What Does Abusing a Return Policy Look Like?

[dog_park_piper]

The question also remains' "Did you get a refund?" Not withstanding your feelings, is your wallet whole?

Sure I got a refund, that’s thanks to Ebay.


That is a separate point, right? How about we stay on topic: My question is about what is ethical as a buyer.

Did you once say you threw pipes in the trash instead of the effort of repackaging it and mailing it back? I might be mistaken. That’s one view someone can have instead of returning it

 

[shanez]

While I like the seller's who have responded they accept returns no questions asked, and I might be the odd man out here, caveat emptor.

If I order something and I simply don't like it, that's my fault. In addition to additional shipping costs,, the seller took the item off market and lost any opportunities for selling their product for a period due to my decision.

That being said, you have to be incredibly careful and meticulous with estate pipes. If I've done my due diligence there shouldn't be an issue. A good example is always asking for multiple pictures of the chamber. This also applies to new pipes as well. So many sellers do not post these pictures and unfortunately it's quite often not on accident.

 

[Sig]

Ebay is usually different than other etailers in my opinion. Many of the sellers are not "in the business", they are either selling a few pipes they found, or reselling pipes they picked up at a sale.
A used pipe is a used pipe.
Unless they clearly misrepresented the pipe, its kind of an "as is" purchase.
Just because someone "doesn't like it" is a pretty crummy reason to return in my opinion.
I've bought plenty of estate pipes on ebay that I really didn't care for when I received it. But I never considered that a reason to return.
Again, in my opinion, the return policy should be used for a misrepresented pipe, a pipe that broke in the mail, damage the seller didn't notice....like a small crack in the bowl (been there)........
Honestly if a small time seller on ebay gets too many returns because someone didn't like the item, it could put them out of the game.
The return process, re-listing, ebays cut, delivering again.... may cost the seller more than they make on the item sometimes.
Again, this is just my opinion and I may be completely wrong because as all as I know is you bought a used pipe, and didn't like it, so you returned it.

 

[dog_park_piper]

Ebay is usually different than other etailers in my opinion. Many of the sellers are not "in the business", they are either selling a few pipes they found, or reselling pipes they picked up at a sale.
A used pipe is a used pipe.
Unless they clearly misrepresented the pipe, its kind of an "as is" purchase.
Just because someone "doesn't like it" is a pretty crummy reason to return in my opinion.
I've bought plenty of estate pipes on ebay that I really didn't care for when I received it. But I never considered that a reason to return.
Again, in my opinion, the return policy should be used for a misrepresented pipe, a pipe that broke in the mail, damage the seller didn't notice....like a small crack in the bowl (been there)........
Honestly if a small time seller on ebay gets too many returns because someone didn't like the item, it could put them out of the game.
The return process, re-listing, ebays cut, delivering again.... may cost the seller more than they make on the item sometimes.
Again, this is just my opinion and I may be completely wrong because as all as I know is you bought a used pipe, and didn't like it, so you returned it.

These are valid points, thank you.

 

[xrundog]

I expect more from someone who flips a lot of pipes. If someone is just selling a pipe they found in drawer while emptying a house, I’m inclined to write it off.

 

[dog_park_piper]

I expect more from someone who flips a lot of pipes. If someone is just selling a pipe they found in drawer while emptying a house, I’m inclined to write it off.

Agreed

 

[Tony.A]

Smokingpipes accepts returns no questions asked. I only use two or three vendors on eBay. They do a great job describing and refurbishing their pipes and often have unique offerings. I try very hard not to return their pipes, even if I don't love them, because it must be challenging to have to re-auction them. On the two occasions I did have to return a pipe (unsmoked, for valid reasons), the vendors were respectful, probably because I had purchased pipes from them in the past. Yes, returns are part of doing business but these small businesses are not Amazon and it must cost them.

That's not been my experience. I've made several thousand dollars worth of purchases with them and only requested a return on one pipe.

