eBay sellers- Watch out for this buyer

I thought I’d warn any eBay sellers here of this buyer. His eBay member name is pop.eye1, and from the looks of his recent feedback, I’m not the only one that’s had trouble with him lately.

He bought 2 of my prints. I had already left him positive feedback for quick payment, as I honestly didn’t expect to have any issues with him (and because sellers are no longer allowed to leave buyers negative feedback, otherwise I would have waited until the transaction was truly complete. I didn’t hear from him after I shipped his prints, so I wrote a follow-up e-mail asking if he was happy with his purchase. He replied, saying that he liked the prints but he admitted to touching the plastic print sleeve’s adhesive strip to the front of the print and said it left a very slight blemish on the surface. He himself said that it was barely noticeable, but then went on to say since I had already asked if he was happy with his purchase, it would “show my business character” if I would just give him a $2 refund without having to send the print back to me.

I told him I’d be happy to replace the print for a new one or simply give him a refund, but naturally I would need the affected print returned to me. I was willing to do this for him even though it was his own mistake. He refused, and started getting irate with me when he realized that I wasn’t going to give him a discount/refund without having the print returned. I tried to help him understand that I can’t give refunds without acknowledging the damage in person. I pointed out that companies/individual sellers do not give refunds for an item until it has been returned to them. (How else is a seller going to know the product is really damaged and that the buyer isn’t just trying to get away with a discounted/free item that’s not actually damaged?) I tried to explain to him once I had the affected product in hand I would immediately send him a new print with free shipping or give him a refund, which ever he would prefer.

I never received a response from him after that, and next thing I know I get “positive” feedback left from him stating the print was damaged but that the print was “nice”. I e-mailed him asking why he would write that the print was damaged in my feedback, when it was his own fault in the first place? I reiterated that he was offered a replacement/refund, even though it was his mistake, and that it was unfair to state in my feedback that the print was damaged when it did not arrive to him damaged. After that, it was like WWIII. He wrote the nastiest message I’ve ever received from a buyer, completely blowing up on me and accusing me of everything from “gluing the package shut” to telling me I should be grateful for the positive feedback he left. (He failed to mention that he left me low detailed seller ratings, the first time I’ve ever received low marks from anyone. That in itself should say something about this buyer.)

Needless to say this impossible to please eBay buyer is a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off on unsuspecting sellers. I saved all of the eBay messages that were exchanged for proof in case this situation get’s escaladed for any reason.

This is the first time I’ve ever had so much trouble from a buyer. I go out of my way to make sure my buyers are happy. Up until this guy, I think my past feedback is more than enough proof that this guy is off his rocker.

Just a warning to eBay sellers here!

You’re welcome!

Definitely Pegasi, I’m glad I could at least do that much! I would hate to see anyone else have to deal with this buyer, sadly since he treated another seller badly before me he’ll most likely do it again to someone else. 🙁

No problem abatos, thank you!