Then there are the buyers who are either batshit crazy, and/or think they can get something for nothing.
All the following took place within minutes of a package being delivered to the customer. I get audio notices on my phone when I get messages, so can respond quickly if needed.
I had sold 3 packets of a discontinued, but popular hair product for $30. The packets look like larger versions of ketchup packets from a fast food place, but with a little removable top, which can be reclosed.
Package delivered 3/7/18. Within a couple minutes I get a message that the item was "busted"
I asked for a picture please, and was sent in a minute or 2 a photo of one packet where it was pretty apparant the top was removed, some of the product (bright red) was smeared around a very small area around the top, and then the top cleanly replaced.
Whatever. I'm totally prepared to send the refund. It's not worth debating damage.
I immediately ask "I assume it was just the one item?"
Immediate response....."Yes. Two were busted"
<sigh> I quickly ask for a picture of all 3 items next to each other so I can see the damage to 2 of them (and prove the 3rd wasn't in question) This is totally normal procedure. This protects me from changing her story later.
Like I said, these messages were all within rapid fire succession, and immediately after the product was delivered. I had first checked the tracking.
Suddenly buyer says "I'm not home right now. I'll send them later"
That's the last I hear of the customer, and was thinking she realized how lame her story was. Also, even if there was damage to the packets, she would have been able to use the product anyway. It wasn't something that would go bad from being exposed to air.
Later that evening I looked that buyer up, and saw from previous reviews she gave that she must live under a dark cloud. So many of the things she ordered arrived "damaged" and she had been repeatedly been mistreated by sellers.
Well, that's the last I hear from the buyer until yesterday. I had actually forgotten about her when she she gives me negative feedback, saying my product was overpriced, low quality, that they were "busted" and does not recommend me as a seller.
I contacted her saying I had been waiting for her response, that she had agreed to send me pictures, and I had no issue with refunding her, so would she please remove the negative feedback.
Her response was that she didn't answer to me, that she had reported me and my abusive practices to ebay, that I should be ashamed I sold such poor quality product that was so overpriced, I had wasted so much of her time and why did I send "busted" things through the mail. Further she said even if I refunded all the money she still wouldn't remove the negative feedback since I had given her all this attitude and I needed a lesson so no one else would buy from me.
I could her the bats in her belfry squeaking all the way here.
The problem is, there's no way to warn other sellers about buyers like this. Sellers can leave negative or even neutral feedback on buyers. Sure, I can now block her from buying from me again, but that doesn't help the next person.
At the end of the day, she got her money back, but ebay won't remove negative feedback if the buyer refuses to.