My first item not as describe dispute.. Need advises

[bad_bad_gurl1]

I recently sold an jacket to US-NJ. Buyer received item on Dec 15, open a not as describe case on the 16th stating that it looks different on the listing photo, and demand a full refund + postage. 

As a seller, I am 100% sure that the jacket she got was the same item in the listing. But anyhow, I posted a message in the Ebay's resolution center explaining the best I could and I also ask her to refund the jacket for a refund. 

However, I have questions regarding her case details;

buyer stated it was a different jacket, but she told Ebay in the case's details that it was a fake?!  Why is that happening?

Also, what more actions can I do to happily resolve this situation? How should I response in the case once buyer response ?

Is there a spot where I can click return for a refund or do I have to type that out everything buyer response?

[mr.elmwood]

Customers lie. That is the deal. They figure the louder they scream the more they will get what they want.

Do not engage in any discussion.

Return for refund.

lather, rinse, repeat.

[ricarmic]

In my opinion, it doesn't matter why they are saying what they are saying, they have their own reasons for it whether they are good or evil.

All you can do is try to manage the situation to minimize the negative impact on you.

If it were me, I would simply apologize for the item being a disappointment and let them know everything you sell is guaranteed and they can return it for a full refund. Once the returned item is received intact, they will immediately receive the refund.

(I would avoid discussing why they think it is fake, it doesn't really matter why and there is no sense starting a conversation that they would interpret as an argument).

From what I read the best you can hope for is that it comes back, you refund and they don't zap you with a neg/low DSR.

As a note, I try in my communications to avoid the word "you" - that stimulates defensiveness - if it were me my sentence would simply say that "I am sorry that the item was disappointing. Everything I sell is guaranteed and a full refund will be provided immediately as soon as the intact item is received back here."

(Depending on how expensive it is you might want to instruct them how to fill out the customs form, see the other recent thread about that)

(The comment about "guaranteed" is true for all of us whether we like it or not, that's what the ISND process is all about)

9 different people are going to tell you 9 different ways to handle this so you'll have to pick and choose the parts that work for you.....

[ricarmic]

Ooops I got a little scrambled on my INAD (Item Not As Described) acronym

[cumos55]

You should  consider changing your eBay ID.

It is double "bad"... something that buyers might look on as aggressive... and definitely as a "bad" person.

What is projected to the buyer is negativity...

A seller's ID can  give the right or wrong impression.

We on eBay.ca  went through this discussion within the last year...  and as soon as the ID was adjusted....  with no "bad" part  this seller has better sales....

A transaction on the internet is not a face-to-face transaction.....  Buyer can not see who you are.

As sellers we must project a pleasing personality with our ID,  and with everything we say to a buyer.  This is most important in a situation such as this one  where the buyer is unhappy with the purchase

[cumos55]

One should also be careful of the image one projects in a listing.

This one is questionable....  All I see is a "liver"...   and I have seen a few in my life before eBay

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Cross-Straps-Open-Back-Seductive-Lip-White-Punk-Hot-Topic-Goth-Visual-Kei-Tee...

If parents are buying these items... then words like seductive may be inappropriate....

My daughter, just turned 21  and at university (engineering),   would not wear such items.... but others will... 

Parents like their little girl to be "sweet"....

Something like a "bad girl" image should  never be directly stated ....  always be very careful

Parents see the pretty girl thing while  it is the daughter  that takes that image where she wants to go,  in spite of what any parent would say or do.

The pretty girl image will produce more sales......  That is what I see in the other gallery photos for your listings

[cumos55]

Just looked more closely at you listings...

As a father,  there are a few items that stand me on my head... Yet there are others that I find more like something my daughter would wear.  

I know what she would say about certain items... but would love to see how she looks in other items....

Sell the item  and let the buyer take it where she. she wants to go,  or her parents  allow her to go....

[cumos55]

Gothicangel  hit me as interesting

[cumos55]

Took a look at Gothic in women's clothing  and saw adult women in the photos.

In your images  I see teenage girls......still living with parents.

Which way do you want to go... teenage versus adult?

With a teenage girl the audience is her parents.....

[cumos55]

Gothicangel  not available.

This has been an eyeopening series of listings in women's clothing on eBay......  the number of viewers... and the number of watchers....  The wilder the higher the number

[rose-dee]

I completely agree with 'ricarmic''s comments.  

There is no point in arguing the merits of your buyer's views on the item or worrying about why they think the way they do -- just give your apologies, ask that the item be returned and indicate that you will refund in full once it is received by you in its original condition.  This is business, not personal, and from your perspective your main goal now should be to try and minimize the damage to your DSRs and FB.  

I would also agree with the suggestion to consider changing your ID.  You probably have a better chance of good buyer relations if you pick a name that projects something positive or fun.  Of course, if you change your ID, this means that as a seller you'll be starting all over again, but it may be worth it in the long run.  

I notice that your listings indicate New York, New York as your location (or at least the location of your inventory).  Are you shipping from NY as a Canadian-registered seller, or are you registered in the US?  If you're registered in the US, be aware that policies and procedures (including customer returns) may differ between eBay.com and eBay.ca.  

