Ebay Sellers --- WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

CC2GO · January 3, 2006 1:33AM

I sold a Gold Proof set on Ebay last month and the buyer received the set 2 1/2
weeks ago just in time for Christmas. There was only one problem with the set....
Just before making shipment, my baby nephew got a hold of the Certificate of Authenticity
as I was out of the room one day and tore it up.

I shipped the set with a note telling the buyer if he had a problem with it to let me know.
I don't sell items with any RETURN policies so there was no such info in the listing.
This morning I get an email (2 1/2 weeks later) that the buyer wants a FULL REFUND
including his shipping charges.

I would have been fine with this had he contacted me a few days after receiving the set
but would you give him a full refund after he's had it 2 1/2 weeks and never emailed you
in that time asking for a refund?
THANKS!

neocirrhitus · January 3, 2006 1:36AM

I would refund him the money, including shipping. It's the holidays, maybe he got a little busy and didn't get around to contacting you.......

Outhaul · January 3, 2006 1:37AM

Taking into consideration for the holidays, I don't think he's out of line. Maybe he went away. Maybe he had a house full of family members and other assorted relatives.

Just my eversohumble opinion.

Cheers,

Bob

orie · January 3, 2006 1:39AM

yes

BigD5 · January 3, 2006 1:40AM

You probably should have emailed the buyer BEFORE you shipped the set (the note is "nice", but after the fact") and let them know the situation and let them make a decision BEFORE you shipped the set.

After the fact.........he/she received the set with the "note", and with the holidays didn't get back to you until things settled down but realize they don't want the set without the proper paperwork.

I think you should take the set back.

What was your exact ship date, and their exact receive date? You aren't clear about those facts.

VTCoins · January 3, 2006 1:48AM

Refund the full amount. With gold going up, you may be able to sell it for more!

Also, send a bill to your nephew for the destruction of the COA!

Coinhog · January 3, 2006 1:50AM

I'd have you brother/brother in-law (baby's father) buy you a replacement gold proof set with COA. Send the COA to your buyer. Then.... resell the new gold proof set without COA and give whatever the proceeds are to your brother/brother in-law.

Babies and coins don't mix. Trust me I have four kids. (doing my part to ensure Social Security stays solvent in the future

)

Russ · January 3, 2006 2:04AM

q]You probably should have emailed the buyer BEFORE you shipped the set >>

Agreed. Because you didn't, you should accept the return and refund his money.

Russ, NCNE

CC2GO · January 3, 2006 2:05AM

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR QUICK RESPONSES!
I will give refund. Gotta keep em' happy huh!!?

Longacre · January 3, 2006 2:24AM

Sue the baby for lost profits.

Other than that, refund the money.

TwoSides2aCoin · January 3, 2006 2:37AM

Well personally, that piece of paper saying it is authentic is worth NOTHING. Sounds like the buyer has "buyer's remorse". You are going to be out 3% which is quite a bit of money on a GOLD PROOF SET, if you took pay pal, plus the cost of listing on ebay.

Unfortunately, for this buyer, he will lose out on at least a hundred bucks over the increase in gold prices in the next yea r(providing gold hits $560 this year), so it is to your gain to refund it and hold the item for a few more months, or you could sell it to me for the same amount as I do not need the certificate . What year is the set ? 1995 ????

And should you give him the full refund ? Yes, it was a mistake to not inform him prior to shipment of the change in listing. At least he could have made a decision based on that little technicality prior to you shipping it.

More than likely what happened was..... the buyer is a savvy player and knew none of the proofs would make PF69 or70 and figured he could have it all without costing him a dime because of your listing practice.

Chances are if the pieces are REGISTRY QUALITY, you would never have heard a word about a refund. I say this from experience. A similar situation happened to me. Buyer said the reverse of a GSA 1885 CC was perfect, but the front was only about 63, so " I want my money back". I gave him his money, after I made him split the listing fees and half of the PAY PAL fees. He didn't like that and said...."let's just forget feedback". I wrote him back and said " no way"... " you were honest and didn't like it and you split the fees with me".... "why not share feedback as a positive experience"... He agreed and all worked out fine. I do not think you should eat all the fees on this. Most of us who buy and sell on ebay understand this and most are willing to accomodate the other when refunds are desired. Hey, it's worth asking him even if some here think it CHEAP or CHEESEY.

