Ebay problem--WWYD?

[Nakia]

I bid on a comforter and sheet set on ebay for my middle dd's birthday. Before the auction was over, I looked closer at the pics and it looks to me like the comforter pictured on the outside of the package is not the same as the comforter in the package. The picture shows a lavender comforter and the part you can see of the comforter inside is blue. Her room is lavender and she wants a lavendar comforter. Here is the item. Scroll down a little to see the pics.

 

I emailed the seller before the auction ended to have them clarify. They told me the comforter is lavender like the picture shows, but it clearly looks blue. I ended up winning the auction, and I have emailed them asking for them to take it out of the package and take a picture of the comforter so I can be assured that it is indeed lavender. They are refusing. I admit I should have paid closer attention to the details before I placed a bid. I don't want a blue comforter; I want a lavender one. I don't get why they won't take it out and take a picture. I am going to have to pay for it because I won the auction, right, so why can't they send me a picture???

 

I'm not sure what to do. WWYD?

[KatieJ]

I learned a ton in the past few weeks when I had an issue with an item I purchased.

 

Be sure you pay with Paypal. If the item is not the color you want, you can request a refund thru Paypal by filing a complaint called SNAD, which means, significantly not as described.

 

However, you will be required to return the item to the original seller and they are not required to refund you that postage! You are required to use Delivery confirmation when you return it so Ebay can track and the original seller can't say they didn't get the package.

Be sure that all your communication is thru the Ebay website, so if there is a complaint later, Ebay has access to your emails back and forth.

 

I have never cancelled an auction that I have won, but if you can't afford to loose the return postage, you might want to check with Ebay on how to do that.

There is a community board just for buyers, and you can start there. There are ton of snarky people on there, but there are also some with some really good advice.

Edited March 5, 2009 by KatieinMich

[nukeswife]

I'm thinking the blue part is Ariel's fin, but either way you're kind of stuck since you have already bid on the item. As for them refusing to take it out. I have tried to get a comforter back in those bags they come in and it's not always easy. Maybe they just don't want to have to deal with that.

 

I think all you can do now is pay, get the comforter and then if it's not as they described you can try to do the paypal complaint like the other poster mentioned.

 

 

ETA: I just did a search for a similar blanket and the add I found said it's reversable, so maybe that's why it looks blue in the package, maybe it's the other side. Just a thought

Edited March 5, 2009 by nukeswife

[OLG]

I would think the seller would accommodate your request! Recently, I bought ds a pair of pants because they were the gray he wanted and when the pants arrived they were stone...I left feedback to this affect and the seller contacted ME offering to send the gray..no extra postage or anything. the advice to file a complaint via PayPal is great. Feedback has an impact too...

[Katiebug_1976]

I agree, the one in the package looks blue, and you are obligated to pay for it. But if the seller said it is lavendar, and you receive it and it is blue, then the seller did not advertise it correctly to you. Ebay and Paypal have safe guards set in place, so that if what you receive is not what was described in the auction, you are able to get a refund for the item. I would save the email you received from the seller stating that it is lavendar, and then just wait and see. If you get it and it's not lavendar, and the sellar will not "fix" the problem, then you can contact Ebay, and they will assist you in getting a refund.

 

Hope it doesn't come to this,

[Nakia]

 

ETA: I just did a search for a similar blanket and the add I found said it's reversable, so maybe that's why it looks blue in the package, maybe it's the other side. Just a thought

 

Thanks for letting me know. I have asked them if it is reversible. I don't know why they didn't just say that if it is.

[HSMom2One]

Hi Nakia,

I don't know if this is the case or not, but I wanted to point out that you cannot depend on what you see on your monitor to be the true color of an item. Every computer monitor is calibrated and many of us never check to see how accurate the color of our computer display is to real life. Digital cameras are also calibrated to display color -- so by the time it goes from real life, to the digital image, to the computer and to your monitor, the color displays sometimes very different than it really is.

 

Maybe the seller is really busy with other auctions, day job, etc. and just doesn't want to deal with your request. Not very nice of them, but that is probably the case.

 

Since you bid on the item and won, you are ethically obligated to go through with the purchase. I think the previous posts are correct -- if you get it and are disappointed, then PayPal insures your satisfaction or money back.

