I realize how dumb it is to buy pearls online, but the seller seemed like a legit seller & the pictures also seemed legit so I splurged on some Mikimoto pearls. However when I received them, they were not the lustrous, amazing pearls pictured on the listing. I reached the conclusion these were not authentic for several reasons.
[Skip to next paragraph if you don't feel like reading the reasons: First, the pearls are not perfectly round. Akoya pearls are supposed to be perfectly round. It's one of their distinguishing characteristics. The pearls I received are actually slightly off-round and oval. Second, they don't have the luster shown in the pictures in the listings. In fact, when I put them side by side to a Mikimoto pendant & other pieces I have, the contrast is VERY stark. The ones I receive have hardly any luster compared to my Mikimoto pendant & others. However, at this point, I still wanted to give the seller the benefit of doubt, especially because these pearls are Blue Lagoon by Mikimoto (the lower quality line). But here's the kicker! I also purchased a pair of regular freshwater pearls from this seller. When I put them all next to each other, they all look the same! They all display the same degree of subdued luster and quality & show no variation from each other. This definitely should not be the case at all!!!!
Despite how upsetting this has been, I contacted him politely & requested that I send these back to him for a refund. However, he was very defensive and rude, and told me he would not accept a return unless I change my return reason of "does not seem authentic" because it makes him look bad. He didn't even bother to address or deny any of the facts I stated or the concerns I had wth the luster, just that I was incorrect for having this opinion.
He eventually approved the return, but he sent me a separate shipping label for EACH item in the order (even though he shipped them to me in all one box) & told me he would be deducting the shipping costs of each label from my return.
What exactly is next? I've never dealt with someone this difficult before. If he deducts the shipping costs on each item, do I just have to eat the costs? When exactly can I get help from Ebay? Is it too late to file a case now?
I'm so upset. I thought I was getting a good deal, but I actually got scammed. I initially was not going to leave negative feedback, because this has been a terrible experience so far & I just want to resolve things amicably. However, it makes me mad that he might be scamming other people. If I didn't know the difference between Akoya/freshwater pearls, I would want someone to warn me? I see now that he sells Mikimoto clasps separately, so I can't help but wonder if these are freshwater pearls strung on Mikimoto clasps? Anyway, I have printed out each of the labels, although I am still waiting on him to send me one more. But what do I do if he deducts the shipping costs? I'm so upset & distraught with how much time this has already wasted me & how much money I have on the line right now.
Thoughts?
