UGH!!! Just really need to vent!!

[Gertie's Mom]

Anyone here sell or buy on ebay? I am soooo furious right now! I just don't know what to do! I have been buying and selling on ebay for years. I have a feedback score of over 500, 100% positive, meaning no one has had any problems with any transaction they've had with me. I've been selling on ebay here lately. On Fri. of last week I sent off 6 packages. Yesterday I received 5 messages from very happy buyers and one message from from a buyer who has come up with every complaint you can imagine, none of which is true! She says the items aren't as descrobed, that they reek of smoke, and I put in every listing "From a smoke-free home". I am not a smoker, this info. is important to me, I don't want to smell smoke, I figure other non-smokers feel the same. So who'd be silly enough to put a non-required statement "Smoke-free home" into their listings and then send off things that smell of smoke? That would just be asking for problems, right? She also says the items are COVERED with cat hair, they're dirty and one is a fake. I don't own a car, and my dogs stay downstairs, these items are upstairs). So I didn't respond immediately (I just got the message from her late yesterday), I contacted ebay to ask what they recommend I do. I put in my listings that I don't accept returns, because I don't misrepresent anything, I provide pictures and a good description, I really don't want to mess around with returns and refunds. No one has ever had an issue til this woman. I was shocked to find out that ebay will do ANYTHING to keep their buyers happy, but nothing to protect their sellers, and the sellers pay all the fees that keep ebay up and running. They told me I should allow her to return these items for a refund. I said I had opted to not accept returns. They said that doesn't matter (WHY do they even offer this option?!?), if she says the item is not as described, I need to make this right with her. So, since I've never dealt with this before, I contacted a couple of people I know who sell on ebay, to see what they recommended I do. This-morning I planned to contact the buyer asking for her to send me pictures of these items, so I could compare them to the pics I have. These are not one-of-a-kind, who knows if she really intends to return the actual items I sent to her? But before I could contact her, I discovered there were already two disputes filed with ebay, she didn't even have the decency to give me a reasonable amount of time to respond to her. And, Paypal has frozen the funds in my Paypal acct., apparently they must figure they will be giving her a refund. I am soooo irritated!! I just don't know what to do! Thanks for listening to my rant!

 

[TessaAndSamson]

Oh no what a nightmare! I am so sorry! I have never used ebay at all so I can't give any suggestions but I hope you get this resolved soon!

 

[LisaMarie]

Sorry to hear about that. You know some people love to start problems. I have a feeling she just wanted to returne whatever she purchase from you and its coming up with lies to get her money back.

 

[Lacey28]

That is crazy! I have never sold anything on ebay. I do but from the site all the time! It sounds like she had nothing better to do, some people just make me so and !! I hope everything works out okay!

 

[Bella'sMom]

I have bought and sold on Ebay, but never had issues. I had a co-worker who, no matter what she bought and where from, she always had an issue and a HUGE one. After a while I came to realize that it was just her. I would investigate her Ebay account, how many people has she complained about, you most possibly will find almost all. Tell her to return the items in the original shape and all but shipping will be returned to her. But make sure you reply to her message on your Ebay, that will also post along side her complaint, so perspective buyers can see it.

 

[Alice Kable]

I agree with [MENTION=770]Bella'sMom[/MENTION]. No matter how much you try there are some people you just can't please!

 

[Angelgirl]

That's a shame I buy on there quite a bit, but never sell because you can never please some people. Maybe she had a case of buyers remorse and is looking for a way to get a refund. I do know how ebay operates and it's all about keeping the buyers happy even when you know the buyer is a bald faced liar.

 

[LariP]

I have bought a lot on eBay. Never sold partly because I figured, considering my luck that is exactly what would happen.
Like [MENTION=770]Bella'sMom[/MENTION] said there are some people out there that seem to look for trouble.

I knew someone who would bid on things, or order things, then always seemed to find something wrong and just wouldn't pay for it, or get her money back, and not return the items either. I quickly figured out that going shopping with her wasn't a safe thing to do either. I'm fairly certain she practiced several forms of shoplifting and retail theft. I only saw one thing, but thats all I needed to see. I quickly distanced myself from any sort of friendship with her.

 

[cadillactaste]

I am curious if this buyer isn't a fraud...like it's a game to "get free merchandise"...Is there any way to check their past history? See if they've filed complaints with others...

I am sorry to hear your dealing with this. And it is frustrating that Ebay doesn't uphold the seller in any way...

My FIL is wanting me to post an auction for him on Ebay...I strive to obtain my feedback. I sold years ago...but worry about ones messing with my feedback as you just stated your dealing with now.

My FIL won't even get an estimate on shipping but "will pay for shipping out of his pocket" I asked him to have UPS packages his item. It's a train turnabout. It's big...and I would HATE for it to arrive broken and my feedback ruined. My husband is going to deal with his dad...sigh...

But your nightmare scares me from selling his item...that's for sure.

 

[Luvin My Bullie]

I buy off ebay but have never sold. I do work in retail as a retail manager and one thing I will say, there are dishonest people in this world and reguardless of what you do to make them happy the are never satisfied!!! and they usually try to make it fall back on u which is obviously what she is doing. I hope it all works out for you....some ppl.....uuuggghhhh

 

[Gertie's Mom]

I messaged the buyer, I tried VERY hard to be nice. But I told her there's NO way these complaints are true and I am not refunding her money. So she messaged me back, was quite nasty. I have been selling as well as buying, on ebay for years and have never had a problem. She's obviously unbalanced, dishonest, or both. I'd say just return the items, but I don't trust her. I don't know what kind of mess she'll send me back. The world is full of people out to cheat others, she appears to be one of them. I think it will be taken out of my hands by ebay. I think they will tell her to return the items and then they give her MY money back. All I can do at that point is appeal it. And, get this!! I also found out that sellers can no longer leave negative feedback for a buyer. They can leave negative for the seller but I can't leave anything but positive for her. So of course I'd leave none, but that doesn't lower her score, as she deserves.

 

[Lucy-licious]

This is very frustrating situation to be in. If you agree to refund can you state you will do so only on reciept of returned items? If they are not returned or faulty on return can you then dispute with Ebay? Can you leave possitive feedback worded in a manner that shows what she has done....." dispute filed with great speed that enabled me to arrange return and refund quickly and efficiently"
As for future dealings dont let this put you off 1/500 is not bad statistically. I personally always check the buyer feedback on all sellers i havnt used before and would not let one put me off

 

[cali~jenn]

I agree 1 complaint wouldnt put me off either because to other buyers it is an obvious mistake. Try not to let that bother you so much but I DO understand why it would. I used to buy on ebay all the time and then got completely ripped off by a seller who had like 99% good rating so I never went back. With the economy as it is it is hard to trust anyone these days, SAD!

 

[mammyglicks]

OMG how rude. Can you give her bad feedback?

 

[kazzy220]

I've bought and sold on ebay ... used to sell a LOT back in England because I had a lot of baby and toddler clothes to get rid of. They seemed to grow out of stuff so quick that I usually had a supply!!

I guess I'm lucky in that I have never had a problem. I would tell her that you will offer a full refund upon receipt of the returned item, but not the cost of her shipping it back to you. It sounds as if ebay is going to give her the money back anyway because that is what they now guarantee, so you might aswell play along with it. Hopefully, the item will be returned to you so that you can then at least re-sell it!!

I didn't know that sellers could no longer give negative feedback. They used to be able to do that, and I don't think it's very fair for that to change!!! Do you have the option of giving neutral feedback maybe??

I'd also like to agree with everybody else, one negative feedback amongst so many positive ones is annoying but it wouldn't stop me buying off you!!!