Ebay - Friend or Foe?
I recently purchased a 'Buy Now' item off of Ebay from what appeared to be a very reputable seller. To give you an idea this seller has well over a 1,000 feedback remarks and it's 100% positive.
I recently purchased a 'Buy Now' item off of Ebay from what appeared to be a very reputable seller. To give you an idea this seller has well over a 1,000 feedback remarks and it's 100% positive.
After having lost the diaper bag I truly wanted via the Ebay 'swiping' bid process, I decided to purchase this one. Based on the description of the bag, "Pottery Barn Kids Classic Diaper Bag, Bright Pink and Green, Brand New With Tags" and the picture provided I thought it was cute, practical and I loved the bright pink.
Here is the picture that was provided:
Here is what I received.
Now, don't get me wrong, I do think this green bag is cute, especially now w/my monogram on it, BUT, this bag was clearly not shown in the picture provided. Based on the picture provided and the sellers description the bag I purchased was the bright pink one.
I quickly replied to the seller that I thought there must have been some mistake as the bag I received did not match the picture provided in her listing, in fact the bag I received was not in the picture she provided at all! She responded back that bag was indeed featured in the picture she provided and that her name 'Holly4390' was watermarked over the bag.
Now, I've looked at that picture at least 20 times at this point and the bag that has 'Holly4390' partially written over it is clearly a green bag with blue trim, STILL not the bag she described to be selling OR the bag she sent me. Beyond frustrated at that point I responded back pointing out the seemingly obvious. Her response was 'I believe the bag I sent you to be the bag pictured'. What kind of response is that?!!! 'I believe...' The bag was very clearly not the same bag she described or sent me.
To make a very long, frustrating story short she ultimately refused to acknowledge that her listing was misleading and inaccurate and would not let me send the bag back for a refund. Instead she refunded me $10 off the bag.
Had she responded back to my first email apologizing for the confusion and acknowledging her mistake, perhaps even offering the $10 off at that point I would have probably let it drop. I honestly didn't want to deal with the hassle of repackaging the bag and sending it back and I am a very reasonable person. However, the fact she refused to acknowledge her error and her comments like 'I believe it to be the same bag' were ridiculous and extremely frustrating.
I've seriously thought about reporting her to Ebay, and may still do it as an FYI to them. Obviously I decided to go ahead and have the bag monogrammed so my reporting her to Ebay wouldn't be with the intent of trying to get a refund on the bag. I did accept her $10 off offer, clearly stating to her that this was in no way me agreeing that her. I stand very firmly on the fact it was misleading and inaccurate but I felt I had really no other choice as she repeatedly said there was no error on her part and she would not let me return the bag for a refund.
My dilemma: I would really, really like to leave her the negative feedback she deserves as a way to alert other potential buyers but I'm fearful quite honestly that she'll leave negative feedback for me. Although my email responses to her were always professional I'm concerned that if I were to leave negative feedback she'd do the same just to be spiteful or something.
What do you think I should do?
4 comments:
Hello Emily! I have been lurking here for about a month now and decided to post. Love your blog by the way. It seems we have alot in common. We are pregnant with our second child as well and my due date is May 11th. This time we are having a boy. We are naming him Fredrick Aiden and noticed your son's name is Aiden...just spelled differently. Any who, I know what you mean about Ebay. Clearly "IT's NOT THE BAG she described. I think that's how they get us. I have been checking ebay as well for diaper bags and have found some really cute once...I'm just afraid of not getting what I'm bidding for. I wouldn't leave a neg.feedback because she will post one back just because. I think it's nice that she at least gave you $10 bucks off. Maybe that was her way of saying she was wrong???? Who knows! We just gotta be extra careful. Okay, so you have 11 weeks to go and I have 4 weeks. My fingers are swollen too. :-) But those cupcakes sound oh so good! :-) Good Luck to ya'. Nicole
I'd report her to eBay and leave neutral but not negative feedback. I mean, she did take $10 off the bag for you but CLEARLY she misrepresented what she was selling. If she wants to respond in kind feedback-wise, so be it, but honestly it is sellers like that that make people avoid eBay, which is too bad. So yeah, I'd definitely report her.
Hi, I'd report her to ebay but based on my experience they probably won't do anything. I would not leave her neg feedback because I can guarantee she will leave you neg feedback. I had a VERY similar thing happen and was left my one and only neg feedback. Now the seller is "no longer a registered seller" but my negative feedback from her still is on my feedback and it can never be 100% again. Ebay is great, but I get SOOO frustrated when this type of thing happens and believe me it does quite a bit! At least you got the $10! Good luck!
Thank you all so much for your advice! It looks like the general consensus is to NOT leave the negative feedback. It's just not worth it.
I'm definitely glad to have your feedback as I've been angry enough that I probably would have left the neg feedback and would have lived to regret it!
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