topic Re: How to handle this one? in Selling

How to handle this one?

jellybirddesigns — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 14:18:11 GMT

Recently sold a pack of fabric remnants/offcuts to a buyer with 11 feedback.

It was 100g of different Mexican cottons and there are usually about 4 pieces in each pack as 100g isn't really much weight. They are meant for small craft projects and I mention as much in the listing.

Anyway, tonight I get a message - "don't think the pack I bought was worth the money".

No other information or what she would like me to do about it.

So, what do you think is the best way to handle this?

Re: How to handle this one?

jensmanchester-australia — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 14:27:21 GMT

I would just reply along the lines of - sorry you are not happy with your purchase. You are more than welcome to return it for a full refund to......(add in address details)

It is then up to the buyer to decide what they would like to do.

Re: How to handle this one?

fixnwear — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 23:09:00 GMT

cushioncovers,

why offer a refund whe she didn't ask for it.

And if she does ask for it - ask her if there are any differences in the product she received from the listing content and pictures. Also, tell her to open a return thingy - what is she going to say? Not worth the money? Yea, sure.

Just tell her that you thinks it's worth the money, and she must have thought the same, obviously, as she bought it after reading all details in the listing.

And besides, her opinion on it's worth doesn't count after the purchase as it's seen as highly biased and not objective enough nor any sort of indication of the true value.

Re: How to handle this one?

curraone — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 23:24:46 GMT

I would not even mention refund:

http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/buy/contextual/return-policy.html

Please note: Consumer guarantees don't apply if you:

Have simply changed your mind, found the product cheaper elsewhere, or decided you don't like or need the product
Misused a product and have caused or contributed to the failure of the goods, for example, by damaging or misusing the goods

Re: How to handle this one?

jensmanchester-australia — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 23:26:02 GMT

@fixnwear wrote:
cushioncovers,

why offer a refund whe she didn't ask for it.
And if she does ask for it - ask her if there are any differences in the product she received from the listing content and pictures. Also, tell her to open a return thingy - what is she going to say? Not worth the money? Yea, sure.
Just tell her that you thinks it's worth the money, and she must have thought the same, obviously, as she bought it after reading all details in the listing.
And besides, her opinion on it's worth doesn't count after the purchase as it's seen as highly biased and not objective enough nor any sort of indication of the true value.

cushioncovers has a 30 day returns policy so if a buyer seems unhappy it seems logical to give them the option to return it. The buyer can then decide whether or not they want to return it.

If they choose to keep the item but leave non positive feedback the OP can try and get any non positive feedback removed based on the fact they tried to resolve the problem the buyer had by giving them option to return it.

There is no need to suggest the buyer open a returns request at this stage as it can be dealt with without having to go down that road.

Re: How to handle this one?

jensmanchester-australia — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 23:29:21 GMT

@curraone wrote:
I would not even mention refund:

http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/buy/contextual/return-policy.html

Please note: Consumer guarantees don't apply if you:
Have simply changed your mind, found the product cheaper elsewhere, or decided you don't like or need the product
Misused a product and have caused or contributed to the failure of the goods, for example, by damaging or misusing the goods

curraone - the OP is offering a 30 day returns policy for change of mind purchases.

Consumer guarantees don't apply in this case but if you are offering 30 days returns for change of mind purchases then you have to accept it back if that is what the buyer wants.

Re: How to handle this one?

curraone — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 23:35:03 GMT

Just as a general comment - have you noticed that we get the most trouble from sellers with very low feedback and for very low amounts?

it looks as if the sold item was less than $10 incl postage - what was the buyer expecting? A whole bolt of cloth?

Re: How to handle this one?

englishrosegardens — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 23:44:35 GMT

With such a vague/misleading description I'm surprised you don't have more unhappy customers. You talk about having a large amount of remnants and how the photographs only show a small sample of the fabrics available, but nowhere do you say they'll only get about four pieces. As a buyer I'd be disappointed if I didn't get what was in the photographs if you didn't spell out that the fabrics are picked at random and you won't necessarily get what's shown.

I know you've said 100g but that wouldn't tell the average buyer much as there's nothing to indicate whether the fabrics are light, medium or heavy weight. If you show lots of fabric in the pictures then buyers would expect to get quite a bit for their money. Size is what you need to tell them, and surely it wouldn't be too hard to weigh one of the fabrics and work out what area 100g would cover, then put the total size in the listing. Approximate size of the remnants wouldn't go astray either as "small projects" could be interpreted a lot of different ways. The way your description currently reads, it's akin to a lucky dip where buyers have no way of knowing what to expect.

Edit: curraone, the biggest problem is that the buyer wasn't really told what to expect, and lack of details in a description doesn't justify saying they got what they paid for.

Re: How to handle this one?

curraone — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 23:42:11 GMT

I can only see that the OP offers Refunds by law: In Australia, consumers have a legal right to obtain a refund from a business for goods purchased if the goods are faulty, not fit for purpose or don't match description. More information at returns

not for change of mind. Or do 30 days return always include change of mind?