Lastly, I took a look at several of your listings, and the one piece of (hopefully constructive) advice I could give you is to try to do better with your listing photos -- and include more of them.  The resolution on many of your photos is quite low, low enough that when you "mouse over", the details are lost.  This totally defeats the purpose of a zoom view, which is supposed to give your buyers enough up-close information to be able to really see what you are selling.  

Also, with regard to photographs, in some of your listings, you really need to show more aspects of the garment - front, back, side, interior/inside, closures, features, trimmings, etc.  I think you could easily manage to have 6 or 8 photos of each item.  Here is an example of a listing that I thought could use higher resolution photos and more pictures from different angles (here I thought the faux fur trim was interesting, but I could not make out the details even when mousing over the photos): 

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Gyaru-MOUSSY-French-Vintage-Black-Knit-Hoodie-leopard-faux-fur-Cape-Hime-Loli...

I think better resolution photos and more of them might also help to avoid INAD claims from buyers in the future.  

[cumos55]

As a new seller on eBay  you should also look into 

(1) watermarks on photos..

User ID watermark 
You can watermark your User ID on the lower left corner of your Standard picture as well as on the copy of your original picture.

Adding a watermark to your photos

You can use our watermark creation service to add a camera icon, your eBay user ID, or both, as a watermark on your photo. Note: Watermarks are the only text that can be on your photo.

(2) models.....Does eBay have a policy with respect to modelling clothing? or is there a generally accepted standard for the internet.

Models over the age of 21 ...You are selling in a category where models under the age of 21 can be very provocative.....  The listings that I viewed on eBay had adults as models.

If I were to sell in this category these would be a few of my considerations.....  the same as that for all sellers on eBay....

But then  I would have to learn how to sell without letting the buyer know  who I really am.

Only with a local pickup will the buyer get a million dollar surprise...  and my daughter would wonder if I was really her father.

[rose-dee]

To the OP:  I agree with 'cumos' about the watermarks on your photos -- aside from the fact that they may be in violation of eBay's policies on watermarks, in my opinion they are too large and intrusive anyway.  You want the buyer to be paying attention to the item photo, not the watermark.  

I can probably answer the question about how to display garments, as I've sold garments for a long time: the best display is either a professional adult model (not a friend or relative who has no training in fashion posing), or, if you can't afford a "live" model, a decent-looking mannequin is just as good, sometimes even a better choice.  

A distant second choice if you haven't got any sort of mannequin is a good hanger, hung against an uncluttered backdrop (but please, not a bedsheet!!).  Finally, the worst display IMO is a flat surface photo.  It gives no idea of how the garment will hang when worn and often the camera fails to pick up details from a flat object.  

I see you are using a wire mannequin in some photos, which is just fine.  The less distraction from the garment, the better.  

[bestchoicebrand]

Unresolved matters can also affect your selling status.  Best way to handle this situation, is to accept refund (upon return) for your item. You can always resell this jacket, since you have all the pictures and description.  

[bb_cool_stuff]

Agree with the display aspect.

You need any advantage to stand out in the clothing categories.

There was a woman at one time selling Harley clothing on eBay, probably still is.

Lets just say she was very top heavy & modelled her tight shirts without a bra in her pictures.

Was it effective, probably, did it lead to an increase in sales, probably.

[cumos55]

A seller must use their own photos, unless they have permission to do otherwise from a manufacturer.

If you sell new clothing, all of the manufacturer's photo are copyrighted  and should not be used without permission.  The same applies to any other seller's photos..

There are many realities to selling on eBay... and there is a lot to read.. with respect to eBay's policies...

I spent two months reading all I could find on and about  eBay and Paypal....and that was 10 years ago.

Things have changed  and there is a lot more to read and understand with respect to today's eBay.

If you have questions...  Do come here...  as you can see there are sellers of clothing who can point you in the right direction... 

[recped]

I just skimmed the previous answers........

If you sell clothing you will get returns it just goes with the territory.

Buying clothing without being able to touch and feel and basing a colour choice on what you can see on a computer monitor (regardless of how good the images are).

People buy and then when they have it in hand they decide it's not what they thought it would be, simple as that.

Clothing and footwear have the highest return rates of just about any retail consumer product sold online OR offline, There are a few clothing sellers I know who post on the US boards, they see return rates of 10 - 15% and sometimes higher depending on the specific items they sell.

If you think buyers are not being honest when they open a claim and want to return an item.....look no further than this:

The seller will not accept returns for this item.

Personally I will not buy from any online seller on or off eBay if they don't accept returns. Well on eBay I might because I know I can force a seller to accept a return regardless, all I have to do is claim it wasn't as described.

[femmefan1946]

That would depend on who was buying surely? More effective with men buying for their ladies than with the ladies themselves, I would think.

[bad_bad_gurl1]

I will change my mistakes. Thank you for advises!

But regarding my case, my buyer never response back to my message "RETURN FOR REFUND" What should I do? 

Do I wait for her escalation or what?

[cumos55]

Wait for the item to return... and then refund

Do not escalate... Do not refund  until you have the purchased item back

A buyer may decide to keep the item....

Refund too early  and the buyer might end up with both the purchased item  and the refund