Buyer's friend not satisfied....

yvalenz

yvalenz

...
Jun 14, 2007
6,163
2
#1
Earlier this week, I sold a handbag that I believe I accurately described and detailed in photos.

Today, I received a phone call from a friend of the buyer who stated that the bag was purchased by the friend for her, and she's not happy. She feels the bag is not "gently used" and claimed it had a "tropical smell". I don't use any scented products that would be inside the bag. I honestly don't know what the smell is and I never noticed it in this or any of my other bags. She was also upset that the hardware was scratched.

She said she was contacting me first before telling her friend that she was disappointed. I explained that the scratches on the hardware are detailed and were in the listing. She claimed they were not. I wasn't going to argue with her.

First, I was surprised that someone other than the buyer could get my contact information, and second, I was caught off guard that I could only reply that she should have the buyer contact me.

So - should I wait for their contact, or should I send the buyer an email detailing this. I want to resolve this - and of course, want to save my feedback, but the issue came from someone other than the buyer. :shrugs:
 
#2
Nope, I think you did the right thing, as technically, you DO need to be communicating with your buyer. Personally, I'd wait for the buyer to contact you. AND.. I'd be contacting freaking ebay to inquire as to WHOM they gave my contact info to, as the person who called you was NOT the buyer.
Ebay has some privacy issues, IMO.
 
#4
The transaction is between you and the buyer, NOT the buyer's friend. The friend has NO standing with you -- for all you know, she could be the buyer's housekeeper, or the buyer's boyfriend's ex-GF, y'know?

Did you get an e-mail from ebay telling you someone had pulled your contact info? You should have rec'd one -- or the friend has tracked you down from your return address which is creepy and odd and wrong IMHO.

You have no obligation to do anything at this point IMHO. If the "friend" calls you back, tell her that she MUST get the buyer to contact you as your transaction was with the buyer. Then "I'm very sorry, that's the way it must be. I'll wait to hear from your friend, the buyer. Thanks for calling" and hang up. Make note of her phone #. If she continues to call, report her to the phone company.

Also, if she continues to call, THAT would be the time for you to e-mail the buyer, ask her if the purchase was a gift, tell her the friend has contacted you and tell her that the friend is NOT to contact you again.

Ugh.
 
#5
Nope - no email from ebay about my contact info being released.

I have the "friends" number on my caller id. I normally don't answer calls from numbers I don't know, but something made me pick up this one.

And I did a BIN for the buyer, even though one wasn't listed. I should have just let it run or sold it on Bonanzle - where someone else was interested in the item. Since the e*bay buyer inquired first about the BIN, I let her have the item.
 
#7
Embratt said:
How do you suppose the friend got your phone number? Something isn't right here.
Click to expand...

I was wondering the same thing. OP, can you do a reverse look-up on the phone # that shows? This doesn't make sense. Where do you have your cell phone listed as a contact #? Ebay? Or could a friend of YOURS be joking with you? Or did you list it on the parcel you sent, or enclosed in the shipment?

Weird.
 
#8
My home phone is listed with ebay - which needs to be changed ASAP now that I know it can be given out to anyone.

i don't think I included a packing slip, but might have. I know my phone is not listed on them when I do include one - just the standard print-out from paypal.

The caller ID was from out of state - I'm absolutely positive it wasn't a friend of mine. My friends are too old to play games.
 
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#13
I would not be comfortable communicating with anyone but the buyer and

certainly wouldn't be forthcoming with any info about the transaction, either.

I would also find out how she got your info. Would be on the phone discussing that

with paypal/ebay.
 
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