Help with problem buyer

Mar 7, 2008
277
48
I have a feedback score of over 80 transactions on ebay with 100% positive. I just sold a handbag on ebay and now I'm having issues with the buyer. Everything was clearly listed in my ad, dimensions etc and that no returns are accepted. Well the buyer received the item and it's smaller than she thought it would be (did she not read the dimensions?). She wants to return it because it won't work for her for school. What if she gives me negative feedback just because she doesn't like the size that was clearly stated in the ad and my no return policy that was also clearly stated?

Help! Thank you!
 
Sorry to tell you that your no return policy means nothing in eBay-land. My advice would be to accept the return and refund her when you receive the bag back. Just relist the bag and move on. It's a buyers' market on eBay and no matter how much we try and describe everything and foolproof our listings, in the end eBay usually sides with the buyer.
 
So sorry, I hate when buyers do things like this. They have all the control!

Unfortunately, she can give you negative feedback and all you could do is post a reply stating why it was unfounded.

If you want to avoid any chance of negative feedback, as stated above, you can accept a refund and either cover the initial charges or ask the buyer to pay all shipping charges pointing out that you are making an exception to your return policy and that they really have no basis for a return through your return policy or paypal or ebay's eyes.

However, if you really don't want to re-list, I would test the water with the buyer for their likelihood of giving negative feedback. Politely reply that you are very sorry that the bag will not suit their needs, but the dimensions were clearly stated as was your no return policy., etc. Hopefully she will give some reply before leaving feedback, and maybe the reply will simply be "okay, thanks". Maybe they are testing out the water right now to see if you will let them return it knowing full well they have no recourse for a return through Ebay or Paypal.
 
Thank you ladies for the replies. I took echo_23's advice. We shall see what happens. If she gives me negative feedback, I just know better from now on that ebay is ONLY for buying and not selling. Ebay has just gotten ridiculous, we as sellers have no rights evidentally even when we did nothing wrong. Buyers can't be held accountable for anything. She did a 'buy it now' on this auction too and ended it early. How lovely....
 
I have a feedback score of over 80 transactions on ebay with 100% positive. I just sold a handbag on ebay and now I'm having issues with the buyer. Everything was clearly listed in my ad, dimensions etc and that no returns are accepted. Well the buyer received the item and it's smaller than she thought it would be (did she not read the dimensions?). She wants to return it because it won't work for her for school. What if she gives me negative feedback just because she doesn't like the size that was clearly stated in the ad and my no return policy that was also clearly stated?

Help! Thank you!

Key point - she uses the word school, so she is probably very young - a teacher would use the word "work". Given that already, she didn't read the listing carefully and think about the dimensions, you can't expect she'll react like a mature adult.

So sorry, I hate when buyers do things like this. They have all the control!

Unfortunately, she can give you negative feedback and all you could do is post a reply stating why it was unfounded.

If you want to avoid any chance of negative feedback, as stated above, you can accept a refund and either cover the initial charges or ask the buyer to pay all shipping charges pointing out that you are making an exception to your return policy and that they really have no basis for a return through your return policy or paypal or ebay's eyes.

However, if you really don't want to re-list, I would test the water with the buyer for their likelihood of giving negative feedback. Politely reply that you are very sorry that the bag will not suit their needs, but the dimensions were clearly stated as was your no return policy., etc. Hopefully she will give some reply before leaving feedback, and maybe the reply will simply be "okay, thanks". Maybe they are testing out the water right now to see if you will let them return it knowing full well they have no recourse for a return through Ebay or Paypal.

Agree with echo_23, you don't have much choice about how she leaves feedback. However, you could look at her feedback left for others, this will be a guide to how much she changes her mind and her feedback style.

A frustrating situation. Hopefully, she will be reasonable. It wouldn't hurt to point out that by accepting a return, (if you do), you are making an exception and that her contribution is to pay the return cost. If you absorb everything, she'll get the expectation that all sellers will do this.

Otherwise stand your ground because you did everything correctly and it is not your fault if buyers don't read.

Just saw that you decided to stand your ground. Good for you! The more people who do this, the better. A negative for a good reason is not a blight - it shows you have principles and won't take bullying from buyers - which could be a good protective factor in future.
 
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"school" doesn't necessarily equate to "very young". I'm in college, and I'll be 25 next month. Half of my class is in their 30's and up. Its not uncommon to refer to college or university as "school" since that is what they are.
 
"school" doesn't necessarily equate to "very young". I'm in college, and I'll be 25 next month. Half of my class is in their 30's and up. Its not uncommon to refer to college or university as "school" since that is what they are.

Interesting - must be a cultural difference. I am not used to hearing "school" being used to describe University or College either here in Japan or in my home country. I am certainly not implying that anyone at a University or college must be young. I'd probably use the term faculty or department rather than school. Thanks for an interesting point.

Anyway. Back on topic.

The bidder didn't read the listing - the listing described the measurements and the buyer is now asking for special treatment.

The seller has no need to take a return - the eBay rules are pretty clear on this. If the seller takes unconditional returns and says so in the listing, then it is OK for a buyer to choose to return something. But if the seller says no returns, and the problem is because the buyer did not think about the measurements, then it is not really OK. The honorable thing for a buyer to do in this case is just resell it if they don't want it. No means no!
 
I also agree with this! If everyone just accepts returns immediately it will only get worse...


I agree with this. It's a buyers auction not a "try before you buy" auction. If that is what she wanted she should have gone to a shop to purchase a bag. It was up to her to read the dimensions listed or ask for them if they were not provided (I know in this case they were).
 
I'd tell the buyer that you're sorry that the item isn't as expected and that generally, you don't offer refunds. You can offer to options. Tell her that since the item is accurately described, you're willing to take the return as a goodwill gesture but shipping in both directions is at her expense and item must be returned in the same condition in which it was sent.

The other option is to allow her to use your pictures if she wants to try to resell it herself.

Generally, ebay can be reasonable with sellers in the case of an accurately described item and a detailed description. THey don't always side with a buyer who didn't read or understand the description.
 
Thank you for all the replies. She hasn't contacted me since I replied to her "not the size I wanted" message. I will definitely keep you all posted. I sure hope that she has a conscience and does the right thing.

On a side note, I recently bought my mom a handbag on ebay that she picked out herself. It arrived and she didn't like it. I gave the seller positive feedback - as she did her end of the deal and I respected her no returns policy. All of the information was accurate in her listing, she is not responsible if my mom or I like the item. I simply relisted the handbag. It's quite surprising to me the lack of personal accountability these days. Some people should really be ashamed of themselves. Ebay needs to protect sellers more than they are. I have read some nasty stories on ebay's seller central.