Your thoughts on how this should be resolved...
 

So, I recently sold a Charles Comiskey signed envelope on eBay and now the buy is asking for a full refund because the item has a small JSA sticker affixed to the back of it. Says it destroyed the item and he wants a full refund.

Should I refund him or stick to my guns since the auction clearly stated "No Refunds"?

The item is authentic and comes with a full JSA cert (not that it matters to me, but it matters to the seller that it's authenticated)....He paid a very fair price for it and I think he is only having buyers remorse.

Did you have a picture of the back showing the sticker? Or did you note the sticker in your write-up?

Nope. The sticker was not in the write up. Knowing it was certified by JSA, he could have asked if a sticker was affixed to the item. Besides, you and I both know those stickers can be removed pretty easily. I offered him a $100 partial refund and advised him to relist it, as it had plenty of interest and it would probably sell for the same amount or more.

I do believe a $100 refund was fair, but he rejected that.

I would refund. If you think you can get the same amount again.

Just because you said no refunds, doesn't mean Ebay won't enforce one if he goes that route so you may want to do it before Ebay does and locks your account.

I agree with the buyer that the sticker destroys the item. I never agreed with those authentication companies putting stickers on the item. Since this wasn't disclosed he has a case.

Even if it can be removed, the buyer may be afraid of adding more damage and not having any case afterwards.

Its entirely possible ebay will side with the buyer as you did not disclose the sticker being on the item. Ebay defaults to the buyers side of the argument almost always.

Yeah, I'd give the refund and relist. If a person didn't know about the sticker and doesn't want it, they should be able to get their $ back. Plus, Ebay very well could side with the buyer anyway. As a collector who buys and sells on Ebay, I would vote for less headache for you and just relist. good luck.

James,
I concur with the other posters and would immediately issue the refund.

PayPal offers a guarantee no matter what, so the buyer is going to get his money back anyway.

I would consider re-listing the Comiskey item AFTER Christmas, as eBay activity is already slowing down before the holidays. Add a photo of the back of the envelope next time so that everything is transparent. I've always found the time after Christmas a good one in order to get good action on auctions. People are at home and on the computer. Maybe people are buying the present that they really wanted for Christmas. ;)

Good point Scott. Thanks everyone. I have agreed to the refund. I did send a "second chance offer" for the item since the next bid was only $10 lower.

You should make the back up guy aware of the sticker. You dont want this to happen again.

Be careful on the second chance offer until you have the item back in your hands. You could really get dinged on eBay if he accepts the offer and the return isn't timely or if the item is damaged in the mail, etc.

Jeff

It was in the note to him...

I agree to refund the money to save yourself the headache , and resell the item. I might even be interested for the right price, to add another Comiskey to my collection. Whether or not I buy privately or on ebay , etc.. I like to know if a sticker is attached. For the most part it won't affect my decision to buy but I would want to know just for accuracy purposes
The way ebay is they will side with the buyer and then you're stuck.

a no brainer...give the idiot his money back, or you become the bigger idiot. Don't sell with-out money back guarantee. No refund policy is for morons and losers.

There isn't a "no refund" policy when you sell on eBay. You are agreeing to their terms of service which allows refunds from Paypal. It always bothers me when I see someone write "no refunds" in their description.

If a no refund policy is for "morons and losers", then does that give someone the right to ask for a refund 2 years down the road...where does it end? Is there discretion? eBay polices themselves and they will determine if a refund is necessary, regardless of the circumstance, but then a buyer will have remorse or they will finally get around to sending it in to a TPA only to hear the TPA feels it's not authentic (which has happened with autographs I have bought from trusted members here and sold on eBay)...Then 6 months to a year later they request a refund.

I will continue to say no refunds and if there is a specific circumstance, we can talk. I'm neither a moron or loser, just a guy collecting autographs that occasionally will sell a few.

I think returns would be subject to Paypal's conditions. If I'm not mistaken I think you have 45 days from purchase to file a claim. After that you are no longer protected, if I remember correctly.

