[trg05]

I sold a JC Ramona last week. I sent it overnight so the buyer would have it the next day. Today I get this in an email from her:

Dear xxxxxxx,

hi- i received the bag today. i must say i am very disappointed.
i have sold many handbags and would never dream of stuffing
an expensive, or even an inexpensive bag into a shirt box. i
really didn't care if i got it over night or in a week. you also
stated in the listing that the receipt would accompany the bag-
not a copy! which also indicated you were not the original
buyer of the bag. the corners look slightly scuffed. i am not
sure weather it was used a few times or just got scuffed as a
result of being jammed in a too small box. i am a handbag
junkie so i am very familiar with original designer paperwork
and receipts, and even the slightest signs of wear. i will wait
for your response to see how you propose we can rectify this
situation.

I wrote to this woman before I shipped and explained the bag would not be stuffed with tissue to look like a floor display because the largest size express or priority mail boxes -- the bag would not fit if I were to stuff it. Also, I sent this bag to her overnight at my expense. She never answered any of my emails until today. I don't know what to do. I am sure she will kill me in feedback. What has me so upset is this is an authentic bag, never worn (I have tons of pictures ... there are no scuff marks, anywhere .. if they are there now she put them there. How can they get scuffed in a DUSTBAG?) I am the original owner. If she bought it at a store she would pay 2000.00 for this bag but she got it for 800.00. She got a H__L of a deal and I lost money on this deal because I was hoping for good positive feedback.

I've written to her and told her she can send the bag back for a full refund. What a nightmare and how dumb was I, trying to get good feedback!

What would any of ya'll do? I think she wants me to refund her some money and she then keeps the bag but I don't want to do that. I am already out 200.00 (I know, I'm an idiot) but with all the bad eBay stories you hear I thought this is def. going to be positive feedback which I need because this is a new account I am building.

Please help. Any ideas?????

[mcb100]

It's not your fault. Some buyers are like this. I don't blame you. Don't give her a refund AND let her keep the bag, because that isn't right. I'd say offer her a money refund, if she doesn't accept that then there's not much else you can do except contact eBay or settle a dispute with her. As for feedback, the only way you can become more pleased with your feedback is if you sell more stuff and get good reveiws. Sorry, but I don't think anything can help the bad feedback situation. Best wishes to you. GL.

[girlygirl3]

I'm sorry you had such a vicious buyer! I sell too and I am always crossing my fingers (more like holding my breath) that I don't have such an experience! I hope this matter gets settled satisfactorily for both of you.

[Youngbrands]

She's been around the block a couple of times on eBay and this is really an epidemic on Ebay. Just have her send it back. I would never offer $$ off. You did her a favor I'm sorry it happened. She got a great deal and she's looking to extort a better one.

[trg05]

Thank you everyone for answering. Sometimes you just don't know if you are in the wrong and you just need someone on the outside to look at the situation. After reading your replies I feel MUCH better now. Thank you so much!

[karmenzsofia]

I'm sorry, but I don't see viciousness here at all, nor reason to be desperate. There are thousands of posts here about truly underhanded, criminal scammers. She's not insulting the seller; she's not threatening negative feedback or PayFoe disputes, etc. She's stating that she's not satisfied with the packaging and that, unlike her expectations she received a copy of the receipt rather than the original. Did you say "receipt" or "copy of receipt" in the description of the bag? Then she adds the thing about the corners being "slightly scuffed." A scammer would've said the bag is roadkill. Who knows? Maybe if she had been happy with the packaging and the orginal receipt, she wouldn't have noticed the "scuffs."
Buyers complain about sellers that stuff bags in small boxes and post pictures here often enough, so we should know better than to do that. (I'm not sure if you did or not; sounds like you did based on your explanation.) And everyone here has received an item they were unhappy with, for whatever reason. Why did you overnight the bag at your expense? Did she make that demand? Based on the language of the note, this doesn't sound like a scammer to me. She wants to "rectify"? Then offer her a refund minus shipping. You could say "no refund" and then deal with the PP dispute. I agree with you about partial refund--I wouldn't go with that. HTH. Good luck and keep us posted!
.

