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?

[digital*ghost]

"Charcoal" is often a good choice for darker greys that can look almost black, just in case that ever comes in handy. 

The "funny" thing about situations like this is that eBay are notorious for refusing to accept the seller's evidence (they say things like we can verify the listing image shows a grey jacket, but we can't verify you sent a grey jacket), and yet rarely - if ever - ask the buyer to even provide evidence. Let's say, just for the sake of argument, someone had a similar black jacket, and provided eBay with a photo of that instead, that really couldn't be called evidence either, because if they can't verify what a seller sent, then they can't verify what a buyer received, and logically have no place making a decision either way. 

But here we are 😞 I'd be very interested to know what kind of evidence eBay would accept from a seller. 

I watched a YoTube vid of a very angry US fellow, on the phone to eBay CS because he had a buyer claiming an item they bought wasn't genuine leather. Seller got the item verified as genuine leather by a third party, CS rep on the phone said they still can't give the seller the win because they may have taken a different item to get verified - why are these possibilities not considered when buyers are making accusations and claims? (Rhetorical question, sadly).

[janeababe]

youve made some great points there digital*ghost..... Id not considered those possibilities before.... but I guess anything unlawful or unethical is possible in this day and age.

Charcoal..... a wonderful choice of words.  I approve    

[tazzieterror]

I am happy to settle on 'cataract black' as an appropriate description for this particular shade of grey; that being a grey that looks black only under certain conditions...

[justkidzbiz]

Just an update.

I went into Rodd & Gunn today. I showed them my pics and the lady went through the catalogue book. She found a very similar jacket in the exact same fabric.  Considered, charcoal or grey but not black! She allowed me to take a pic of the catalogue pic. 

Found this definition too....

"Grey is the color of compromise - being neither black nor white, it is the transition between two non-colours."

I've responded to the dispute and uploaded my pics and pointing out as well the buttons on the jacket are grey inline with the fact the jacket is grey, pointing out if the jacket was black it would have had black buttons. Also mentioned if the jacket was black I would have listed it as black.

I don't hold out much hope as far as eBay goes with this but will see what happens. 

Thabks everyone for your support, much appreciated.🙂

[justkidzbiz]

Latest update on this saga.....

Buyer has has now escalated this return and asked eBay to "step in and help".  I rang eBay and spoke with CS regarding this. CS looked at the photos and clearly agreed the item is grey. CS also pointed out "his" photo is shown in poor lighting which indicates it may be black. However, the buyer has been told to return the item and will be refunded once tracking shows as delivered.

I asked the CS rep, so what happens if, when I get the item back and verify it is grey by the company on letterhead, where do I stand on appealing this, advising I am then out of pocket postage. Her response was eBay will issue a refund. Ok great.

I then (didn't see the comments by the buyer at this stage, when he escalated the claim) found these comments left by the buyer....

"Comments:The item is not as described. It was incorrectly labelled as grey when at best it s dark or charcoal grey not grey. I have asked a retailer who sells this brand about the colour and they agreed and showed me the jacket in the colour they called as I would grey. If this item was correctly described I would not have purchased it. I have a photo of the correct colour attached. The seller also sent a card stating they work with buyers to correct issues and they obviously do not."

Now forgive if I'm wrong here.... But the buyer was initially claiming the jacket was black, so already has contradicted himself.  One minute he says its black, the next he says its dark grey or charcoal.  Dark grey, charcoal, light grey, grey, medium grey.......is still grey, not black!

[digital*ghost]

I'd probably speak to eBay again about that, because when the case is escalated they should have read the buyer's comments and reslised the buyer is disputing the description of grey, but yet describing the jacket as grey.  

If the case is at the stage where the buyer has "won", there's probably not a lot they can do to stop the buyer returning and getting a refund, but it shouldn't come out of your pocket, and you also shouldn't have to wear a "case closed without seller resolution" defect. 

[justkidzbiz]

Thanks Digi. I rang eBay again and the CS rep was most helpful.

She too has seen and agrees that the buyer has gone from claiming the jacket is black to now dark grey and after speaking to her supervisor they have deemed this as buyers remorse and not SNAD.

Unfortunately it's too late for them to cancel the dispute and find in my favour as he has already sent the parcel today, however, I don't have to pay the return shipping,

The CS rep said she will be monitoring the return personally and once the tracking shows the parcel as being delivered and buyer has been refunded, will personally appeal the decision on my behalf citing that the buyer first claimed the jacket was black and has now changed his mind to dark grey, which does not fit the initial SNAD comments left by the buyer, since the jacket was listed as grey.

From there she is very confident of me winning the appeal and said eBay will refund me any monies owed and remove any negative feedback the buyer leaves and no defect will be recorded against my account.

[*tippy*toes*]

All sounds good in theory, but I wouldn't be holding my breath. Once the buyer has escalated, that's it. They win regardless. Once they are refunded, it's even more that's it. Ebay might refund you the postage, which means the buyer has still won in their eyes and are free to scam the next seller. I'll be very surprised if you come out in front on this one. Very surprised. The only winner here is your scamming buyer who has worn the jacket to an event and now has no further use for it. Win win for them.....again.

[springyzone]

I'd agree with tippy here.

That new ebay rep sounds much better & if she follows through on her promises, that's good news for the seller, in that at least the seller won't be as much out of pocket.

But from the buyer's point of view, he has had a big win & to him, this will be proof that all he said to the seller was correct.

I'm at a loss as to how the previous reps were so quick to decide in the buyer's favour because the photos should have given them pause, they should have been able to see it had to be an argument over the exact shade & intensity of grey as you would be hard pressed to get a truly black jacket to photograph as light as it was in a couple of those photos.

If someone ordered a red jacket and got a blue or even a pink one & could supply clear photos of such, fair enough a refund. But not in an argument about the exact shade not being clear on their computer screen.

Let's hope the jacket at least comes back in the condition it was sent.

[justkidzbiz]

That's what I was thinking (worrying) Springy, that it comes back with damage (as a "payback", i shoudn't make assumptions like that, but when it comes to ebay and disputes......

Funny though how the buyer was able to change from SNAD because he initially said the jacket was black and then when escalating he is now agreeing that the jacket is grey by his own statement and no mention of the fact that the jacket was black as per his initial complaint. 

Just goes to show that ebay does not investigate disputes/escalations etc  thoroughly,  as we all know, or someone would have picked up this vital contradiction! 

Will let you all know the outcome!