To refund or not to refund

[needsmorerobots]

I finally received (sadly) my first neutral feedback.

It came from a customer who bought a CD. I accepted a cheaper offer when I sold. I shipped the CD out as fast as I could.

I test all my CDs to make sure they play before shipping, but never did it occur to me just because a CD can play, doesn't mean it can be ripped. This was the issue the customer had.

With every package sent off, I send a message to each customer to contact me if there is a problem. This customer didn't do this.

I left a reply on the neutral feedback. I apologized and asked the customer to contact me to resolve the issue.

It's been a number of days and no reply from the customer.

I'm thinking of messaging the customer directly to offer a refund.

What does your experience tell you?

Am I handling this matter correctly or am I acting prematurely?

Thanks.

[msau4301 · Accepted solution]

At least neutral feedback is better than negative. You've done what you could, replied apologetically to neutral feedback and asked customer to contact you. That's all you need to do, it's back to him now.

You don't have to refund him if he isn't asking for a refund. If the CD is still partially useable he may wish to still keep it/use it and just needed to vent his disspointment. Leave it be unless he contacts you. If he was really upset he would have left negative and opened a case for item not as described.

[byto253]

No need to reach out.  Feeedback has been left and responded to.  Let the buyer respond or  open an INAD claim.   In the feedback response, I would add that all CDs listed are play tested to ensure that they played, and am sorry that the CD did not meet expectations for ripping  - or something along those lines.   The audience for feedback response is other buyers, not really the person who left it, so it is good to indicate that you do take care to ensure things work correctly before listing.  

My only neg was for a Lego set that I had checked the parts count a couple of times.   I am pretty OCD with lego sets and have sold a lot of them without an issue, but I got a neg that lots of parts were missing - no other contact or INAD.   My sets are color sorted into different bags, so it could be during photos or packing a bag slipped out, snit happens.  If they had contacted me ahead of time I would either try to send them the parts or a refund to let them source them.  But as there was no contact prior to the neg, I just left a feedback response and never heard from them. 

[mrdutch1001]

When selling music media, whether it be vinyl, 8-track,CD, DVD...It is the seller's responsibility that the specific item play well and without any incident or issues. I have never believed that it is a seller's responsibility to assure that a music media item have the capability to be "copied" ...that is not the intent when selling these music media items...It is my belief that we are selling an "original" and that is what the buyer is purchasing and nothing else expressed or implied. As sellers of music media items, we should not be held responsible for what the buyer intends to do with the item when received in its original as described working condition.

[flipistics]

Don't refund them unless they file a case, and don't worry about the neutral. They're trying to use the product in a way that it's not intended to be used in (a way that the manufacturer has tried to prevent it from being used in). It's not a faulty product or a mistake on your part.

My media store has a neutral from someone who liked a movie I sent, but not as much as some of the other ones in the series. They happen. How people see you handle it, if you decide to respond to it at all, is much more important than the fact that it exists.

[byto253]

Well put.  I think the OP had no need to say in the feedback response that the CD was defective as it was not, and did the job it was sold to do.    If the scratch was as described by the buyer, that should be in the description and likely warranted a lower grading than was in the description. 

[recped]

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@needsmorerobots wrote:

I finally received (sadly) my first neutral feedback.

It came from a customer who bought a CD. I accepted a cheaper offer when I sold. I shipped the CD out as fast as I could.

I test all my CDs to make sure they play before shipping, but never did it occur to me just because a CD can play, doesn't mean it can be ripped. This was the issue the customer had.

With every package sent off, I send a message to each customer to contact me if there is a problem. This customer didn't do this.

I left a reply on the neutral feedback. I apologized and asked the customer to contact me to resolve the issue.

It's been a number of days and no reply from the customer.

I'm thinking of messaging the customer directly to offer a refund.

What does your experience tell you?

Am I handling this matter correctly or am I acting prematurely?

Thanks.

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I read the details of your grading system, my only advice is to not try to sell cd's that are in less than mint/excellent condition. Anything lower than that belong in a Dollar Bin at best.

[femmefan1946]

No request for a refund? No refund.

Request for refund? No refund without return.

eBay NAD claim? Send return shipping*, refund on return.

If their first thought was Feedback, it's very likely they don't understand the MBG process. No need to enlighten them. We're all grownups here.

I am old and grouchy.

*If the buyer is in the USA, you can buy a USPS label through Shippo.

[needsmorerobots]

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@byto253 wrote:

Well put.  I think the OP had no need to say in the feedback response that the CD was defective as it was not, and did the job it was sold to do.    If the scratch was as described by the buyer, that should be in the description and likely warranted a lower grading than was in the description. 

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I agree.

I just didn't see this deep scratch the customer spoke of when it was graded. 

I  bought myself a very good magnifying lens last week. I think I will use it when grading  CDs in future .

[needsmorerobots]

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@recped wrote:

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@needsmorerobots wrote:

I finally received (sadly) my first neutral feedback.

It came from a customer who bought a CD. I accepted a cheaper offer when I sold. I shipped the CD out as fast as I could.

I test all my CDs to make sure they play before shipping, but never did it occur to me just because a CD can play, doesn't mean it can be ripped. This was the issue the customer had.

With every package sent off, I send a message to each customer to contact me if there is a problem. This customer didn't do this.

I left a reply on the neutral feedback. I apologized and asked the customer to contact me to resolve the issue.

It's been a number of days and no reply from the customer.

I'm thinking of messaging the customer directly to offer a refund.

What does your experience tell you?

Am I handling this matter correctly or am I acting prematurely?

Thanks.

---

I read the details of your grading system, my only advice is to not try to sell cd's that are in less than mint/excellent condition. Anything lower than that belong in a Dollar Bin at best.

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Many times I overcompensate when it comes to grading CDs. Mint CDs are Excellent or near mint unless otherwise sealed. Excellent to near mint are excellent. Good+, Very Good and up are good. 

This and I use multiple selling sites as a reference for pricing.

There's a good chance many customers don't care about Ebay's grading system.