Buying and Selling on eBay: Tips, Tricks, Problems & Questions

[skywalker]



So you are looking for a way out / around their polices they have clearly listed?  You cannot chalk this up as a lesson learned, rather try and put it back on the company for your error?

- I know sometimes its hard to bite the bullet, but I'd give it some thought on this one.  Also, can you resell your purchase to recoup your invested error?

1. My concern is in regards to fit not cost.
2. I contacted them 24 hours before the item even shipped.
3. The item just left their warehouse and redirecting it would be an easy request.
4. It wasn't marked "final sale" etc. so I mistakenly assumed that returns would be acceptable.

 

[skywalker]



Agree with Snoogz, suck it up and do the right thing (we all complain about crappy buyers for a reason here),

I do not see how wanting to avoid a transaction altogether because of fit concerns makes me someone a crappy buyer.

Anyways it's my opinion that a store/customer should have a win-win relationship. It's not as if I'm incurring any large costs to their business.

 

[Reigningchamp]

I do not see how wanting to avoid a transaction altogether because of fit concerns makes me someone a crappy buyer.

Anyways it's my opinion that a store/customer should have a win-win relationship. It's not as if I'm incurring any large costs to their business.

Not true. I don't know why people still believe the customer is always right. Or that companies need to make exceptions and eat the cost. I went to the site and immediately knew sale items were FINAL SALE. So even if I was purchasing something at full retail I would have checked the return policy if I had sizing questions/concerns. You're and adult. Take responsibility for your mistake and keep it moving.

 

[ridethecliche]

I don't agree with the customer is always right mentality because some people suck in general.

However, if the poster placed an order then tried to cancel it before it shipped, then I can see that as a grey area. I think the company is totally in the right by refusing to do this though.

 

[Lirum]

I do not see how wanting to avoid a transaction altogether because of fit concerns makes me someone a crappy buyer.

Anyways it's my opinion that a store/customer should have a win-win relationship. It's not as if I'm incurring any large costs to their business.

You're not getting much love in the thread, which is why I didn't reply earlier, but the bolded bothers me.

It doesn't matter how much you're incurring the business. It doesn't matter if it's $2.51 or $251, scale is irrelevant. A customer mistake is his own mistake. Sellers are under no ethical obligation to ameliorate customer fault with grace. I'd think that, in a sometimes confusing web environment, most mistakes are actual mistakes and not intentional, so it is often beneficial for the seller to further the relationship with the buyer by extending grace. But again, that is not the seller's obligation.

 

[masaccio]



I don't agree with the customer is always right mentality because some people suck in general.


However, if the poster placed an order then tried to cancel it before it shipped, then I can see that as a grey area. I think the company is totally in the right by refusing to do this though.

I agree with your ultimate conclusion, but I don't see where there is a gray area.

OP ordered a Final Sale item, Unionmade shipped what was ordered.

 

[Orgetorix]



I ******* hate **** like this
[TR] [TD]Hi, I can't let this tie go for this price. I paid more for it, and The typo in the title is the reason it sold so low. Something reasonable like 9.99 will suffice. Sincerely[/TD] [TD]Click "respond" to reply through Messages, or go to your email to reply
[TR] [TD]

[/TD] [/TR]
[/TD] [/TR]

Eh...I mean, I'd be disappointed too, but $10 instead of $4 is still not a bad deal. In any transaction, either party needs to be ready to cut the other some slack for genuine mistakes and not insist on their right to abuse a plain error. If you go to the car lot down the street, the guy who runs it isn't going to sell you a car for 10% of its value just 'cause the window chalk guy left a zero off the price on the windshield. A bunch of us ordered Allen Edmonds shoes from Jos A. Bank last year when they were on a crazy price mistake sale. JAB ended up canceling all the orders - which was disappointing, completely expected, and utterly within their rights to do. If a retailer occasionally chooses to honor a price mistake (or a situation like yours here), good for them; that can be a powerful tool to build customer good will. But it's not obligatory, and shouldn't be expected.

 

[Brianpore]

Quote:

Eh...I mean, I'd be disappointed too, but $10 instead of $4 is still not a bad deal.

In any transaction, either party needs to be ready to cut the other some slack for genuine mistakes and not insist on their right to abuse a plain error. If you go to the car lot down the street, the guy who runs it isn't going to sell you a car for 10% of its value just 'cause the window chalk guy left a zero off the price on the windshield. A bunch of us ordered Allen Edmonds shoes from Jos A. Bank last year when they were on a crazy price mistake sale. JAB ended up canceling all the orders - which was disappointing, completely expected, and utterly within their rights to do.

If a retailer occasionally chooses to honor a price mistake (or a situation like yours here), good for them; that can be a powerful tool to build customer good will. But it's not obligatory, and shouldn't be expected.

IMO that is complete bull on the sellers part and he deserves neg feedback and being reported to ebay. You know me and Im all for being fair, but if you list an item and it sells for less then you expect, to bad, its a live auction, deals to be had. Looking on ebay sold items, there are 113!!!!! NWT Brooks Brothers ties that sold under $10. Its not crazy to think this tie sold for a fair (yet cheap) price.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Ties-/15662...1&_nkw=brooks brothers&_sop=15&_udlo&_udhi=10


If the seller had said, I mean to list it at $39.99 by accident, I would be more on the sellers side of understanding a true mistake, but that is not the case.

 

[Shoeluv]

Eh...I mean, I'd be disappointed too, but $10 instead of $4 is still not a bad deal.

