posted on April 23, 2001 12:03:35 PM new
I sold a book to a buyer. It was book club edition. She got p.o. about it so I offered a refund if she sent the book back. She refused saying that I had no right to charge anyone money for that book because I got it as a free enrollment selection. (How would she know if it was or not) I was firm that she wouldn't get refund without sending back the book. She didn't like that. She then said she'll get her money back anyway because she will do a charge back with her c.c. via paypal. I didn't respond to that. Later on I found the envelope and remembered she had sent me a money order and never even paid by paypal. This was all over a week ago. So now I get the following e-mail from her via ebay's messaging thing. She is very persistant.
I bought the book "1st To Die" from you and I am not happy with it because it is a "Book Club" edition and you did not disclose this fact in the description.
We had alot of problems with our computer and lost many files ~ so I no longer had your email address. I changed to a cable connection thru another internet server and now have a new email address.
My new address is: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Please contact me so we can settle this problem.
I had this same problem with another book I purchased and the lady refunded my money and said to keep the book as a gift because it was her mistake for not indicating that the book was a book club edition. She must have felt that the price of one book was not worth jepordising her reputation as a good seller with negitive feedback on her record.
Please email me as soon as possible so we can put this issue to rest.
xxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxx
I will not refund without her sending the book back. Is what she sent, however, fb extortion??
posted on April 23, 2001 12:22:26 PM new
I wouldn't call that feedback extortion.
The fact that a book is a Book Club Edition is a material fact and should be included as part of the description. From the sounds of it, if it had been disclosed she would not have bid.
I would just email her again with your address and calmly state that you would be happy to refund her monies (including postage both ways) as soon as you are in receipt of the book.
posted on April 23, 2001 12:22:39 PM new
Just say that every seller has their own polices for refund and just because one seller does it one way does not mean that all sellers will follow suit.
If she wishes to have a refund for the item---you require it's return and that you will be Carbon Copying this letter to Ebay so they know you are willing to settle the matter with the stipulation that the customer returns the item.
posted on April 23, 2001 12:26:50 PM new
I've offered several times to refund the money once she returns the book. She flatly refuses to return the book.
posted on April 23, 2001 12:32:16 PM new
---then that's the end of story. But send her the letter stating that you have also let EBAY know of the situation and that you are willing to refund with return.
If she puts in a negative feedback ---just put in a rebuttal that "Refund offered with return of item--but buyer refuses to return"
posted on April 23, 2001 12:35:26 PM new
Isnt it funny, buyers INSISTING on a refund, but dont want to return the item? I had a lady claim her item (porcelain roses figurine) was all chipped up (not when I sent it) I told her that if she would return it, I would gladly refund her money, PLUS the shipping fees! She made a BIG stink for days, but when I said send it back, she said "well, I guess it isn't THAT bad" and kept it after all! If she refuses to return the book, you refuse to return the money. Period. PS the ladies neutral was the only one (plus no negs) that I have ever recieved.......
posted on April 23, 2001 12:52:21 PM new
Hi Redskin, I would definitely not refund her unless she returned the book. What kind of people actually expect to get to keep the item AND get a refund on the item?? It's crazy. Does she go to Walmart and pull the same thing? "I have the item home, it's not what I thought, so I want my money back". Please!!
posted on April 23, 2001 12:52:43 PM new
You're getting good advise on this board.
Tell your buyer that you will provide her with a full refund including all shipping upon the receipt of the returned book.
It is clear that you did not intentionally omit the fact that that it was a book club edition. It was a simple oversight, so the buyer should at least have the maturity to solver the problem in a productive manner, instead on insisting on a free book.
If she demands a free book, tell her to sign herself up for the book club. LOL
posted on April 23, 2001 01:04:44 PM new
At the time I posted the auction I did not realize the difference and then a bidder emailed me and asked and told me what to look for and then let me know it was something that needed to be disclosed in my auctions. I thanked him and updated all the auctions that didn't have bids on them with that information. This and another book were both sent out under same circumstance. The other buyer didn't complain. I offered this one a full refund if she returned the book. From my understanding she has done this to other "newbie sellers" and bullied them into letting her keep the item while they issued refunds. I received ebay emails from other sellers saying she did it to them before my auction closed and I thought they were full of b.s. and deleted them. I am not a newbie as far as auctions go, just haven't sold many books until the past month.