I bought an expensive Nording from them. The first time I smoked it, hot spots in the pipe became apparent. Granted, I had smoked it, but only once. They have a policy on their site that if a pipe has hot spots, they will take it back even if it's been smoked. Even so, I politely wrote about the problem and asked them to consider the return, based on their written return policy.

I emailed them about it and the reply was a full lecture on new pipes and how to break them in. I emailed them again, explaining that I know how to break in a pipe, and that this pipe is defective. Their response requested that I send it to them for their review, and that I would have to pay the postage.

After they reviewed it, they resonded to me again with a lecture on how to care for a pipe, and how to break a new pipe in. They opted not to take the return.

If they didn't want to take the return, that's okay. But the lectures made me feel like they were talking down to me. The whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[warren]

Did you once say you threw pipes in the trash instead of the effort of repackaging it and mailing it back?

Nope, never wrote such! What I did write was that I don't trade, swap, resell pipes as I'm not interested in posting such, packaging such and hauling to the PO. When one of my pipes proves unsatisfactory, it will find it's way to the trash. I'd also not want to pass an unsatisfactory smoking pipe off on some unsuspecting individual.

I trash pipes I don't like as I've smoked it and I wouldn't think of returning to the shop for a refund on a used pipe. The vendor certainly isn't responsible for my personal tastes, I inspected it closely, it met my criteria and I took a chance. I never use the interweb for such transactions. Simply my preference. I also don't like clutter and anything more than what I smoke regularly is ... clutter. I'm not a collector, I'm a smoker.

On point, you received your refund. Seems you were a bit miffed at the seller's response. That's personality not ethics. He performed as required, his personal retort was simply that. a personal response, he lived up to his part of the contract. Ethically he acted correctly if not in a manner to encourage future transactions.

 

[dog_park_piper]

On point, you received your refund. Seems you were a bit miffed at the seller's response. That's personality not ethics. He performed as required, his personal retort was simply that. a personal response, he lived up to his part of the contract. Ethically he acted correctly if not in a manner to encourage future transactions.

No. It is not a question of being muffed haha.

I pose a question to the group about what constitutes abusing a refund policy. And I’ve received some fine feedback.

Is a refund policy just to express words or is the buyer allowed to exercise it? That is the question.

Post edited, taking out contentious statements. Please don't be miffed.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

Buying something on eBay via an auction seems a little different to me than buying a set sale from a retailer; if the item is as described, it’s my obligation to complete the transaction as the high bidder and winner of the auction. Only if there was an undisclosed condition (or other) issue would it feel right for me to seek a refund. It’s my job to ask questions and check issues before bidding.

 

[dog_park_piper]

Buying something on eBay via an auction seems a little different to me than buying a set sale from a retailer; if the item is as described, it’s my obligation to complete the transaction as the high bidder and winner of the auction. Only if there was an undisclosed condition (or other) issue would it feel right for me to seek a refund. It’s my job to ask questions and check issues before bidding.

Right. I think there are differences in these scenarios.

 

[tobakenist]

Don't return, just bin it.

 

[Cloozoe]

I feel bad about returning a perfectly good pipe, well photographed and described so I've only done it once; when it arrived I couldn't figure out what I had been thinking. And it was a dealer with a thriving business as opposed to some poor guy trying to raise money to fix his car.

So I just keep them/re-sell them with whatever emotional/financial cost chalked up to stupidity tax.

 

[badbriar]

I've found that even some of the premier names that handle estates are getting a bit sloppy with respect to cleaning and divulging minor issues that may be deal breakers. Two of my recent past purchases from well regarded sellers had issues. In one case, SP, an otherwise pristine 4th Generation pipe was not cleaned and smelled of having been recently smoked. It was missing the original sock as well. I called SP and they gruffly advised that I could return the pipe. I was a bit peeved, but decided to keep the pipe and deal with having to do a deep cleaning. With the prices they charge and the fact that they state that their pipes are cleaned, I expected more.
Another from a different seller was not cleaned and has a faint hairline crack at the side & top of the bowl. Although disappointed, I did not return either. A return is a PITA and I can live with these issues. Point is that others may not be able to live with such problems and a return is inconvenient at the least. Best to have known issues in the open for satisfaction of all parties.

