OK- this whole thing just makes me SICK- I bought a Kooba Sienna bag from an ebay seller last month that turned out to be a cheapo FAKE- she was nice when I told her why I was returning the bag- I sent it back and she refunded me, it was a HUGE hassle and a huge waste of my time, not to mention a huge disappontment because I really wanted the bag-- I ended up leaving her neutral feedback because she was nice about the return and I didn't want to ruin her 100% score.... which I regret because she promptly relisted the bag and now there is no NEG to warn other bidders! I was sooo annoyed to see it listed again and I didn't want anyone else to waste their time/money on this FAKE garbage-- so I reported it to eBay and posted in on the Kooba forum where several others reported it, but ebay did nothing. When the auction ended (for over $100 more than what I originally paid) I decided to email the winning bidder to let her know the bag was a replica.... resulting in her requesting an immediate refund from the seller.
So here is the sellers reaction to my contacting her new buyer:
"SINCE YOU HAVE APPOINTED YOURSELF "HANDBAG POLICE" - I WISH TO SEE DOCUMENTATION ON WHICH YOU HAVE BASED YOUR OPINION THAT MY KOOBA IS NOT AUTHENTIC - I HAVE OVER 250 DESIGNER (REAL) PURSES AND HAVE IT ON GOOD AUTHORITY THAT MY KOOBA IS NOT ONLY AUTHENTIC - BUT THAT IT IS IN AMAZING SHAPE. I NEED TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE BASED YOUR CONCLUSION ON. YOU CANNOT GO AROUND ACCUSING PEOPLE - AT SOME POINT YOU WILL HAVE TO PROVE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE COST ME MONEY AND TIME AND THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ME ON ANY LEVEL - I WILL BE FILING A COMPLAINT WITH EBAY IF I DO NOT RECEIVE A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL. PLEASE PRODUCE SOLID EVIDENCE OR MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS! "
to which I replied:
"It is my business because you tried to rip ME off with this counterfeit merchandise and it is not acceptable to me on any level that you wasted my time by selling me a FAKE designer bag. If you really cared you would have asked me why I said the bag was fake when I requested a refund and before relisting it. Instead, you responded to me with "i am sorry! i thought i could tell the difference" That to me is basically an admission of not being 100% sure yourself. Why didnt you defend the bags authenticity then? Now all of a sudden you care? You are the one listing this as a KOOBA, why dont you provide some evidence to me? Where is the original receipt? What is this "good authority" you have on YOUR merchandise? Shouldnt you know for sure before selling it?
Why is it a fake bag? First of all, I IMMEDIATLEY knew the bag was a fake when I received it- it smells AWFUL, like "new car leather" air freshener spray; real Kooba bags DO NOT have a cheap leather odor. The leather is dry and thin and poor quality, nowhere near Kooba quality (the Sienna bags are Lambskin, your bag is not), the actual SHAPE of the bag is off, the side pockets come out too wide and the actual price tag on the bag is fake- there is no msrp (which is on the authentic tags) but it is blank on your tag and the tag itself is only half of the size it should be, instead of the real larger tag which opens up like a card. Even the dustbag did not feel right. Even after KNOWING all of this, I decided to seek a second opinion to VERIFY the authenticity before returning it. First I took my own photos of the bag and posted them on a reputable handbag authenticating site where several members who are Kooba owners replied that the bag was DEFINITELY not real. I also contacted the author of the Ebay guide "How to spot a fake Kooba" and paid her $2 authenticating fee and she confirmed that yes it is a replica bag. This whole transaction has been extremely frustrating to me as well as a huge waste of my time. I missed out on at least 2 other authentic bags in the time I was waiting for this one to ship which is beyond irritating because I really want this bag, just not a fake one! I was so disappointed. I was being more than courteous to you by leaving you a neutral feedback even though it should have been a negative for the misrepresentation. You need to grow up and take responsibility for this. Im sorry that you somehow got stuck with fake bag but you dont need to make it someone elses problem."
so she writes back:
"i don't give a rat's corpse what you think - i made good on your disatisfaction for whatever reason - it is none of your business anymore....i know the bag is real so butt out and stop interferring. you think you are sorry about YOUR feedback????? i want proof from you or i am filing a complaint - so YOU deal with it!!! don't EVER accuse anybody of something without putting forth proof......you simply ARE NOT that special....try me......
big whoop....i don't call that proof of anything.....but then again $2. is ALOT. leave me alone...you have absolutely no idea who you are dealing with. WHATEVER..."
my response:
"It's obvious I'm dealing with a very rude and very immature person who isn't aware of ebay policies. It is against policy and against the law to sell counterfeit merchandise. It is never the BUYERS responsibility to PROVE authenticity. It is YOUR merchandise- take responsibility and stop harassing me. Ebay is a COMMUNITY where it is not only acceptable but encouraged to warn other members of misuse. So keep relisting your fake bag, I won't interfere, I am totally confident the next person you try to scam will realize that bag is garbage all on their own. So go ahead and pull your magical strings, make good on your Ebay threats and show me who I'm dealing with. "WHATEVER" psycho"
and her final reply:
"WHATEVER.............."
