Advice on a refund

[lyndalpn-cows]

Hi everyone

Im a newbie seller and need some advice.  I sold a silver plated tea set on ebay and the buyer has informed me today that he would like to send it back.  I'm disappointed as it is lovely and I was excited that it sold, but understand that in the big picture it is worth it to do so.  A bit of advice needed, do I refund the item cost, the postage cost, his postage cost or the whole lot?  As it was a big item, the postage was expensive - about $20 plus a big $5 post box and heaps of packing so I dont really want to refund the postage... but if I have to I have to I guess.

Interestingly, when he bought this he had a feedback rating of zero - I guess everyone's got to buy their first item sometime, but sending your very first purchase back? weird. Anyway, I have explained that I am happy to refund and asked him nicely what the problem was, just so I can get an idea of how he wants to play this.

His email to me so far:

"Hi,
I have got your siver plate yesterday but I'd like to returns.
Im going to send to you back today.
Is that ok?
Sorry about that.
If i send to them today when I getto back to money?"

My response to him:

"Oh, thats disappointing, I'm sorry that you were not happy with it. Can I ask what the problem is?
I will refund the money as soon as it is back to me.
Kind regards
Lyndal"

The item is here if it helps anyone

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251175411662

Any advice on what I should do? Thanks so much for your expertise guys, this is a new part of the selling game for me!

Lyndal

[***super_nova***]

In no way I am accusing the OP of anything; I was just pointing out possible reason for the buyer not wanting the item.

If people are more careful how to word their titles and descriptions they can avoid some hassles in future 🙂

[*new2vintage]

I haven't refered to you super nova - I've refered to another member who has come close to calling the OP a scammer. If the OP hasn't stated the set is made of solid silver they've misled no one.

[lyndalpn-cows]

Wow.

I wonder if you realise how distressing it is a new seller to come on here genuinely seeking advice and be basically accused of dishonesty by a member. Not at all what I expected. "Deliberately misleading?" How dare you.

I have read the listing a number of times over the last week and I thought (naively perhaps) that when it is listed in the silver plated section and listed as silver plate in both the description and the title that it was an accurate description. Maybe I didnt make it as clear as I should have out of inexperience. (To me, silver plate and silver plateD read the same - but obviously not to you and perhaps not to the buyer, I know that NOW). Did I tell you that I was a newbie at this? Yeah I think I did. But intentional deception? Really?

But hey, as you obviously think I am a scammer, there is one more fact you should now.

The buyer in question, yes the one who has sent back the item, contacted me on the 4th November (yes, this is prior to the auction ending on 5th November) and asked me

"is it sliver plated or sollid silver?"

So yes, maybe it was not clear.  He did the right thing and checked. And I responded to his email 10 minutes later by saying:

"Thanks for your email. Sorry if it was not clear, it is silver plated. Hope that helps and let me know if you have any further questions"

I attempted to change the listing at that point but it wouldnt let me as it was too close to the end.  He was the only bidder and I had made it clear to him so didnt see what else I could do.

Maybe he read my email. Maybe he didn't. You know what? It actually doesn't matter why he returned it.  He could have just decided it didnt match his furniture, I dont care.  I was happy to refund his money until it came back broken. 

So you can speculate all you like about why he returned it, but making insinuations about my honesty is not helpful to anyone.  New sellers like me come to the forums to learn how to do this better, and to gain assistance from more experienced sellers like you guys for the betterment of everyone and to be a better ebay seller. Not be bullied.  I know I will think twice before asking for help again.

Thank you VERY MUCH to the other members who gave their time and advice to assist me with this, I appreciate your generosity and understanding in explaining my options to me and your constructive criticism in how to improve my listings.  I guess I will just have to figure out how to proceed from here.

[a_beautiful_room]

I was going to weight in earlier when I read some of the messages ^^^^ up there to say (which I will say now) that if you could ever possibly think that this seller is trying to infer that these items were solid silver then you are an dolt. It is listed in the silver plate section, it says silver plate in the title, and there is nothing to stop any person from clarifying via messages if they needed to - which is totally unnecessary as if you even read the listing it is patently obvious exactly what the item is.

Something many buyers do not do. But that is NOT the sellers fault. 

