Ughhhh I'm off to a really bad start

[laurarh]

So I have a few designer items, more of the less pricey stuff like coach. I wanted to try to sell some on ebay to get a reputation and then try the buying and reselling thing. Well, I should have started safer but wanted to go for the big bucks. I got a LV denim bag from a friend. Now this is a lifelong, trusted friend who I know for a fact receives authentic designer items from a wealthy aunt usually once or twice a year at least, so I was sure it was real, but I'm no expert. I wish I would have known about the authentication forums here before listing it. Well, I tried selling some of my things before and my camera is such bad quality, the listings were always removed by ebay because the pictures weren't clear enough so people reported them. So, being new to this I thought I'd use a picture I found on the internet just to show what it was, and I said I'd add pictures if I could get access to a good camera. I made it clear that bidders should feel free to ask any question, and my return policy is 3 days under the condition that the item is not as described. No one asked me anything and I got quite a few bids suprisingly. Well, the guy who won it opens a paypal dispute for it being significantly not as described, and says it's the fakest bag he's seen. I can definitely say that's a lie, because while I'm not an expert I know enough that it looked very real and high quality to me. I was shocked but I did admit I did not have it authenticated and it possibly was fake, just not like he said (I know that doesn't change the fact that it's fake, but this brings me to my next point...) My return policy is 3 days, and I would have gladly refunded him if contacted in that time frame, but he waits 15 days to contact me (well, he just opened a claim right away, didn't even try to work it out), so not only does he violate my policy, but if it's so unbelievably fake, did he really need 15 days to have it authenticated? He should have known right out of the box if ti's so fake like he made it sound and emailed me ASAP. But I read someone elses thread who had a similar issue with a return policy violation, plus with it possibly being fake, I'm screwed right? Now I'm suspended from selling for 30 days at the very least, and probably out some money:/

Any advice for a new designer seller. I don't do fakes, I didn't want this to happen, and I want to be a good seller and earn a good reputation on ebay.

 

[pixiepeach]

If you sell on eBay, you don't have a policy. Your policy is whatever eBays policy is and that's that. .

Your first wrong move was using pictures that weren't yours. Your second wrong move was stating that you really weren't sure if it was authentic. Stating that was a major red flag. Someone (not a very good someone) could have bought it in hopes that it was real (which maybe it is) and then filed a dispute against you saying it was fake. Paypal often has buyers destory fakes so this buyer might have known she could have kept the bag and got her money bag.

If you don't want to sell fakes, you should have had the bag authenticated first. A good seller does not steal photos!

I'm also confused. You say you wanted to go for the big bucks but you just posted on a previous post in the eBay thread that you listed it at a very, very low price. Hm

Sorry but I think you're out of luck here.

 

[Nico3327]

I don't think it matters what you say in your listing regarding returns - buyers have 45 days to open disputes for authenticity. You don't have to take it back and refund the buyer, but chances are if you don't the buyer will open up a SNAD case and you may be forced by ebay to take the return and refund anyway.

This has never happened to me before though (as a buyer or a seller) so you may want to wait for others to chime in as well.

 

[pippaWA]

Any advice for a new designer seller. I don't do fakes, I didn't want this to happen, and I want to be a good seller and earn a good reputation on ebay.

If you don't want to sell fakes then get your items authenticated before selling them. I am assuming you know the provenance of the items you have bought yourself. Anything else you want to authenticate before listing, or else you'll end up with disputes every time.

Regarding this particular dispute, if you are so sure it is authentic then ask the buyer to prove it is a fake. This is done by authenticating the item which you should have done beforehand. You may want to offer to pay authentication fee for him as a gesture of good will. Generally speaking, authenticated items go for more money so authenticating is in your best interests.

Regarding camera, I find it hard to believe that someone's listings got pulled because they were blurry. If this is true, go visit your local Walmart ASAP. For $150 or so you can get a camera with a macro option and a flash which is all you really need for EBay.

p-WA

 

[pixiepeach]

Regarding camera, I find it hard to believe that someone's listings got pulled because they were blurry. If this is true, go visit your local Walmart ASAP. For $150 or so you can get a camera with a macro option and a flash which is all you really need for EBay.

p-WA

Agreed. This is another thing that seems fishy about this post. You camera has to be REALLY old for the photos to be THAT bad.

 

[fashion_mom1]

I don't honestly think you are going to get a lot of support here.
1. You don't even know if it is authentic
2. You stole pictures
All big NO NOs with ebay. And it is illegal to sell fake bags. At minimum you are going to get the bag returned to you. At max you will be in huge trouble for selling a fake. I am assuming it is fake based on what you have said. There are a lot of red flags about your story.

 

[chloehandbags]

Even on the offchance that it is authentic, I'd be a bit worried, if I were you, OP - as the buyer might swap it for the bad fake he says it is and then ship that back to you, instead and since you 'borrowed' pics and said that you weren't sure whether it was authentic, or not, the chances of PP siding with you are extremely remote...

What's done is done, but for future reference:

• Only list items when you know what they are, how old they are (even if only roughly), whether they have been used or not and that they are definitely authentic.
• Always use your own (clear and focussed) pics.
• Always describe items and their flaws accurately, honestly and in full.

Oh and another thing, don't assume that, just because someone's rich, they won't own fakes!

 

[MarneeB]

Please be 100% certain that an item is authentic before listing it. And please don't use someone else's pictures. You opened yourself up for all kinds of problems. If you can't take and post your own pictures, don't list the item. And as others have said, you can't have your own return policy, eBay over rules the seller's policy every time.
I will say, however, that you were brave to come here and ask for advice. I hope this works out for you. GL!

