| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| mikesgirl |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 3:08:03 PM
I have been selling on half.com for about a year and have had all positive experiences, until this week. About three weeks ago, a woman ordered a book from me and I shipped it out next day, as promised. Yesterday, I received the book back, marked "refused" on the package. When you sell a book, your account is credited for the book and the shipping at that time. I contacted the seller to see if she had refused it and why. I received an e-mail back stating that she had found another one in the interim and purchased it, so she no longer needed the one she ordered from me. Half.com's policy on refunds is that both parties need to agree to it so I really don't have to issue her any refund at all, according to them. I have no problem refunding the woman's money for her book, as she sent it back, but she is insisting that I also refund the shipping costs. I don't feel that I should refund the shipping costs because that is money I am already out - and why should I lose money just because she changed her mind. She has threatened to leave negative feedback on the site about me if I don't give her a full refund. I have 100% positive feedback so far and really don't want an undeserved black mark if I can avoid it. On the other hand, I don't want to be basically blackmailed, or embezzeled by this woman - I feel like my offer to refund her purchase price should be sufficient - after all it was a hassle to me - why should it also be an expense to me. I know it's only a few dollars, but I really don't want to set the precedent that I can be had. What would YOU do? (Sorry to go on - I'm really upset about this.)
Farmgirl Sister #98
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| 23 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 08:21:01 AM
I would not refund her shipping charges and don't let her blackmail you with the threat of negative feedback. I have been selling on eBay for over 9 years and, from my experience, these people are going to leave negative either way you go. One negative is not going to effect your rating that much. You could leave a response to her negative that people will see. Do you have a place where you can post refund policies? I have it in mine on eBay stating that I will refund, less shipping charges, if the item is returned within 7 days.
She is not someone you would want as a return customer anyway. It is really rude to order something then just change your mind because you found it somewhere else. That's her problem not yours.
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PROUD FARMGIRL SISTER #100 |
| whiteraven |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 07:44:48 AM
Sherri, maybe you have provided this woman with a life lesson. She might think twice before doing the same thing to some other seller.
whiteraven
farmgirl Sister #320
Life is what you make it! |
| mikesgirl |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 10:25:20 PM
Older and starting to mellow with age I guess!
Farmgirl Sister #98
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| Alee |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 6:28:40 PM
Sherri- I hope that is the end of it for you. You are nicer that me! LOL
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
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| mikesgirl |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 3:48:01 PM
I went ahead today and refunded her purchase price, not the shipping charges and then e-mailed her to let her know. I haven't heard back, but I hope this is the end of it. EllynAnne - that's an awful story - I'm so sorry that happened to you!
Farmgirl Sister #98
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| EllynAnne |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 3:16:07 PM
Hey! I had a very bad situation result from a purchase I made on eBay. When I hadn't received the item two weeks out, I emailed the seller that the time frame when I needed the item had passed, and since she hadn't sent the item, to just forget it and provide a credit. Well, she went crazy, to the point I contacted eBay with her scary emails threatening retribution upon me and my family, to which eBay suggested I contact the police - Internet harrassment is a federal crime. Three weeks into the mess, the item arrives, and I refuse it. Meantime, eBay provided me letters from other buyers who'd been in my boat, and their bottom line suggestion was to walk away from the experience, which, in my case, translated to accepting the charge.
Despite her "winning," the seller blasted me all over eBay as a crazy person and a thief, etc. Ultimately, I changed my purchaser ID and that seemed to end it. However, she has my address from the purchase, and two years later, I'm still receiving postcards without a signature that don't wish me well.
Your buyer may or may not be crazy, and if a bad review is all she's threatening, that's not so terrible. However, for peace of mind, if you've been selling for a year without issue, perhaps this is your "one" bad deal, and that'll be it.
EllynAnne
Tie One On...an apron, of course!www.apronmemories.com
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| Alee |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 07:47:24 AM
Oh and I will buy from people that have a 75% rating and above. I know that sometimes people don't realize how SLOW the mail can be and get grumpy if they don't see the item in 2 days.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our blog: www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
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| JessieMae |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 10:18:34 PM
Speaking as someone who is 100% consumer (I've never been the seller in any transaction), I'm as surprised as you are that she would assume her S&H fee would be refunded. It's good customer service on your part to refund any money at all. And I agree with Rhonda's comment; I don't think one negative comment would dissuade me from trading with anyone. |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 9:58:00 PM
No way I would return the shipping charge. She could have let you know BEFORE you sent it out..paid for the padded envelope and all that....Some people!!!!
I am with Rhonda who said that she is just as likely to order from someone with a 99 or even a 98% rating...I always figure there are people out there causing problems for everyone sometimes. I wish you didn't have to go through this though..it stinks!!
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
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| Farmtopia |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 7:55:14 PM
Let me chime in with this one...DONT do it, Sherri. Actually, you might even use the emails between you and her, as proof, and I would send any of them to half.com to prove that she sent the book back to you in the interim, after buying another book. SO if you have that email, I'd forward it to half.com as part of your argument.
Also, I agree with Rhonda, if it comes down to it and you have to take a negative, I wouldn't let that discourage you. I've also bought items from ebay and such, from people within the 98% range and above...I don't need a perfect scored business because I know business can sometimes be CRAAAAZY!
Best of luck to you and I hope the situation works out for you!
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
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| oldfashioned girl |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 7:07:45 PM
Sherri, I pretty much agree with everyone else! I don't think I would refund the shipping charges! I have one time found a book for a lot less than one I had just ordered and I e-mailed the seller to see if I could cancel the order and I got a full refund, but they had not sent it out yet! The lady did not contact you in anyway other than to refuse the book and under those circumstances I would not refund shipping! Do you have a return policy? If you do you may want to make sure to state that you don't refund shipping if someone returns a book! I would not give in to her and I would contact Half.com to see what you can do! If you are able to, leave feedback on her! Even if she is mean and does leave you bad feedback most people can tell that by reading the comments! Good luck!
