Problems from the beginning with buyer

[savedbygra-75]

Good morning all!

I need advice since I’m still semi new at eBay. I’ve had no broken items, all positive reviews. I bubble wrap the stuff like it’s being sent to the space station . So, a lady messaged me about an alabaster bowl I had for sale and said she would pounce on it but thought the shipping was too high to get it to her in Texas from MD . So because I thought I was being nice I changed it. She purchased it (won it)  sat night, 8:30pm or so. I sent had a bunch of stuff go off the same night. I shipped everything on the 4th. Now, everyone else’s items arrived fine. She wrote me and said she purchased other things sat and got them Monday. That I was late on shipping. No, all of our stuff is USPS priority mail and 3 day (business day) handling time. She wanted her shipping refunded. I actually believe it or not said fine.... she then said no nvm keep it. Her package arrived yesterday... while all the rest I sent out arrived sat. I watched it. It sat  at her post office for 2 days. Not my problem. Now, NOW! She messages me and says “the plate is broken in pieces” mind you, I even told her in a message that I bubble wrap my stuff and make sure it’s secure. I’ve had bigger glass objects ship and we’re fine. All of my items have always arrived safe. I know things happen. But I’m talking about prob 6 inches of bubble wrap around that plate. She says idk how because it took me 15 mins to unpack it. I didn’t even u pack it all the way. So then how does she know it’s in pieces? I’m so aggravated. The plate is a $150 plate she won for 20 bucks... it’s Italian Alabastro.... advice please? I would appreciate it so very much. I would hate to think she did this just to get her money back because HER post office didn’t get to it until Monday. I’m sure you can look at the rest of my feedback. I have messages from other buyers saying their things were packaged super well and they were so pleased. I don’t have an issue refunding as you see I was willing to do that for her even though I know I didn’t have too on the shipping...... but it’s like she knew she was already gonna do this even after I left her positive feedback....... 

[frodobagginskennedy]

Stick to your guns for a return.  YES you will have to send a return label and pay for the return.  However it will say to the scammer that they will not get to keep things for nothing.. If more sellers would follow this MO maybe it would slow down these scammers

[cream_couture]

Either file the insurance claim (if you think it is really broken) online OR pay for the return shipping. If it comes back and is not broken, then you can call eBay to intervene. Ignore all her petty comments in messages and just stick to return or send photos of the damage. 

[lgonzalez28]

Thank you, I was wondering if I was doing it wrong.

[savedbygra-75]

I’ve accepted the return. I paid for the shipping label. She still arguing with me of how all she did was buy a bowl. I am BAFFLED! She demands refund before shipped. No..... that’s not how it works. eBay even said after I purchased the label. Do not refund item until back in your possession. Then send refund within two days of the item being returned. Either the bowl isn’t broken and she didn’t expect me to pay the return shipping to get it back and now realizes she doesn’t get the item for free.... or she’s hell bound on holding us both up for the sole reason to tell me how much of a “bad business person” I am. Sigghhhhh.... 

[kensgiftshop]

---

@savedbygra-75 wrote:

I’ve accepted the return. I paid for the shipping label. She still arguing with me of how all she did was buy a bowl. I am BAFFLED! She demands refund before shipped. No.....

---

As long as you've accepted the return and provided a return label, don't do anything until the item is returned.

If they don't ship it back by the date Ebay gave them, the next day, call CS and have them close the return.

[frodobagginskennedy]

yup...do as Kengiftshop said!

[savedbygra-75]

