any help with a buyer not happy

[tiggywink92]

Hi i sold a new scarf a few weeks ago.  Now i hardly sell on ebay only 5% or less most on other avenues. I dont trust paypal with shonky buyers so always make sure i get registered post and signature.  So i looked over and over and over in the light the silk new scarf and there was no faults at all no holes whatsoever if there was would NEVER EVER sell on here.

The lady got the scarf was happy sent excellent feedback.  weeks later today she wrote shes not happy shes gone to iron the silk scarf and there is over 10 small holes and sticky mark.  I  have NO idea what she is talking about as i said i look over and over with my glasses in the light held it up in the light and thought all good its fine.   Ive told her to iron silk you have to make sure its on very low setting so i dont want to say she melted it but what else could it be and the sticky mark i have no idea.  This is the whole reason i never sell on here.  I sell sooo much on facebook abit on quicksales and never needed ebay  but thought i would just put a few back up and see. I sold a few thing most dont sell here and yep got 2 non payers and this lady and a item that hasnt arrived.  If i have reg post and the item doesnt make it (they want it for this weekend) what happens now?  If paypal refunds both these people i will be pretty **bleep** off as both is not my fault.

so as this lady has put excellent feedback can she now start a dispute she got something that she didnt pay for?  

[kopenhagen5]

A buyer can always start a dispute in eBay but I would contest it if she does.

I would tell eBay that she admitted using a hot iron on a sensitive silk scarf and it now has burn holes in it.

They can see the messages between you and the buyer.

[clubesquire]

Goodness me! Silk is one of the most difficult things to iron - very low heat and never without something on top of it. The sticky mark will be from melted bits of material from the iron.  Silk is very sticky when burnt. I know  how the holes got there. So does she.

I think Kopes has the advice spot on, especially given that she’s already left great feedback, suggesting that as all buyers do, she thoroughly inspected it when she received it.

Sorry you’re experiencing these troubles.

Melina.

[tiggywink92]

but now she has sent photos of tiny holes and said she didnt iron it yet.  I would be the first to just give a refund but.... how could i miss even tiny holes when i looked over and over with the sunshine going through the silk scarf.  She has sent a photo of the multi coloured scarf and the redish section she said its a mark but ive never ever used it and maybe the redish colour the two tones were printed like that.  How do i know in the 2 weeks she hasnt worn it, marked it and ironed and put little holes in it.  Im sure alot of buyers do this and then stuff it up and get a refund how is that fair??  And not being rude but her name concerned me when i sent it off as alot do try and get items for nothing. 

well if i loose this can i go through an obsman cant spell it or for $30 not worth it.   And if i tell her to return the scarf shes used do i have to refund her on the first postage?  and obviously im not getting back the item in the condition ive sent it.  Gosh im over all this, this is the reason i just sell on facebook without paycrap in the middle prompting shonky buyers.  I have said i can part refund even though i dont have to.  and then the amount of 3 fees ive paid ill be lucky to come away with $2

[tiggywink92]

oh i didnt think the sticky marks is from the ironing. Now she is saying she didnt iron it and then saw the holes and marks which she said is obvious. BUt i said if it was "obvious" why the excellent feedback surely when you opened it you would of seen them. THis is suss and this is the reason for years ive been concerned selling on here. Plus the 3 lots of fees are completely over the top.

[clubesquire]

Twiggy, we’re very careful about item inspection and appraisal. It sounds like you are too. It’s very hard at times to cover all the bases, so to speak, and it’s possible I’m sure to overlook a couple of very minor flaws - we indeed have, but it’s rare.  But 10? No, I really don’t think so.

There was a time when I felt overwhelmed here and may have given in, but not with this. I’d stand my ground big time. She ironed it alright. Proving it’s a different matter though, for sure. But, I’d fight.

Melina.

[kopenhagen5]

She's probably back peddling now after your reply re-ironing holes.

Check her feedback and see if there are signs of her having done it before.

Look at feedback received and also feedback left.

I doubt she is scamming for just $30 but I am pretty sure she has contributed to it's current condition and perhaps without knowing it.

Hence an irate customer and no matter how much the facts point to the obvious, if the customer doesn't think they did it, can't win.

I will post a Dear Buyer suggestion a little later which you can send off to her tomorrow.

But for now don't communicate any more so that you are carefully considering the right reply.

[tiggywink92]

okay her feedback is on private which is suss. Shes still raving on and ive replied it is new its been in my wardrobe my mum bought it for me im not a scarf person so saw it went for a good price on ebay and the i only got $20 for it after all that. She said she gave good feedback as she had 5 items come and just copied and pasted. So if she does open a dispute its not worth fighting as paypal always sides with the shonky buyer. And if i get her to send it back it wont be the same item i sent. Ill be paying for her postage and item back and wont be able to resell it now. I havent answered her back anymore im just over it all. LIke i said its funny i NEVER have this problem selling on facebook and i sell 50 items a week but here bam i get all these problems. half the items that sold are either non payers or one item hasnt rocked up at least that buyer and i are trying to get aust post to find it.

[tiggywink92]

oh you have NO Idea how careful i am when people can pay with paycrap which i call them lol. why the heck would i sell something with 10 holes and they do look like pin holes which she said it might be from moths. Yes moths can do that but..... i checked and checked bit by bit of the scarf with the sunshine shining through and saw nothing. If i did no way on earth would i of sent it. How do i stand my ground when she puts through a paypal thing to make me refund and her to send back. if i disagree they could just give her the money back and not get her to send it back and if i loose then blimmin heck she can spend money to send it back to me even though it will be not the same scarf i sent. How could i of missed 2 sticky marks i just dont get it

[countessalmirena]

@tiggywink92,

I echo what Kopenhagen and Melina have posted. Do exactly as Kopenhagen says! He said he will post a "Dear buyer" (a message for you to send to the buyer) tomorrow. Until then, don't communicate with the lady. No back and forth. No "maybe you did this" or "maybe I missed that". Nothing.

The more you say now, the more wriggle room you give her.

If she sends any further messages between now and tomorrow when Kopenhagen will post the "Dear buyer", I would suggest just a generic reply such as "Dear [buyer], Your last message was received - thank you. We will attend to this within the next 24-48 hours. Kind regards, [name}".

No details, no sympathy for her terrifying scarf ordeal... just short, business-like, noncommittal. That should (hopefully) get you through the evening and morning until Kopenhagen posts his "Dear buyer".

(Like the others, I rather suspect that the buyer has indeed ironed the scarf but is now hurriedly back-tracking as she does not want to accept responsibility for her own error. I may be wrong... but the mention of sticky bits and holes is shouting "bad iron, bad iron" to me...)