Hi all. I'm hoping you can advise me on what to do in a certain situation.
I recently purchased a great vintage Chanel jacket on ebay. When I received it, I noticed that the lining on the bottom hem was sloppily stitched, showing that the coat had been altered in some way (and poorly). I was upset and emailed the seller, who insisted that the jacket was in pristine vintage condition and she hadn't altered it in any way, and she had bought it in a consignment shop. I replied that she may not have altered it, but it was altered, and poorly so, and she should have disclosed it. She then sent me several successive emails, the first stating that she "doesn't have time for this headache", the second to "send the jacket back", and the third to "send the jacket back already!!!" (they were all sent in the space of a couple of hours so I'm not sure why they escalated in tone, or why she seemed to expect by the third message that the jacket should have suddenly materialized).
She also emailed a couple of times the next morning, which to be honest, freaked me out. The messages were all frantic, some in all caps, all with exclamation points. She insisted I return the jacket. I was concerned b/c a) she seemed really imbalanced, and b) I didn't want to return the jacket and have her not refund me because she was so angry.
So I let a few days pass to think things over, and I decided that I would just keep the jacket, in part to avoid conflict, and also because I really do love it. I decided I would take it to a tailor to fix the hem, and also have it taken in slightly at the waist as it's slightly big (it's fine with sweaters, but in the spring it will be a little too loose, I think). While I was looking at the seams on the side of the jacket to see where the material would be taken in, I noticed that the sides of the jacket had been altered as well! Also poorly! At this point, I have the whole jacket a solid look over, and saw that the underarms and sides were taken in, and that one sleeve is actually coming APART at the seams!
At this, I emailed the seller. I let her know that I really do love the jacket and would like to keep it afterall, but that the jacket has been altered extensively and very sloppily. I pointed out that although she had previously insisted it was in PRISTINE condition, one sleeve was actually coming off. I stated that what I would most like is to keep the jacket, but for her to reimburse me for the costs to fix the previous tailoring (not taking it in, but actually fixing the sloppily done seams as well as the sleeve that's falling off). She replied that she refuses, and instead I should send the jacket back. Also, I fear I maybe offended her with my remarks about the tailoring, b/c based on other items that she's purchased on ebay (buttons, and sewing books), I think it's very possible that she did do the alterations herself.
So...basically I don't know what to do. I really have grown to love the jacket, but I'm really upset that it's in such poor condition which wasn't disclosed. NO MATTER WHAT, I would like to keep the jacket, b/c even with the damages I did buy it at a very good price...HOWEVER, I thought I was buying it for a good price without damages, not at a good price that I will have to pay loads more for because I need to find a tailor that I trust well enough to alter this jacket (and from what I've seen, altering high end clothes is expensive).
I obviously can't make her give me a partial refund. I also think that in general, partial refunds are done by sellers to quiet their pain in the butt buyers, and I don't want to be one of those. I also think that I legitimately am not one, but that she is at fault here. I don't want to cause trouble and file a claim, but I'm really upset not only that she didn't disclose this, but that she refuses to admit that anything was wrong with the jacket.
So I guess I'm asking, what would you do if you were me? And as far as feedback, since she is offering to refund the jacket if I send it back, which I don't really want to do, should I leave a neutral feedback? I'd hate to leave a negative, esp as she is offering to redress this in some way, I don't want to do that. Should I just leave no feedback?
Sorry this was a book!
I recently purchased a great vintage Chanel jacket on ebay. When I received it, I noticed that the lining on the bottom hem was sloppily stitched, showing that the coat had been altered in some way (and poorly). I was upset and emailed the seller, who insisted that the jacket was in pristine vintage condition and she hadn't altered it in any way, and she had bought it in a consignment shop. I replied that she may not have altered it, but it was altered, and poorly so, and she should have disclosed it. She then sent me several successive emails, the first stating that she "doesn't have time for this headache", the second to "send the jacket back", and the third to "send the jacket back already!!!" (they were all sent in the space of a couple of hours so I'm not sure why they escalated in tone, or why she seemed to expect by the third message that the jacket should have suddenly materialized).
She also emailed a couple of times the next morning, which to be honest, freaked me out. The messages were all frantic, some in all caps, all with exclamation points. She insisted I return the jacket. I was concerned b/c a) she seemed really imbalanced, and b) I didn't want to return the jacket and have her not refund me because she was so angry.
So I let a few days pass to think things over, and I decided that I would just keep the jacket, in part to avoid conflict, and also because I really do love it. I decided I would take it to a tailor to fix the hem, and also have it taken in slightly at the waist as it's slightly big (it's fine with sweaters, but in the spring it will be a little too loose, I think). While I was looking at the seams on the side of the jacket to see where the material would be taken in, I noticed that the sides of the jacket had been altered as well! Also poorly! At this point, I have the whole jacket a solid look over, and saw that the underarms and sides were taken in, and that one sleeve is actually coming APART at the seams!
At this, I emailed the seller. I let her know that I really do love the jacket and would like to keep it afterall, but that the jacket has been altered extensively and very sloppily. I pointed out that although she had previously insisted it was in PRISTINE condition, one sleeve was actually coming off. I stated that what I would most like is to keep the jacket, but for her to reimburse me for the costs to fix the previous tailoring (not taking it in, but actually fixing the sloppily done seams as well as the sleeve that's falling off). She replied that she refuses, and instead I should send the jacket back. Also, I fear I maybe offended her with my remarks about the tailoring, b/c based on other items that she's purchased on ebay (buttons, and sewing books), I think it's very possible that she did do the alterations herself.
So...basically I don't know what to do. I really have grown to love the jacket, but I'm really upset that it's in such poor condition which wasn't disclosed. NO MATTER WHAT, I would like to keep the jacket, b/c even with the damages I did buy it at a very good price...HOWEVER, I thought I was buying it for a good price without damages, not at a good price that I will have to pay loads more for because I need to find a tailor that I trust well enough to alter this jacket (and from what I've seen, altering high end clothes is expensive).
I obviously can't make her give me a partial refund. I also think that in general, partial refunds are done by sellers to quiet their pain in the butt buyers, and I don't want to be one of those. I also think that I legitimately am not one, but that she is at fault here. I don't want to cause trouble and file a claim, but I'm really upset not only that she didn't disclose this, but that she refuses to admit that anything was wrong with the jacket.
So I guess I'm asking, what would you do if you were me? And as far as feedback, since she is offering to refund the jacket if I send it back, which I don't really want to do, should I leave a neutral feedback? I'd hate to leave a negative, esp as she is offering to redress this in some way, I don't want to do that. Should I just leave no feedback?
Sorry this was a book!