBay confirms has returned 50% of their purchases may be a problematic buyer.  Walmart will stop accepting your return if you have too many... other venues also monitor returns for abuse.  I've had a lot of buyers just stop communicating when I tell them they have to file the Return Request.  The boss thinks it's a bad idea - eBay tracks how many times we have items returned as well... but these folks never file, so they never get counted.

I don't do partial refunds, and I don't do refunds without a Request being opened.  These two 'restrictions' have reduced the number of refunds we've actually had to do.

-Bob.

[chapeau-noir]

His accelerating passive-aggressive demands and your acquiescence to them may have given him the idea that he can get something more with a little pushing. Give some people an inch, etc. etc.

[mam98031]

It is likely he was fishing for you to give him another discount / partial refund.  You handled the situation perfectly.  Now you need to just be silent.  The next move is your buyers.  Don't poke the bear by sending any more emails.  I know that can be hard, but it is in your best interest.

[date-bait · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I have a thought on your stockings. On the price sticker --- 99¢ is crossed out. I believe that was the price for one pair of packaged stockings. OR you could buy three packages for $2.85 (and save a whooping 15¢).

I believe your buyer - there is only one pair in the package.

I would refund him and move on...but, that's me.

BTW --- you have some really NICE things listed.

[fbusoni]

When buyers get chatty, that's a sure sign of trouble.

Your reply was correct.   Except I would tell him that you WILL reimburse him for $5 for the shipping he paid. 

If you have not done so already, ask him to request a return and authorize it STAT.   Make clear to him that you will reimburse him the shipping. 

This guy sounds like precisely the sort of cheapskate who will leave you negative feedback, if he can, out of spite.   

(Once its all over, make sure you block him.)

[pickapaper]

@date-bait wrote :

I have a thought on your stockings. On the price sticker --- 99¢ is crossed out. I believe that was the price for one pair of packaged stockings. OR you could buy three packages for $2.85 (and save a whooping 15¢).

I believe your buyer - there is only one pair in the package.

I would refund him and move on...but, that's me.

In looking at OP's photos, I agree with Date-Bait.  I think there is only one pair of stockings in each package and one package was 99c, or you could buy three packages for $2.85. 

There was a Mode O Day store in the town where I live, in the late 60s, early 70s, I think.  They were a chain women's clothing store, kind of middle of the road, not cheap but not "upscale".

[catnipdelight]

Thank you for all of the helpful replies and suggestions.  I haven't heard more from the buyer yet, but I'm sure I will...  I had an uncomfortable feeling early on and should have been attentive to that intuition.

I am not trying to be deceiving in anything I sell, particularly not a pair of nylons, so I feel really foolish if my listing was wrong.  The nylon packages that I understood to contain "3 pair" were nicer and plumper packages than any others that I had for sale, so it never occurred to me it would only be one pair.   😟 

I found MORE nylons that I got at an estate sale once upon a time.  I'm not even going to list them.  I did go ahead and block this buyer from future purchases.

[soh.maryl]

Regarding a return case, if a buyer opens an NAD case, there is no such thing as the seller authorizing it, STAT or otherwise.  

[date-bait]

Currently, a package of Mode O' Day stockings are listed on eBay --- do a search. They have the same price sticker shown (inked out) as what you sold. This seller states there is one pair of stockings. Their package is opened and the seller shows the stockings.
Honestly believe that you were mistaken as to the number of stockings the buyer would receive. On a sealed package, that's easy to do. Of course, you weren't trying to be deceitful...it's a mistake.
I would believe the buyer and refund him his total amount and allow him to keep the stockings. I don't think he's done anything wrong. 
Who would lie about how many pairs of hose are in a $5.00 listing?

[pickapaper]

Don't let this one incident scare you off.  Go ahead and list your other vintage stockings.

I haven't found any for a while but am always happy when I do.  You won't get rich but there is a good market for them on eBay.  A certain segment of the population loves them.  

[albertabrightalberta]

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@catnipdelight wrote:

TODAY, I get a message from the buyer saying the first package arrived and he is "disappointed."  Because he states there is actually only one pair of nylons in each package.  Not three as the package says.  I don't believe that.       

---

I agree with @date-bait . The package in question contains a single pair of stockings and rather than being a PITA, the buyer is correct and you goofed in the listing. 

Unlike your other listing in which several of the packages clearly indicated they contained multiple pairs of nylons, the one in question was for a single pair with a discounted price should the buyer purchase multiples. 

If these were my sales, after realizing my own error, I'd offer profuse apologies and unblock the buyer.

@catnipdelight wrote:

I told him this:  Go ahead and return ALL of the nylons to me when you receive all of them.  Ship all of them back to me without opening ANY more of the packages and I will reimburse you in full, with the exception of the shipping back to me, which should run him $5 or so.    

---

You cannot (and should not) make the buyer pay for return shipping. You sold SNAD items and as such, you have to pay return shipping.

[mam98031]

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@date-bait wrote:

Currently, a package of Mode O' Day stockings are listed on eBay --- do a search. They have the same price sticker shown (inked out) as what you sold. This seller states there is one pair of stockings. Their package is opened and the seller shows the stockings.
Honestly believe that you were mistaken as to the number of stockings the buyer would receive. On a sealed package, that's easy to do. Of course, you weren't trying to be deceitful...it's a mistake.
I would believe the buyer and refund him his total amount and allow him to keep the stockings. I don't think he's done anything wrong. 
Who would lie about how many pairs of hose are in a $5.00 listing?

---

The OP is doing the right thing.  They have offered to take the return and give the buyer a FULL refund.  

Maybe the OP made an honest mistake, we all make them from time to time.  The OP is willing to do the right thing by the buyer, which is exactly what they should do.

As why a buyer would lie about a $5, it happens all the time to sellers.  Heck I just had one on a $1.79 purchase earlier this week.  Some buyers are simply looking for free stuff.

In this particular case, I thing the OP made an honest mistake and they are willing to do the right thing for the buyer.  That is a responsible seller.

[fbusoni]

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@date-bait wrote:

I would believe the buyer and refund him his total amount and allow him to keep the stockings. I don't think he's done anything wrong. 
Who would lie about how many pairs of hose are in a $5.00 listing?

---

@date-bait  Are you suggesting that the buyer be refunded and allowed to keep all of the items he purchased -- including those that were correctly advertised and with which he is happy?

In a way, that would be the easiest thing to do for the simple reason that it does not, in the slightest, inconvenience the customer.   

But it seems to me that if the buyer is happy with the items that were correctly advertised, then he should pay for those.   

I do think that your advice for reimbursement with no return required is sound for those items that the seller accidentally misrepresented.  Better than my earlier suggestion of reimbursing the buyer for shipping once @catnipdelight receives the items back.

regards