Just received a neutral because I shipped out a bark collar with a different colour than the picture

[productaxi]

It's a bark collar so the functioning is the same.  What's your opinions on this?  How does this effect the new defect rating system?

Thanks

[reallynicestamps]

Bark as in tree bark?  I would assume that like most natural products shade and tone variations would be normal and part of the charm.

But if you offered a red collar and shipped a blue one, you are definitely in the wrong. Tell your customer to return the collar for a replacement in the correct colour or a full refund including his return shipping. (Don't say anything about tracking. But do let him know promptly when the item arrives in your mailbox.)

[amethyst1415]

You are wrong. You should send out what is in the picture. If I bought it I would be mad too.

[productaxi]

Its a barking collar. I just apologized for the colour to the buyer and quoted the feedback page "Since Feedback becomes a permanent part of your record, buyers are encouraged to contact sellers to try to resolve any issues before leaving neutral or negative Feedback."

http://pages.ebay.com/services/forum/feedback.html

I explained to her that since she paid on Thursday night and I only had Friday morning to ship it out, my best thinking thought she would prefer it faster rather than have to wait until monday to ship and resolve this colour issue.  Hopefully she see's past it and revise's it.

[mr.elmwood]

That is the definition of defect. You were not prepared to send what was listed, what the customer selected and paid for.

You want that revised? Send out the black one and then ask for a revision.

[femmefan1946]

Given the outfits I see on (embarrassed) dogs around here, she wanted one particular colour to coordinate an outfit.

Yessir, Captain Tightpants!-- Kaywinnet Lee Frye.

[mr.elmwood]

Wouldn't that be like walking up to the grocery cashier with a frozen turkey and they take it away and sell you a chicken instead? It is still fowl.

[pjcdn2005]

If you don't have the exact item you listed you should let the buyer know so that they can decide if they want to cancel the purchase or want you to send the item that you have in stock.

They may also have left you a low DSR under description but it will still count as just one defect. Even if the buyer revises the feedback, the defect will stay.

[rose-dee]

Colour can be very important for some people, for various reasons.  You shouldn't show something in a listing unless you have the exact article, in the exact colour, or use a B&W photo and explain in the description that there is no colour choice. 

However, having already made a sale, assuming the buyer hadn't yet paid, I agree with 'pj' that the best way to handle the problem was to have offered the buyer a choice -- keep the not-as-described colour, or a cancellation.  You might still risk neutral or negative FB (a defect) for INAD, but it would be better than getting the defect for INAD and still having to deal with return/refund/replacement of the item.  Personally, if the buyer agreed to keep the item, I might even give her a generous partial refund as a recognition of my error.

If the item had been paid for, then you'd need to offer an immediate refund (upon return of the item), and a follow-up cancellation, using the reason "buyer is returning item for a refund".  This might avoid a defect. 

[rose-dee]

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@productaxi wrote:

I just apologized for the colour to the buyer and quoted the feedback page "Since Feedback becomes a permanent part of your record, buyers are encouraged to contact sellers to try to resolve any issues before leaving neutral or negative Feedback."

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One other point: Personally, I would never quote eBay's guidelines to a buyer with respect to contact/feedback with sellers.  Some buyers might see this attempt at "education" as insulting, particularly after having received an item in an unwanted and unexpected colour.  This sounds to me like an apology on one hand and a wrist slap on the other.  I think this would only encourage the buyer to be sure to leave neutral/negative FB.

Regardless of your reason for the error, it was an error on your part, and the buyer is entitled to be unhappy with their purchase if they didn't receive exactly what was shown in the listing.  If you don't get neutral/neg FB or a defect, you can chalk this up to lesson learned. 

[mr.elmwood]

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@rose-dee wrote:

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@productaxi wrote:

I just apologized for the colour to the buyer and quoted the feedback page "Since Feedback becomes a permanent part of your record, buyers are encouraged to contact sellers to try to resolve any issues before leaving neutral or negative Feedback."

---

One other point: Personally, I would never quote eBay's guidelines to a buyer with respect to contact/feedback with sellers.  Some buyers might see this attempt at "education" as insulting, particularly after having received an item in an unwanted and unexpected colour.  This sounds to me like an apology on one hand and a wrist slap on the other.  I think this would only encourage the buyer to be sure to leave neutral/negative FB.

Regardless of your reason for the error, it was an error on your part, and the buyer is entitled to be unhappy with their purchase if they didn't receive exactly what was shown in the listing.  If you don't get neutral/neg FB or a defect, you can chalk this up to lesson learned. 

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That is a professional seller speaking. Wise words indeed.

[productaxi]

She revised the feedback and didn't make any more fuss after I explained the situation.  I don't think there's any problem with making the facts clear in an non aggressive manner.

[amethyst1415]

Okay. The fact is you sent her something different than what was in the picture. I would not have changed the feedback. You are lucky.

[pjcdn2005]

It would have been better experience for the buyer and less trouble for you if you had explained the situation in a clear and non aggressive manner before you sent out the incorrect item.

[Anonymous]

Checking your past feedback history and apparently you haven't learned your lesson.

According to your past feedback history, you are famous for not disclose full details or information and even send the wrong items (so it is nothing new here now) and also famous for poor packaging.  Surely you should already learned your lesson.

Would you want to received them in the same way you did to your buyers?  I think NOT. 

Treat every thing with great care even it is 100 years old or damaged, but treat them with care and with more detailed information, etc., is what the buyers see in shown photos is what they expected to receive them.

I sell books/magazines, I always disclose even tiny bend corners, soft corners, dings, etc., etc., so that the buyers wouldn't be surprised or disappointed as "not described".  eBay expects you to describe it in details and everything (which is why we can add up to 12 photos for free). 

[productaxi]

The other neutral was actually for the item listed and DID fit the described product. Because this person did not figure out that without the case (as Stated) - the cellphone wouldn't fit.  I thought I was pretty clear, not clear enough for some.   He left neutral with out contacting either!  

How are you making the determination that I'm not packing well enough?

[productaxi]

I guess top rated seller's can be "famous" for poor packaging.

[productaxi]

Well, you see, I explained because she ordered Thursday night, and I only had Friday morning to ship it out or else they would have to wait the weekend.  It's my feeling that the majority of people wouldn't make a big fuss because of colour of a collar - that has nothing to do with it's intended use. I guess i'm grossly out of touch with reality, and people are generally so picky, that a small deviation in colour - on a product with a different intended use - would be enough to warrant a neutral response.  For me personally, I'm not picky, and I don't respond vitriolic over what I consider to be an insignificant detail.  I guess i "learned my lesson" and I should be more cynical. 

[pjcdn2005]

You have to look at this from a customer's point of view. They ordered and paid for a specific item and did not receive that item. For all you know they might have been able to purchase the color that you sent much cheaper from another seller but chose to buy yours simply because of the color. Regardless of the reason for their unhappiness, you were in the wrong although you seem to be the only one in this thread that doesn't see that.

[productaxi]

O I see that I made a judgement call, to offer the customer faster shipping - rather than slow the shipping because of the colour discrepancy.  Some could view that as wrong, some could as right.   I guess my discrimination was wrong in this case.   I was trying to offer the customer the fastest shipping possible, at the expense of a colour deviation.  My bad.  I accept I shouldn't have done it, and I will NOT assume that again.

Just trying to have some discussion here and keep it lively.  Thanks for all your valuable input.