Re: How to handle this one?

englishrosegardens — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 23:52:38 GMT

Yes, 30 day returns includes change of mind. If you don't do change of mind returns you select "No returns".

Re: How to handle this one?

jensmanchester-australia — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 23:57:50 GMT

@curraone wrote:
I can only see that the OP offers Refunds by law: In Australia, consumers have a legal right to obtain a refund from a business for goods purchased if the goods are faulty, not fit for purpose or don't match description. More information at returns

not for change of mind. Or do 30 days return always include change of mind?

What you see is what ebay automatically adds to every listing.

Buyers are automatically covered under consumer law so if you don't want to accept returns for change of mind purchases then you have to click no returns.

A sellers return policy is separate to consumer law and applies to change of mind purchases so once a seller clicks they accept returns they are agreeing to accept returns for change of mind.

Sellers can set up an actual returns policy in there with certain conditions as well...ie they can say returns accepted for change of mind purchases on condition the tags are still attached.

If they don't stipulate any conditions then they are agreeing to accept any return for a change of mind purchase.

As the OP has a 30 day returns policy with no conditions set out then buyers can choose to return an item for any reason.

Re: How to handle this one?

curraone — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 00:01:32 GMT

I see, thanks jensmanchester - that is very clear.

I'm glad I don't offer it then.

Re: How to handle this one?

rocket2retro — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 00:54:59 GMT

Given there no actual photo of exactly what is being sold, I'd say you'd find it very hard to win any INAD case. I think the listing should have the typical combined size eg 40cm x 40cm or whatever it may be.

I would have no no idea how much fabric 100 grams would be in area.

Perhaps a photo with a typical selection of fabric witth a ruler in the photo would be beneficial.

The longer I sell the more I realise that the photos/description need to cover every aspect (essentially a disclaimer) of the item being sold.

By not being very specific in all areas you leave yourself open to buyer's, like the one you mention, to dispute.

Re: How to handle this one?

jellybirddesigns — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 04:44:07 GMT

Thanks for your responses.

As an update, I messaged the buyer and asked her how she would like me to resolve the issue.

Her response was that I should "change the front photo to show what you actually get". I have approximately 20 mexican fabrics, so of course I can't say EXACTLY what a buyer will get in their order - it's random.

She still hasn't told me what she would like me to actually do to resolve her complaint.

Or maybe she just wants to complain?

In the listing I do mention that the photographs show a sample of what I have - it's based on what I have left over after I use the fabric to make my cushion covers. There are 3 photos in the listing which give an idea to the buyer of what I could send.

I will add more information to my listing to indicate that the fabrics they will get will be a random selection and that there will be approximately 4 pieces in the pack.

Re: How to handle this one?

digital*ghost — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 09:01:57 GMT

@cushioncovers wrote:
Thanks for your responses.
As an update, I messaged the buyer and asked her how she would like me to resolve the issue.
Her response was that I should "change the front photo to show what you actually get".

Sounds to me like they're disappointed, but don't necessarily want anything to be done about it other than an update to the listing.

With a listing like that, I'd probably show 4pcs in the main gallery image, possibly with the watermark saying 'random sample', and then have other images showing further examples. I'd also have the word 'random' in the title (if you didn't already), then if it's based on weight I'd say 100g (approx 3-4pcs fabric, with an average size per piece).

Alternatively, I'd make up a few pre-made lots and do a variation listing, allowing people to select the exact lot that they want from maybe 3-4 selections. Then, if one sells and I have another lot to list, change the images for the sold one and update the stock quantity. A little more upkeep, but should (hopefully!) avoid any disappointed or confused buyers.

Re: How to handle this one?

springyzone — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 10:49:45 GMT

I would not offer a refund but perhaps offer to send a couple of extra samples to make up for her disappointment.

I know this might be a pain but what I would do in future ads is wait till I had remnants ready, then put them together in lots, photograph them and sell them that way.

What is in the photo should be what they get.

I personally realise 100g isn't much, as a buyer I wouldn't have been expecting a lot, but some buyers honestly have no idea. Your ads need to be more explicit-show the actual samples and approx sizes of each sample.

I know some sellers favour this 'random bundle' method of selling but it often ends badly. As a buyer, I still recall many years ago I bought some doileys like this. The seller showed a table covered with about 20 of them, most embroidered and a lot quite good sizes. The ad said buyers would get 5 random doileys.

I bought a bundle and got one small embroidered one in my sample, all the rest were plain and fairly small. I was disappointed. i gave good feedback, but i was disappointed and felt a bit cheated. I guess you can tell by the fact that all these years (about 14) after the event, I still feel annoyed.

I can't think of anything more likely to annoy a buyer than to leave them with the impression that what you advertised was better than what you doled out to them.

Don't do it to yourself would be my suggestion. Not unless you are prepared to go the other way and send MORE & better than a person would logically expect.