Selling Toys - Horror Stories & "Happy" Customers

S

Schizm

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Apr 3, 2025
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Time to bring back a commiseration and celebration thread for selling toys!

USPS lost a package I shipped recently. Buyer told me to look into it and I told them they should contact USPS. They didn't like that answer and then a lot of insults about customer service blah blah blah.

Normally, I would, but didn't have time for any of that this week and just... ugh. Took a year to get rid of that figure and now it's still torturing me.

On a positive note, a fellow poster - I almost said Fwoosher, but that's not right - what are we calling ourselves on this board? "Articulators"? - hooked me up with the Savage Land set for cost and I am deeply appreciative. :)

Anyone else had any "fun" run-ins lately with buyers?
 
Did the package disappear from tracking? If it did, put in a claim on USPS com. It tends to light a fire under USPS and they magically find the package when there's a chance they have to pay out the insurance.
 
The package is still being tracked - in the same facility, every day. Which is why I told the buyer to contact USPS to do what you suggested.
 
In January, I had a Hot Toys Padme Amidala from Attack of the Clones that I put up on eBay. After bidding, it went for just north of $400. I shipped it to the guy, and when he received it he immediately left me positive feedback thanking him for such a great item and how pleased he was considering the cost.

A week goes by and I receive a new message on ebay from the buyer. He's sent pictures of the shipper box and outer box, both with a big hole in them. He says the figure is undamaged, but it's worthless now because the box is damaged. He wants to get a refund and "offers to return it" (what am I supposed to do with it now?) Thankfully, after many back and forth conversations with ebay customer service, ebay had my back and he didn't get shit. What did it was the initial positive feedback he had left. The boxes were pristine when I mailed them, and if there was any damage it would have happened from the carrier (UPS), which I found out you're still responsible for as the seller. But honestly, I'm pretty sure the holes were put in afterward...maybe a significant other wasn't happy about the $400 purchase and demanded it go back lol

In March, nearly two months later, I received another notice stating that his bank was investigating because he had challenged the purchase on his card. I contacted ebay again, and they told me to straight up ignore it and they'd take care of it. In April I received a final message telling me his bank sided with me and it was finally all over and done with.

Anyway, that's the only bad thing I've experienced while selling. It all just seemed very scammy, especially after receiving the positive feedback right away and then he waited a week to complain. I've heard people say you shouldn't sell high-value items to buyers with small feedback numbers, or bad feedback in general, but I don't know how to prevent that sort of thing as the seller. I could cancel the order after it's purchased, but it seems like that would just garner negative feedback for me and I like my pristine 100% positive number lol
 
I had an eBay customer in Hawaii throw a temper tantrum that a figure took 13 days to get to him. I shipped it in 24 hours of receiving the order and provided tracking which showed a few days to process out of San Francisco because you know … middle of the Pacific Ocean. I pointed that out to him and he said “yeah but eBay says it should be here”

I run a Discogs store at work. A Dutch customer made an account an hour before buying a $500 record. I work at an internationally famous record store with 1000s of Discogs feedback. I packaged that record to kingdom come. Of course he’s saying it’s damaged and I knew it was damaged. Eye roll. I offer him a full refund on return but of course he’s whining that he paid VAT already and he’s “so tired of getting ripped off on every online transaction he makes”. I almost cancelled the order when he made it. The con artists are always so easy to spot but I took the chance not wanting to lose the PayPal fees and after all it’s work’s property not mine.
 
I take a look at the feedback a buyer has left for other sellers. Too much complaining or negativity and I'll cancel the sale. Oops, inventory error. I've weeded out only a few people, and got burned on one of the times I didn't look before shipping. Lot's of red flags on that one. Overall, I haven't had many headaches from buyers, most have come from USPS.
 
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Oh yeah; eBay bumped me down in seller ranking recently. Don't remember what they call it; preferred seller or something. The reason they gave was for cancelling orders. I cancelled 2 orders in the last 3 years. Both times requested by the customer an hour after ordering with the usual "oh I forgot to look at my checking acct" sort of explanation. Gee thanks eBay.
 
I guess I'm about to have one. I sold a loose figure on ebay, listed as loose, pictured loose, but the guy got it and now wants to return it because he didn't know it was loose. I guess I have three days to decide if I'm gonna or not. So... I guess the best I can do is tell him to send it back and I'll refund the subtotal but all shipping costs are on him. Thoughts?
 
Tell that customer to fuck off.

You didn't lie or misrepresent in your listing and you aren't accountable for their stupidity. But if you don't already have it listed on and in your account, add "No Returns Accepted" to any place you can on all your listings.

Ebay also bumped my seller status down three days ago and sent suggestions on how I could fix it. They can also fuck right off.

TheRealSmallville said:
The boxes were pristine when I mailed them, and if there was any damage it would have happened from the carrier (UPS), which I found out you're still responsible for as the seller.
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Can you elaborate more on this? I've not heard of this happening. One of the reasons I take a photo of every package before I mail it. Is it just UPS? If something arrives "damaged" (if they don't send photos in the initial contact, I immediately assume scam), I tell the seller to talk to Ebay or USPS for coverage - any refund isn't coming out of my tiny profit. And the packages are insured.
 
altcunningham said:
Here's my short horror story.

"what is your best price"
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Truly terrifying! I'll be sleeping with the lights on tonight!

Gotten SO much of this lately, having just put up a bunch of stuff on the various markets. The worst is on Facebook Marketplace; I don't know why I still bother with them. I think I've sold maybe 2 things there in however many dozens of things I've listed. I always try to price things to sell, since I'm always in need of the money, and I always try to consider each offer that comes in, but I hate it when folks try to take advantage of that. Same with splitting up lots; sometimes I'm cool with it, but it's always when I clearly and explicitly state that I don't want to and won't split up the lot that I get people asking to just get one thing. Had someone today, in fact, who gave me attitude after I told them that. As if being rude is going to make me suddenly change my mind on selling to you. Gurrrl, I worked customer service for years and years- your attitude doesn't scare me, nor will it sway my resolve.
 
Wouldn't say it's a "horror story", per se, but I've had a couple people recently use the excuse that they want to return something because a family member just died and they need the funds back. I think I've had 4 or 5 of those people in the last year or so. Now, I suppose that may actually be true for some of them, but every single time? I know a lot of people die every day, but they all just happen to be related to the folks who buy from me? The homosexual chemtrails from my daily existence turn the frogs gay, but I didn't think they were out there killing people too.
 
I'm always open to offers. If you can come the same day I'll even knock a couple bucks off because I know you're sparing me a longer term headache.

But yeah when they open up it like a quarter or half of the price. I don't even know what I'm supposed to say.

What is the best price?

$500. Maybe $800. I can do a thousand. Honestly, the more I think about it the best price gets bigger and bigger.
 
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