tone of seller invoice worries newbie buyer

E

ec1

Member
Feb 20, 2010
26
0
#1
Hello, wiser heads.

I'm sorry this is long.

I just won a bid on eBay for what appears to be a designer item, my first ever, if it is real and in good condition.

After winning, I sent the seller the following message through eBay:

"Dear [seller ID],

Hello! I'm thrilled to have won my first [designer] piece ever, but may I please ask a favor? It is really more due to my own inexperience with designer items than anything else. I see that you have great feedback and I shouldn't be concerned, but I have literally never set foot in a [designer] boutique before and am not sure of myself, so I asked a [designer] authenticator for a 2nd opinion. Her reply was, "no red flags but need bigger close ups of the [designer] heatstamps(interior and exterior corner) and date code." Would you be willing to email me a couple of photos of these things? I would really appreciate it and know I would value this lucky win that much more with a more experienced 2nd opinion. I believe the turnaround time on responses from authenticators in the forum I consulted is about a day or two. Your good photos of the item in the eBay listing were a big part of what made me want to bid in the first place. This [item] has such a striking color combination! Thanks from a [designer] newbie,

-[my eBay ID]
Although I was hoping for the additional photos, I was also willing to accept a polite response from the seller refusing them, say, because it was not the seller's policy, or something like that. I understand that taking additional photos also takes more of the seller's time and effort, and that a winning bid on eBay obligates me to pay for my purchase in a timely manner.

The only response I received was an eBay invoice for the item, that included the following text below:

"WINNING BIDDER MUST PAY WITHIN 2 DAYS AFTER AUCTION ENDS OTHERWISE ITEM WILL BE RE LISTED AND BUYER WIL GET A NEGATIVE STRIKE AGAINTS THEM. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO REVIEW ALL DETAILS BEFORE BIDDING. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT ME. INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING IS $40.00 WITH DELIVERY CONFIRMATION."

Unfortunately, I've already paid for the item. It makes me uncomfortable to make sellers wait for payment, and I thought a requirement to pay within 2 days was reasonable. But since then, I've learned that eBay bidders have up to *4* days to pay for items, and the tone of the note on the invoice really worries me.

It's a nagging worry, and I went ahead and paid anyway...I'm now very afraid of how the rest of this first-time designer auction transaction will go. Will I receive the item? Will it be real or fake? If it arrives, what condition will it be in? Will it look like the photos on eBay?

If I receive the item, I'm going to take my own photos of heat stamps, date code, etc. and submit them to the appropriate forum here. I may also become a CarolDiva customer for the first time, especially if it turns out I need an authentication letter for a claim.

I think the only thing I can do now is

1. Wait for the item to arrive.

2a. If it doesn't arrive, open a case on eBay if possible.
2b. If it arrives and is obviously not as described in a way I can detect (e.g., damaged, smelling bad, bad construction/obviously fake), work through eBay to return for refund, opening a case if necessary.
2c. If it arrives and looks in reasonable condition, take photos and submit them for authentication.

2c1. If authentic & in good condition, be happy and relieved. Leave good feedback for seller. Stop worrying.
2c3. If fake, obtain authentication letter and open case on eBay.

Is this a good summary of my options? What do you think?
 
#2
Yes. I think you should relax and wait. The invoice you got was probably and automatic one you get after winning an auction.

You really should not bid until you are sure you want the item and are happy with authenticity issues. Many sellers will not do pics after bidding ends, as that is not fair to them...
 
#4
I agree. You should have taken care of all this first. I understand you are nervous, but like the above posters said it is hard to get sellers to take pics after. I am not sure that was an automated invoice though. I personally think it was from the seller. Since you have already paid there is not a lot you can do, but wait and see.
 
#5
ec1 said:
Hello, wiser heads.

I'm sorry this is long.

I just won a bid on eBay for what appears to be a designer item, my first ever, if it is real and in good condition.

