I Have a BIG problem - Need some help.

[musicyouneed]

I listed this CD Annie Herring - All That I Am and didn't notice that the wrong CD was in the jewel case.  There is a picture of it on the listing. 

There is not another one listed on ebay.ca or .com or amazon.ca otherwise I would have bought it.  

What do I do now?  I have to inform the buyer but what do I say?  This is going to be a defect of course.  

[momcqueen]

Be honest. It’s already happened and can’t be helped. Offer them a discount on their next purchase as well as their refund as a goodwill gesture. Or their choice of anything in its place in your store? Leave it up to them.

If you wanted to be awful, you could just mail them what you have and play dumb. That’s worse. I wouldn’t and I’m sure you wouldn’t either but we both know it happens.

I think if you confess, the buyer will understand. I’m sure this must be an awful-feeling experience for you.

[momcqueen]

I mean, you never know: maybe the person will be as happy with the CD shown in the listing. It is there, plain as day that the CD doesn’t match the case it’s in. Funny how none of us notice these things until too late. You didn’t see it, and neither did the buyer. But, who knows? Mention you just noticed this. Ask them to look at the listing they purchased and tell them to tell you what they’d like to do. Take it? Or a refund and discount. Another item? Leave it up to them. It’s possible (although unlikely) that they already know and saw the CD was different.

[zee-chan]

I'd communicate with the buyer and ask them about it too. I have sold items that wasn't available by accident before too a few times, the buyers were all pretty nice, either just asked for a full refund or they picked something else (I let them pick something priced higher as apology). They still left me positive feedback.

Communicate is key, don't panic! Be sincere and apologetic about your honest mistake. Most people are nice and will understand. 

[ricarmic]

I would treat it the same way as if I couldn't find the item.

Below is my untested form letter I plan to use when the day comes that I need to. I've been very lucky so far that I haven't yet had to use it!!

You'll have to adjust the wording to whatever works for your situation....I would also include wording that lets things stay as they are if they understand what they are getting and want what is in the pictures. I have had a few typos etc lately that the buyer seems to have been ok with (the pictures were always correct).

-----------------Form letter-------------------------------

Hi! Thank you very much for your purchase!

I humbly apologize because I cannot find the item you have purchased.

I can provide a number of options to resolve this:

-I have a similar item. I can send it instead, with a free bonus to make up for the fact that it won’t be exactly the same as the item you purchased

Or

-if you see any other lots in my store that you are interested in that are valued anywhere up to $XX I can send it instead. (please just advise me of the title and item number you do not need to purchase it)

Or

-if you see an item that is worth more than $XX send me a question about that lot and I will send you an offer reducing the price by $XX which you can accept and then follow the normal payment process

Or

-I can provide a full refund

I apologize again for being unable to provide the item, let me know which option above you prefer when you have a chance. Thank you very much for your understanding and have a great day!!

[musicyouneed]

Thanks, I sent something similar to her.

I was just about to wrap up your CD and noticed that the CD inside was not the correct CD, same artist but not right CD for the artwork. I had purchased a couple of boxes from a CD store that went out of business and I didn't even notice. I even photographed it with the wrong CD. I even tried to see if I could buy another one for you, but no luck. 

I am so sorry and I was wondering if there was anything else in my store that interests you. I will give you a 25% discount on any one CD that you chose. I know that you were probably looking forward to this one and I am so sorry. I made a mistake and feel terrible. 

If there is nothing else that you want, I will just cancel the transaction and refund all your money.

Again, I am so sorry.

 She responded that:

Thank you for your email. Apology accepted!
I'm glad you noticed the mix up regarding the Annie Herring CD - 
I already have the CD that you found in the wrong case! - and I was really after the 'All that I Am' CD.
Thank you for trying to see if you could buy another one for me. 
Thank you also for your kind offer of 25% discount. I had a look but there wasn't anything that I really wanted. 
Please would you cancel the transaction and refund my money. Thank you.

I cancelled the transaction, I guess there will be a defect.  Serves me right for not paying attention.