EG,
no, I haven't left fb yet Under the advice I have read here I wait until the buyer leaves fb that they got the item before I do anything. This is the same buyer I posted about in another thread, but I couldn't remember where it was, so I just started a new one. This is the one who claimed she paid with paypal when she paid by m.o. lol.
posted on April 23, 2001 01:14:54 PM new
redskinfan,
Stick to your guns on this one. You are absolutely right. She should NOT get a full refund and the book. :0)
posted on April 23, 2001 01:15:45 PM new
I had a guy who for months claimed that the book I sent him never arrived. I didn't believe him from the start. I've sold thousands of books on eBay, and have never had one lost in the mail.
I went through the motions, filed a lost mail form, waited for the post office's reply -- "sorry, we couldn't find it, by the way be sure to check out our auctions on eBay!" (okay, so I'm kidding about the "check out our auctions" part). Finally I had no choice but to make good on the deal, since I hadn't insured the book (it sold for about $50). But like I said, I didn't believe the book was lost. I think he got it and tried to pull a fast one. So I turned the tables. Told him I would replace the book, but not refund the money.
posted on April 23, 2001 03:06:25 PM new
spazmodeus
>Told him I would replace the book, but not refund the money.
A year or so ago, I sold an old vintage computer for about $31.00. I had listed it as tested, and working. The Buyer emailed me telling me it didn't work, and would I refund his money.
I had bought 12 of these at a school auction, so I emailed him back, and asked him if he had a way to check the power supply, and if so, tell me if it was good. I told him I would replace the computer if the power supply was good, and if the powersupply was bad, I would replace it.
He emailed me and told me he would check, but I never heard back. I emailed him AGAIN a week later, and asked if he had tested the power supply, and if he had a problem testing it, I would replace both. Still no answer, so I just forgot about it, but it made me wonder...
posted on April 23, 2001 03:53:05 PM new
I had someone e-mail me and tell me the collector knife that was new in Box they received was rusty.I told them to send it back and I would replace it.Never heard from them anymore.
posted on April 23, 2001 04:08:18 PM new
Some really good advice here already posted.
Something I am wondering is why someone would want to keep something they didn't like?
I would return in a heartbeat for a full refund.
Ain't Life Grand...
posted on April 23, 2001 05:41:39 PM new
Everyone gave good advice I would tell her return the book or there is no refund......
I sold a camera the buyer emailed me and said, I can not get the shutter to work, I told him put a battery in it and get back to me. He contact me and said, "I want to keep in touch with you until I can get the camer completly in working order"......
My reply to him:
Send the camera back I will refund shipping and your bid price. I don't come with the camera, Just the directions come with the camera not me!!!!!!!!111
Never heard from him again.......
posted on April 23, 2001 06:16:01 PM new
tonimar1-thats a good one... I had the same type buyer, who bid and won my DVD player.
In the auction description itself, I put directions on how to use it, as this one, you did need to hook it up to a stereo receiver, it was not 'plug and play' as a VCR is. I put specifically it HAD to be hooked up this way.
The guy got it, gave me a neg, with no email, I emailed him asking what the problem was.... he said he plugged it to his TV and it didn't work..... I said, and explained AGAIN, what it needed.
He wrote back, and said, Wow! sorry about the neg, it works great! and then..... 'can I email you, and exchange jokes and stuff?'
I sent that one straight to safeharbor, not sure what they could do about it, and doubt they did anything.
spazmodeus when you were joking about USPS saying 'check out our auctions on ebay' maybe not so much a joke, I swear there has got to be a lot of stuff they are auctioning that is ebayers things. Gotta be. I look occasianally, and the things they have, I don't know, just looks like ebay stuff; can't explain that, just a feeling.
posted on April 23, 2001 10:41:52 PM new
I would give you a negative also if I were the buyer, just for general principles. I really hate sellers who do not do their research. To not note that a book is a book club edition is a very serious thing to book collectors. 99% of them aren't worth the paper they are printed on.
posted on April 23, 2001 11:01:21 PM new
hcross - It is not always a matter of doing research. A lot of us are new or like me get an occasional book out of locker auctions but are not experts on books.