Well now she has the bag relisted AGAIN!!! Arggghhhh. It is so irritating. I've already decided NOT to contact her winning bidder next time because I told her I wouldn't but mostly because I don't want to deal with this drama again. I know it's a waste of my time.... It is just so annoying seeing her rip people off and not being able to do anything about it...
Was I overreacting by contacting the bidder who won the bag I just returned? Should I just have minded my own business? I haven't reported the new listing because I don't really even care anymore it is just so OBNOXIOUS that she is still trying to sell it...just had to rant about this somewhere
So here is the sellers reaction to my contacting her new buyer:
"SINCE YOU HAVE APPOINTED YOURSELF "HANDBAG POLICE" - I WISH TO SEE DOCUMENTATION ON WHICH YOU HAVE BASED YOUR OPINION THAT MY KOOBA IS NOT AUTHENTIC - I HAVE OVER 250 DESIGNER (REAL) PURSES AND HAVE IT ON GOOD AUTHORITY THAT MY KOOBA IS NOT ONLY AUTHENTIC - BUT THAT IT IS IN AMAZING SHAPE. I NEED TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE BASED YOUR CONCLUSION ON. YOU CANNOT GO AROUND ACCUSING PEOPLE - AT SOME POINT YOU WILL HAVE TO PROVE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE COST ME MONEY AND TIME AND THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ME ON ANY LEVEL - I WILL BE FILING A COMPLAINT WITH EBAY IF I DO NOT RECEIVE A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL. PLEASE PRODUCE SOLID EVIDENCE OR MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS! "
to which I replied:
"It is my business because you tried to rip ME off with this counterfeit merchandise and it is not acceptable to me on any level that you wasted my time by selling me a FAKE designer bag. If you really cared you would have asked me why I said the bag was fake when I requested a refund and before relisting it. Instead, you responded to me with "i am sorry! i thought i could tell the difference" That to me is basically an admission of not being 100% sure yourself. Why didnt you defend the bags authenticity then? Now all of a sudden you care? You are the one listing this as a KOOBA, why dont you provide some evidence to me? Where is the original receipt? What is this "good authority" you have on YOUR merchandise? Shouldnt you know for sure before selling it?
Why is it a fake bag? First of all, I IMMEDIATLEY knew the bag was a fake when I received it- it smells AWFUL, like "new car leather" air freshener spray; real Kooba bags DO NOT have a cheap leather odor. The leather is dry and thin and poor quality, nowhere near Kooba quality (the Sienna bags are Lambskin, your bag is not), the actual SHAPE of the bag is off, the side pockets come out too wide and the actual price tag on the bag is fake- there is no msrp (which is on the authentic tags) but it is blank on your tag and the tag itself is only half of the size it should be, instead of the real larger tag which opens up like a card. Even the dustbag did not feel right. Even after KNOWING all of this, I decided to seek a second opinion to VERIFY the authenticity before returning it. First I took my own photos of the bag and posted them on a reputable handbag authenticating site where several members who are Kooba owners replied that the bag was DEFINITELY not real. I also contacted the author of the Ebay guide "How to spot a fake Kooba" and paid her $2 authenticating fee and she confirmed that yes it is a replica bag. This whole transaction has been extremely frustrating to me as well as a huge waste of my time. I missed out on at least 2 other authentic bags in the time I was waiting for this one to ship which is beyond irritating because I really want this bag, just not a fake one! I was so disappointed. I was being more than courteous to you by leaving you a neutral feedback even though it should have been a negative for the misrepresentation. You need to grow up and take responsibility for this. Im sorry that you somehow got stuck with fake bag but you dont need to make it someone elses problem."
so she writes back:
"i don't give a rat's corpse what you think - i made good on your disatisfaction for whatever reason - it is none of your business anymore....i know the bag is real so butt out and stop interferring. you think you are sorry about YOUR feedback????? i want proof from you or i am filing a complaint - so YOU deal with it!!! don't EVER accuse anybody of something without putting forth proof......you simply ARE NOT that special....try me......
big whoop....i don't call that proof of anything.....but then again $2. is ALOT. leave me alone...you have absolutely no idea who you are dealing with. WHATEVER..."
my response:
"It's obvious I'm dealing with a very rude and very immature person who isn't aware of ebay policies. It is against policy and against the law to sell counterfeit merchandise. It is never the BUYERS responsibility to PROVE authenticity. It is YOUR merchandise- take responsibility and stop harassing me. Ebay is a COMMUNITY where it is not only acceptable but encouraged to warn other members of misuse. So keep relisting your fake bag, I won't interfere, I am totally confident the next person you try to scam will realize that bag is garbage all on their own. So go ahead and pull your magical strings, make good on your Ebay threats and show me who I'm dealing with. "WHATEVER" psycho"
and her final reply:
"WHATEVER.............."
Well now she has the bag relisted AGAIN!!! Arggghhhh. It is so irritating. I've already decided NOT to contact her winning bidder next time because I told her I wouldn't but mostly because I don't want to deal with this drama again. I know it's a waste of my time.... It is just so annoying seeing her rip people off and not being able to do anything about it...
Was I overreacting by contacting the bidder who won the bag I just returned? Should I just have minded my own business? I haven't reported the new listing because I don't really even care anymore it is just so OBNOXIOUS that she is still trying to sell it...just had to rant about this somewhere
