Delegating a Refund

[Sarahcat]

Hi all!

I've been selling fursuits for 10 years. Once I've had to issue a refund (which turned into a beware on the client) and unfortunately I'm dealing with the same thing now, but need some advice.

This person paid for a partial over several months. The money was sent from various PayPal accounts and differing amounts. They received the fursuit yesterday and want a refund because the jaw does not move (it is not a custom fursuit, it's an artist-designed piece, and I've offered to show them how to fix it).

In the chance they do not want to fix the change, do I owe them the full amount or the amount after PayPal fees?
I refuse to even issue a refund until it is back in my hands and unscathed, no smoke damage, nothing. 

Thanks!

[Eden]

Just for clarity's sake:  The jaw is supposed to move, but because the fit isn't custom to the client they don't fit in it enough to get jaw movement?

[Sarahcat]

10 minutes ago, Celestina said:

Just for clarity's sake:  The jaw is supposed to move, but because the fit isn't custom to the client they don't fit in it enough to get jaw movement?

Correct. When the fursuit was sold I posted measurements, the head arrived and it does not properly align with their face so it doesn't move. I've had this happen plenty of times with suits that aren't custom built, it takes less than a minute, a hot glue gun and some foam to fix, but this person has been very erm... serious with the whole purchase. It's very clear they've never seen a fursuit in-person before but have been very hard to deal with the entire transaction (talking down to me like I don't know what I'm doing, making it seem like the price is an issue because they had to get money from others, etc). I'd much rather have them make the fixes than receive a fursuit and have to resell it, especially during a pandemic, but I'm waiting for a response. 

[Bornes]

If you posted all the measurements then I would say they don't get anything. You did your due diligence. If it doesn't fit, that's not your problem.

If you want to be nice I guess I'd compare the price of that fursuit with what the price would've been if it had had a static jaw, and just refund the difference. I definitely don't think they should get a full refund, especially since you'd still lose out due to shipping and the time involved with trying to resell and/or sanitize it.

If the person has been problematic from the start, you may have to accept that they will be unhappy no matter what you do.
I don't know what your selling listing was like, but perhaps you could rely on "no returns due to covid"?

All this being said, I think returning the money excluding fees is technically within your right. As a customer I would feel a little jilted by that, though. Then again... As someone who has bought a few fursuit heads... I wouldn't be demanding a refund in this scenario either. So. I don't know. 

[Sarahcat]

Just now, Bornes said:

If you posted all the measurements then I would say they don't get anything. You did your due diligence. If it doesn't fit, that's not your problem.

If you want to be nice I guess I'd compare the price of that fursuit with what the price would've been if it had had a static jaw, and just refund the difference. I definitely don't think they should get a full refund, especially since you'd still lose out due to shipping and the time involved with trying to resell and/or sanitize it.

If the person has been problematic from the start, you may have to accept that they will be unhappy no matter what you do.
I don't know what your selling listing was like, but perhaps you could rely on "no returns due to covid"?

All this being said, I think returning the money excluding fees is technically within your right. As a customer I would feel a little jilted by that, though. Then again... As someone who has bought a few fursuit heads... I wouldn't be demanding a refund in this scenario either. So. I don't know. 

I completely forgot about COVID, shows how a lack of conventions and going outside have made me think about that kind of stuff. Thank you! I sent an email about offering fixes but I might send a second about that because it was sent to a state that is on my state's high risk list and has been tried on by two different people, which isn't ideal for reselling purposes. I also think refunding for a static jaw/misfit could be another thing to offer but yeah, I will do anything to not issue a full refund for such a minor issue. 

[Sarahcat]

Update: They sent me six paragraphs on how "safe" their state is and how to disinfect a fursuit... but then declined to have the changes made to get it to fit and ignored me saying that I'm not comfortable with having it sent back to me.

I said that they can do an online auction but they knew of the measurements when they bought it, that is not my issue (especially since they are rejecting to have changes made to have it fit) and that I will not take it back because I live with immunocompromised people. 

At this point, if they respond and continue to insist that I owe them a refund, I'll probably tell them again to put it up for auction themselves but that if they send it to me without my consent I will have it forwarded back to their address. If they try anything else, I'll write a beware. It's bad to try to force someone to take something back during a pandemic and ignore "no" three times. 

Edited August 10, 2020 by Sarahcat

[Sarahcat]

Oh, to add (since I can't edit my comment a second time), he said he doesn't think the Coronavirus is a "viable issue" and not an excuse to deny a refund because he claims it's not as big of an issue as people are making it out to be... which is frightening. 

[MiloBytes]

If the measurements were listed on the sale then I don't believe they're due a refund at all, especially in the pandemic. It is the buyer's fault for either not knowing their measurements or not reading them in the listing. If you felt like being kind, you could always offer a partial refund for the amount of materials required to fix it (since not everyone has foam and a glue gun handy) but again, that's if you're feeling nice.

From the sounds of it though, the buyer isn't going to be happy no matter what you do, so the best I can offer is doing what makes you feel safe and comfortable. The pandemic is more than a viable reason for not accepting refunds.
Most retail stores are not accepting refunds period due to Covid so it seems a bit... reckless for them to expect any small business to do so.