Don’t mess with Witches

I love online shopping but every now and again it goes a little wrong!! ….

I have recently bought a few little bits and pieces online to cheer myself up – as you do.

The first one was not overdue but I received a message from eBay to say the seller was no longer registered and to see my messages about what to do next – no message! As it was not overdue I couldn’t claim not to have received it, so I messaged the buyer who said that eBay were mistaken (yeah right) and that they were a registered seller and it had already been posted (heard that one before). Oh well I’ll just have to wait a few more days and try again.

I contacted the seller of the scarf only to be told that it had been delivered to me a couple of weeks ago and they had proof. Really!! I said I had not received it and had not signed for anything. They said they didn’t need a signature as it was put through my letterbox ??? They then gave me a tracking number to prove it. So I looked up this tracking number and it said that the item was put through the letterbox. Well! as I told the seller it might have gone through a letterbox but it certainly wasn’t mine, I had not received the item.

The seller then got all Capital letter on me and said that they could open a DENIAL of receipt claim against the mail company and that it would be taken VERY seriously and my postman would be questioned and I would be expected to SIGN a statement to say I had not got it. I repeated that I had not received it and would be happy to sign any statement that was required to confirm this. The seller said they would start the claim the next day – Good! It only cost £1.99 but I would at least like someone to acknowledge the fact that I didn’t get it. I know there are dishonest people out there but I am not one of them.

The next day I returned from work to find that the seller had not done what they promised but had gone straight to eBay asking them to review the claim and as they had a tracking number it was found in their favour and the case closed. GRRRRRRRRRRRR !!! Keep my money but don’t lie to me. Surely that’s just told the seller he can carry on like this and never take responsibility for any of his buyers losses!

I was NOT a happy Witch I can tell you.

Now I sell online and I adhere to the rules. I send out by recorded delivery. That way if something goes missing both the buyer and I are covered. It’s only happened once (to several packages at the same time due to theft) but I gave all the buyers a replacement or refund and then I claimed off the mail company. I probably lost out a bit but my customers were happy and it was all sorted out. So everybody was happy in the end.

I am not impressed by this tracking service. Someone just says I have it and that is taken as proof ? It seems to be all postal services as I had a similar thing happen with a different courier. They even took a photo of the bottom of someone else’s back door as proof that I had received it ! However, this I eventually tracked down by knocking on all the neighbour’s doors until one of them said they had got it.

So back to my recent order – it would appear that when I don’t get what I purchased – Tough !!! Not only that but the seller lied by saying they would open a claim and then just getting the case closed on partial information. I’m afraid this non-caring, untruthful attitude was like waving “a red rag at a bull”.

I took a deep breath, became very calm and lowered my voice an octave or two (people usually run when I do that) before ringing eBay…….

At first they said the case was closed so there was nothing they could do. I quietly and very politely outlined the facts and reiterated that the fact I had bought the item in good faith and that I had not received it….. I was transferred to someone with more authority.

I had gathered momentum now and although still calm and polite, in my low slow voice, I repeated the facts, I had not received it, the seller lied and got the case closed during negotiations. Without pausing for breath, I also stated how disappointed I was with their company and their clearly unfair policies and while I was at it, I’d also had another item not turn up because the seller was no longer registered and there did not appear to be anyway of doing anything about that …. breathe … so I wasn’t really sure why I bothered to use them at all….. etc.

“Well Ma’am, we can instantly refund you for the other item … there that is done for you. Now let me look into the scarf for you……. As you haven’t had it, we understand how you feel and as you have 100% positive feedback etc. we believe that it has been stolen on delivery and we will therefore reverse the decision and give you a full refund”.

Just goes to show that you shouldn’t just give up when you have not been treated fairly.

Well done eBay. Common sense prevailed. As for the seller SHAME ON YOU!!! Just a little bit of courtesy would have been appreciated. Oh and by the way, I am a Witch, I know spells to …… oh never mind ! Life’s too short.

I’m off to chill out now 🙂

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