Should I just eat this item and give a refund

[crazy4kinsler]

I sold a complete, sealed set to a buyer on eBay about a month a half ago. It wasn't an expensive set (less than $50), but it was sealed. A few weeks ago, he said the cards were stuck together when he opened them. I told him I didn't have any way to know they'd be stuck together, and I suggested he freeze them to maybe help pry them apart. However, the buyer just opened a case last night saying he had opened the cards, they were sticking together, and he wanted a refund (didn't mention anything about a return).

The reason he gave is
"Doesn't match description or photos"

However, now they're not in the same condition that he bought them in as the set was sealed. And now it's been opened. Should I contact eBay and let them know the set is no longer sealed as how he got it? Or should I just refund? There is an option to just refund, however, I'm afraid if I do that, he'll leave me negative feedback. And I don't want that obviously.

What do the masses say? Refund and move on? Make him return and then refund? Or just just decline the refund?

[DynaEtch]

A seller has to take the INAD return in this scenario, pretty sure. I don't necessarily agree with that here, I think it should be a gamble/risk the buyer takes, but it's how ebay works. This is always the risk of selling 90s and 00s glossy boxes and sets.

I would take the return. I believe ebay has an option you can deduct up to 50% off the return if it's received back not in original state/damaged, which seems justified here (possibly ebay pays that, dunno, never had to use).

I would then block the buyer. I may get some flak for that, but I do not agree with this return.

[DynaEtch]

Edit to above- didnt notice the timeframe. Nvm maybe not forced to take INAD return if its been 1.5 months. One thing I wouldnt do is just refund without a return. Up to you if want take the return or not.

[jbriskin05]

i wouldn't take the return if its been that long...eBay should side with you since its outside of the timeframe for the return...if you feel bad about the cards sticking, i would figure out what you could sell some of the singles for and then offer a refund (after the item is returned) for the difference minus the shipping costs both ways

[prospectorgems]

Buyer should know the risk of what they are getting and do their research before buying. That's not on you as the seller to know if the set would be bricked or not.

I have bought many sets/boxes that I knew could be bricked and some were and some weren't. Regardless of cost that is not something I would take a return on or refund. Not saying it isn't a crappy situation for the buyer as I feel for them but as a seller this is not your fault unless you intentionally glued the cards together (that's a joke btw).

In this case, I would fight it with ebay if you have to and just eat the negative and you can respond to the negative as well in a professional manner. (don't be defensive as it isn't a good look)

[JeffG1954]

Buyer didn't open his case within the time eBay gives after receipt. Maybe he tried to grade a card from the set and didn't get the grade he wanted. Case should have been opened when first he first cracked the set.

[Bosoxfan5990]

I think it would be hard to eat a complete, sealed set.

[esoxwaters]

You were selling a complete sealed set. Buyer received a complete sealed set. As long as you didn't make any claims in your listing about the condition of the cards inside the sealed set, then item was as described. Couple that with the time frame involved and I wouldn't accept the return.

[crazy4kinsler]

Thanks everyone. But can the buyer leave me a negative if I decide to deny the return? I guess it's one negative in 3k transactions. So it won't carry too much weight. But still, I don't want to get a negative.

[rwperu34]

$50 is way more valuable than a negative.

You are in the right here and I would fight it. Make them open a return, then when you get the item back in a different condition than it was sent eBay should side with you.

[smanzari]

I'd honestly just refund and move on - Bricking is a risk you take selling sealed sets; if it is bricked, the cards are trash so its not worth bringing more postage into the transaction.

[JeffG1954]

Originally Posted by crazy4kinsler

Thanks everyone. But can the buyer leave me a negative if I decide to deny the return? I guess it's one negative in 3k transactions. So it won't carry too much weight. But still, I don't want to get a negative.

Yes the buyer can leave a negative, but if you fight it eBay will/should remove it....don't forget to block the buyer.

[Dragonman]

Originally Posted by crazy4kinsler

Thanks everyone. But can the buyer leave me a negative if I decide to deny the return? I guess it's one negative in 3k transactions. So it won't carry too much weight. But still, I don't want to get a negative.

Who cares about the negative it is as meaningless as the positive.

[DynaEtch]

This should be a buyer's risk thing. They chose to open a sealed set, and chance it, you win some, you lose some. They ordered a sealed set and received a sealed set. I would never as the buyer ask for a refund/return/partial here.

[crazy4kinsler]

Thanks. They haven’t mentioned returning. They w only said they want a refund.

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

This should be a buyer's risk thing. They chose to open a sealed set, and chance it, you win some, you lose some. They ordered a sealed set and received a sealed set. I would never as the buyer ask for a refund/return/partial here.

[corndog]

Cards that have UV coating on both sides are the ones that will brick.
It's a chemical reaction from contact.

UV on one side only is okay.

[longhornjunkie]

Originally Posted by smanzari

I'd honestly just refund and move on - Bricking is a risk you take selling sealed sets; if it is bricked, the cards are trash so its not worth bringing more postage into the transaction.

Why is the risk on the seller and not the buyer here?

[smanzari]

Originally Posted by longhornjunkie

Why is the risk on the seller and not the buyer here?

There's a general expectation that complete sets are individual cards and there's typically a grade given to sets and if its bricked, its technically VG at best. Same goes with Bricked Wax. You can generally tell (Bricked sets feel different when shook; bricked wax tends to feel harder, etc).

[Sonnys88]

Originally Posted by longhornjunkie

Why is the risk on the seller and not the buyer here?

The risk is on whoever chooses to open the factory sealed product.

Originally Posted by smanzari

There's a general expectation that complete sets are individual cards and there's typically a grade given to sets and if its bricked, its technically VG at best. Same goes with Bricked Wax. You can generally tell (Bricked sets feel different when shook; bricked wax tends to feel harder, etc).

The only expectation is to receive a factory sealed product. NO ONE can tell the condition of the cards within a factory sealed product.

If your claim that you can "generally tell" the condition of the cards within a sealed product, then why did the buyer in this scenario open the set?

Also, if it is your stance that sellers take the risk of selling factory sealed products and having to guarantee the condition of the cards within - please let us know your eBay name...

[smanzari]

Originally Posted by Sonnys88

If your claim that you can "generally tell" the condition of the cards within a sealed product, then why did the buyer in this scenario open the set?

Also, if it is your stance that sellers take the risk of selling factory sealed products and having to guarantee the condition of the cards within - please let us know your eBay name...

Buyers typically buy sealed sets to break and grade. I don't sell sealed sets (nor wax) on eBay that can brick as I have common sense and this is an extremely common scenario (even if "the shake" is successful, there could be a few still stuck together)

[Boo]

This is all on the buyer.

[mc1]

1.5 weeks after the purchase? Refund
1.5 months after the purchase? Too bad!

[rwperu34]

I don't see any rationale for returning opened cards when they were sold unopened. The seller sold a factory sealed set. As long as it was delivered factory sealed, they held up their end of the bargain.

The buyer made the choice to open the set, so they take the risk of it being bricked. If they had given it the shake, determined it was likely bricked, and returned it sealed, that would be more understandable. Once they open it though, it is not the same product that they bought.

[boxbuster7]

personally I would not eat a trading card.