When is NWT not NWT? Earring Q on ebay

StylishFarmer

Member
Aug 17, 2011
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I came across a pair of earrings that I really liked. Here is the listing

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150973888571&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123


I sent the seller this message

Are these the same earrings as pictured IN the ears of the lady?


Their reply

Hi and Happy New Year! thanks for your question. Yes, they are!


Me:Ok, thanks...

See, I wouldn't call them new with tags once they have been in someone's ears. Shame, I like them a lot. It's just a bit of the ewwww factor now.


I probably should have just said, thank for the reply.


But this is their response

Seller : How would you like me to take the picture? I'm sure you want to see them on someone for
a reference point of view don't you think? This is not a store that you can walk in and try them on to see
how they look on you. You need a visual and that picture is it. Also they get cleaned with alcohol once the picture is taken and they are placed back in its original package and returned to storage.
Let me ask you a question if I may? when you go into a store to buy a pair of earrings that you want,
don't you try them on to see how they fit and look before you buy them? do you really think that you
are the only person that has tried those earrings on? how about you and fifty other people. Do you also
think that they clean the earrings with alcohol after every customer tries them on?
If you think that these Chanel earrings are not Brand New in Pristine Condition With Tags just because a model wore them for less than a minute to take a picture with them so we can post the pictures on ebay sounds crazy to me.



Me:
In Australia? It's against health regulations to try on earrings.

Anyway, you could have used a mannequin head.


Your response is way too long and obviously touched a sore point.

Good luck with your auction

( Again, I know I should have ignored...)


Seller: First of all I don't live in Australia, this is the USA. The sore point is customers like you who start by asking ridiculous questions.
I think that you have me confused with a store. Like I said, this is Not a Store, it's ebay worldwide. BTW, yes I do have a sore point
now that I think of it, that is you telling me that my Authentic CHANEL merchandise are not Brand New because a model wore them
for a minute to take a photo. Read my feedback, I've been on ebay selling ONLY CHANEL for over 11 years and they are all Brand New.
Have a nice day and enjoy your summer down under.




So... as THEY said.. they HAVE been worn. I dont care if its just for a minute or hours or even days. Worn is worn, right? I know my questions/answers werent exactly the most tactful they can be.. but does this happen alot in the USA? As I said, here in Australia, it is strictly forbidden to try on pearrings for pierced ears. You get this clear little plastic spoon thing that you hold up to your ear and you get a perfect idea of what the earrings would look like on.

Was my question ridiculous? I dont think it was. I know its not a store, never questioned the authenticity or the condition. Did the seller over react?
 
Looks worn to me.
It is similar to those sellers who list things as 'new' but the item has been worn already (like its only been worn for 2 hours but its still new!).

Its a perfectly legitmate question and concern.
We have these health regulations for a reason.
Just because youre in Aus, and the seller is in the US, does not mean the concern is any less legitmate for you.
I think the seller is overreacting (and good reason to avoid like the plague).
 
OP I agree with you 100%. NWT means brand new, never worn. Period. For that kind of money I want a pair that NOBODY has worn before! I think her answer to you about 'everyone trying them on at the store' is bull. She probably hasn't thought of this before and you hit a sore spot. For what it's worth I agree with you and I would not buy something that's supposed to be new but is modeled on someone. I see shirts advertised as BNWT but they're being worn by someone for the picture, which is gross to me.
 
I'm in Aus, too, and I can't even imagine trying on earrings in store. Sounds icky. I agree with you OP, having something like earrings IN someone's ears seems unhygienic and takes away the 'new' factor for me.

The seller's listing also makes a big point of 'why buy something pre-owned' and how new their earrings are. Except for the fact they've taken them out of the packaging and stuck them in their ears.
 
I don't think you can try on pierced earrings in the US either; I know I never have. You can just hold them near your head to get an idea how they look or in front of your ear, but not touching them.

I have things that are NWT and they are truly NWT, not worn for photos or display, not tried on or worn on carpet (if shoes) or used once (if a bag); they are still in the package/bag/box they came in and if I remove them for photos, it's just to show the item, not show it on someone. How can the seller say how comfortable they are to wear if they have not been worn? Hmmm.
 
So, what is to stop someone from buying the earrings taking them home trying them on and then returning them? You don't think that the store isn't going to just put them back out for sale? :rolleyes:
 
poopsie2 said:
So, what is to stop someone from buying the earrings taking them home trying them on and then returning them? You don't think that the store isn't going to just put them back out for sale? :rolleyes:

In Australia, you can't return pierced earrings. Only if they are broken or damaged - they are replaced or refunded. So, no they are not put out again. They are basically binned and called 'shrinkage'. I worked in retail - ladies accessories for many years. Also, each time you make a purchase, the SA reminds you AND there are signs everywhere near or on counters and displays. Hard to miss really.

Don't know about other countries :smile:
 
They are returnable here in the US and they are definitely put back out for sale in the 'regular' stores. I don't recall ever seeing any warning signs about pierced earring returns. I don't know about the high end boutiques. Just out of curiosity I will ask around next week
 
I've actually seen stores that do not take returns of pierced earrings; they write them up as "final sale no returns" here in the US. I'm sure policies vary from store to store, but I've seen this in countless stores.
 
In the UK you can't try earrings on for health and safety reasons.

You can have them sealed in little plastic envelopes (if you're buying a gift for example) and they can then be returned providing the tamper proof seal is still intact (not all stores offer that though as I had that faff with a Christmas present.) But if you took them out of that bag to try them on, you couldn't return them.

Some sellers are very touchy if you follow-up your question with anything that then questions their assertions.
 
I have been offered to try on pierced earrings in both Canada and the US. Tiffany's in NYC for example. So it does not appear to be a law or a policy everywhere. SA's have specified that the earrings are cleaned with an antiseptic solution both before and after trying them on.

IMO you were both overreacting - you a little - she a lot.
 
I don't think her standard of nwt is absurd and personally would not be very bothered. I have definitely been told to try on jewelry at Tiffany's. I do think as a seller (particularly one that makes a big deal re newness) should be more understanding that a buyer might be more sensitive than she is. Had she responded in a professional manner I would have had no qualms with her as a seller. Getting heated and excited gets you no where. Not like you are going to suddenly be convinced to change your standards (which by the way I think I totally think are fine for you to have even though mine our different).

Similarly if she has been more professional I think there is little point in attacking her. Sanitizing tried on items is a common and accepted business model and practice in the us at least. You should simply avoid stores that don't operate to your caliber. Pretty sure Tiffany won't change it's practices but also wouldn't harass you with a long chastising response!
 
Hmmm - interesting topic....never thought about it - as others have said - in the US - not really an issue. Would really I would have not thought twice about it - but now I will - I would just personally never stick something in my ear until I took it home and cleaned it.

BUT as far as how to list it - I think given that the seller is here in the US ...NWT is an accurate description. I would have done the same thing - being totally unaware of how earrings are handled in other countries.

That being said - we all try on clothes and they are still NWT....here in the US you can even try on lingerie and swimwear.....and who knows who left their own lingerie on underneath....ughhhh. So with that - even NWT gets washed of course.....are earrings any worse - my opinion - no - acutally I would feel better about earrings than lingerie - even though they are pierced - you can sterilize metal :smile:

My bug - a boo - is manicure pedicure issues....but that's a whole separate topic.....

Just my opinion here in the US as a doc too.....so I am not "uninformed" - but now much more aware.

Interesting - and over-reacting - nah - to each his own...its what makes life so interesting :smile: