Okay ... for anyone that's stuck with me this far (and I thank you for that) here are today's communications between the buyer and me.
First, my response to his email (posted earlier):
I have received your message & I'm glad you have contacted eBay on your end. I think it's best if they are kept apprised of this ongoing situation.
I would very much appreciate it if you would stop referring to my item as second-hand. It is a brand-new, 100% authentic Chanel piece, which was shipped to you in the original box with the sales receipt. It is in no way second-hand, used, or sub-par, and any suggestion therein is inaccurate, and quite frankly, offensive.
The bottom-line is that you failed to read the terms of my auction. eBay UK's sympathy and My Poupette's shipping policies really have no bearing on the matter at hand. My shipping policies were made quite clear in the listing, and your failure to follow them is at issue. If you did not wish to adhere to the terms of my auction, you should not have purchased my item.
I have not yet received my item, as it is still being held by Parcel Force awaiting payment of customs charges. If and when I receive the item back, assuming that it is still in new condition and has not been damaged, your refund will be processed through PayPal less S&H and eBay final value fees.
And his response to the above:
I thank you for acknowledging receipt of my message. I wish to clarify my position as regards two issues. First, despite the daunting density of your terms of sale, I'd like to affirm that I did read your customs clause, but due to its phrasing assumed it applied to those outside of the UK/Canada remit. If you re-read your own words on the matter I'm confident you would agree with me. Second, I certainly did not mean to cause any offense when referring to the item as 'second-hand'. The term needn't be taken as a slight. It simply refers to an item purchased from a private seller. The negative inference would perhaps be more pertinent if I'd said 'used', which I didn't. As for your item still being held at the Parcelforce North London depot, I telephoned them prior to this message (I had originally called them on the 24th) to ask why that is and a lady named Natasha apologised for her colleague Adrian's tardiness in processing the item and assured me it would be out immediately.
And finally, my response:
Thank you for your message. To be honest with you, I see no need for us to continue this back and forth debate. I imagine that eBay will sort this out on our behalf when (and if) the agenda is returned to me.
While I appreciate your clarification of the "second-hand" terminology I still find it pejorative. If you wish to acknowledge that the item was purchased from a private seller, than it would be more appropriate to designate it as such, rather than to label the item "second-hand." Either way, this is a non-issue with regards to your failure to complete the transaction as agreed upon.
I, of course, do not agree with your assertion that my customs clause does not apply to buyers in the UK or Canada. There is no indication of such in my listing. If you found my terms of sale to be "daunting" and/or "dense" you should have emailed me for clarification *prior* to purchasing my item. If you were unclear about my shipping policy and your responsibilities with respect to customs charges, you should have emailed me for clarification *prior* to purchasing my item. Finally, if the terms of sale (daunting) or not, were not to your liking, you should not have purchased the item! The bottom-line is that you have failed to fulfill your responsibility to complete the transaction, per the terms of your agreement with me and the terms of sale set forth by eBay. Regardless of what you were confused about, or what you are unhappy with, or what other sellers have done for you in the past, nothing changes the simple fact that you have not fulfilled your responsibility as an eBay buyer in this particular transaction.
I appreciate your information re: ParcelForce. I have also been in contact with them on several occasions, and I have had them provide me with detailed information in writing. As I stated earlier, when and if the agenda is returned to me, I will let you know.
I really have no desire to continue this back and forth, but *bay told me that I have to continue communicating with him, if only to acknowledge receipt of his messages. I'm not sure why, but I don't want to take any chances in case this is escalated to a dispute. I've printed copies of everything - the listing, all messages between us, the information I rcv'd from *bay and PayP and Parcel Force. Is there anything else anyone things I need to protect myself??
