Dear eBay Queen:
I sell Fat Heads and Foam Heads on eBay and my web store. I rarely have any issues. I received a message from the buyer saying at about 1:00 AM on Sunday morning saying this isn’t what his son wanted – can I cancel?
Around 3:30AM on Sunday morning I receive a second message that says: “Don’t worry about cancelling. My son has decided that HE IS going to University of Florida and he does need not only one, but two foam heads.
I packed the items up to ship on Tuesday July 5th, and I receive a third message this morning saying that this was supposed to be shipped yesterday! (The day he told me to cancel.)
I sent a message to the buyer and told him it is Sunday evening and tomorrow is the 4th. I also let him know I sent him an additional invoice, (which he has not paid) and packed the one foam head he did pay for to ship out.
I then receive his 4th message: “What are you talking about lady? It’s buy one get one on the gator heads! Why should I have to pay for a second one?”
5th message “Ok so I’ve thought about this. I won’t adding to you feedback percentage. I will be taking away from it. This is quite possibly the worst transaction I’ve ever had on eBay! Go ahead and send out the *1* gator head. I will be returning it as soon as it arrives. I will also be tearing it up. It will be unrecognizable when you get it back. I can’t stand idiot sellers like yourself you think you can take advantage of people like me. You won’t even live up to the standards that are in your own listings. I will be returning your product and I will never do business with you again. You give me no other option but to return the item and give you very bad feedback thanks for wasting my time.”
I know I shouldn’t have done it, but I responded. I tried to be nice.
“I am sorry there must be some kind of misunderstanding; I have reviewed my listing, and nowhere does it say buy one get one free. I will refund your money immediately. I am very sorry for the confusion.”
He responds. “Please send it to me anyway. I must have confused you with another seller.”
What should I do? He’s threatened to give me negative feedback AND tear up my product.
CLA
Dear CLA:
WHOA! Talk about someone that can’t make up their mind! Here is how I look at it.
If you send it to him:
- He could be happy with it and leave you positive feedback. He may have confused your item with another seller.
- He could be unhappy with the product, and do exactly what he said. Tear it up and send it back, and don’t forget the negative feedback.
You could refund his money:
- He might leave negative feedback
- Turn you in as a non-selling seller
I am pretty sure no matter what happens, the negative feedback will be removed, because he did clearly use feedback extortion. Normally I would say to call in and report this to eBay, which wouldn’t hurt, but I don’t think they will be able to do anything until your buyer does something. I think I would probably send the buyer’s item out and wait to see what happens. You have enough crazy emails from this guy to show you did nothing wrong. If the worst happens, and he tears the foam head up and returns it, you have proof in his messages he said he would do this
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