rude/dishonest seller, help!

ayobeckah

ayobeckah

Member
Nov 12, 2012
245
0
#1
so as a huuuuge doctor who fan, I really love zipping around in vintage trenches that make me feel as if I'm also traveling through time and space (lol).

I've taken the hunt from local thrift stores to eBay and I decided to take a chance on purchasing a vintage Burberry coat from a woman, who describes the item being in 'terrific condition', and the 'only wear being on the buckles, as shown in photos'. She goes on to say that the liner works perfectly well, basically it all sounds really good and for the price I wasn't complaining ($90).

I won the bid and right at the very moment she presses me non stop for payment, I thought it was a little strange but hey, sellers need their money so I understand. (I paid in less than 36 hours)

Red Flag #1: After a mishap with the post scanning my item as delivered but not actually delivering, I called the post office who suggested I tell the shipper to open a case. When I messaged her, she got extremely hostile and defensive, saying I should check all my doors because she shipped it out.. I understand that, obviously there was a package for one to be missing, I just asked for her to open a case.

#2: after many phone calls and tracking down the local postman, I found the package on a different route and was able to provide my ID to retrieve it from the driver. Finally relieved that the difficult part was over, I excitedly rush home to try on my new find and whilst sliding my hands into the pocket, whilst my right hand comfortably stopped, my left hand sinks all the way down! To my surprise the pocket was bottomless! Okay, easy fix. Upset she didn't mention it though. I remove the jacket to see exactly how much the pocket was damaged and it was just terrible!!

There was a HUGE brown stain on the interior lining of the coat that stained the outside of the coat as well. Something obviously seeped through the pockets and seemingly she had to destroy the pocket in an attempt to remove the initial culprit. The lining which also met its sticky maker due to this brown mysterious stain was sealed together, making it impossible to unzip from the overall coat. I understand it's an old coat, but I think the seller shouldn't have neglected to mention it in her listing.

#3: I promptly emailed the seller once I've photographed all the main damages with the coat. In all fairness, she responded very quickly, but she was denying any stain or rip, going so far as to saying either something happened to it at the post office or I have destroyed the garment. It was just a whole bunch of attitude from her and it made me extremely uncomfortable as a buyer. When I asked if I can return it, she offered me a refund of 10 dollars so I would keep it. Living in NYC, 10 dollars wouldn't even pay for the repair of the pocket, much less a mysterious stain. I would have probably accepted it, but she kept blaming me for this stain, instead of just telling me what it was so I can tell the cleaners for them to properly treat it.

#4) I did express how much I liked the coat, so I would go to the cleaners and get a quote. I went to a variety of cleaners and dry cleaners here in the city run anywhere from $10 to 100+. I was fair and gave her a $30 dollar quote from a local cleaner (which included the price of fixing the pocket), and she now offered me $15 dollars for half the repair.

I've decided to open a case against her for a return do to the fact she neglected to mention any of these damages and I'm so over the back and fourth of her pointing the blame at me. I'm so bothered by this issue, what should I do? It's just not worth keeping at this point ImageUploadedByPurseForum1453084605.505070.jpgImageUploadedByPurseForum1453084353.524292.jpgImageUploadedByPurseForum1453084397.059366.jpg

I don't know if I'm allowed to post the original listing in case anyone was curious, if I can though please let me know!
 
#2
I am sorry about your bad experience. It is not nice for a seller not to disclose such an ugly staining. However, since this is a used trench coat, I would think that you would have to send it for dry cleaning anyway. So if seller pays for half of it, you may end up with a jacket that you like for a reasonable price. Just my two cents.
 
#5
First you state:
Red Flag #1: After a mishap with the post scanning my item as delivered but not actually delivering, I called the post office who suggested I tell the shipper to open a case. When I messaged her, she got extremely hostile and defensive, saying I should check all my doors because she shipped it out.. I understand that, obviously there was a package for one to be missing, I just asked for her to open a case.

Actually, this is the only part of your post that is NOT a red flag. It's a postal error and although it sucks that it happened, the seller can't be held responsible for that! She shipped, she had the correct address and zip code and as far as that goes (to that point), she'd done her part.

Just so you know, sometimes scanning errors occur when the postman presses a wrong button or hits the incorrect code and usually, I've found that they correct themselves (or more accurately, the mailman corrects it) when the mistake is caught.

Since you actually found the carrier with the package, clearly it hadn't yet been delivered so once he got back to the post office or delivered it to the correct address, tracking would have updated.

Based on what you've described, I'm guessing that at the point you saw the d.c. and contacted the seller, it was the same day of the tracking.

As a seller, it's normal to be suspicious of a buyer who claims non-receipt when tracking shows delivery. (Scammers try it often and just about anyone who has sold long enough has had a buyer who tried it.)

As for the rest of your complaints, they're legitimate and you have a few options.

Both you and she did do your parts to try to work it out. She has negotiated a $15 refund and it sounds as though that's her final offer.