After winning, I sent the seller the following message through eBay:

"Dear [seller ID],

Hello! I'm thrilled to have won my first [designer] piece ever, but may I please ask a favor? It is really more due to my own inexperience with designer items than anything else. I see that you have great feedback and I shouldn't be concerned, but I have literally never set foot in a [designer] boutique before and am not sure of myself, so I asked a [designer] authenticator for a 2nd opinion. Her reply was, "no red flags but need bigger close ups of the [designer] heatstamps(interior and exterior corner) and date code." Would you be willing to email me a couple of photos of these things? I would really appreciate it and know I would value this lucky win that much more with a more experienced 2nd opinion. I believe the turnaround time on responses from authenticators in the forum I consulted is about a day or two. Your good photos of the item in the eBay listing were a big part of what made me want to bid in the first place. This [item] has such a striking color combination! Thanks from a [designer] newbie,

-[my eBay ID]
Although I was hoping for the additional photos, I was also willing to accept a polite response from the seller refusing them, say, because it was not the seller's policy, or something like that. I understand that taking additional photos also takes more of the seller's time and effort, and that a winning bid on eBay obligates me to pay for my purchase in a timely manner.

The only response I received was an eBay invoice for the item, that included the following text below:

"WINNING BIDDER MUST PAY WITHIN 2 DAYS AFTER AUCTION ENDS OTHERWISE ITEM WILL BE RE LISTED AND BUYER WIL GET A NEGATIVE STRIKE AGAINTS THEM. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO REVIEW ALL DETAILS BEFORE BIDDING. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT ME. INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING IS $40.00 WITH DELIVERY CONFIRMATION."

Unfortunately, I've already paid for the item. It makes me uncomfortable to make sellers wait for payment, and I thought a requirement to pay within 2 days was reasonable. But since then, I've learned that eBay bidders have up to *4* days to pay for items, and the tone of the note on the invoice really worries me.

It's a nagging worry, and I went ahead and paid anyway...I'm now very afraid of how the rest of this first-time designer auction transaction will go. Will I receive the item? Will it be real or fake? If it arrives, what condition will it be in? Will it look like the photos on eBay?

If I receive the item, I'm going to take my own photos of heat stamps, date code, etc. and submit them to the appropriate forum here. I may also become a CarolDiva customer for the first time, especially if it turns out I need an authentication letter for a claim.

I think the only thing I can do now is

1. Wait for the item to arrive.

2a. If it doesn't arrive, open a case on eBay if possible.
2b. If it arrives and is obviously not as described in a way I can detect (e.g., damaged, smelling bad, bad construction/obviously fake), work through eBay to return for refund, opening a case if necessary.
2c. If it arrives and looks in reasonable condition, take photos and submit them for authentication.

2c1. If authentic & in good condition, be happy and relieved. Leave good feedback for seller. Stop worrying.
2c3. If fake, obtain authentication letter and open case on eBay.

Is this a good summary of my options? What do you think?
Click to expand...

I'll start with the positive....you did word your email to the seller very nicely, and if I received an email like that...while it would not please me as a seller, your tone was pleasant, and I would send you the requested photos.

BUT...you need to authenticate before you even place a bid. As a seller, if someone is now questioning the authenticity of my item...after they won, and after they paid....this would bother me. I only sell authentic, so I can just relate this to how I would feel, and I would not be happy. Do your homework first, then bid.

Hopefully the bag you won is authentic, but I have to say, I sure hate when a seller does not take photographs of what's really needed to authenticate. I bend over backwards to have huge clear in focus photos of the font, the date code or any series of numbers/letters, hardware or anything else a buyer (or authenticator) would need to see to determine authenticity.

I do hope your bag turns out to be real :smile:.
 
#6
Dear wiser ones,

I agree, and am learning by doing, the hard way perhaps.

I should have authenticated before bidding at all and will definitely do so from here on.:true:

This is my first bid on a type of item that should and could have been authenticated first. I learned about authenticating designer items first from reading posts on PurseForum...after I'd bid. This is an amazing resource!

:tpfrox:

I never meant to insult the seller, and was & am willing to take "No" for an answer. I can see how they might feel that way, though, and I'm truly sorry if they did.

