Hello, for the first time, I have just been confronted with a dishonest buyer.
I sold her a new top with a tag (value 50 euros), upon receipt, she tore it near a button (on the inside) to get a refund.
I told her that I meticulously check all my clothes before putting them on sale and that deliberately damaging a new garment to be refunded is a dishonest and unworthy process.
Have you encountered such characters and how does it go?
Should I wait for Vinted to decide at the risk that the buyer is refunded without obligation to return the garment, or is it better that I request the return at her expense to get my item back.
The buyer took care to damage it in an invisible place, and she asked me for a solution without ever mentioning a return, which suggests that she would like to be refunded and keep the item.
If Vinted rules in her favor, will they ask her to return the item to me because even damaged, I don’t want her to keep it and if she pays for the return costs, it will already be something gained from this scammer!
Knowing that I sent Vinted photos proving that the garment showed no tears, but spontaneously, I imagine they will still side with the buyer…
Thank you @clovis for sharing this case with us… I imagine it’s extremely unpleasant to go through 
I’m afraid Vinted will prioritize the buyer’s side, yes.
Did you get any feedback on the subject?
Indeed, I think it’s a good idea to ask for the item to be returned, otherwise she will have won on all fronts.
This suggests that she had the same damage… And is trying to play you for a fool… 
Well spotted! Otherwise, why damage a garment you want to keep.
Therefore, recovering the damaged version would not penalize it.
Of course there are dishonest people on Vinted, you have to protect yourself as much as possible. Always report defects, take as many photos as possible. It happened to me twice that I encountered dishonest buyers, each time you have to ask for the item to be returned, always.
Hello @Clovis, any news on this misadventure?
+1 Did you hear back?
So, obviously, as I suspected, Vinted sided with the scammer!
I’m convinced they didn’t even look at the photos sent. Besides, even in those in the listing, you can clearly see that the place that was torn by the buyer is completely intact and has no hole.
In short, I accepted the return of the item with the shipping costs at her expense, with the probability of receiving, as suggested by @leadie91, a top that is not mine and is used.
And to top it all off, the item was not returned to the drop-off point from which I sent it, but to one more than 15 kilometers away, which is to say on the other side of Paris.
For personal reasons, it is impossible for me to take the metro, so with the traffic jams and the roads blocked by the Olympic Games construction, it will take me several hours to go and collect the package by car! What a joy!
And to paraphrase Jacques Chirac, « Shit always flies in squadrons, » I just had another buyer who just opened a dispute because the shoes (new) are too small and she wants to return them. She received the package the day before yesterday and curiously, she only noticed that the shoes were small this afternoon.
I assume she wore them and wants to return them and be refunded.
I told her that I am not a store and that if buyers start using this method, no individuals will sell anymore.
The size was written in the listing and visible in the photos, I am not responsible for discrepancies in measurements from one brand to another.
Personally, I buy brands I know on Vinted, but I have happened to buy a garment that was too big, I resell it or donate it to charity. It’s a risk I take with full knowledge of the facts, the seller is not to blame!
In short, I submitted the dispute to Vinted, without much hope, even though their regulations state that an item that is too small or too big is not a reason for return.
On this subject, I had thought that we could share our experiences on the profiles of bad buyers to avoid them.
For my part, both asked too many questions before the purchase. I sensed the nuisances right away.
The second one, I hesitated to finalize the sale. She wanted me to put the weight of the package as small when it weighed 900 grams. I should have canceled the transaction…
Sorry about that 
indeed, size is not a reason for return. I hope you have success this time!
This could be a feature from Clemz! A directory of buyers to avoid 
But honestly, there are thousands of people buying on Vinted so I’m not sure it would be useful. And ratings are supposed to be for that
Except there’s no rating when they do that since the transaction is most often canceled
They win!!
@Clement, I’m not talking about a directory of bad buyers! Given the number of Vinted users, I know perfectly well that it’s not feasible !
I’m just suggesting sharing personal experiences to identify their characteristics, methods, etc. I think it could help us avoid getting ripped off.
For my part, from now on, I apply the equation « too many questions ⇒ problems ⇒ bad buyer ».
I will no longer respond to ambiguous requests, and if they come after the buyer has paid, I will simply cancel the sale!
This will save me time, energy, and money!
As for good reviews, as @leadie91 points out, they don’t guarantee an honest user!
The buyer who tore my item had only good reviews, but all on sales; she had no reviews on any purchases, as if she never bought anything!
And we understand why, since the sellers from whom she buys and whom she defrauds as she did with me, are not allowed to rate her; Vinted removes this possibility, since in case of dispute, they cancel the transaction!
It’s a jackpot! She gets a refund, keeps the item, or returns something unsellable, and she gets no negative reviews!
In short, these scammers are well-versed, they know all the tricks to deceive and continue their nuisances…
Indeed, those who ask a lot of questions are often the most annoying. And generally, when they receive the item, they don’t say thank you and never leave a review.
Personally, I sometimes look at buyers’ profiles, then I go to their reviews and see who I’m dealing with. And from time to time, I click on people they’ve had problems with, browse their profile/reviews, and block them if it smells fishy. That saves me future potential trouble.
Hello, sorry I’m late to the conversation. Yes, how is it that we cannot leave reviews and warn other sellers?? It’s absurd, it protects scammers.
Hello Clovis, sorry I’m late…
But I just encountered the same problem as you and I’m even considering quitting Vinted because of it. But what can we do if we are acting in good faith and the scammer opens a dispute? can we demand a return? I really don’t want the scammer to keep my item.
Hello Charlotte1105,
yes, normally there is the possibility to request a return. Do you not have the possibility to do it in your case?
Hello Lucile,
No, when I look at the dispute details, there is only a « refund the buyer » tab.
Frankly, I’m tired of people damaging items to keep them for free. This is the second time it’s happened. The person slightly bent the leg of a lamp, knowing it’s easily fixed, and claims I sold it to them like that, saying the package was fine. I just want my lamp back.
Try contacting Vinted via support?
I don’t remember exactly, but there’s something stupid: you can click on two different things, « view dispute details » or « close dispute, » and only one of them allows you to request a return.
But always do it, it often discourages buyers who try to pull a fast one, especially when they start explaining that they’re willing to keep the item in exchange for a partial refund (outside of Vinted since the platform doesn’t offer it).
But at worst, you just have to let Vinted review the dispute. The return procedure will then be explained and may even be largely unfavorable to the buyer.
I had this happen last month. I sent a Pop! figurine. I immediately received a dispute without any prior message (I already love it) and then photos of the crushed box with an aggressive description of my packaging quality (I love it even more). I explained to the buyer that given the state of the package, I could have put anything in the box for protection, it wouldn’t have changed anything, and that it was clearly the carrier’s fault. Moreover, I saw the photo of the Pop! figure, and given the state of the box, it had survived quite well, just a corner of the box was a bit crumpled. For something poorly protected, it’s a miracle at that level (but I understand the disappointment, it’s an item people often buy to collect). Given the buyer’s politeness, I let Vinted handle it (it already forces them to stall for a while). After 15 days, Vinted ruled, they classified it as a 14-day right of return and not a damaged item, mandatory return to MY address and not to a pickup point (so expensive Colissimo shipping), and at the buyer’s expense. I never heard from them again; anyway, this genius had blocked me, so I couldn’t send them a message to arrange the return.
To think that with a little message like « hello, I have a small issue upon receipt… » I would have refunded them in 5 minutes and given them the figurine for free.