At this point, your options are:
1. accept the $15 and take the (now) $75 coat to the cleaner and tailor, spend $30 for repair/cleaning and have a Burb coat for $105.
2. Return it to the seller for a full refund. Since it's SNAD, she'll have to pay return shipping too so you'll be out nothing (except your time) but you'll have to find another coat, most likely more expensive. You'd said what a good price it was and although the damages should have been disclosed and I'm not excusing her not disclosing, perhaps the price was commensurate with condition.

Either way, you can leave feedback.
 
#6
I live in NYC, it's common for them to scan the package delivered before the actual delivery it's happened to me before but I usually pick it up from the P.O in the morning, I told her because when I called they said the package wasn't on the truck - she didn't request a signature or anything. My red flag was of how she responded to it.

I understand there are scammers but at the same time there are honest buyers who are not scammers. Her initial reaction was off putting. Im sure she checked out my profile before going through with the transaction, I've bought many actual big ticket items and I have 100% feedback, I'm not trying to rob her of $90, so for me it was extremely insulting

Also, I did want to return she told me I should just get it fixed. This is why the $15 dollar solution came, she just doesn't want to accept responsibility for the damage, and doesn't want me to return an item she thinks I damaged.
 
#7
it's stressful because she won't even admit what the stain is so I would know how to fix it!! If she initially did that instead of flat out denying it was there; there would need not be a refund or a case opened!
 
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#8
You have come across a seller who needless to say has been very challenging.

Her insinuations are uncalled for. She should have just chalked it up as
an oversight instead of going off on you. This seller may have had a previous
experience with another buyer & hence her suspicions.. Hard not to take it
personally, but put it in perspective.

Ask yourself this question: Do you like the coat enough to spend the few extra
dollars to repair it to your liking ?

There is a principle involved here, but once you put that coat on you'll probably
be glad that you decided to keep it.
 
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#11
So when actually taken back to the local cleaners, I paid 30 dollars and they only managed to fix the pocket (nothing they can do about the stain). I had to trek to midtown to a specialty cleaner, that quoted $70+ for a stain treatment.

I tried many times to return the cost and she flat out refused. She made it clear she did not want the coat back since she's moving to an area w/a warmer climate and she then withdrew her offer of the $15 dollars.

eBay closed the case in her favour, citing buyers remorse from my end, and she claimed she had informed me of the damage. She even went as far as leaving negative feedback saying I'm a scammer falsely claiming snad!! How am I scamming you if I'm trying to return the item!!!

I took the L for the coat, but negative feedback?? I called eBay about the wrongful negative feedback and they removed it, and they ended up reversing the case, refunding me for the jacket.

$100+ dollars in repairs later, a day after the case was reassessed and closed, she asked me to then ship the coat back to her since I got a refund [emoji19][emoji19][emoji19]
 
#12
ayobeckah said:
So when actually taken back cleaners, I paid 30 dollars and they only fixed the pocket (nothing they can do about the stain) I had to trek to midtown to a specialty cleaner, that quoted $70+ for a stain treatment.

I tried many times to return the cost and she flat out refused. She did not want the coat back and she then withdrew her offer of the $15 dollars.

eBay closed the case in her favour, citing buyers remorse from my end, and she claimed she had informed me of the damage. She even went as far as leaving negative feedback saying I'm a scammer falsely claiming snad!! How am I scamming you if I'm trying to return the item!!!

I took the L for the coat, but negative feedback?? I called eBay about the wrongful negative feedback and they removed it, and refunded me for the jacket.

$100+ dollars in repairs later, after the case was reassessed and closed, she asked me to then ship the coat back to her since I got a refund [emoji19][emoji19][emoji19]
Click to expand...
I'm a little confused about whether you actually won the case or not. If you are able, you should leave appropriate feedback!
 
#14
Good, whoever closed it in her favor was so wrong. Buyers remorse? At the very least you should have been allowed to return it if you were dissatisfied with the condition! I'm glad you got a good rep the second time who reversed it. I hope after all the repairs you're happy with your coat!
 
#15
ayobeckah said:
So when actually taken back to the local cleaners, I paid 30 dollars and they only managed to fix the pocket (nothing they can do about the stain). I had to trek to midtown to a specialty cleaner, that quoted $70+ for a stain treatment.

I tried many times to return the cost and she flat out refused. She made it clear she did not want the coat back since she's moving to an area w/a warmer climate and she then withdrew her offer of the $15 dollars.

eBay closed the case in her favour, citing buyers remorse from my end, and she claimed she had informed me of the damage. She even went as far as leaving negative feedback saying I'm a scammer falsely claiming snad!! How am I scamming you if I'm trying to return the item!!!

I took the L for the coat, but negative feedback?? I called eBay about the wrongful negative feedback and they removed it, and they ended up reversing the case, refunding me for the jacket.

$100+ dollars in repairs later, a day after the case was reassessed and closed, she asked me to then ship the coat back to her since I got a refund [emoji19][emoji19][emoji19]
Click to expand...
She should have known better that sellers can't leave negative feedback, or negative feedback disguised as positive. ebay gave you the money back and didn't tell you that you had to return it. I believe that you don't have to return it. I've had refunds from ebay before where the seller was being a pain, and I didn't have to return the item. Since you've already spent money on the coat, there is no way she deserves to have it back. I would just ignore her. If she contacts you again, report her to ebay for harassment.
 
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