Thanks for all of your help. I appreciate it. I’ve never received the photos of my item. She declares you can’t put pictures in messages. Fortunately for me, I know it’s possible because I sent a screenshot to her of the USPS delivery page showing start to finish with dates and times. She could have looked it up herself. But with the chance she did not know how ,I helped her once again. Anyway, she left a negative comment and negative feedback. Which is completely inaccurate. “Slow shipping” it was in Texas on the 6th. They didn’t deliver it on Sat. Or Sunday. I’m not sure why. But, that’s her post office. They delivered it Monday the 9th. But, I did my part. I shipped it in a timely manner. As I always do. If you click on her item from the comment you can see when it was “sent and then arrived”  So...then put “seller blamed me- unreasonable to deal with” .... so let me get this right, I accommodated you on the shipping price by lowering it, you won it for $20... then because you were complaining about the slow shipping I offered a return on shipping when I didn’t have to. She said no, just keep it. That very unreasonable of me right? I accepted the return and paid for The return shipping label at 10:30AM the day Ebay notified Me of her wanting to return it.  that’s me being unreasonable? I left positive feedback on her page......all I simply asked for was for pictures of the damaged bowl. The damaged box - So that I could maybe try and recover something on my item that “USPS damaged in transit” like she stated... And she claims there is no way of sending photos through eBay messaging. That’s all I asked. That simple task..... now my seller rating is down, I’m pretty new so I’m sure that just looks lovely....... also, she’s still not printed the label I paid for or has made any moves to send the package back to me ..... to top it off, I get an email from the same email name as hers but slightly different within the numbers, that’s saying my “payment didn’t go through and to please send the funds a different way and not through PayPal. Kind of a coincidence right? Never... Again... from now on I’m taking all of your advice and being careful of potential scammers. I’ve attached a photo of her declaring eBay won’t allow her to upload photos. 

 

[savedbygra-75]

This has been a nightmare. 

[terrycece62]

The fact is buyer has no broken item to take a photo of because the item you sent her was not damaged. buyer is , of course , fishing for a refund.
You are doing the right thing,
I am sure sellers that see this thread will be blocking her too

[whatmorefabric]

Feedback does not hold the weight that it use to.      Your answer was very professional.

My last negative was from a lady who claimed the fabric was not rayon.    She called my shop  and told me that she would leave me a negative if I did not refund all her money.     I told her to start a claim on Ebay.    She told me she did not have the time.   I said  you can't put a piece of fabric in the envelope and print a return label,  but you can spend 15 minutes on the phone with me.     Told her to knock herself out.

Your items are beautiful.    I would consider some fixed price listings

[savedbygra-75]

Yes, Indeed.

That’s all she keeps saying “I want a refund! I lost in all of this! Can you not count? You sent my package on the 6th! I have proof and will press the matter if you don’t comply! You are unreasonable! What happened to the customer is always right? Then, proceeds to tell ME.. God will see your wickedness “Saved!” 

The message she is replying too. Is the one I nicely told her that I have already accepted the return. I have paid for the return shipping. I will be able to refund you once the package has been delivered. Per eBay protocol. I assure you I haven’t been the slightest of unreasonable. If it’s broken. Wouldn’t you want to send it back ASAP so you could get your refund? If it was broken why would you want to keep it? She’s not sending it until she receives a full refund. Everyone sees her true intentions and this plan she has going on. She didn’t expect me to pay for the return shipping label. I guess these scammers try and bank on the fact that us as sellers won’t want to pay a return on a broken item and just refund her. If we all stick together on purchasing the return labels I think you guys are right. Maybe we can limit the amount of scammers getting away with entirely free items. 

[savedbygra-75]

Oh geesh...... I’m sorry you had to deal with that. Thank you for the compliment and advice. I really appreciate it! I  never thought about listing to just buy. I do want to give that a go. Maybe will help on my items that are worth a bit a good bit more than the starting bid. Thank you! 

[whatmorefabric]

I have another customer on another site that wants a partial refund because the fabric was not folded nicely like other sellers.

My son runs the  business with me and has a minor handicap.  Some days he folds better than others.    I told her to return the fabric and that she could find another seller who would  fold it nicely,  wrap it in tissue,  tie a ribbon on it and charge her twice as much in shipping.      The next day she bought more fabric.    I cancelled the order and told her to go else where.    She begged me to reconsider  because I was the only one that had it and she needed it.

You have to keep telling yourself that it is just a business and not personal. 

[terrycece62]

I used to sell on eBay and also had a lady who complained that she wanted a discount because she couldn't wear the clip earrings because her ears were pierced .
When I asked her to return the lot for full refund she came up with every excuse in the book why she couldn't return the jewelry lot she won. She also insisted that it would not' hurt me to refund her a few dollars'
I repeated my offer and then became nasty ,Most of my buyers were great by the way once an awhile you will a' rotten apple'
Stay strong and move forward from this buyer

[terrycece62]

Just to clarify SHE got nasty . Thank goodness I had sense enough to remain professional through out the process. I also received a untruthful negative feedback from her