 

I hope it ends up being a good fit for dd's room after all.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Nakia]

I just received an email from the seller and they have agree to email me the picture. YAY!

[Melissa B]

I think it is going to be this blanket. So, it is not in the original packaging.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/LITTLE-MERMAID-COMFORTER-Satin-Embellished-Twin-Full_W0QQitemZ310104024946QQihZ021QQcategoryZ66728QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

[Nakia]

I think it is going to be this blanket. So, it is not in the original packaging.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/LITTLE-MERMAID-COMFORTER-Satin-Embellished-Twin-Full_W0QQitemZ310104024946QQihZ021QQcategoryZ66728QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

 

Uh oh. That does look like it. Well, I'll just have to wait and see what the picture shows.

 

I might get kicked off ebay, but I don't want to pay for something that isn't what is advertised. The auction clearly said that it was new in the package. My daughter's birthday is this month, so I don't have the time or the money to fool around with trying to get a refund from paypal.

 

We'll see...

[Kate in Arabia]

It looks to me like they put the blue comforter inside a different bag. I found these other pics. This looks like the comforter that you bought:

 

 

While this looks like the one you wanted:

 

It seems clear to me that in her picture, she has put the comforter in a different bag. If she sends you that, at least it's obvious that it has been opened (which is opposite of what she said in her sale).

 

Maybe she just used that pic as a sample and is sending you something else? But if you emailed and she confirmed it's lavender, and it isn't, you have that email and can use that to get a refund, right?

[Nakia]

I think it is going to be this blanket. So, it is not in the original packaging.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/LITTLE-MERMAID-COMFORTER-Satin-Embellished-Twin-Full_W0QQitemZ310104024946QQihZ021QQcategoryZ66728QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

 

The plot thickens...

 

They sent me the picture and it clearly the comforter you linked, which is not the comforter pictured on the outside of the package. Now what the heck do I do???

[melissel]

The plot thickens...

 

They sent me the picture and it clearly the comforter you linked, which is not the comforter pictured on the outside of the package. Now what the heck do I do???

 

Can you post the pic they sent here so we can try to see? The other comforter linked is satin. I find it really hard to believe that an eBayer with a 97% positive rating in almost 10,000 transactions would attempt such an obvious switcheroo. Not that it hasn't happened, of course! There just has to be some kind of misunderstanding.

[Nakia]

 

 

I'm not sure if it is satin or not. But it does not look like the one pictured on the packaging in the listing...

 

ETA: Click on it to make it bigger.

[elegantlion]

The plot thickens...

 

They sent me the picture and it clearly the comforter you linked, which is not the comforter pictured on the outside of the package. Now what the heck do I do???

 

 

I looked at the pics and you can tell right off that's not the right comforter. UGH, how frustrating. I would almost try to reason with her and not pay for the item and allow her to relist. Since it was mis-advertised it could save her negative feedback and you a bunch of hassle. That seems like an amicable solution for both parties. :confused:

 

Just looked at the 2nd pictures. Still doesn't look like the one. The lavendar one doesn't blue on it anywhere except Ariel. It also doesn't look like it says "Little Princess" either. I would offer to send her the listings of the ones linked here so she knows that you truly known the difference.

 

Whatever happened to customer service. UGH>

Edited March 5, 2009 by elegantlion

[Moxie]

Could it be blue on one side and purple on the other?

[Nakia]

Could it be blue on one side and purple on the other?

 

 

That's what I thought, and that would be fine. BUT the one on the pictured on the packaging doesn't say "Little Princess" on it. I've looked at other pics of it online. I am certain it is not the same comforter.

[Pongo]

I have the toddler set and it's blue

[Melissa B]

I would kindly ask the seller to relist or offer it to the next bidder. I believe the seller can do either for free. It was a misunderstanding. The seller probably didn't realize it is a different comforter and you wanted to purchase the specific comforter on the picture. It would be silly and time consuming for the seller to insist you purchase it when you both know you will be sending it back for misrepresentation. I would reason with the seller.

