Buyer wants a refund

[justkidzbiz]

Item no 122724290844
Listed as item as grey. Pictures (IMO) are clearly grey. Jacket has grey buttons. Buyer is claiming jacket is black which it is not. If it was black it would have black buttons on the front and cuffs which are grey.

So where do I stand on this?

[enigmabear]

sounds like a change of mind on their part,to me

Perhaps first check with them if it is the only item of it's kind they have bought (in case they've bought another one off another sller and is mixing up the items)

and if they say it is from you, perhaps ask for a photo of what the jacket

[kopenhagen5]

Looks Dark Grey, so perhaps buyer had different thought in mind when listed as grey.

1. Ask for the return of item then refund.

2. Buyer opens case, you pay for postage for return and need to refund.

3. Refund without return. (But item is too good for that)

4. Ask if they will accept a partial refund as a discount of perhaps 20-30%.

[fixnwear]

kopenhagen, I am amazed at your suggestions to the OP!

Why on Earth woud she have to do any of that? Who really cares what the customer thought she was buying - what she bought is a grey jacket - and no seller can foresee what buyers imagine in their heads they are buying and are going to get.

Jacket is either black or grey - I think most of us on the planet are able to tell the difference.

She needs to tell the customer:

"so sorry, no refund. Listed as grey because it's grey irrespective what you think of the colour. Had I listed it as black - someone else would have wanted a refund telling me they thought it was grey! But I can't list something as black when it's clearly grey. No matter how many times you tell me it's black - it isn't."

"Don't call us, we'll call you" - as the saying goes - meaning - don't want to hear from you again.

And if she goes further and opens a dispute of some sort - and Ebay sides with her and give her the money back upon the return of the item - what are they going to say when it's relisted, sold again, next customer happy - with a GREY jacket!

[bsal6160]

now thats being a helpful seller...not.

and sellers oops meant LISTERS are wondering why sales are plummeting on ebay...

[audistarelectronics]

Hate to say it, but Mr Kopes is only predicting what will take place eventually anyway. As most sellers know, Ebay will agree with the buyer if the buyer says the jacket is black, even though it is not. Probably less stress for the seller if they just bite the bullet and get rid of the problem, and the troublesome buyer, once and for all, and move on. This is happening more and more these days, crooked buyers claiming faults and hoping that they will just get a refund and keep the item. Legal theft it's called.

[fixnwear]

audistarelectronics,

thank you for clarifying that - but it does defy logic! (If you and kopes are right and they would really go that far to even call one colour another - just so they can justify a refund!)

I wander how would they explain that in a person to person conversation?

If one was to call them and ask - common sense would dictate that they would look at the listing and have no choice but to agree.

Anything on the contrary would mean that Ebay aproves every refund, always, no matter what, without exception.

Is it really as easy as that, call one colour another and get a refund?

[springyzone]

If the jacket has grey buttons it is a grey jacket.

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if something is deep navy or black or deep grey or black but the button colour is a good guide.

I'm guessing here but I would say the trouble is the buyer thought the jacket was a light to medium grey.

When I looked at the ad, my first impression was-how on earth could anyone possibly think it is black, it's not even a particularly dark grey.

Then in one of the photos of the back, it did look a couple of shades darker.

For anyone to think the jacket is black, in real life it must be a very dark grey & not the medium grey it appeared in the first photo.

That doesn't mean the seller is in the wrong as it is still a grey jacket, but it can be hard to tell exact shades from photos sometimes.

I don't know where you'd stand with this. Theoretically, you'd think you should be in the clear but with ebay it's not a given so if I were you, I would ring them and speak to someone, run the whole thing past them and see what a likely response is. That can then guide you as to how you answer the buyer.

But I would definitely start any message by saying the jacket is certainly grey as the buttons & lining are grey & it was bought as a grey jacket etc. that way you are defending your position.

Then... if you get the feeling ebay would not do the right thing by you, you could acknowledge the buyer was upset with the shade of grey. Again state monitors may display differently, and perhaps offer a refund for change of mind, as long as they return the jacket in the condition it came in. That way they pay return postage.

[justkidzbiz]

Thanks Springy. I emailed the buyer stating that the jacket is in fact grey as that was what my partner wanted. Buyer has now lodged a dispute. Unless I can get confirmation from the store that this style jacket is in fact grey, looks like I'm stuffed and will be out of pocket original and return postage. 😟

Ah the joys of eBay!

[tazzieterror]

I feel sorry for you - there's nothing wrong with your photos, and the jacket is clearly grey. You've just got a deadbeat buyer there - either dishonest, or stupid.