But the tone of the text on the invoice still concerns me. So far all my eBay transactions have been smooth and communication has been businesslike and polite. (Though if the seller truly felt insulted, I suppose a threatening-toned reply is possible and even businesslike. It just seems unusual.)

And if eBay gives a buyer up to 4 days to pay, can a seller override and require 2 days? (Not usually a problem for me, just curious. I tend to pay right after I win, usually. Certainly within a day.)
 
#7
No, the seller cannot override eBay's rules. Buyers have 4 days to pay. If the item's not paid for by the 4th day, then the seller can file an unpaid item dispute. I hope this all works out for you.
 
#8
ec1 said:
Dear wiser ones,

I agree, and am learning by doing, the hard way perhaps.

I should have authenticated before bidding at all and will definitely do so from here on.:true:

This is my first bid on a type of item that should and could have been authenticated first. I learned about authenticating designer items first from reading posts on PurseForum...after I'd bid. This is an amazing resource!

:tpfrox:

I never meant to insult the seller, and was & am willing to take "No" for an answer. I can see how they might feel that way, though, and I'm truly sorry if they did.

But the tone of the text on the invoice still concerns me. So far all my eBay transactions have been smooth and communication has been businesslike and polite. (Though if the seller truly felt insulted, I suppose a threatening-toned reply is possible and even businesslike. It just seems unusual.)

And if eBay gives a buyer up to 4 days to pay, can a seller override and require 2 days? (Not usually a problem for me, just curious. I tend to pay right after I win, usually. Certainly within a day.)
Click to expand...

I realize you did not mean to insult the seller....but the way ebay is today, this happens a lot. People bid first, and as[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]k questions later. For a legit seller, this is a huge PITA. She may have had this happen before, someone bid, then started questioning things....it can really be a huge waste of time for a seller (and sometimes this is a red flag too, it ma[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]kes it seem as if the buyer wants out, or is loo[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]king for a way out of the sale)[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif], but even so, the seller could have worded it differently. And your case is a bit different because you have already paid....so I can see you were not bidding for fun, you really wanted the item and paid.

And we are all new to buying and/or selling at one time. We have all made mista[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]kes one way or another, I [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]know I have. I have learned a lot from this forum.[/FONT] That's why I stop by here a lot, there's always something new to learn, and the people on this forum are very friendly too :smile:.
 
#9
ec1 said:
Dear wiser ones,

I agree, and am learning by doing, the hard way perhaps.

I should have authenticated before bidding at all and will definitely do so from here on.:true:

This is my first bid on a type of item that should and could have been authenticated first. I learned about authenticating designer items first from reading posts on PurseForum...after I'd bid. This is an amazing resource!

:tpfrox:

I never meant to insult the seller, and was & am willing to take "No" for an answer. I can see how they might feel that way, though, and I'm truly sorry if they did.

But the tone of the text on the invoice still concerns me. So far all my eBay transactions have been smooth and communication has been businesslike and polite. (Though if the seller truly felt insulted, I suppose a threatening-toned reply is possible and even businesslike. It just seems unusual.)

And if eBay gives a buyer up to 4 days to pay, can a seller override and require 2 days? (Not usually a problem for me, just curious. I tend to pay right after I win, usually. Certainly within a day.)
Click to expand...

The seller may request a certain time frame for payment, but they can't enforce a stricter time limit than eBay requires.

I agree with the above posters that you should have been reasonably sure about authenticity before bidding, but I also agree with you that the tone of the sellers' reply was a little harsh and not very helpful. I understand that you first realized you needed to authenticate after you bid, and everyone has to learn that at some point. I also discovered TPF when I first thought of buying a bag on eBay and started reading about all the counterfeiting. TPF is an incredible resource!

