being held hostage over feedback

kingraider75

Wanted some views on a recent Ebay transaction.

I mailed out a 300 ct lot of football cards on 2-5-04. The item sold for 99 cents, so the total paid to me was about $6. The buyer complained thursday or friday of last week about not getting the item. I gave her the delivery confirmation #. Today says email stating that she got the cards, but that the box and the cards are damaged. She is willing to send me scans of the alleged damaged cards.

She is waiting for my response before she leaves me feedback. My feedback score is 283 with 100 % positive, hers is 25 with 100%( I left her positive already). Oh yeah, item was shipped via United States Postal service. she paid via paypal. What do you folks thing I should?

Onlypsahockey

ask her how she would like you to settle the matter then do whatever she wants. The most it'll cost you is the $6.00.
I'd pay that to get my 1 neg. removed. (It was a retaliation
neg from a NPB)

JMO

Bob

TheCARDKid

I'd send some replacement cards for free. For a few dollars it isn't worth it IMO.

MorrellMan

Sounds like you have a customer service issue to deal with. You did the right thing in posting feedback upon completion of the buyer's responsibility, which is to pay. IMO, the buyer isn't holding your feedback "hostage", she's waiting to see what kind of feedback you deserve. Your end of the deal isn't over yet.

Good luck.

ajmoeller81

I'll play devil's advocate since everyone else seems to be taking her side.

How are you supposed to know that the damage is authentic? Granted, it would take a pretty low person to damage $6 worth of cards and try and acquire a refund, but I'd say it was definitely possible.

Can I now just smash everything I order off ebay so that I can keep it for free?

Seems to me you fulfilled your end of the bargain by making sure the product was delivered.

Stone193

King
Would you describe how you packed the cards? 300 cards is a lot - even when I ship 50 cards, they go in penny sleeves followed by something hard, like top loaders, then cardboard or bubble wrap and then into an oversized box to protect the entire mass of cards. If they were in a 300+ ct. box, I would then wrap it in bubble wrap and again into an oversized box so that a dent would not affect the mass of cards.

your friend
MIke

kingraider75

To be honest I am not sure which of the two methods I used to pack the cards.

One method I often use is to put the cards in 100ct snap top boxes, fill them up with wrappers if there is leeway, and tape the 100ct box snap down, and then put those in a 300 or 500 ct box.

The other method, is to wrap the cards up in some cheap bubble wrap, then place them in the 300ct box, then use old wrappers as fillers to make it extremely tight.

The second method is more likely to allow damaged if someone slams the 300ct box. I have been using both methods for about six months now, and this is the 1st damage claim.

Dallas88

You did the right thing in posting feedback upon completion of the buyer's responsibility, which is to pay.

Sorry Mark, but I respectfully disagree 100% with your view on this.

The buyer's responsibility does NOT end upon payment. The buyer has a responsibility to THOUGHTFULLY and FAIRLY determine if everything was shipped, packaged, and represented, as it should have been.

The buyer gives the "thumbs-up", as feedback, for the seller.

Again, this is just my opinion, either way can be debated as right or wrong. Not trying to start a flame-war or anything, just thought I'd put my opinion in.

As for the OP, if you cannot remember how you shipped the cards, then you probably better make good for the buyer. Either that, or you can let paypal decide what to do, since she paid that way.

Good Luck in what you decide!

Axtell

For $6 I'd just refund it to her and call it a day. Sucks, but if you have them ship it back, they you inspect, seems like a lot of hassle for $6.

easttexascardsandgames

I would probaly just wash my hands of it by refuunding the money and putting her on my BBL.

I have to agree with Dallas, as a seller it is your responsibility to ensure the item is DELIVERED to your customer the same way you shipped it. This is the type of things that buyers do alot when you the seller leave feedback first. You have no real way to warn other sellers of this. My bet is that there is nothing wrong with the cards the buyer is just trying to strongarm you since you did leave feedback first.

WinPitcher

The buyer's responsibility does NOT end upon payment. The buyer has a responsibility to THOUGHTFULLY and FAIRLY determine if everything was shipped, packaged, and represented, as it should have been.


huh? The seller upon recieving payment gave feedback, what does the buyer's interpretation of how an item was shipped have to do with the seller leaving feedback after payment?