[Nakia]

I emailed them back to let them know it wasn't the right comforter and this was their response:

 

OK, next time please ask your questions BEFORE BIDDING, it is the polite thing to do. We will be filing an unpaid item dispute against you for the return of our listing fees.

 

 

UGH!

[Delighted3]

because the other side should be a pinkish color with darker pink and purple flowers. You can see that in the ebay picture where the comforter is folded down.

Also in the pictures they sent, you can see on the side of the bag where 20.00 is written on the bag like perhaps she bought the set at a garage sale or some other off market type thing, so maybe she doesn't realize it isn't the same. Also, it looks like the picture of the comforter is different on the sheet package and the comforter package, so maybe they don't even match.

If I were you, I would email ebay and with the pictures she sent you and ask their opinion. Maybe they can mediate. Since she prominently shows the photo of the purple comforter with pink flowers on the back, I think it is misleading and you have a case for misrepresentation.

Joy

[Melissa B]

This is copied directly from ebay. I would urge the seller to "cancel the transaction" and relist with the correct pictures. If the seller does not, you can file a complaint yourself.

 

If you've sold an item but can't go through with the sale, you can cancel the transaction in our Resolution Center and you may receive a credit on your Final Value Fee.

 

Possible reasons for canceling the transaction are that the item is lost or broken, you made a mistake when listing the item, or there's some other reason you can't complete the sale.

 

Note: When you cancel a transaction, there’s no action against the buyer. If your buyer didn't pay you, see What to do when your buyer doesn't pay (unpaid item process).

[KatieJ]

REally, This is clearly a misrepresentation of the facts on the seller's part. I would figure out how to involve Ebay so that you don't end up with a negative/dispute against you.

 

I filed a complaint last week against the lady who sold me the CreativeMemory album which turned out not to be a CM album.

 

Ebay apparently yanked all her listings!

 

They do take fraud serious if you file the right complaint..and I think your seller deserves some negative input from Ebay.

 

Check out the community board I told you about, they can tell you where to find the right place to complain to ..altho, they are a tad snarky there and you might have to ask for clarification for the code they speak in!

[Nakia]

REally, This is clearly a misrepresentation of the facts on the seller's part. I would figure out how to involve Ebay so that you don't end up with a negative/dispute against you.

 

I filed a complaint last week against the lady who sold me the CreativeMemory album which turned out not to be a CM album.

 

Ebay apparently yanked all her listings!

 

They do take fraud serious if you file the right complaint..and I think your seller deserves some negative input from Ebay.

 

Check out the community board I told you about, they can tell you where to find the right place to complain to ..altho, they are a tad snarky there and you might have to ask for clarification for the code they speak in!

 

I emailed the seller to let them know that I would like to settle this amicably without things getting ugly. I also emailed ebay and explained the problem. Thanks!!

[HSMom2One]

I realize now that my earlier color calibration input didn't fit this situation, but do keep it in mind for future reference. In the meantime, I want to encourage you to do what you are doing by settling amicably between yourselves first. If you don't get satisfaction, then do make a complaint to eBay. This insures that people don't get away with misrepresenting items in the future. I've done quite a bit of buying and selling on eBay over the years and have had 99% positive experiences with it. Unless we blow the whistle on people that take advantage of others, it won't remain the great marketplace that it has been for everyone.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[melissel]

I emailed the seller to let them know that I would like to settle this amicably without things getting ugly. I also emailed ebay and explained the problem. Thanks!!

 

You're a better woman than I am. After the e-mail you quoted above, I'd have responded that instead, perhaps they should have doublechecked their representation of the item before LISTING! I am so sorry you're dealing with this. I hope you can get it all straightened out.

[Nakia]

Here's my last email to them:

 

If you would rather, I can go ahead and pay you through paypal. Then when it gets here, I can file a dispute with paypal for misrepresentation and then you will just have to refund my money. I would rather not have to do that. We both know it is not the same comforter and the ad was misleading. Let's just leave it at that, and then I won't have to leave you negative feedback, which I do not want to do since it was a misunderstanding. There is no need to get ugly about it.

 

 

I haven't gotten a response from them yet.

[Emmy]

I'm just reading this now lol - DO update us and let us know what happens!

