topic Re: Am I being a bit picky? in Buying

Am I being a bit picky?

tulip*place — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:30:17 GMT

Received today a handbag in an express satchel. The bag had no wrapping, or plastic for protection just put into the satchel. Also the description was new with tags, all I found was a small piece of white thread inside the bag. The condition of the bag doesn't look new, it has a couple of little dents to the clasp but don't know if this happened in transit. I bought this bag for a wedding this weekend and I intend to still use it but a little disappointed. Not sure how to mention this to seller. Advice appreciated.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

***super_nova*** — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:37:03 GMT

Have a look at the photos in the listing if there is a sign of the dents. However, if the damage happened in transit it is the sellers fault/responsibility; they should have protected the item so you get it in the condition it was advertised. Also if it did not have tag I would question that. I would contact the seller and include photo of the dents, point out that they misrepresented the condition and ask for partial refund. if they do not respond favourably, I would be leaving appropriate FB.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

austeam — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:56:48 GMT

One approach you could take is to message the seller with something like:

"Hi, I received the bag and I am looking forward to using it, but I thought you should know that the bag has a dent which might have happened in transit if it wasn't already in the bag before you packed it. You might want to use bubble wrap in future. Thanks."

Then you could wait to see the reply. The seller might offer to compensate or the seller might just ignore you. Feedback can be a reflection of how the seller deals with this.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

jameshouseofstyle — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 09:14:19 GMT

Hi tulip,
not impressed at all with your seller's efforts at packing the bag, or anything generally just showed in the satchel.
But when I personally buy anything on Ebay I am mostly guided by the amount of money I have paid - which is probably a bit more objective way of looking at it.
If I get something that I know for a fact is around $500, and all I paid is a $100 or less - to me that is a very good deal, so any little imperfections would be considered as part n' parcel of getting something so much cheaper. Even if the seller says it's brand new and then it turns out it isn't - that would be the least of my worries as long as the item is still functional and not in too different condition (like falling appart or something).
And I know you'll get totally different advice from everyone else, telling you that every last detail in the listing, no matter how insignificant has to match the item received - and maybe one has to consider all that - but to me condition and my satisfaction as a buyer is always directly related to the price paid. I never forget the fact that I could have chosen to pay the full price in the store - then I would have every right to demand perfection.
It'll never ever, ever cease to amaze me how heaps of people leave the worst feedbacks to sellers after they paid for an item almost nothing! (Nothing to do with your case, just an observation over the years I have been here)
Hope this helps you some - just someone else's point of view.
Cheers, Di.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

kopenhagen5 — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 09:15:33 GMT

Also when you use it at the wedding, remember no one is going to notice small things on a handbag, they will be too distracted by your radiant beauty. 😉

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

bsal6160 — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 09:29:23 GMT

tulip, how much you paid for the item is irrelevant. it is all about being as described. if it is not exactly as described then ask for refund or partial refund if that suits you. it is your hard earned cash you parted with so you are entitled to first class service regardless of the price.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

tulip*place — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 09:35:05 GMT

Thanks for your replies. The price I paid is approx 20% (incl postage)of what they had used as the RRP in their description. Will contact the seller with a pic of the clasp and enquire about the "new with tags", maybe the white thread which is also in their pic is whats left of the tag. Also thanks k5.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

***super_nova*** — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:22:23 GMT

If item is advertised as new with tags, it should look as you would expect brand new item from B&M shop to look. Price paid is totally irrelevant. Especially for fashion item. Last year fashion sells for fraction of the original price ( even if the quoted RRP is factual). Only man can say that scuffs/dents on bag bought for special occasion are not an issue 🙂 If the marks were there and disclosed, the OP and the other bidders may not have bid at all, or maybe not as much, so partial refund is definitely in order.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

*sparklz* — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 01:02:24 GMT

Must say there is a few different people that reply under the ID of jameshouseofstyle Seen a couple if different names to the messages here.

But OP you should get the item exactly as described. Even if it is worth $500 and you got it or $100 that is just a bonus but I would still want the item to be NEW with TAGS as per description.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

extra-keen — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 02:13:33 GMT

Is it possible that the seller has inadvertently sent the wrong item to you? It does happen occasionally.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

wishuponastarcelebrationsandgifts — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 03:25:42 GMT

You're not being too picky at all as you should get what you purchased.

Personally I wouldn't want a bag at all if it had been used, had dents etc no matter how much of a discount. I would prefer to pay more and get one in perfect condition. Not everyone feels this way of course, but sellers need to be mindful that they cannot assume what is acceptable to them, given the price of the item, is acceptable to everyone else.

I agree with Austeam. Send the seller an email and mention the dents that may have been caused due to lack of protective packaging in the mail, and that the tag is missing. Hopefully the seller will reply promptly and you can negotiate with them a reasonable solution.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

jameshouseofstyle — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 08:00:43 GMT

sparklz, there are several people working here at any given time, our boss is in the Australian Army, never here - so he has hired help.

As sellers, we have to have the same opinion and follow the guidelines - but as buyers we all look for different things in price, quality and even type of goods we buy.

One thing, however, we all have in common, more or less - and that is not to pay too much mind as to "what one is supposed to look for when the item arrives, where it comes from (if stated differently in the listing), how long does it take to get here, how much is the postage and if it varies from postage paid if on the parcel - they are all minor and petty things that one wouldn't even look at if it wasn't bought on Ebay and there was no provisions at all to leave f/back & DSR's.