[ronsdiva]

I would have her send it back and refund the money but did you have a security tag on it. If not I might be tempted to respond to her that you were the original owner and it is not scuffed.
Next time do not send it express or priority unless the person pays, and base the price on a box large enough to send it stuffed. I know what you were saying regarding the size of the priority boxes, but that just made it easy for her to be critical.

[onegirlcreative]

One thing I am curious about is why did you pay for overnight shipping out of your own pocket? It doesn't sound like she wanted it, so why did you do it? Not to place blame or anything like that, but she doesn't even seem to care that you shipped overnight to her (even mentioning that she would have waited a week for it).

I agree with you, however, and I wouldn't do a partial refund. There is nothing to rectify here. I'm sorry, but the fact that you shipped it in a smaller box is not a big deal. Yes, it's unfortunate, but it's no big deal. The bag will ultimately take its original shape as soon as she places her personal items in it.

And the situation with the receipt. That's absurd. Why would she need the original receipt? Why would a copy not be sufficient? I'm sorry, but if you have paid with your CC, I would NEVER give out my original receipt, I would only give out the copy—which is basically ONLY to confirm its authenticity. Not for a return, which perhaps she is wanting? Hmmm...not right.

The scuff marks? Are they truly there or is she grasping at straws at this point? Either way, I would just offer a FULL refund upon receipt of the bag in its original condition. Nothing more, nothing less. I wouldn't give a partial refund because it seems a lot of buyers are doing this for extortion for negative FB (not that this particular buyer is doing that), and they're trying to get a "discount" at the same time.

IMO, there is nothing to rectify here. It's just silly.

[Youngbrands]

With the new eBay hybrid fixed price listing in Sept, you can relist it inexpensively for 30 days and don't take less than what you really want for it. Just mention if the receipt is a copy.

Let us know how she responds to your offer to return it for a refund. Karmen may be absolutely correct. It will be interesting to see if she wants money off or if she'll just return the bag.

[blugenie]

Actually I've seen pristine JC Ramona's go for even less at times, so whether your buyer got a deal or if you lost $$ for the sake of feedback is all relative.

I'm sorry your buyer's message upset you, and please don't take my response personally because only you know the condition of the bag you sent out (if things happened in transit, then only your buyer sees that).

But I have been on the receiving end of crap-ily wrapped bags - just got one as a matter of fact - a normally boxy bag jammed in a padded mailer overseas. I was dumbfounded that a seller who professed to love the bag would ship it so poorly. I guess she was trying to save money. My bag has a gouge in the leather that may or may not be a result of the shipping, and it is SO NOT nearly-new. I have not contacted the seller, I'm still so upset.

What baffles me though is how time and again, sellers and buyers have such different perspectives on the condition of the bag, and what constitutes acceptable shipping methods. I agree with your buyer in that I don't give a darn how fast a bag gets to me as long as it's done with care. I wrap things I sell like babies in boxes that fit, fully stuffed. If a seller is willing to incur extra expenses to ship fast, why not ship carefully instead in a big, stuffed box that takes a few days longer?? By doing so, you avoid opening yourself up to such criticism - is saving a few bucks really worth it?

As for condition, perhaps some people are less picky than others, or different lighting affects what they can see? Dunno, but it's always a risk so it's better to understate a bag's condition than overstate. Even BNWT can have scuffs from the store so sellers still need to examine bags thoroughly, not saying you didn't - but it's a pretty strong absolute to say "there are no scuff marks, anywhere .. if they are there now she put them there." Whoa.

The existence of receipts, care or authenticity cards, dustbags, etc listed in auctions can weigh heavily on someone's decision to purchase your item and how high they bid, especially if they're concerned about resale value. Your buyer thought she was getting an original receipt included in her $800, but maybe she would've only bid $750 if you said "copy of receipt"? I can see where she'd be upset as I've had that experience too.

If she wants a discount and you give her one, I'm sure she'll leave you positive feedback. But check her feedback too for any indications that she repeatedly muscles sellers into discounts or such - in that case you may call her bluff.

I hope things work out for you and your buyer to everyone's satisfaction. Better luck in the future

[caannie]

Based on the buyer's email, it sounds like she was sniffing around for a partial refund. You did the right thing... give her the option of a full refund when she returns the bag to you. Don't give her a partial refund, she's just looking for an even cheaper deal on the bag. Let her send it back, then block her.

