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

[capnwes]

Seems to be return season. I got this this morning from a buyer who had begged and scraped to get the price he got on this suit:

​

New message from:XXX

I just opened the Box that you sent me with the suit in it. I am very unhappy with this item, because you said in your Listing that this Suit was in Excellent Condition. That is Not True. There has been a Repair on the Pants Top Waistband, that is very tacky, and can be seen easy. The treads seem like they are about to come apart. I have sent pictures of this item, so that you can see it for yourself. I am trying to understand, why you could not have seen this problem, before you shipped it to me. Anyway, I will be Returning this Item Back To You for a Full Refund.

A few pretty lousy pictures of some seam separation that I can't imagine that I missed, but whatever, so I apologized, and said I'd accept the return. In response, suddenly he's happier with the suit:

​

I like the suit, but I will have to take it to a Tailor, and maybe he can take the Waistband Apart, and do a Professional Job, where the Treads are Hidden. If you will agree to refund thirty dollars back to me, I will keep the suit and take it to a Tailor for Repair.

My assumption is that he pulled the seam apart intending to ask for a partial refund. No harm in pulling the seam apart, since when he was trying to negotiate me down, he mentioned that he'd need to have alterations done. I hate returns, because I'm already losing the Paypal money, will pay them again, will pay again to ship, and so the profit gets pretty thin. With the level of ethical behavior I'm dealing with though, I'm wondering how much more damage will be done if I insist of full or nothing. What says the Styleforum hive mind? Full return or do the partial?

ETA: Apparently he's nervous, he messaged me a third time asking if I got his partial refund request!

Tell him if he wears the jacket he won't see the waistband he intentionally ruined.

 

[Patrologia]

Is this the get out of jail card I’m looking for?

 

[kbadgley84]

Not quite to the extortion point yet

 

[tgaith77]

He's saying he wont leave you negative feedback if you change your mind on a partial refund. Sounds like feedback extortion to me.

 

[Patrologia]

Sounds like it to me, I just want to be sure it’ll sound like it to eBay. I haven’t had to do this before. So...
What are the steps from here? Especially since I have already said he could file a return and I’d accept.

 

[kbadgley84]

I’ve gotten messages like that before and eBay never agreed with me, it’s hard emailing context to them sometimes, they need to see a clear “thrive me money or i will Leave negative feedback” before they start agreeing it’s extortion. Yku May get lucky tho. Try to trick him into saying something more damning

 

[drlivingston]

Given the communication evidence, I would request that he return it. It might take two or three calls, but I think you should be able to reverse any non-positive feedback. This is an underhanded attempt to get the suit for the price he originally offered. And, I would wager that either he or a relative will easily repair the waistband for free.

 

[bert9000]

Phone eBay and get their opinion. If the rep thinks it's feedback extortion ask him to make a note of it.

 

[bert9000]

Also post his username

 

[Patrologia]

It's at the top of the phone screen shot with his extortiony message.

 

[Steve Smith]

I think he may have crossed the line already, but I would send a message something like this:

"Just to clarify, you won't leave negative feedback if I give you the partial refund?"

If he answers to the affirmative then you now have your Get Out of Jail Free card.

 

[Patrologia]

That works? That sounds like entrapment to me.

 

[kbadgley84]

That works? That sounds like entrapment to me.

It works I’ve done it before

 

[Patrologia]

It works I’ve done it before

I’ll keep that in mind. I just got off the phone with eBay, and they say any negative feedback will be removed. This item accepted returns, so he can still do that. Which raises the question of why he asked in the first place...

 

[bert9000]

I’ll keep that in mind. I just got off the phone with eBay, and they say any negative feedback will be removed. This item accepted returns, so he can still do that. Which raises the question of why he asked in the first place...

He just wants a partial refund. Now that your ass is covered you can give him an ultimatum.