3-Way Issue: Buyer and USPS

[stuff_from_dylan]

Hello,

This is my first time dealing with an issue with a buyer an eBay. To sum it up, at the end of November the buyer asked me if a jacket was genuine leather. I replied I’m not sure, and provided her with a photo of the tag. She made an offer that I accepted. Anyways, I shipped the item and everything was fine. Today she messaged me showing photos of the jacket with holes and stuff. I swear there were NO HOLES. I’m assuming that USPS damaged it. I filed a claim with them to solve that issue. She also is claiming that it isn’t genuine leather which may be true, but I said I wasn’t sure and provided her with a photo of the tag. She is claming that I never did so. I reported the buyer and offered her the partial refund that covers everything but the shipping cost, so I’ll cut even. Is there anything else I should do?

PS: I am not on eBay to make tons of money, but I want to make a profit of the items I sell. She was also very rude in messages and explicticly lies about the tag in messages and claiming I am making up lies. Thank you for reading, I am very upset that this happened.

[five*sisters]

Not to be snarky, but you kind of brought this on yourself, as a seller, its up to you to know what your item is,and describe it as such. Its not the buyers responsibility to decide if it is real leather or not. You say there were holes in the jacket, and you filed with Usps, did you have insurance?If the buyer is happy with the partial you offered, then theres nothing else to worry about. But if she files a snad for a refund, you are responsible for her return shipping..good luck.

[stuff_from_dylan]

I used one of those boxes that has $50 of insurance. I didn’t know how to find if it was real leather or not and that’s what I told the buyer and showed her the tag. Am I at fault?

[five*sisters]

Yes..its like these sellers that list rings and say they dont know if the gemstones are real or not,or if the designer purse is authentic.Thats not allowed on Ebay.

[buyselljack2016]

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@stuff_from_dylan wrote:

I used one of those boxes that has $50 of insurance. I didn’t know how to find if it was real leather or not and that’s what I told the buyer and showed her the tag. Am I at fault?

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If your listing said leather, then it must be leather.

[stuff_from_dylan]

Oh, but I still sent a clear photo of the tag with the materials, isn’t that being truthful?

[buyselljack2016]

If your listing said leather, then it must be leather.

Or it can be a SNAD

Rinse, and repeat.

[stuff_from_dylan]

Oh, I was unaware of that. I should fix my other listings...

[lintbrush*]

The coat listing that said leather in the title, specs and description?

You keep saying you showed her the label, but what did it say?  Did it say leather? 

If it's that listing - with the extremely wrinkled jacket, how would you know if there were holes or not?

Buyer can deny partial offer - and you will either be refunding in full and paying for return shipping, or simply refunding without a return and cutting your losses (not having to spend return shipping too).  

Be glad shipping wasn't $50.

You should really aim for better pics when selling used - especially when there are condition issues.  

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/listing-and-marketing/photo-tips.html

https://ir.ebaystatic.com/pictures/aw/sell/Photo_Center_Guide_edit.pdf

And you need to really spell out what you mean by pre-owned.  Is it fair, good, very good or excellent pre-owned?  What makes it so?

Don't mean for my post to sound harsh.  I'm just being direct.  You may have better profits and less future problems if people knew exactly what they were getting.

[stuff_from_dylan]

You’re not being harsh at all, but rather helpful! I’m a new seller so I wasn’t aware of a lot of these things. Yes there were lots of wrinkles but I’m positive there weren’t any rips. Anyways, if it’s fake leather what would I say? Faux leather? If not do you know? Thank you.

[step22-51]

Unless the box was damaged insurance probably won't pay

[lintbrush*]

The tag would've said Genuine Leather or just Leather

Anything else is faux leather, or PU leather (Polyurethane)... or if you're old school like me, it's pleather (plastic leather) or leatherette (not a term you see anymore).  I'm not fond of using PU leather in listings.   It makes it sound like it's leather when it's not.  Leather is hide.  There are different grades of leather too.

Since you're open to suggestions, think about what you do when you are buying something used (for personal or resale).  Do you pick it up? look inside? check out the bottom, sides, back, inside, etc?  Do you smell it?  That's what you've got to do for your buyers when describing and taking photos.

I wouldn't simply buy a used item in a poorly lit case without looking at it closely.  You are you buyers eyes and hands.

Those photo links I gave you are helpful.  Also look at some of your competitors.  How do they do it?  What makes their listings sell?  With shoes you've got to show it all front to back, top to bottom, inside and out.  Same with handbags.

Now back to your situation.  Do you think it was damaged in shipping?  Did the buyer indicate that?  Insurance claims are between you and the carrier.  If there was shipping damage, you can only hope you have a cooperative buyer, but it's still your responsibility to either put the item, as described, in the buyer's hands, or make them whole.   That's how the Money Back Guarantee works.  The buyers refund isn't contingent upon the insurance.  

If the tag didn't say leather, then it wasn't leather.  If that's the case, I'd simply refund the buyer in whole and take the $10 outgoing shipping hit as an inexpensive lesson - and I'd also be apologizing profusely for my error and inexperience.  

You actually wouldn't cut even on an item price only refund.  eBay won't refund any part of your $4+ dollars in Selling Fees. They don't give them back on partial refunds.   

Now if you are sure it is leather and you are convinced the buyer is a scammer, and you want to stick to your guns and get the item back, it will cost you shipping both ways.

[stuff_from_dylan]

Ah, I wasn’t aware on eBay that is how it worked. I assumed that the buyer was completely aware that it wasn’t real leather as a sent the tag to her. So even so I guess I’m responsible despite I stated it wasn’t real leather in messages.

[je3034]

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@stuff_from_dylan wrote:

Oh, but I still sent a clear photo of the tag with the materials, isn’t that being truthful?

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You seem unwilling, over several posts now, to reveal what the tag says?

[stuff_from_dylan]

It is not real leather like I said before. However, I SHOWED the tag to the buyer in messages, like they requested. They are denying I sent them it.