 

[laurarh]

If you sell on eBay, you don't have a policy. Your policy is whatever eBays policy is and that's that. .

Your first wrong move was using pictures that weren't yours. Your second wrong move was stating that you really weren't sure if it was authentic. Stating that was a major red flag. Someone (not a very good someone) could have bought it in hopes that it was real (which maybe it is) and then filed a dispute against you saying it was fake. Paypal often has buyers destory fakes so this buyer might have known she could have kept the bag and got her money bag.

If you don't want to sell fakes, you should have had the bag authenticated first. A good seller does not steal photos!

I'm also confused. You say you wanted to go for the big bucks but you just posted on a previous post in the eBay thread that you listed it at a very, very low price. Hm

Sorry but I think you're out of luck here.

Well I didn't say in the auction that I wasn't sure if it was real or not. At that point I was completely confident is was real, I ust didn't say anything regarding the authenticity because all the listings that overemphazise how 100% AUTHENTIC the bags are seem so fake to me, even though many probably are real. And about the big bucks thing, I was planning on starting low no matter what it is, my point being had I chosen a coach bag I would have started it at $30-40.The $300 I got for this bag seemed like a lot to me for my first sale, and I know I could have started it higher. And I did not steal photos, I had permission from the original owner, stated they were not mine, and encouraged LOTS of questions. I know I messed this one up, but just clarifying those points.

 

[laurarh]

Please be 100% certain that an item is authentic before listing it. And please don't use someone else's pictures. You opened yourself up for all kinds of problems. If you can't take and post your own pictures, don't list the item. And as others have said, you can't have your own return policy, eBay over rules the seller's policy every time.
I will say, however, that you were brave to come here and ask for advice. I hope this works out for you. GL!

Thanks! Like I just responded to someone else, I had permission to use the photos and said they were not mine, and I thought you were allowed to do that. It wasn't removed as have been many of my listings with my own crappy pictures. But I know not to do that again, I guess I have to just invest in a better camera. How do you make sure things are authentic before listing them? I've heard of a lot of authentication services, I just don;t know which to use.

 

[laurarh]

Agreed. This is another thing that seems fishy about this post. You camera has to be REALLY old for the photos to be THAT bad.

It's actually my relatively new lg rhythm phone, which is known for it's horrible picture quality - look it up. I don't have an actual camera.

 

[bunnymasseuse]

Well I didn't say in the auction that I wasn't sure if it was real or not. At that point I was completely confident is was real, I ust didn't say anything regarding the authenticity because all the listings that overemphazise how 100% AUTHENTIC the bags are seem so fake to me, even though many probably are real. And about the big bucks thing, I was planning on starting low no matter what it is, my point being had I chosen a coach bag I would have started it at $30-40.The $300 I got for this bag seemed like a lot to me for my first sale, and I know I could have started it higher. And I did not steal photos, I had permission from the original owner, stated they were not mine, and encouraged LOTS of questions. I know I messed this one up, but just clarifying those points.

Even if you had said you were unsure of the authenticity of the item does not allow your listing to be legal on ebay. Part of the reason why when you list an item you shouldn't be listing it as a specific name brand unless you are sure what you have is authentic ( and be warned once they find out as your buyer they'll be sure you hit you for it) and protect yourself with proof for such occasions. If you aren't, then you can't list it AS that name brand... and in some cases even selling it as a knockoff is illegal too (if not illegal all of the time).

 

[laurarh]

Even on the offchance that it is authentic, I'd be a bit worried, if I were you, OP - as the buyer might swap it for the bad fake he says it is and then ship that back to you, instead and since you 'borrowed' pics and said that you weren't sure whether it was authentic, or not, the chances of PP siding with you are extremely remote...

What's done is done, but for future reference:

• Only list items when you know what they are, how old they are (even if only roughly), whether they have been used or not and that they are definitely authentic.
• Always use your own (clear and focussed) pics.
• Always describe items and their flaws accurately, honestly and in full.

Oh and another thing, don't assume that, just because someone's rich, they won't own fakes!

Ok, I understand I made mistakes and that is why I'm asking for help. I knew all of the above information you said to include, listed it, and encorauged questions, and tried to get good pictures (I know I didn't in the end and that is going to work against me).It was a learning experience, I know I messed up the first time bad, and that's why I need advice. We all started and I don't appreciate everyone in here treating me like an idiot when you all know you've made mistakes too. I didn't assume that just because the person is rich that it's real - This is a lifelong friend and I've gone with them to both to Saks for a LV and to a chanel store in the past, so I have seen authentic items purchased by her with my own eyes. It was still an assumption and that's my mistake, but I had good reasoning behind it.

 

[laurarh]

Please be 100% certain that an item is authentic before listing it. And please don't use someone else's pictures. You opened yourself up for all kinds of problems. If you can't take and post your own pictures, don't list the item. And as others have said, you can't have your own return policy, eBay over rules the seller's policy every time.
I will say, however, that you were brave to come here and ask for advice. I hope this works out for you. GL!

And about the return policy thing - I know this is just how it is and no one in here has any say in it, so I'm just venting, but why the xxx is there any option to accept/not accept/put specifications/time limits on a return policy if it means absolutely nothing in the end?!

WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE PLEASE

 

[laurarh]

And about the return policy thing - I know this is just how it is and no one in here has any say in it, so I'm just venting, but why the F*CK is there any option to accept/not accept/put specifications/time limits on a return policy if it means absolutely nothing in the end?!

censored that, sorry I thought forums automatically do that