Bad Ebay Experience With Seller Edw1949-Sell - My Quandary

Some weeks ago I purchased a group of three Irish stamps from edw1949sell for about US$60 plus postage.

I vacillated for a few days as this was really stretching my budget as it was much more than I am normally able to spend on stamps. However, in the end, I decided to buy the three stamps as I really needed two of them to complete sets and the asking price was fairly reasonable for the specific stamps.

The third stamp was a postage due listed as an inverted watermark, which, once the stamps arrived, I was disappointed to find was actually a regular inexpensive stamp.

Presuming that it was likely an honest mistake I contacted the seller pointing out his error and included an image of the actual stamp showing the watermark along with a page from the Hibernian catalogue.



(I have no idea why the back of the stamp is marked $275 in pencil, the cat value is considerably less)

A week later, not yet having received any response from the seller I contacted him again, this time including a scan of the watermark from the Stanley Gibbons catalogue.

Another week later, after having first confirmed that the seller had listed a number of new items in the interim, so he was active on ebay, I filed a request for a refund. In the request, I specifically mentioned that I would like a refund for a 1/3rd of the purchase price and that I would return the misidentified stamp.

Today, I receive a full refund from ebay as there had been no response from the seller.

My quandary:
I had hoped that the seller would have responded and refunded a third of the purchase price. I would have then returned the misdescribed stamp and was planning on leaving negative feedback.

Instead, I received a full refund for all three stamps, but I have no intention of returning two of the stamps as I went to considerable effort to try and have the seller deal with the situation.

However, I also don't feel comfortable with screwing the seller out of them. On the one hand, I think that I should make the effort to pay for the stamps, on the other hand, I think that I should wait for the seller to contact me if he wants his money.

My other dilemma is whether to leave negative feedback. Somehow it doesn't seem right to me to leave negative feedback for something I have received but have not paid for.

What do others think?

Clive

Personally, I would pay for the two stamps you want to retain,
and return the stamp that was in error.
Write a polite note explaining the situation as you see it.
Move on.
I would not leave negative.
Take a screen shot of your polite message.
You are obviously a caring person, work from that.

Based on your description I would say that the ball is in the hands of the seller.
A seller can make a mistake, but it is the way he/she solves the mistake that distinguish a good seller from a bad seller.
As you have received no response from the seller at all, I would keep the stamps and only after a reaction of the seller I would take action.

When you have not received a respons in two weeks time I would leave a negative feedback

Hi Clive,

You really don't have many options here. The items have been refunded, so you have an obligation to return all of them...

I'm assuming they were sold as a group.

It baffles me why some sellers do not reply to inquiries in a timely manner...

As far as feedback, that is a personal choice. If it were me (and it HAS been me, if you catch my drift), I would not leave feedback and scratch the seller from my sellers list...

John

Since you want to return the one stamp, I would include an 'old fashion' check for the other two stamps you are keeping.
Don

Since the seller doesn't respond, it leaves you to do what you feel is right. So, for yourself, you can refund him for the 3rd stamp by Paypal (you don't need his agreement or participation) and send or not send the 3rd stamp. The con to sending - you will spend shipping fee.
As for feedback - you can leave a neutral one. Buyers read them too when considering buying from a dealer, so you get to share your experience without damaging his score.
Personally, when shopping on ebay, I expect my payment to include reasonable communication with the seller.

Maybe I'm cynical, but the way I look at it is, seller sold you a dud, accidentally or not. Didn't offer you a resolution, let alone an apology. Didn't offer you a refund or even bother to reply to your clear emails. I don't think you owe him anything.

He knows the refund has been issued now. If he wants a stamp or stamps back, maybe he should ask, then you can go from there. Until then, I would just keep them with a clear conscience. If the guy is giving away stamps - accept them.

Not sure about feedback. Maybe a neutral is best?

Some of the replies in this thread confuse me.

Since when does a buyer get to dictate the terms of a partial refund or return?

Hint - the answer is never...

The fact is, a full refund has been given - and the required response by the buyer is clear, according to the rules.

Pretty simple, really.

Or, perhaps I am missing something?

John

Is the seller still alive ? Maybe a illness is at play here ? Don't give negative feedback until you know the situation better . As Don said mail him a check for the stamps you keep , if after a month the check is not cashed or it is cashed .....drop everything and know you did what was right .

The seller is Edward Younger out of Danbury (Brookfield CT), big buyers and sellers that shovel stuff onto ebay. They made a mistake and you can bet that they could care less about this transaction, in particular getting back the stamps, since the "expensive" one was not really expensive. What will they do with it, sell it again? They are big boys that did the right thing. I would consider case closed but if you really want to talk with them:

http://www.edwardyounger.com/

I can't believe I agree with rogdcam but I do. The lack of communication is bad but the dealer is not worried about the stamps or the refund. Big internet retail operates this way now. I've had both Wayfair and Home Depot make mistakes on internet purchases and send me replacement items and they literally had no mechanism for me to return the item sent by mistake. When I called and asked how to make a return they told me to just keep it.

In this case ebay did the right thing and protected the buyer!

Obviously if the seller does not want the return, the buyer has no obligation to return it...

Normally, when a complaint is made as a NAD (not as described), you actually have to return the item before a refund is issued - right?

The seller has provided a full refund, in effect. Can the buyer ASSUME that the seller doesn't want the items back?

I personally would not make that assumption.

What is right for the buyer to do?

John

I think the thread is about how Clive is feeling about being in this situation. He said
and

I agree with those who said the seller does not care, but I do not think that matters here. My advice to Clive, so he can sleep better, is to return the stamp via mail and include a check for the stamps.
As to the second question Clive mentioned; my opinion is that the transaction, including attempts at communication, was a fail and the feedback would reflect that.
Don

Welcome to the Dark Side.

Pay for the stamps you want to keep. Return those you don't.

Maybe a neutral feedback might be something to consider?

I've negged sellers over the journey, mostly for extortionate postage charges. I have zero tolerance for that practice, but always give the seller the option to make amends first.

With all due respect - group purchases don't work this way... Not on ebay they don't.

Imagine me purchasing a collection, then trying to dictate which ones I will keep, or will not keep. Then, I get to choose how to pay for the ones I keep. Totally ridiculous, and not allowed.

You either keep the stamps, or return them, depending on the arrangement you have with the seller. If there is no arrangement, and a full refund is made, you don't have the option to pick and choose. The lot no longer belongs to you.

This broken record is out of this thread, as logical discussion is impossible, apparently...

John