Every once in a while, I get a gut feeling about things, and when I look back later, I should have heeded my gut! Do you ever have that happen to you? I had that happen on an item I was bidding on that was in an online auction. The description said 2 items plus lids. The picture only showed one item with a lid. So, I sent the seller an email asking if it was in fact for 2 items with lids for a total of four pieces.
The seller responded with a yes, it is for 2 items with 2 lids. I won the auction on January 25th. I totally forgot about it because I've been so busy! Today, I got an email from the seller that said, I know you asked if there were two, and there were, but they got put away and now one can't be found, and did I want the one or want a refund.
I just had a hunch that something wasn't going to work out with this one. I am not disrespecting the seller in any way, so please don't read that into this. I know for a fact that when you sell online, and deal with a large volume of things, that things can get overwhelming and you lose track of them. I just had a conversation with a dealer friend on Sunday about this very issue.
It doesn't make me any less bummed that I'm not going to get my item though! I sent a reply asking for the price for the one and the shipping. Would you have done that? Or would you just ask for a refund and try to find your items elsewhere? Depending on the response, I might ask them if they do find the other item and lid, if they will sell it to me with out the online auction.
So, now I guess I keep scouring for that elusive item, or items, depending on what ends up happening with the email conversation. Maybe I'd just be better off getting a refund and moving on.
Have you ever lost or misplaced something that you had listed for sale online? What did you do about it when someone bought it and you couldn't find it? My dealer friend, I think, went the extra mile and offered the buyer the item at half-price when she found it-and she DID find it!
I think if a seller was to make some sort of an effort to make it right, I'd probably make them a "favorite" and look for ways to shop from them again-wouldn't you?
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The customer is always right. I think I'd look for another place to shop.
ReplyDeleteYes it happened to me a couple of times!!!
ReplyDeleteUsually I find the item in time and the buyer never knows about it. Years ago I sold a pair of earrings on line and I never found them, I refunded the buyer with much apologies.
Heck we are human all of us and mistakes happen!
I keep all my smallest items in one special place. I sold a sewing machine throat plate and went to get it to ship and couldn't find it. I looked high and low and finally had to email the buyer that I couldn't find it. The next day I found it in the special place that it was all along. The only problem was I had attached a sticky note to it to help me find it and it was covering up the throat plate and I couldn't see it. I tried kicking myself in the behind several times over that!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI've lost items I've listed and sold twice and have found them later both times. In the first case, the buyer had already paid, so I refunded his money and am offering the item to him now at half-price as a thank-you for his gracious understanding. In the second case, the buyer had asked to have it bundled with two other items (easily found), so no money had changed hands.
ReplyDeleteI think you were absolutely right to ask for the price of one plus shipping. Had I been her, I would have offered the one to you at a reduced price (even for one) to thank you for being nice. Then I would have offered to get in touch with you when I found the second, like I did with my first buyer.
There is no sale as important as the good-will of the buyers!
Oh have I ever! I sold a vintage owl napkin holder (those weird old see through plastic kind) and could not find it for the life of me. I messaged the seller and told her I had a different owl, it was a bank. I sent her some pics of it andasked would she like that instead or I could refund her money. She decided that she liked the bank and would take it. When I was wrapping it to ship I noticed a stamp on the bottom. I mailed the package and later on decided to look up the name I saw on the bottom. Turns out it was some mid century modern pottery and worth over $125.00. Now, I did message the lady, not because I wanted it back (which she did actually offer to return it) but because I wanted her to know what she had. She was very grateful, of course, but it was my mistake, not hers and I felt it was the right thing to do to let her keep it. I am sure it made her day and I like to think I got some good thrift karma from it :)
ReplyDeleteOh have I ever! I sold a vintage owl napkin holder (those weird old see through plastic kind) and could not find it for the life of me. I messaged the seller and told her I had a different owl, it was a bank. I sent her some pics of it andasked would she like that instead or I could refund her money. She decided that she liked the bank and would take it. When I was wrapping it to ship I noticed a stamp on the bottom. I mailed the package and later on decided to look up the name I saw on the bottom. Turns out it was some mid century modern pottery and worth over $125.00. Now, I did message the lady, not because I wanted it back (which she did actually offer to return it) but because I wanted her to know what she had. She was very grateful, of course, but it was my mistake, not hers and I felt it was the right thing to do to let her keep it. I am sure it made her day and I like to think I got some good thrift karma from it :)
ReplyDelete