Buyer claiming hole in brand new garment

[sweetlemons]

Hoping someone could give me some advice here.

I sold a pair of NWT pants to someone back at the end of September.

About a week ago they contacted me saying that they had just for the first time tried the pants on and found a hole in one of the legs. (Said they hadn’t worn them because they were losing baby weight to fit them.)

I have looked over my photos and don’t see a hole where they claim it is and am 99% sure it wasn’t there when I sold them. The tags are still attached in their photo of the hole. I suspect that they have caused the hole in the 5 or 6 weeks or so since they’ve had it.

Should I offer a return?

Would really appreciate some input!

[ichopshop]

I was going to ask if they're within the return period, but I see you don't accept returns....  How long since they RECEIVED the item?  The buyer is still protected by ebay/paypal guarantees....  I had to learn the "No Returns Accepted" lesson the hard was (as I suspect many ebay sellers have).  Long story short, should the buyer file a claim and ebay finds in their favour, they get the money back, you DON'T get the item back and you get a negative strike.

Ian

[femmefan1946]

@sweetlemons

The tags are still attached in their photo of the hole.

Then it is unlikely that he has worn them.

And I understand you to say that there is in fact a hole.

You don't have to accept returns but you do have to make refunds.

At this point, eBay isn't involved and what you have is a Remorse Return.

Tell the buyer to return the pants for a full refund.

Refund her original payment only (no return shipping).

You are out the original cost of shipping, your listing and PP fees, and the cost of the garment (which is unsaleable with a hole).

She can leave feedback.

Or you can refuse the refund and the return.

Then the buyer goes to eBay makes a Not As Described dispute and you pay for the return shipping plus

the original cost of shipping, your listing and PP fees, and the cost of the garment (which is unsaleable with a hole).

She can leave feedback.

This is retail. Not personal. If she is lying she has to live with being a liar.

But No Refunds without Return.

Make her work for it.

[sweetlemons]

They are outside the ebay return window but still jut inside the paypal window. I spoke with ebay and they suggested refusing the return. I provided photos to back up my assertions that there was no hole while in my possession. I still feel uneasy about providing no resolution but feel given the elapsed time and photographic evidence, I have grounds to refuse the return.

[sweetlemons]

Thanks for the reply! As I said in my reply above, I spoke to a CSR at ebay and they said to refuse the refund. I have photographic evidence that there was no hole when in my possession. That, couple with the elapsed time, makes me feel as though I’m within my rights to refuse the return. In the other hand, I feel uneasy about that and wonder what the buyer’s incentive is to lie. Remorse? They don’t fit? Accidentally damaged them and are claiming they already were?
These were $138 USD and I’m not keen on taking the hit on a return so long after the fact.

[ichopshop]

At least with Paypal, they require the return of the item (as I understand it).

You might consider changing your return policy to 30 days.  Having a no return policy with ebay actually puts you at a disadvantage (as described above) if there's an issue.  Your items may even rank higher in search results and increase sales.

Ian

[sweetlemons]

Thanks Ian. I think that’s solid advice. Appreciate it.

[pjcdn2005]

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@ichopshop wrote:

I was going to ask if they're within the return period, but I see you don't accept returns....  How long since they RECEIVED the item?  The buyer is still protected by ebay/paypal guarantees....  I had to learn the "No Returns Accepted" lesson the hard was (as I suspect many ebay sellers have).  Long story short, should the buyer file a claim and ebay finds in their favour, they get the money back, you DON'T get the item back and you get a negative strike.

Ian

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That's not necessarily true.  I've heard of many cases when a return was refused but ebay still sent the buyer a label and required the buyer to return for a refund.

[momcqueen]

Were you careful to package this for shipment so that the buyer stood no chance of accidentally damaging the item when they had to cut open the package?

Here is the reason that I ask:

I once cut a hole in the shoulder of an ebay-seller's dress because she wrapped it in a grocery bag and then duct-taped the bag into a firm ball with nothing to separate the dress from the bag. It was a nightmare to open, I'm lucky I didn't cut the whole thing in half trying to bust open the duct-tape-and-shopping-bag-ball. Clothes shipped from other retailers in polybags are wrapped in smaller plastic sleeves and then loosely sealed into their plastic envelope; the recipient doesn't have to take an exact-o knife and chisel to break-in. 

I'm not saying one way or another how you deal with the return, I'm offering some food for thought on how mystery holes may originate.

p.s. I kept the dress. I wear it still, ten years later, with a hole in the shoulder. I'm cheap like that, and also too lazy to mend. 

[sweetlemons]

That’s a good question and anecdote! I did in fact ask her specifically if there was any damage to the package when she received it (no) and asked if she looked at them after opening the (carefully packed) parcel. She said yes, but not carefully. I’m very inclined to believe that they were damaged in the 5-6 weeks she had them before reaching out to me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts 🙂