Monica
farmgirls rule!
www.justducky48.etsy.com |
| mikesgirl |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 7:04:04 PM
I just talked to dh and he agrees with you Alee - I shouldn't refund any of the price. It's just a couple of dollars, but the whole "threat" that I'm going to get negative feedback is what bothers me. I think I may just do that - half.com policy is that we both have to agree on a refund, as so, even though my instict is to refund the purchase price, I may just hold them to their agreement in the name of principle. You know when you purchase something on e-bay or half.com that it is a final sale, so there's no excuse to refuse then expect payment.
Farmgirl Sister #98
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| Alee |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 6:27:48 PM
Sherri- According to business law, a contract is formed the instant both parties agree to it. She made a contract with you to buy the book. You fulfilled your side of the contract, she did not. You had sent out the book, if she was not willing to wait for a used book, she should not have used a service like half.com. There is always the option to go to a big box book store if you are in dire need of a book and I bet 90% of the time they will have it.
Being a good person, I know you will probably refund her the purchase price. I am ornery enough that I might not even do that, let alone the shipping charge! For all she knows, you could have been "counting" on that sale or had already spent that money!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our blog: www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| chicken necker |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 5:40:47 PM
Sherri, I sell on Half.com also. Don't refund the shipping! I've had one bad experience from a seller. She insists that she did not receive my package and demanded a refund. Well, I had sent it with a delivery notice and proved her wrong. Half.com removed her "negative" comment, and still paid me. Plus, you can always leave a negative "comment" on her profile. I found out that this woman did this routinely by reading her profile. If in doubt, check up on it and email Half.com that she did this. Just like E-bay, once you made the offer or bid, you have to abide by it.
FarmGirl Sister #123
Crafty Bay FarmGirls Chapter
"Whether you think you can or think you can't, either way, you're right." Henry Ford |
| levisgrammy |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 4:47:31 PM
Sherri,
I don't believe you should refund the shipping charges to her. She chose to refuse the delivery and you were not notified by her in advance. Lots of people would take advantage of that if they were able to do it. I would be careful about refunding and setting a precedent.
Denise
farmgirl sister #43
"Take a lesson from the teakettle, though up to its
neck in hot water...it sings!"
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
| willowtreecreek |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 4:40:08 PM
I would NOT refund shipping charges!
Farmgirl Sister #17
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| mikesgirl |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 4:39:23 PM
It's only the shipping charges that I incurred sending her the package - cost of the padded envelope plus the postage. You're correct - no shipping charges for her to send it back to me. I'm not sure about rebuttal comments - I have an e-mail into half.com about it. If I can, I certainly will respond to her feedback.
Farmgirl Sister #98
Check out my new online store
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| dkelewae |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 4:30:17 PM
Sherri-Since she refused/returned the item without notifying you, I don't believe you owe her the shipping charges. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if she refused the shipment, I don't think she had to pay to ship it back to you?
I haven't sold anything on half.com,but do they allow you to post rebuttal comments on feedback that's left for you like they do on EBay? If so, I'd sure reply to her feedback if she leaves bad feedback!
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #272
St. Peters MO
Country Girl trapped in the city! |
| kissmekate |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 4:20:56 PM
Sherri,
Don't refund her the shipping. If you block the buyer, wouldn't they ban her after so many?
Can you leave feedback on her? If so, be direct about what she did, but don't be whiny either.
Chances are you aren't the first person she "blackmailed".
Don't miss out on a blessing, just because it isn't packaged the way you expected. ~MaryJo Copeland |
| mikesgirl |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 3:39:55 PM
Good question Janice - I have a customer service inquiry into half.com and I probably won't hear from them for a day or so. I've never had to respond to feedback before so I don't know if that is an option. One thing you can do is block a buyer, which I have done with this particular woman, but that doesn't help anyone else who might get burned by her. Thanks Rhonda for the comments on less than perfect feedback scores - it helped bring me back to reality. I am one of those people who always had to get a 4.0 - a 3.9 was only an indication that I was doing something wrong. I think it's "only child syndrome" LOL!
Farmgirl Sister #98
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| rhondacate |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 3:25:27 PM
I don't think I would refund the shipping charges.
And honestly, when I buy off ebay or half.com, if someone has 98% or 99% positive feedback, I'm just as likely to buy from them, because I realize that there are always customers like the one you have that don't "play by the rules" and leave negative feedback unfairly.
~Rhonda |
| Miss Bee Haven |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 3:24:16 PM
No way would I refund her shipping. If she's going to act like that and leave you negative feedback anyhow, and half says you don't have to give her anything, then just don't give her anything back. I wouldn't. What a crummy person she is. Shame on her. Do you get to respond to any feedback she may leave?
Farmgirl Sister #50
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?"
'Br.Dave Gardner' |
| lacisne88 |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 3:13:54 PM
Hello Sherri, Honestly, in this situation I would NOT reimburse the woman for the shipping charges...especially the extra ones she paid to send it back...that is her OWN deal. She did not have to send the book back, therefore it is her own expense to send the book back. I buy and sell on Ebay and it is ALWAYS like that. If a customer wants to return something for a refund, they only get the actual price of the item back...NEVER the shipping.
If you have any problems, or before you have any problems, you might want to contact the half.com company and let them know what is going on.
I have had a bad experience like this in the past with Ebay selling and I got through it. I hope this helps!
Chelsey
Farmgirl Sister #283
http://farmgirlpleasures.blogspot.com/ |
