I never learn – shoes are awkward things to buy at the best of times but I can’t help but be tempted by a pair or two.
At least when you buy from a major catalogue site like ASOS or La Redoute you get free returns! Alas this is rarely the case on eBay.
I bought a pair of boots from a seller called Solewish – they seemed like a big reputable seller and to be fair to them, they always responded to my emails quickly.
But they used a cheap couriers to deliver my parcel – UKMail, hence much fussing over the damn thing (The guy turned up with the parcel, the concierge we have where I live said he would sign for it and the courier said, sure let me just go and get my calling cards…and never came back. If the concierge hadn’t of told me this story I would’ve been none the wiser because he didn’t bother putting a note through my door!).
A few days later I get the boots – they are super cheap, feel a size too small and are hard and uncomfortable. What really annoys me is the state of the box – am I right to be annoyed that a pair of new shoes arrived in a box that looks like the cats been chewing it?
I emailed Solewish who apologised and said sometimes the courier don’t treat the packages very well.
Eemmm yes. But I don’t think a courier could rip the sides of a box do you?
Pics:
See what I mean? A courier could drop kick the package and cause some dents but actual tears on all four corners of the box?
Some people actually buy shoes as gifts.
Some people like to keep their shoe boxes as way of storage.
Some people have use for their shoe boxes….
Anyway I had to send these shoes back; crap quality; think market stall shoes, crap boxes and it cost me a whopping £5.24p just to send them back!
Then – guess what? If your item had ‘Free Shipping’ (no shipping is ever truly free, it’s always worked into the price of a product) it means you get charged for asking for a refund – it will cost me £3.50 just to get my money back!
I admit this was in the T&C’s right at the bottom of the listing (it was not highlighted in any way). My bad, I should’ve checked it carefully, but I didn’t realise a company, especially an online one who survives on distance selling still treated customers like this.
Pay us if you want a refund?! Erm no. If you have listed something as free shipping, than that’s your problem not mine.
Total cost of getting a refund on a pair of shoes that fit badly and come in a tatty box: £8.74p.
Total cost of learning my lesson and never buying shoes from Solewish or S.o.l.e.w.i.s.h ever again? Absolutely priceless.
Am waiting for a refund now and I swear, it better come quick!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Came across this post when I googled solewish and thought i’d leave a comment as my experience was completely the opposite to yours. Ordered twice before and received the item the next day!!! even when I ordered as late as 3pm! can’t really complain at that. Unlike you I did read the whole thing including T&C’s so I knew what I was in for. To be fair to the company the shoes I bought were were only £20 and I was very happy with them for what I paid. Guess you can’t please everyone haha!
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“Then – guess what? If your item had ‘Free Shipping’ (no shipping is ever truly free, it’s always worked into the price of a product) it means you get charged for asking for a refund – it will cost me £3.50 just to get my money back!
I admit this was in the T&C’s right at the bottom of the listing (it was not highlighted in any way). My bad,”
Hi I am an eBay trader / broker (I sell things for other people), i believe in fair an ethical business practices and treating customers fairly. Just so you know, it is against the law for them to charge you for a return. It goes against the “distance selling regulations” which all distance sellers must adhere to. The distance selling regulation states that customers have the right to return items within a minimum of 7 days of receiving the goods and the seller must refund the full cost of the item including postage. Now if they “didn’t” charge postage then they still have to refund the full amount. As for charging you £3.50!!! well that’s just disgusting, regardless of whether or not it was stated in their T&Cs they can’t do that. I’ll explain why, buying a product of them means that you go into a contract with the seller and in most cases you agree to their T&Cs which is a contractual agreement, however if there is something in the contract which goes against the “law of the land”, i.e the “distance selling regulation”, then that part of the contract is null and void. Why? well, basically, there are 3 main tiers of law and each one over rules the other, at the bottom is contractual law, followed by case law and then finally parliamentary law, e.g “the distance selling regulation” which over rules all others. I’ve come to discover that my law modules at uni have come into good use at times, although i’m sure a law student will come and correct me, my law modules were part of my business degree and this is how i understood it to be
In short, you don’t have to pay £3.50 and they have no right to charge you and they must accept a return and refund the full amount.
P.S sorry if this hard to read or full of spelling mistakes, i’m blessed with dyslexia x)
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Hi Monkey
No that was very well written and very useful for all of us who choose to shop online
The clearer people are and the more honest people are the more people will use eBay (I love eBay) because of a few dodgy people!
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