I am sorry you have felt bullied OP. I too, in my early days had a very distressing episode on these boards, but I have come back - it took me a long time to do so, and now that I am more assured in my selling ability and experience I don't know if something such as this would have the same effect. Or I am now old enough to be able to press the ignore" button on quite a few nasty people.

I think you have behaved in an exemplary fashion and have done absolutely nothing wrong.

For what it's worth I wouldn't refund the buyer. I'd send him a nice note and let him know that the pieces had been damaged, so if he wished to have them returned to him, then to please forward the postage to have them sent back. Alternatively, you could offer to sell the pieces that are "saleable" and give him what you get for them (less your fees of course) - and let him choose his solution. And no other solution offered!

And good luck 🙂 I have been very impressed with your care for your buyer and I think you're a great seller.

[phorum_junkie*]

I agree that you have done absolutely nothing wrong, the item was listed in the correct category with the correct description and as many will tell you if I thought for a minute you were  the teeniest tiniest bit in the wrong you would feel the wrath of PJ ;-):^O

[lyndalpn-cows]

Thank you for your support and kind words.  After much thought and discussion with my husband (and ebay buddy!) we have decided the simplest thing is to just refund the purchase cost of the item to the buyer.  While it isnt fair,  I think its better to carry the loss at this stage than have the grief and angst of a dispute and negative feedback.  I can chalk this one up to experience and try and recoup the losses by selling the parts of the set that are undamaged. I have learned a lot about the process from this and by the time we resell the bits that are OK will probably be only $20 out of pocket. I dont feel like fighting this guy over $20. Maybe I'm a sucker 😛

I have sent the following email to the buyer today:

"Dear xxxx

We have received the Ranleigh tea set and I am very disappointed to say it has been damaged. The sugar bowl and teapot both have a very large split/crack down the side which was not there when I sent the items to you. While you returned the items in the same box, you did not take care to wrap and pack them as well as I sent them to you, they were quite loose and shabbily wrapped. I do not know if they were damaged by you when you received them or by Australia Post but either way the set is badly damaged, unusable and I will not be able to resell it.

I have sought advice as to my best course of action now. For a PayPal dispute you are required to send returned items back via registered post - both for insurance protection and so you have a record that you sent the item. You did not do this and as such neither you or I are protected by insurance and you cannot even prove that you sent it or that it even arrived. Because of this, there is no way for me to claim for the damaged items. I have been advised NOT to provide you with any refund as you have not followed the process or returned my items in the condition they were sent.

As you are new to eBay, I have decided to take pity on you and refund your money. There is no need for me to do so. I have refunded $45 via PayPal today, which is the purchacost of your items. I will attempt to resell the unbroken items to try and regain some of my losses.

Can I offer you some advice for your future bidding on ebay?

• Be very careful before you bid on an item as many sellers will not allow you to send the item back if you change your mind.


• If you do need to return an item, clearly communicate the problem to the seller, pack the item well and send it back via registered post so you have proof of post. I would even suggest taking photos before you send the item.


• Finally, many other sellers advised me to not refund anything to you - I am being kind as you are a new buyer, but another seller may not be so generous.Consider this a learning experience.
  

Good luck"

And, of course, I have put him on my blocked bidders list!

I will absolutely spit chips if you gives me negative feedback after this though!!!! :^O

Thanks everyone

Lyndal

[*new2vintage]

Some buyers leave neg fb regardless of what you do. It is of course your business what you do but the most I would have done was give a partial refund in this case. I've never let a buyer push me around and although it doesn't look good I'm willing to receive a neg rather than give a buyer what they aren't entitled to. Let's hope this will turn out well for you and please let us know what the final outcome is.

[lyndal1838]

From one Lyndal to another.....stand by for a negative.  No matter how right you are, no matter how you word it...buyers do not like being told they are in the wrong in any way.

[foxette-in-sox]

To Lyndal Treasures as opposed to 'our' Lyndal' lol

JMO but I think the buyer will neg you,as their eyes will glaze over,their ears will steam & their face will turn beet red IF they even get past the 1st line of your email.

I personally think its very amusing BUT doubt the buyer will.

[*new2vintage]

No one needs to give a refund for change of mind anyway. The fact that most of the items have come back damaged has complicated things so your buyer is very lucky you want to help them. I hope you'll never be so accomodating again if they neg you.