[blugenie]

Wow, I'm amazed at the responses who feel a buyer complaining about receiving something shipped poorly/damaged, without items listed like receipts, and in a condition not as described are just scammers sniffing for discounts and should be blocked. Please PM your eBay IDs so I can know not to buy from you first! LOL

[LV Rawks]

It really does sound like she is looking for more money off, I agree with those who have said this. She already got a great deal, so I would not offer her any partial refunds. I would have told her the very same thing, send it back and I will refund your money.

[tanmon]

Originally Posted by blugenie

Actually I've seen pristine JC Ramona's go for even less at times, so whether your buyer got a deal or if you lost $$ for the sake of feedback is all relative.

I'm sorry your buyer's message upset you, and please don't take my response personally because only you know the condition of the bag you sent out (if things happened in transit, then only your buyer sees that).

But I have been on the receiving end of crap-ily wrapped bags - just got one as a matter of fact - a normally boxy bag jammed in a padded mailer overseas. I was dumbfounded that a seller who professed to love the bag would ship it so poorly. I guess she was trying to save money. My bag has a gouge in the leather that may or may not be a result of the shipping, and it is SO NOT nearly-new. I have not contacted the seller, I'm still so upset.

What baffles me though is how time and again, sellers and buyers have such different perspectives on the condition of the bag, and what constitutes acceptable shipping methods. I agree with your buyer in that I don't give a darn how fast a bag gets to me as long as it's done with care. I wrap things I sell like babies in boxes that fit, fully stuffed. If a seller is willing to incur extra expenses to ship fast, why not ship carefully instead in a big, stuffed box that takes a few days longer?? By doing so, you avoid opening yourself up to such criticism - is saving a few bucks really worth it?

As for condition, perhaps some people are less picky than others, or different lighting affects what they can see? Dunno, but it's always a risk so it's better to understate a bag's condition than overstate. Even BNWT can have scuffs from the store so sellers still need to examine bags thoroughly, not saying you didn't - but it's a pretty strong absolute to say "there are no scuff marks, anywhere .. if they are there now she put them there." Whoa.

The existence of receipts, care or authenticity cards, dustbags, etc listed in auctions can weigh heavily on someone's decision to purchase your item and how high they bid, especially if they're concerned about resale value. Your buyer thought she was getting an original receipt included in her $800, but maybe she would've only bid $750 if you said "copy of receipt"? I can see where she'd be upset as I've had that experience too.

If she wants a discount and you give her one, I'm sure she'll leave you positive feedback. But check her feedback too for any indications that she repeatedly muscles sellers into discounts or such - in that case you may call her bluff.

I hope things work out for you and your buyer to everyone's satisfaction. Better luck in the future

i totally agree, well said!

sellers should protect themselves by taking many, many clear and well lit photos of the actual item for sale. what's described as "nearly new" to you may be "good condition" to me --- and what does "gently worn" really mean anyway?

it's all relative so make sure your photos accurately illustrate your item with all its possible flaws. don't rely on your descriptions so you can ensure your buyers' surprises will only be good surprises which will be reflected in your glowing feedback and repeat customers.

[girlygirl3]

Originally Posted by blugenie

...
What baffles me though is how time and again, sellers and buyers have such different perspectives on the condition of the bag, ...

As for condition, perhaps some people are less picky than others, or different lighting affects what they can see? Dunno, but it's always a risk so it's better to understate a bag's condition than overstate. Even BNWT can have scuffs from the store so sellers still need to examine bags thoroughly, not saying you didn't - but it's a pretty strong absolute to say "there are no scuff marks, anywhere .. if they are there now she put them there." Whoa.
...

I hope things work out for you and your buyer to everyone's satisfaction. Better luck in the future

I'm not the OP, but after reading everyone's comments I'm learning a lot! Seeing both sides of the story is always interesting. I take back my "vicious" comment.

I suppose, our natural first reaction to a complaint would be some level of shock! After that, we have to decide if we want to engage with the buyer or skip it and offer a refund for the return of the bag. It's difficult if you don't know who you are dealing with. And vice versa, of course.

Good luck. I hope it works out for both of you.