[snoopwiz]

I cancelled the transaction, I guess there will be a defect.  Serves me right for not paying attention.

Should not be a defect if you chose "buyer cancelled"  If you chose "Out of stock" then you may be deemed defective in their eyes.

[momcqueen]

Technically speaking, the buyer did purchase what was photographed with the listing so I don't think that Buyer Changed Mind would have been out of line as the Cancel Order reason. 

[musicyouneed]

Thanks but I cancelled it because of out of stock or damage. 

I remember that one buyer on the community boards complained that the seller sent a cancellation request stating that the buyer wanted it cancelled and therefore the buyer was really upset and I think that reflected in the feedback to the seller.  

[momcqueen]

I know. You played it safe by picking the reason that you chose, just the same as you were totally upfront when you realized the CD inside did not match the case. A sneaky seller may have tried to manipulate the situation differently. I doubt you’re in a position where out-of-stock defects are becoming problematic; you’re too careful and honest for that.

[momcqueen]

Sadly, I have my own big problem right now. I cannot find an item that I need to ship today and, after hours spent searching and careful analysis of my listing itself and Sold history, the best I can theorize is that I saw a similar product within my inventory and thought it was this one and relisted it falsely after the first (and only) one sold almost three years ago. 

I was able to locate another on an alternative site and order it to be shipped directly to the buyer who is in South America but it's costing me almost double my selling price to send it to him like this. If I was smart, I'd have Cancelled it and taken the associated defect. If I was unethical, I could have sent him the item I mistook in the first place for the one he bought and then dealt with the Not as Described return later.

Sometimes, the high road hurts. I have to believe I'm doing the best thing for this buyer despite that the order has been fulfilled by another seller. I don't think I can even communicate this properly as a caution to him because I don't speak his language. And I'm certain to get a Late Shipment Defect anyway for not uploading tracking on time because the seller I chose (the only one available) is not likely to ship it within my same-day handling time.

This is my first big screw up like this in the six+ years that I've been selling. I suppose I should be thankful for that but right now I'm still just aggravated by my error and the implications of it. 

[momcqueen]

GAH! I just found it. Going through all my stock in shelves the THIRD time it was in literally the first place that I looked. The first place! I could scream. Packing it now but I'll miss the shipping deadline for an acceptance scan.

[momcqueen]

Nope, made it to the postal counter with ten minutes to spare before the drug store closed. I must have a horseshoe up my butt, cancelled the other order AND took advantage of the opportunity to buy some extra-strength ibuprofen to cope with the massive pain in my butt I’ve given myself with this. Some days, I should just call in sick.

[musicyouneed]

I am happy things turned out for you.  How did the seller that you cancelled take it?

[momcqueen]

I didn’t really have opportunity to interact with the seller of the substitution, I bought it from a site that doesn’t facilitate it. The order was outstanding less than an hour from payment to cancellation so hopefully they weren’t too disappointed. (Maybe they’d be secretly relieved not to be shipping an order to South America.)

I wish I understood how I can hold an item that I’m looking for IN MY HANDS without seeing it. If I had coworkers, I’d accuse someone of playing a trick on me. I’m feeling equal parts relieved and frustrated at the moment. I spent all day looking for an item that I must have found within the first 30 seconds. Seriously. I can hardly believe it.

[zee-chan]

Glad you found the item, though personally I would have cancelled the order if I can't find it.

The only time I have ordered from another seller to ship to a buyer is when the seller is a very reputable one that I have personally purchased from and know that they ship and pack well. The risk of buying from another seller and shipping to your buyer is that the seller might not be shipping something as good condition as what you advertised (kinda like dropshipping).

On an unrelated note, I once sold a book here on eBay (it has a few watchers, and I rejected all the best offers because it had watchers), and then within a few hours later, sold the same book on Bonxxxx (my first sale there this year lol)... I bet one of those watchers probably panicked that it was sold and went to Bonxxxx, which didn't update in time to reflect my sold book. Obviuosly I had to cancel the sale instead since I couldn't source the book any more (it's out of print).