Chanel 1 series classic flap eBay buyer problem!

Tonimichelle

It’s all about the bag!
O.G.
Apr 9, 2013
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Hi ladies,
I hope I can get some advice please?
I listed and sold my classic flap medium on eBay. I bought it from a trustworthy source where it was specified as a medium flap with the dimensions of 25cms by 15cms by 7cms.
Unfortunately I listed it without the measurements just stated medium flap. It was (hopefully still is!) in fantastic condition with authenticity card, sticker, dustbag and the original box with matching number on it.
Now the buyer (who appears to sell a lot of items including Chanel bags) is claiming it is not as described as it appears to be a small size flap bag.
It is clearly bigger than the small (which Chanel state is 23.5cm) but smaller than the Chanel size on their website for a medium (26cms).
I think the buyer has just changed her mind. No way has my bag grown in the last 30 years! But is there anything I can or should do? Or do I just have to give her a refund?
Thank you for any advice!
 
While listing the measurements are certainly important, this buyer sounds like she should have enough knowledge about
Chanel bags since she sells so many & should have asked for the measurements & double checked with you to be certain
of what she was buying.
I'd just ask her to return the bag & relist with measurements.
 
I will state up front that I'm not a Chanel expert.

This is a sticky one but one I think has an easy answer, one you won't be crazy about. IMO, you should accept the return, apologize for not including measurements in the listing and give her a refund. (No partials! That won't change the size of the bag she got vs. what she expected.)

Measurements are very important because even though some styles use "small," "medium" and large in their names, those generic adjectives can be open to interpretation. And even if a buyer knows what size a "medium flap" is, the measurements should be there so she can confirm that what you're calling medium is indeed medium. Additionally, even if one knows what a "medium" looks like, it's often hard to tell from a picture what the scale of the bag is and whether the seller described it correctly.

It sounds like even you don't know for sure what you sold. You say, "It is clearly bigger than the small (which Chanel state is 23.5cm) but smaller than the Chanel size on their website for a medium (26cms)." So which is it?

When you get the bag back and relist, include all measurements and pictures. (Describe as though there are no pictures and show pictures as if there's no description.)

If the buyer is looking for a partial, just repeat the mantra, "return for refund, return for refund."


Speaking as a seller ---- NEVER "assume" a buyer has knowledge of size, texture, whatever!!

Sellers can't assume anything!! That's why we describe and photograph and describe and photograph some more!

One needs to include everything a buyer needs to know about items in the listing.
 
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Thanks for your input ladies. She hasn't actually requested a return yet and has stated she will take it to a Chanel boutique to compare sizes. I am sure that it is a medium, I had a small previously that was definitely smaller.
It's just annoying I guess, when the bag was as described and I listed it when there was a £2 max seller fee offer on. If/ when it comes back and I relist it it will cost me in the region of £150 to sell it plus two lots of postage at about £15.
I suppose it's just that I have a hunch that she has just changed her mind and as she has had it since 8am Saturday I'm a little worried that my previously almost immaculate bag may have been used and may not come back in the condition it left in!
 
Thanks for your input ladies. She hasn't actually requested a return yet and has stated she will take it to a Chanel boutique to compare sizes. I am sure that it is a medium, I had a small previously that was definitely smaller.
It's just annoying I guess, when the bag was as described and I listed it when there was a £2 max seller fee offer on. If/ when it comes back and I relist it it will cost me in the region of £150 to sell it plus two lots of postage at about £15.
I suppose it's just that I have a hunch that she has just changed her mind and as she has had it since 8am Saturday I'm a little worried that my previously almost immaculate bag may have been used and may not come back in the condition it left in!

If & when she does ask for a return, just let her know nicely upon inspection of the bag a refund will be issued.
She also may not have had an opportunity to get to a Chanel boutique to compare sizes to see if indeed the size will work for her.
A lesson learned about putting measurements in your listing. It does happen .Just relist with
measurements & clear photos (perhaps with a measuring tape for size under your pics for clarity
And if needed, your apology about the sizing should be accepted (your buyer is also a seller so I'm sure she understands that this happens)
 
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I suppose it's just that I have a hunch that she has just changed her mind and as she has had it since 8am Saturday I'm a little worried that my previously almost immaculate bag may have been used and may not come back in the condition it left in!
If your listing doesn't have a return policy, it's more likely the former than the latter. Many buyers assume there needs to be a reason for a return so they come up with one.
 
Without seeing any pictures of your bag and just going by your description it sounds like your bag was a medium-small (now discontinued). Before it was discontinued, there was the medium-small and the medium-large. After the medium-small was discontinued, the medium-large became "medium." So I guess technically both could be accurate - legacy medium variety (medium-small), or, SNAD for current-day "medium" (medium-large).

The 9" medium small and 10" medium large, when sold concurrently, had a price point difference ranging from $200 to $300 between the two separate models.

Next time you should def state dimensions so there is no confusion. Plus measuring can be really subjective too as no two measurements come out quite the same.
 
Thank you all. I just hope she lets me know as soon as possible what she intends to do. I have sent her a message this evening but no response so far. I will definitely list the measurements should I relist it. I am (as I'm sure you can tell!) not a professional seller and I've never listed something this expensive before. It's a beautiful bag (it's the one in my profile pic) and I only sold it because I need to raise the money for something else. Lesson learned!
 
Thank you all. I just hope she lets me know as soon as possible what she intends to do. I have sent her a message this evening but no response so far. I will definitely list the measurements should I relist it. I am (as I'm sure you can tell!) not a professional seller and I've never listed something this expensive before. It's a beautiful bag (it's the one in my profile pic) and I only sold it because I need to raise the money for something else. Lesson learned!

She has received your message & if she wants to return the bag, you will hear sooner than later...
Many of us are on on this forum to learn & to use the information that is shared to help us.
Keep us posted & hope it works out the way you would like it to..
 
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Without seeing any pictures of your bag and just going by your description it sounds like your bag was a medium-small (now discontinued). Before it was discontinued, there was the medium-small and the medium-large. After the medium-small was discontinued, the medium-large became "medium." So I guess technically both could be accurate - legacy medium variety (medium-small), or, SNAD for current-day "medium" (medium-large).

The 9" medium small and 10" medium large, when sold concurrently, had a price point difference ranging from $200 to $300 between the two separate models.

Next time you should def state dimensions so there is no confusion. Plus measuring can be really subjective too as no two measurements come out quite the same.
Just out of interest Roku this is a photo of the sticker on the side of the box. Could you tell me please if this gives an indication of size?
 
Was yours a single, or double flap? A vintage single flap could have slightly different measurements than a double flap, while still being called the medium size.
If she's knowledgeable with Chanel, she should be able to tell from the pics only whether it's a small or medium flap.
25cms sounds like a medium to me.