I got a coin in the mail today from a seller that doesn't usually sell coins. It was harshly polished. Maybe a G06 details. It was a terrible pic of a 1909 barber half. I paid between $15 - $20 for it. I just bought it on the chance it was a nice original vg. So I send a message to the seller saying "Hey I got the coin, unfortunately it's badly polished to a bright white. I'm sort of disappointed." He messages me back and says, "I have no clue about coins. How about I refund you, you return it, and we'll part as friends?" So a minute later I had my refund and he had already sent the cancel transaction request, which I accepted. Honestly my first thought was: "Wow, that's a really nice way to do business and great communication!" My second thought was, "I wonder if I started giving instant refunds before I had the coin back, how many people would just keep the coin and say 'forget this fool!'"? Granted, it was a cheap coin, but I really appreciate how this seller handled it. I wasn't even going to ask for a refund or leave a neg/neutral. I was just going to leave a 2 star rating for "item as described" and keep it. I'm returning it tomorrow. But I wonder, could I pull off this customer friendly, yet risky return policy? Would you?
I did this as a seller about two weeks ago. The coins haven't been returned yet. I even said I would refund the return shipping once I got them back. It was only about a $12 sale, so it's no big deal.
So how would you feel about the buyer keeping the coins and the money? I'm guessing only slightly disappointed/irritated. But would you do it for a $40 coin? $80? Just wondering.
I'm a little disappointed he didn't return them, but not too much. I knew it could happen. In the future I would do it again for inexpensive items, but not $40 or $80. There's no real need to refund like that, it's just a courtesy. If you wait until they ship it back, they'd still get their refund within just a few days anyways.
Honest sellers and buyers have nothing to worry about. I think you two just showed that. Sometimes it is just hard to identify who they are. I am not sure I would have done it, well maybe with a trusted buyer who has proved they are honest.
There is a recourse for sellers who issue refunds and fail to receive their item back from the buyer. It can sometimes involve a police report. Meanwhile, I bought a $5 liberty gold piece advertised as uncirculated the other day, only to receive it and find it a whizzed AU coin. I notified the seller within 24 hours of my intent to return it, and shipped it to him the next business day. He proceeded to inform me that if it didn't receive it by the time he left on business a couple days later, he wouldn't be able to issue a refund until he got back home - two weeks later. He did not inform me that he would be traveling, or I might have sent it two-day shipping. Still waiting on the refund, no coin in hand. He claimed he had to be able to inspect it before issuing the refund. He will receive the appropriate level of feedback from me from holding my $500 for two weeks after receiving his coin back.
Yes, I would do a refund like that, but that is because I am a poor business man I would probably figure if he hoses me, he needs the double sawbuck more than I do.
When I started selling on eBay, several other folks I knew that had experience told me to be super-careful, and even then to expect to be burned, mistreated, lied-to and otherwise cheated by buyers who were mostly scam artists. My own three-year experience has been the diametric opposite, I'm happy to relate! And as far as returns and other refund-related events, every one (maybe six) has been amicable, prompt, straightforward and completely without a hitch. I'm a buyer, too...from a select list of maybe 25 sellers. Most of them I give positive feedback to immediately upon payment...as I do routinely for my buyers. I have yet to regret any of this. My theory is that if you appear and follow through as up-front and honest, the other person will sense and honor that. That may be naive of me...but I've had NO problems. Trust begets trust, as most parents will tell you...people live up to your expectations, mostly.
IMO it hasn't been a trust issue...I try to lay out exactly what the buyer should expect from a transaction with me, and then follow that policy. Every once in a while, for a good reason, I make an exception. A steady customer or friend would fall into this category. But then again, I'm a teacher, so I suppose this is a close parallel to a course syllabus... It would be against my policy to issue a refund without the returned item...but then, I HAVE had people try to take advantage of eBay's policies.
I have given immediate refunds, before the item was returned, on ebay (if the reason is a legitimate one) and have never been disappointed. However, they were always for low priced items (less than $25). I figure that it is a small price to pay to let people know that you are a reputable seller. And most of the lower items I am selling really have no value to me.
It's starting to make sense to me to offer instant refunds for cheaper coins. Low risk, high reward: If he/she keeps the coin and the refund, I lost very little. If I give an instant refund, that creates trust, which means the buyer may come back for future business. Look at my own response to this seller! I was surprised and delighted that this happened and it made me rethink my own business practice regarding returns! :yes:Thanks for the input, everyone!
Believe it or not most people ARE honest. Sure you will get the occasional person who will that the refund and keep the coin, but the vast majority will return it.