I have this board as a resource but not everyone has found it and we describe items as best we can - but everyone can not be an expert at everything. If I only listed what I am really know, most of what I buy at an auction would go in the dumpster.
posted on April 23, 2001 11:22:35 PM new
gravid, true, but just a few minutes of research would have told him what he had. That kind of stuff gets you in trouble. I quit buying books on ebay long ago for that same reason, most lie by omission, the rest just don't know. That is probably the most important thing to know about selling books.
He must have got that bce as soon just as soon as it came out, James Patterson's 1st to Die has not been out that long.
posted on April 24, 2001 12:23:25 AM new
The buyer was unhappy because item was not described accuratedly---seller has offered a refund with return of item.
It doesn't matter if the sale was a book or a broomstick---the seller has offered to make good on the sale--buyer is refusing to comply because they are ticked off.
It's called cutting your nose off to spite your face.
posted on April 24, 2001 08:04:00 AM new
Since when are all eBay book sellers knowledgable collectors? The seller may have pulled the book off his shelf and listed it. it may have been his sons, daoughters or wifes book. it may have come from a garage sale. it might have been used to keep his kitchen table level etc.. As such, he has no obligation to metion it is a book club edition.
There's a "Ask Seller a Question" link on all eBay auction listings. I recommend that buyers out there take advantage of the feature. It is there for that very purpose and can be useful in determining specific details about a given auction. If you have a question ask! That's why many of us sellers include direct links to our email address in our advertisements!
The "Everbody's an expert" attitude floating around eBay is very dangerous and leads to many problems. Mistakes happen, oversights happen, misunderstandings happen, lost checks happen, forgotten payments happen, lost pacakges happen, damaged products happen. It is not what is important, as they are all things that are a part of business. The important thing is how these issues are handled. It requires a reasonable mature buyer and seller to make things right. The combination is obviously hard to find these days, otherwise we would not have these types of boards with these types of discussions.
If the seller refuses to return the book, ask her if you can send her a drop ship label so the book can be sent to the winner of the new auction you are positing for this title... LOL
posted on April 24, 2001 08:33:41 AM newI would give you a negative also if I were the buyer, just for general principles. I really hate sellers who do not do their research.
That seems a bit harsh. I see posts here all the time telling about what a great deal the buyer got because the seller didn't know what it was they had. I guess it's only okay to be an unknowledgeable seller if the items you sell are worth far more than the listing might indicate at first glance.
posted on April 24, 2001 09:14:22 AM new
Again, sellers have no obligation to be knowledgable about the products they are offering. It's an AUCTION, not a standard retail sale. people forget this, as the rules are quite different. There are many inherent risks in auction purchases. It's part of the game. Many of the sales and purchases are on plain speculation as to their value and are not implied.
Would you expect someone selling garden supplies out of their garage to do full research on all of the items they are offering? Give me a break. We're dealing with a selling platform that is a decorated flea market for goodness sake. let's not get carried away.
Buyers who demand full service and above with their purchases belong at Neiman Marcus, not on ebay, as the platform itself is not equipted to faciliate these needs. if you need to touch and feel and read the fine print, go to a full service retailer to buy the item.
posted on April 24, 2001 11:30:01 AM new
"I would give you a negative also if I were the buyer, just for general principles. I really hate sellers who do not do their research."
Why hate them? I've purchased a number of items at a fraction of the normal sale price because the seller didn't do their research. As a result, the seller didn't use the proper keywords which would have attracted more bidders and increased the sale price many times over. Likewise, if I had any question as to the item's authenticity, I'd email the seller to verify. I'm more than happy to tell them what mark or other feature to look for.
[ edited by holdenrex on Apr 24, 2001 11:30 AM ]
I am not a newbie as far as auctions go, just haven't sold many books until the past month.
Under the advice I have read here I wait until the buyer leaves fb that they got the item before I do anything. This is the same buyer I posted about in another thread, but I couldn't remember where it was, so I just started a new one. This is the one who claimed she paid with paypal when she paid by m.o. lol.