Warning for the wise. Research your items thoroughly before sale.

[the_pooze]

Posting this tale of a sale gone badly wrong so other Sellers can avoid a similar unpleasant situation.

Two items purchased at a garage sale as a one price for both deal, both second-hand without packaging, one obviously used, one obviously un or barely used. 

First item absolutely what was wanted and kept for personal use.  Second item used a few times but, not neally suited and no longer wanted so offered for sale.

Item offered for sale and sold on one bid placed at very end of auction, paid for and posted.

Some days after item received by the buyer they sent a message stating only "item is a fake".  I responded asking what the exact issue was and what I could do to assist and subsequently received a response demanding I provide a satisfactory resolution to their problem or they would report the issue to eBay and assorted Government bodies and Legal entities.

I contacted eBay myself, by phone and email, had the ad and communication with the buyer reviewed and was advised they could see no issues and offered some suggestions on how to resolve the problem which included offering a refund for return of the item whereafter I could repost the ad.

Easiest and least drawn out solution was to offer a refund for return of the item so made this offer to the buyer who responded that they had reported the issue to eBay and the assortment of Government bodies and Legal entities, etc, etc.  FINALLY they also provided the relevant information to allow me to ascertain exactly what the issue was.

Turns out that the item is most likely a copy of a little known designer brand and I've assumed it to be a generic fashion item.  STUPID!

Lesson?  Make sure that you research everything you're planning to sell to absolute death before listing it for sale and don't make any assumptions about an item.  It's not worth the dramas in the event your assumptions prove to be incorrect. 

[2106greencat]

Nasty way to learn a lesson, but yes, Selling 101 - know what you are putting up for sale.

[ambridgebuckskins]

When out at clearing sales, estate sales or garage sales, I totally avoid anything with a brand name on it. If l get a job lot of goods and something like a handbag is in it, I google the brand. If its well known or anything designer, l bin it. Because it will be a fake 9/10 and l once got slapped big time.

l found a cute little pink handbag that was made of plastic so l listed it for $12 BIN. Looked like a wonderful little bag that a child would take down the beach.

Less than 24 hours listed, the bag was pulled due to a 'VERO' partner.  At 2am in the morning, l recieved a threatening phone call from dectectives in France to 'cease and desist'. l'm not my best at 2am and bursting out laughing at the French accent muttering at me...it was the wrong thing to do.

l got a follow up from Federal police. Luckily one of them had a wise head on his shoulders and agreed that l'd hardly be selling knock-offs for $12 when it was a single bag.

Now, l'm happy to sell Target brand or Misco....run of the mill items that are hard enough to sell the original, much less a fake.