Buyer chose, "item does not match description or photos" but states "I did not expect this color"

[pbandj3]

I have discovered my return setting were changed to automatically accept returns when I was switched to the new seller hub! So a buyer returned a dress using "item does not match description or photos" and in comments she states that "I did not expect this color".  The colors were in the title and also in the description..."black, white, blue".  Very basic primary colors so no mix up on the tones, etc. and not only do I discover that the return is automatically accepted but that ebay has debited me for her label and also there is no option to deduct shipping after dress was returned on day 30 and it smelled terrible!  I accept returns but not automatically in all my selling yrs. so this is how I found my setting changed.  I open a case disagreeing with her reason and expecting I will have the option to deduct shipping.  Not 3 min. later I get a response that case is closed I had to return shipping too!  I am hopping mad.  When did returns for the color become item not as described when it was exactly described?  I have taken a serious loss on this.  Should I have called ebay instead of opened a case?  I don't know but I continually feel fed up with ebay these days.

[lja440]

Do you realize how many shades of blue there is? For that matter how many shades of white or even black.

YEARS ago I hit the same exact problem with some decorative pillow shams. It was the color of the flowers. I just put floral in the title and description. Frankly I don't remember if they were pink and looked peach on her monitor or they were peach and looked pink.

Anyway to this day if it is something decorative or a clothing item other than jeans or a t-shirt I use a box of Crayola crayons to indicate color. I do this especially on any formal clothing.  I take the picks outside in natural light and I color match as best as I can to my crayons and even take a close up of the crayon with color name against the fabric. 

A few years ago we had a local shop called the Flower Factory they had rooms and rooms of silk flowers ribbon and such. When they went out of business I bought a lot of highly discounted stock. It was a place I bought flowers and such for wedding decor as a way to stretch the cash when the Bride couldn't do all real flowers. Getting a good color match was key to selling these so I did my Crayola color match thing. 

Yes I know this will take time and is a bit of a PITA but then again not as PITA as a return.

[lynnscollectiblesnstuff]

I sell jewelry on other sites and sell alot of blue. but I have Blueblack, Navy Blue, Cobalt Blue, blueblue, Caribean blue, Bluegreen, Sky, and I am sure others I cant think of. Because I hate returns for that reason, I cant control other moniters , I have enough problems with mine lol, I am sure to mention something else that is the same color ex. black as the night sky on a moonless night, as blue as the sky on a summer day, whatever. As they said "explain like there is no pictures, take pictures like there is no description!! Good Luck

I like the crayons idea!!!

[lja440]

At first I thought of the paint store chips but they are always changing and very so much from manufacturer to manufacturer. Crayola does add and discontinue colors and so each new school year I buy a new box (the largest I can find) and donate my old crayons which are pretty much unused because I want to keep them nice for pictures. But on a whole Crayola is very consistant with their colors and they don't change all that much.

[ed8108]

It is also important to photograph items using lighting having the correct color temperature.

In listings having more than one photo

Item color should not differ from one photo to the next.

[pjcdn2005 · Accepted solution]

Ebay changed the return system so that it automatically accepts a return when a seller does have a return policy where they accept returns.  It was announced in the 2017 sellers fall update and started in October for some requests  and then expanded later on to cover more requests.   I thought that it was just for buyer remorse returns but perhaps it is also for snad returns when the seller does have a return policy.   Or for all snads? I'm a bit confused on that part.

Was this return for the sleeveless maxi dress? If it was for another dress...ignore the rest of this paragraph! 🙂  Although you do state that the dress is black, blue and white in the listing in 3 different places, its possible that the buyer just looked at the picture.  To me, in some of the pictures it looks like it has more earth colors...golds and browns with a small amount of blue at the bottom.  I Obviously we all see colors differently and monitors are different but perhaps the buyer saw something similar to what I see and just ignored the other info.  I'm not saying she was right to do that..just looking at it from another point of view.

[lja440]

That is the one I thought it was too. It doesn't look black white and blue to me either.  To me it looks brown gold and grey with some blue at the bottom.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Womans-Long-Sleeveless-Maxi-Dress-Size-3X-Black-White-Blue/401562464860?has...

[pbandj3]

Thank you all for your help.  I am going to retake photos on my new manniquin and see if I can get consistant coloring.  Also I received an explaination from ebay on why they had decided to refund the total and make me pay shipping but they were using the fact I had mentioned the dress came back smelling bad, instead of the fact that the colors were stated twice in the listing and that a return is ok but not paying for shipping for that reason.  They decided that the buyer had to pay shipping and that the buyer was responsible for reading the description and not only the photos so I am satisfied.  Amazing that ebay responded so fast to me and I was surprised and grateful.

I thank you all for your remarks and will remake my listing.

[lja440]

I often take pictures in batches outside.

I prefer a sunny day but not too bright (can cause washed out picks). I have a old hollow inner door that I drape with several different colored plain cloths (white, black, a med blue and a maroon) I want contrast but not a clashing color. I lean the door against the side of the house with a wreath hook to hold the hanger. I set it where the sunlight is nearly straight on and close to noon to avoid casting a shadow. Then I smooth the item and sometimes pin it in place if needed to show a lining or to combat wind.

When setting up a listing I crop as much background as I can maximizing the items impact. No one can tell that there are weeds in the flowerbed or the dog is taking a dump in the yard 6 feet away.  I loved the lady that stated that they have a pet free home when in the picture you could see down her hallway to the little dog walking there.  And who could forget the listing with the naked guy reflected in the listed item. 

By the way I clearly state that I have a pet friendly home, dogs cats horses goats and a turtle and I also have peacocks though they refuse to be "owned". I also state though I have a smoke free home most of my items have been 'picked' and may have been around smokers.