PayPal is 45 days I believe and then the transaction is considered complete.

i laugh when sellers put "no refund" on ebay. you'll only make buyers more aware of the refund, and ebay will saddle you with the refund anyway if the buyer sneezes.

Just to bring everyone up to speed, especially those who may comment and not know me...I am certainly not trying to "get over" on anyone. I didn't actually write "No Refund" in the description...When listing an item, it gives you an option to select refund or no refund and this is how it shows in the auction (See Below). It automatically defaults to that in my listings.

James I totally agree with you on this, what difference does a sticker make but I also know how ebay bends over backwards for the buyer. I have ran into alot of a-hole buyers over the years and no matter how minor their complaint is or isnt ebay has always sided with them so I gave up selling on ebay just for that reason. Mike

Here's one that's even more fun (from recent ebay listing):

Successful bidders please note: INSURANCE on all items over $100 strongly recommended. SELLER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE IN ANY WAY FOR CARRIERS DAMAGE, LOSS, BREAKAGE OF ANY KIND OR DEGREE . Any insurance claims MUST BE the responsibility of the successful bidder.

Refund it. Not only will eBay force you to refund it for an undisclosed back damage [sticker], but I happen to agree that the sticker does damage the item and should be disclosed because some people loathe them.

James I think you are doing the right thing.
IMO the sticker should have been disclosed.
Even on the back it would have made a difference to me.

Now, now, be nice. You make mistakes too, ya know...

While Fudd is ALWAYS NICE!:D, I callem as I see em!

I am not calling the poster an idiot or moron...I'm just saying " Don't shove something down a customers throat they don't want." On F-bay or anywhere. It's not good business, IMHO. They call it F-Bay for a reason. Because so many people try to F YOU. Just put a 14-30 day money back guarantee on everything and it will seem like you have a sliver of a brain for business. Almost like you have your own business. NO returns is for idiots and morons as it doesn't accomplish a thing on e-bay. You can get your money back from pay pal very easily anyway, so if someone doesn't like something. Give them their fen money back. Is it that hard a concept to grasp?

I appreciate it defaulted to "No Returns" but all you have to do is change it, and move on. It's really that simple

This thread has pointed out that two correct 'tastes' can both be valid but completely opposed - you either don't mind stickers on your vintage paper items, or you abhor them. I'm in the 'abhor' category, moreso because I don't like messing with vintage paper - mistakes happen when you try to remove stuff.

This was probably just a case of buyer's remorse and using a loophole to escape, but it happens.

James is a good guy.

Don't hide your feelings...let it out! LOL!!!

Or not bid on auctions that list "no refunds". The buyer has been refunded and it has already been resold. Like I said previously, the guy got a good deal on an early Comiskey autograph and pitched a fit about the sticker, but insisted that IT MUST BE AUTHENTICATED. He cared so much that it had that JSA stamp of approval, but then was upset because of a tamper proof sticker.
Calm down Fudd.

I know this might sound trite, but the few times I get a request for a refund on ebay, I do it without wasting a second on the thought of it, no matter the reason. If you sell autographs on ebay, actually if you sell pretty much anything, you have to be prepared for refunds, potentially long after the 14 or 30 day time frame. I offer refunds with no time limit. Just be polite, accept the item back, and sell to someone else. Ebay operates for those who sell like a business now, not for the one off seller, and as much as people might not like it, that is the route they are taking. That said, James is a great person to buy from.

Exactly...or better yet, don't bid on any auctions on F-bay. LOL

The buyer is a nimrod, which is par for the F-bay crowd...see how easy that was?:) to just give him his money back and re-sell it? Nicely done!

This was exactly my point, but with some tact...:D

I know James is a great person...

Yep, unless the person is incredibly unreasonable (threatening or similar), I always give a full refund without hesitation. I've also found small problems a month or more after a sale, gone back to the customer and offered a refund - sometimes they take me up on it, sometimes they don't. By coincidence, just had another one pop up - realized I had forgotten to ship a COA for an autograph that I sold several weeks ago. The customer said he wants it, but I couldn't find it, and the result is that now the customer wants a partial refund to cover certification costs. Go figure.

I told him to send it back for a full refund.