If anything, it should teach a lesson to have a disclaimer and assign a "restocking" fee for refunds in future listings.

CC2GO · January 3, 2006 2:45AM

I also didn't think the missing COA would be that big of a problem and you're right about
the listing fees. I will eat it big time on this one with Ebay & Paypal fees! I will try to
negotiate a bit on those but THANK GOD GOLD IS UP TO ALMOST $530 TODAY!!!

291fifth · January 3, 2006 3:10AM

A refund is in order as you didn't deliver everything promised. The loss of the cert. of authenticity is your fault, not the buyer's.

BigD5 · January 3, 2006 4:03AM

You can get your paypal and Ebay fees refunded. You'll be out your listing fees only.

That "paper" means a lot to many buyers of U.S. mint products and shouldn't be dismissed as being worth "nothing".

If someone offered to "split" the Ebay fees as part of a return, I'd report them to Ebay in a heartbeat.

Deadhorse · January 3, 2006 4:39AM

I'd tell the nephew that when he's old enough, he's going to be mowing your lawn for a summer. Get the kid to put his "X" on a document and charge him 24% interest for your loss.

Oh yeah, make good with the buyer too.

TwoSides2aCoin · January 3, 2006 6:28AM

BigD5......as far as reporting someone to ebay for asking to split the fees associated with the return of a CC Morgan that was LISTED as being in a GSA holder, when the winner sniped some legitimate bidder of a coin that already had over three dozen bids at the last minute, then asking to return it because it won't grade 65 at PCGS or whatever his reason was.... well,.....I hardly think it is fair to take advantage of an auction with a liberal refund policy like I had (ignorance on my part). For crying out loud, IT IS AN AUCTION and the HIGH BIDDER WINS (simple logic). Most auction houses will hold you to your bid..PERIOD and most auctions are AS IS.

I don't buy GOLD for the paper that says it is authentic, just as people who by CCs don't usually buy them for the GSA holder or the little embellishment that NIXON has in blue crushed velvet touting the coin,.... or am I mistaken ? Are we buying paper or plastic here ? Seems to me if a person needs a certificate of authenticity, they would be readily available from someone who already submitted a set to one of the TPGs for grading, and not that hard to find.

Also, I did not dismiss the certificate, I only ascribed to the fact that it should be the GOLD a bidder is after on an auction which is probably well over a grand and that the certificate isn't such a big deal (worth nothing). Keep in mind the time frame that buyer took to notify seller in this thread. (2 and a half weeks) come on now....look deeper , here

Report me to big brother, the better business bureau or the state department !.... sheesh. People who try to snipe and then want to return an item should stick to shopping at Walmart and save the receipt ! Okay my situation is different and I did tell the author to refund ALL, however......

As far as getting fees back, it is layer after layer of pages of crap that ebay has, they don't even have a customer service telephone number readily available... They are not as USER FRIENDLY as you imply, at least not for some of us "lay" people (make that E-Lay People). I suppose if you are EBAY savvy, those fees are easy to retrieve, but I have been ripped off more on ebay than on the north side of my town, and couldn't get help from ebay or the f.b.i., that's for sure.... and as a buyer, not a seller.

Ebay isn't there to hold my hand when I get ripped and most sellers don't retrieve paid fees, we suck it up, write it off, or have a "re-stocking" fee which covers fees in the event there is a return. It is this attitude of vindication that gives ebay that lil nickname : FLEA BAY. Sellers BEWARE ! Get a lawyer to do your ebay listings.

P.S. When I listed that CC, it cost $19.95 plus a couple bucks to put it on a "featured" listing.... You are right, I don't get those fees back. Hey, it's only twenty bucks, right ? Now add the 3% on $617.00 and the hassle of trying to get it back from ebay and it equals : " Negotiate with Buyer" or be out forty bucks..... which I can see would not be in the cards with you and me , thank you

Should I raise my "re-stocking fees" to 20% ?

Ebay Sellers --- WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Comments

Leave a Comment