We all view Ebay as just another place to shop. All the rest is carp... unless one comes across a fraudster (we didn't as yet).

Cheers, Di.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

lyndal1838 — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 08:25:21 GMT

I have to disagree with you Di. As a buyer I DO expect the goods to be in the condition they were described and postage to be (within reason) the amount charged.

I have often noticed that the staff from JHS have a very cavalier attitude to ebay policies...every "little problem" is deemed petty as you have just stated.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

jameshouseofstyle — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 08:44:38 GMT

Hi Lyndal,

as buyers we have every right to deem problems as we like, deal or not deal with them as we see fit.

As sellers, we don't have any problems - and if our buyers do then our personal opinions don't come into that - as stated above - we just follow the Ebay's giedelines

But that's what you have meant, I'm sure - you were not infering that as a seller we deem every problem as petty.

Cheers, Di.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

*sparklz* — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 08:52:57 GMT

Would you then list an item that and state in excellent/mint condition and expect a buyer to just accept any faults they find in an item?

Would you then accuse the buyer of damaging the item them self?

And would you say that in feedback as well?

Sorry BUT no matter what the price an item is purchased for a seller is obligated to send the item EXACTLY as it is described.

And then to accuse buyers of doing the damage and not take responsibility for their own wrong description is pretty sad.

If items arrive NOT as described no matter how PETTY the problem is then the seller has done the wrong thing and more so if there is a specific question asked and the reply does not match the condition on arrival.

Buyers are not excepting too much to get an item exactly as it is described.

So in saying what you have you would deem it not necessary to advise of any imperfections in an item you are listing and the buyer to just accept that on receipt of the item?

Sorry but that is not good.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

jameshouseofstyle — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 09:25:42 GMT

sparkz,

you must have been reading someone else's posts as none of the above from your last post relating to how we list things are stated by me.

Or anyone else from here.

We have made it clear from the top down what matters/doesn't matter to us as BUYERS, just another perspective for the OP.

Regards, Di.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

tulip*place — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 10:02:56 GMT

Below is the reply.

"So sorry ur not happy with the bag
It is brand new I have receipts and everything to confirm that,
However I cannot give you a refund as u only paid $xx for a bag worth more than a $xxx
Also I do state that I am not responsible for items damaged in the post.
If u want to return the bag u can but u will not be refunded for postage, as I spent that to post the bag. The refund will be processed only once the bag is received.
Hope u understand"

Has not mentioned the no tags, and doesn't understand the need for packaging material. Think the feedback in this instance will be a -.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

i-once-was-bump — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 10:10:47 GMT

Di maybe sparklz is referring to some of the follow-up to feedback from your buyers by jamesetc

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

*sparklz* — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 10:56:29 GMT

Below is the reply.

"So sorry ur not happy with the bag
It is brand new I have receipts and everything to confirm that,
However I cannot give you a refund as u only paid $xx for a bag worth more than a $xxx
Also I do state that I am not responsible for items damaged in the post.
If u want to return the bag u can but u will not be refunded for postage, as I spent that to post the bag. The refund will be processed only once the bag is received.
Hope u understand"

Has not mentioned the no tags, and doesn't understand the need for packaging material. Think the feedback in this instance will be a -.

tip toe through the tulips

Just as because they have the receipt does not make it brand new just proves it was purchased.

That seller is not taking any responsibility for their lack of accurately describing the damage and if it was not there is not taking responsibility for their lack of care in packing.

Either way they are not accepting they have done the wrong thing.

The seller needs to understand that if you were to open a dispute for item not as described they would have no option but to refund you the total amount you paid including the postage to get it too you.

Pity you really need the bag or you could have opened the dispute and escalated and returned it (at your cost via registered post) to prove that their no refund of postage is WRONG and not enforceable.

A neg for them might teach them to do things properly.

Be sure it is not rude or in caps, no name calling. You do not want anything there that can get removed if they request it.

Not protected for postage Arrived damaged Not as described.

Re: Am I being a bit picky?

wishuponastarcelebrationsandgifts — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:26:19 GMT

Below is the reply.

"So sorry ur not happy with the bag
It is brand new I have receipts and everything to confirm that,
However I cannot give you a refund as u only paid $xx for a bag worth more than a $xxx
Also I do state that I am not responsible for items damaged in the post.
If u want to return the bag u can but u will not be refunded for postage, as I spent that to post the bag. The refund will be processed only once the bag is received.
Hope u understand"

Has not mentioned the no tags, and doesn't understand the need for packaging material. Think the feedback in this instance will be a -.

tip toe through the tulips

That is not an acceptable response.As has been mentioned having a receipt for it doesn't prove they haven't used it. If they bought it for resale through a wholesaler, I would imagine it would be included on an invoice with other items rather than just a receipt. It gives the impression it was a retail purchase.

I initially sold some satin evening bags as part of my bridal range. They all came to me from the importers tissue wrapped and taped, with stuffing inside and then wrapped in a clear bag. I would imagine all wholesalers would sell bags in a similar condition, and expensive bags usually come in a drawstring bag or similar to protect them.

The comment about not being able to give you a refund is irrelevant. They sent you a damaged item and you are therefore entitled to a refund by law irrespective of what you paid for it.

The seller does not appear to understand their legal obligations, and is a tad unprofessional in their manner of response (ie abbreviations).