Did I read what you said wrong?

kingraider75

thanks for the feedback folks. I went ahead and issued her a full refund. $6 isn't worth going through the hassle with paypal, nor losing my 100%. Maybe the cards were damaged in the shipping process, it happens. It is more a principle issue than the $6, I don't like to feel that I am getting scammed.

Anyways, since I just spent my paypal balance to buy some cards I won, I had to issue a refund out of checking account which takes 4 days to clear. Does she get the refund now or have to wait 4 days????

easttexascardsandgames

I think what what intended to be said was that there are tons of things that a buyer can do after recieving the items that can make a good transaction go bad and sellers should wait until they recieve feedback until they leave it. A transaction is not over when a buyer pays, but when they recieve the item and assure the seller they are happy.

I had a buyer a couple of weeks ago who won a 65.00 item from me. He got it and listed it back on Ebay using my photo and description when it did not sell for the 100.00 he wanted on Ebay he wanted me to refund in full because I according to him misrepresented the item. I refered him to his own auction. His comment was it was a different item, I also refered him to another seller he was pulling the same stunt on. He never responded back nor has he left feedback. Had I left feedback before I can guarantee I would have a neg from him.

kingraider75

I agree with the game of playing chicken with feedback. As soon as I get a payment, I leave positive for the buyer. There are few reasons I do this.

1. He paid
2. it now shows that it needs to be shipped in "my ebay"
3. I don't have to worry about leaving feedback at a later time.
4. by leaving positive for them, they "MAY" feel more inclined to give me positive also

skigropple

They have to wait 4 days until the check clears and the funds are posted to their account. They will get a email telling them that they have received and echeck and when it will clear. I think communication is a part of any ebay transaction and leave feedback when I receive some sort of communication from the buyer that the item has arrived. If I do not receive any communication after two weeks I leave a positive because enough time has passed to make any mention of a problem.

Jim

Edit to add- I ship cards for $2.00 and this covers postage and DC for First Class, but until you get into a higher weight Parcel post only save you a little bit if it is going a long way. I am shipping out a 44 pound box tomorrow and shipping parcel is $38 vs. $77 priority.

WinPitcher

King did you ask for the card to be returned? I would not think that asking a customer to send back the item would be out of line. It does not matter what the cost was or was not. The buyer claims the item is damaged, it should then be up to the buyer to return same. A refund of the purchase price plus if you wanted, the shipping one or both ways could then be offered. An email asking what the buyer wanted to rectify the situation seems also feasable.

East Texas i understand your point and it is well taken.

kingraider75

I decided not to ask for the damaged cards back. If they are truly damaged, I have no use for them. At this point I just wanted to get this rid of this person. Hopefully she's telling the truth and the cards were damaged. It's still hard for me to have to refund money for something the post office does, but I guess my part of the deal is to get the cards there OK.

PS She gave me positive feedback about an hour after the paypal refund process started

larryallen73

Just refund and be done with it. I had one of those last week in the same dollar range. Buyer emailed me a scan (it was a crushed PSA holder) and I refunded without question. Just not worth the wasted time with back and forth email or the concern over getting a neg.

Tabe

<< <i>Seems to me you fulfilled your end of the bargain by making sure the product was delivered. >>


No way. The product has to be delivered IN THE CONDITION ADVERTISED for the seller's end of the deal to be completed.

Tabe

jskirwin

<< <i>No way. The product has to be delivered IN THE CONDITION ADVERTISED for the seller's end of the deal to be completed.

Tabe >>



Absolutely.
Ever hear of a book, "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff"?
$6 is small stuff. Move on. $600 - on the other hand...

Retail isn't the place to stand on principle. The customer is always right does not have a qualifier "unless he is a jerk or a scammer". Assume the best, and let her keep the cards and her money.

And one more thing:
Please remind me of this the next time I get scammed.

kingraider75

I agree $6 is not a big deal. Just seems like there are too many scams out there. Thought I would throw out to the board and see what the thought was. I gave her money back, I got positive feedback , so this one is pretty much a dead issue. I am not sure how I can make sure anyone gets anything in the condition described though. We have heard some scary, UPS, USPS, Fedex stories on here.