For me, it's a red flag with a seller if I ask for more information or pictures (ideally before bidding of course) and get no help. That signals me to move on to another auction. I think especially if the item in question is Louis Vuitton, which it sounds like yours was from the details you have mentioned. LV is faked so often that I think we are all extra cautious about it, and I think it's reasonable to expect the seller to show what is needed for authentication, including date code, heat stamp, etc. I saw a listing just today where the seller said they wouldn't provide the date code because it could help counterfeiters. That may have been well-intentioned, but how am I to know the seller is one of the "good guys" when there are so many bad guys out there?

Anyway, with your seller I'm not sure the terse email is too much of a red flag. The seller may just be irritated that you are asking after the completion of the auction (though if I were the seller and it involved shipping internationally, I might be annoyed but I would rather send you pictures and get things sorted out in advance than deal with a SNAD claim later). I would just try to stay cool until it gets here, and then take good pictures of the necessary things to post in the Authenticate This thread. I'm a little OCD about this with LV, and haven't bought many LV pieces on eBay, but the ones I did I also authenticated with Carol Diva. The small fee was worth peace of mind to me. If all checks out, fine, you'll just be a little more careful next time. If it turns out to be fake, there is a very good chance you will get your money back, but it will involve some aggravation.
 
Last edited:
#10
ec1 said:
I think the only thing I can do now is

1. Wait for the item to arrive.

2a. If it doesn't arrive, open a case on eBay if possible.
2b. If it arrives and is obviously not as described in a way I can detect (e.g., damaged, smelling bad, bad construction/obviously fake), work through eBay to return for refund, opening a case if necessary.
2c. If it arrives and looks in reasonable condition, take photos and submit them for authentication.

2c1. If authentic & in good condition, be happy and relieved. Leave good feedback for seller. Stop worrying.
2c3. If fake, obtain authentication letter and open case on eBay.

Is this a good summary of my options? What do you think?
Click to expand...

You have outlined your options very well. As a buyer, as long as you complete the transaction inside ebay and use Paypal, you have lots of protection. Hope for the best. If the seller has a good ebay reputation and if the price was reasonable, i.e. not too good to be true, it will probably all be fine. Good luck.
 
#11
I think you'll be fine. The seller's invoice didn't have a "tone" necessarily, and I don't think it was personal. I think this was just an automated invoice that goes out to everyone.
 
#12
Hmm. My transaction doesn't involve shipping internationally. It's all domestic USA shipping. Maybe it really is just the seller's standard boilerplate on the invoice.
 
#13
ec1 said:
Hmm. My transaction doesn't involve shipping internationally. It's all domestic USA shipping. Maybe it really is just the seller's standard boilerplate on the invoice.
Click to expand...

I'll bet that is just a standard invoice for that seller then. A tad bit aggressive, I think, to be your standard invoice, but it sounds like it's not necessarily directed towards you.
 
Last edited:
#14
Some people really don't even think twice about writing in all caps either - they dont realize it means they are "screaming". Wih out the all caps, the message is not *that* bad... and since it mentioned international shipping, i believe it is a generic message, not the answer to your question.

Keep us posted!
 
#15
ec1 said:
Dear wiser ones,

I agree, and am learning by doing, the hard way perhaps.

I should have authenticated before bidding at all and will definitely do so from here on.:true:

This is my first bid on a type of item that should and could have been authenticated first. I learned about authenticating designer items first from reading posts on PurseForum...after I'd bid. This is an amazing resource!

:tpfrox:

I never meant to insult the seller, and was & am willing to take "No" for an answer. I can see how they might feel that way, though, and I'm truly sorry if they did.

But the tone of the text on the invoice still concerns me. So far all my eBay transactions have been smooth and communication has been businesslike and polite. (Though if the seller truly felt insulted, I suppose a threatening-toned reply is possible and even businesslike. It just seems unusual.)

And if eBay gives a buyer up to 4 days to pay, can a seller override and require 2 days? (Not usually a problem for me, just curious. I tend to pay right after I win, usually. Certainly within a day.)
Click to expand...

No worries, live and learn right?

Now when you get it, have it authenticated right away, if it is NOT authentic, then that is a whole other story (that ends well for you, so don't fret!!!)

Good luck!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back