 

[lupy1234]

I hate buyers remorse on eBay but will refund anything if returned in same condition

 

[anotherbob]

No. It is not a question of being muffed haha.

I pose a question to the group about what constitutes abusing a refund policy. And I’ve received some fine feedback.

Is a refund policy just to express words or is the buyer allowed to exercise it? That is the question.

Post edited, taking out contentious statements. Please don't be miffed.

I don't think I'd mind if a seller muffed me.
But it's pretty lame when a seller gets iffy about a legit return, it's pretty much them saying they're doing the right thing under protest.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Lots of great... opinions here. I will just add my "probably going to be unpopular" opinion to the pile.
If you have an inkling that you may not like a pipe. You've never held one like it in your hand. You cannot imagine what it will be like in hand just from reading sizes. etc... then just don't buy online. It's a hassle for you and them. Go to a pipe shop, or if you do not live near one, actually pilgrimage to one. Hell, I drive 80 miles to visit my favorite fishing tackle shop, and that's just fishing stuff.

However, if you have 100 reasons why you cannot do this, buy cheap enough pipes online so that if you get one you don't want/like you can just throw it away. I'd rather throw $100 or less into the garbage than have to go stand in line at the post office.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

There is a lot of what I would consider return policy abuse going on these days. I know people who will order 5 pairs of shoes on Amazon, pick out the one they like most and send the other 4 back... Seems wrong to me.

I've been guilty of it at Walmart.. in the past I've bought stuff used it and took it back. Hell, once I returned a pizza cooker to Walmart that came from Target, because I had lost the target receipt.

I said that to say that I'm not trying to be a prude about it, we've all been spoiled by generous corperate return policies.. but when there's a real person on the other side of that deal it feels different.

If you buy something from me, I aint taking it back.. say, a car or something. I've had people try to bring a car back because of buyer's remorse. Buyer's remorse is really common with cars, I read an article years ago that a high percentage, well over 50%, wake up with regret after buying a car. If you're grown then you can live with it.

If we shook hands and you gave me the money and you took the item... It's all urine, pee pee. I aint taking it back. I MIGHT consider an exchange, but I aint giving the money back.

 

[felix888]

I can see various opinions come out about this.

For starters, the buyer has not held the pipe purchased on EBay, Smokingpipes, Danish Pipe Shop, etc. until it arrives. This matters, for me, as a buyer.

Is it an inconvenience for the seller to process a return? No doubatbyl. But is this “the name of the game” when a seller ventures into the online sales business model?


If it states “returns accepted,” then why not act accordingly?

The question, then, is how much returning is rude?

I bought a used Peterson pipe on EBay, didn’t like it when I had it here, and returned it courteously. The seller forwarded me a nasty note including a comment about how after 1,000 sales he never had to process a return because the buyer didn’t like it.

Smokingpipes is much more professional about returns.

The question remains, though, what constitutes an abuse of the return policy in the era of online pipe sales?

Totally get your point! As a buyer, it's only fair to have the option to return an item if it doesn't meet our expectations.

If a seller says "returns accepted", they should be prepared to honor that. It's not about being rude, it's about being a responsible buyer.

 

[BingBong]

I bought quite expensive boots earlier this year which popped in 10 days, got identical replacements which took 2 months to come back into stock.

If I buy something and it arrives busted, it goes back (like a 30" monitor stoved in by a warehouse forklift), but if something arrives and I don't like it that much, I man up and get to like it. There's a fine line. People who order camera gear off Amazon "just to see" and then return... nah, scumbaggery imho.