[KatieJ]

Here's my last email to them:

 

If you would rather, I can go ahead and pay you through paypal. Then when it gets here, I can file a dispute with paypal for misrepresentation and then you will just have to refund my money. I would rather not have to do that. We both know it is not the same comforter and the ad was misleading. Let's just leave it at that, and then I won't have to leave you negative feedback, which I do not want to do since it was a misunderstanding. There is no need to get ugly about it.

 

 

I haven't gotten a response from them yet.

 

Keep in mind that in order to file a dispute and get your refund, you will have to ship the item back at your expense with Delivery Confirmation. The seller is under no obligation to refund your return postage.

[Nakia]

I contacted ebay and they were absolutely no help. Basically I just have to wait and see what the seller decides to do. To be honest, I'm no longer concerned. If I get kicked off ebay, I will not be sad. Ebay isn't what it used to be anyway.

 

Just wanted to post a little update.

[Reya]

It takes multiple strikes to get kicked off. My computer died right after I did a "Buy it Now"--I tried to log into PayPAl from the neighbor's to pay it, but PayPAl came up as a bunch of ???. I thought it was an issue of their computer, so I let the Buy It Now guy know what was up, but when the computer was fixed the next week, I discovered my PayPal acct had been switched to Chinese. I let him know about that, too, and said I'd fix it as soon as I could call Paypal's helpline, but he filed a non-Payment complaint, anyway. I contacted eBay about it, and they removed it on the basis of my previous good behavior. :-)

[Tap]

My guess is that it is this comforter http://www.walmart.com/catalog/detail.gsp?image=http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/07/35/58/51/0007355851897_500X500.jpg&product_id=5446771&iIndex=1&isVariant=false&corpCard=false&type=-9223372036854775808

 

The reason I think so, it that in the Ebay picture there is a row of bubbles on the right hand side of the comforter that is not in the purple set. The blue set in this picture has the bubbles.

 

The picture of the mermaid is different so it will be easy to tell once they send you one.

 

I would not pay for the auction, and site misrepresentation of item as the reason.

Edited March 8, 2009 by Tap, tap, tap

[ConnieB]

Just an FYI....having one "no pay" isn't going to hurt you. The seller has to file this with Ebay so that they can receive a refund of their listing fees. For that matter, having two won't either, lol. I bid on two items and then before both auctions ended our computer hard drive failed. We did not have the funds to replace it for several months. Of course, did I remember that I had bid on two items, no of course not, I'm an airhead, lol. So a couple months later we get the new (used) computer set up and over 1,000 email messages dump into my Inbox....all those junk emails and newsletters and friends who didn't realize my computer died.....and the ebay confirmations of winning the bids and each seller sent multiple requests for payment, then one sent several nasty notes about deadbeats, etc.

 

And yet nothing happened to my account. One of the sellers left me negative feedback (yes, the deadbeat one)....and it was too late for me to respond and say what happened. It took my rating from 100% to 98% until I made a few more perfect purchases and now it's back up to 100%. The negative feed still shows as 1 in the last 12 months, but honestly with over 300 transactions I doubt any seller will refuse to sell to me. I don't sell on ebay but even still 1 negative wouldn't stop me from buying from someone, especially when I see it was a failure to pay with dozens of "paid promptly" type positive feedback around it. I've seen sellers that I'm buying from with negatives before and I always check what the negative was about......if there seems to be a pattern than I rethink....but most times it's a case of "can't please everyone" or something that you can chalk up to being human like took a week to mail when all the other feedback talks about good shipping.

 

Definitely keep a copy of that email where they assured you it was lavender in case ebay's rules have changed in the last 14 months since my goof up. Then just send a copy of it to ebay telling them that you did ask about it and they misrepesented (i.e lied) about it.

 

Oh, and for future reference, you CAN cancel a bid before the auction ends. I think there is a limit to how many ebay will allow you to cancel (read their policies) but I've also done that before, when I've realized that what I originally thought was a good price wasn't and the other time was because I found a "buy it now" for less than my bid on the other.

 

My daughter loves Airel also and has the lavender one in the picture.....it's cotton not satin, and probably 3 or 4 years old so I doubt they sell it in stores any longer. Just FYI