In any transaction, either party needs to be ready to cut the other some slack for genuine mistakes and not insist on their right to abuse a plain error. If you go to the car lot down the street, the guy who runs it isn't going to sell you a car for 10% of its value just 'cause the window chalk guy left a zero off the price on the windshield. A bunch of us ordered Allen Edmonds shoes from Jos A. Bank last year when they were on a crazy price mistake sale. JAB ended up canceling all the orders - which was disappointing, completely expected, and utterly within their rights to do.

If a retailer occasionally chooses to honor a price mistake (or a situation like yours here), good for them; that can be a powerful tool to build customer good will. But it's not obligatory, and shouldn't be expected.

Here is my point of view as a seller. Don't list something for a price you are not satisfied with. Period. So the fact that he started his bidding at $3.99 should mean he is willing to sell the tie for $3.99. I don't actually remember what I bid on this since I bid on several hundred things a week but there are tools to protect yourself. He could have started the bidding at $9.99 or put a reserve at $9.99. So the fact that he started it at No Reserve is not an error, it is what he intended.

Whatever, this is probably the 30th time this has happened to me, unless it is an error in price (only once have I seen this, guy did BIN for $3.99 on a BB slim fit shirt in great condition) I give bad feedback and move on.

 

[Orgetorix]



Here is my point of view as a seller. Don't list something for a price you are not satisfied with. Period. So the fact that he started his bidding at $3.99 should mean he is willing to sell the tie for $3.99. I don't actually remember what I bid on this since I bid on several hundred things a week but there are tools to protect yourself. He could have started the bidding at $9.99 or put a reserve at $9.99. So the fact that he started it at No Reserve is not an error, it is what he intended. Whatever, this is probably the 30th time this has happened to me, unless it is an error in price (only once have I seen this, guy did BIN for $3.99 on a BB slim fit shirt in great condition) I give bad feedback and move on.

That's a good point. I can see that side of it, too.

 

[ridethecliche]

I agree with your ultimate conclusion, but I don't see where there is a gray area.

OP ordered a Final Sale item, Unionmade shipped what was ordered.

Gray area because he tried cancelling it right away. It wasn't that he'd received it and had second thoughts. He tried catching it before it left and they were unresponsive.

 

[skywalker]



Not true. I don't know why people still believe the customer is always right. Or that companies need to make exceptions and eat the cost. I went to the site and immediately knew sale items were FINAL SALE. So even if I was purchasing something at full retail I would have checked the return policy if I had sizing questions/concerns. You're and adult. Take responsibility for your mistake and keep it moving.  

I' never stated that the customer is always right. I've acknowledged I've made a mistake but also contacted them within seconds of purchasing. It wasn't marked "FINALE SALE".

You're not getting much love in the thread, which is why I didn't reply earlier, but the bolded bothers me.

It doesn't matter how much you're incurring the business. It doesn't matter if it's $2.51 or $251, scale is irrelevant. A customer mistake is his own mistake. Sellers are under no ethical obligation to ameliorate customer fault with grace. I'd think that, in a sometimes confusing web environment, most mistakes are actual mistakes and not intentional, so it is often beneficial for the seller to further the relationship with the buyer by extending grace. But again, that is not the seller's obligation.

The seller is not under any obligation, but if it cost nothing to make the interaction between seller and buyer a positive one, why not do so.

 

[TheNeedMachine]

Here is my point of view as a seller. Don't list something for a price you are not satisfied with. Period. So the fact that he started his bidding at $3.99 should mean he is willing to sell the tie for $3.99. I don't actually remember what I bid on this since I bid on several hundred things a week but there are tools to protect yourself. He could have started the bidding at $9.99 or put a reserve at $9.99. So the fact that he started it at No Reserve is not an error, it is what he intended.

Whatever, this is probably the 30th time this has happened to me, unless it is an error in price (only once have I seen this, guy did BIN for $3.99 on a BB slim fit shirt in great condition) I give bad feedback and move on.

Seller should honor their sold price - I'd ding them on feedback as well. I sold a flawless Theory blazer for $9.99 recently because that was my starting bid and that's what it sold for. Tough nuts for me, a good deal for the buyer.

 

[DanM]



Here is my point of view as a seller. Don't list something for a price you are not satisfied with. Period. So the fact that he started his bidding at $3.99 should mean he is willing to sell the tie for $3.99. I don't actually remember what I bid on this since I bid on several hundred things a week but there are tools to protect yourself. He could have started the bidding at $9.99 or put a reserve at $9.99. So the fact that he started it at No Reserve is not an error, it is what he intended. Whatever, this is probably the 30th time this has happened to me, unless it is an error in price (only once have I seen this, guy did BIN for $3.99 on a BB slim fit shirt in great condition) I give bad feedback and move on.

At first I was going to say go easy on him, it looks like he meant to list the tie at 39.99

But after checking out his completed items, he's got other NWT ties that have sold for 4.99 - I think he should honor the sale, learn from his mistake, and move on. I had one seller try a similar thing with me, and I was going to let it go, but messaged them saying it was pretty poor business practice and a really good way to get negative feedback. Next thing I knew there was a shipping notification and an apology. #accidentalextortion The point is, this guy has over 800 feedback, he should know better. If he doesn't ship, neg him, open a case, etc.

 

[DanM]

^also, for the practice of modeling the used mens underwear he sells - neg him on principle.