Hey everyone, I’m in a bit of a tough spot with a recent Trade Me sale and wanted to get some thoughts.
The Situation:
I sold a brand new Louis Vuitton Monogram Chain Bracelet on Trade Me. I was at the LV store when it was bought, so I know for a fact it was brand new and unworn.
We met for an in-person handoff in broad daylight. I explicitly asked the buyer to inspect the item to make sure they were 100% happy. They looked it over, said it was "all good," and left with the item.
The Dispute:
A few hours later, the buyer messaged saying that upon "closer inspection" it looks used and has scratches on the silver links. They are demanding a refund or a price reduction.
My Defense:
The Materials: The bracelet has black-coated links. Since the black coating is much softer than the hardened stainless steel, it would logically show wear (revealing silver underneath) long before the silver links got "deeply" scratched. The black links are perfect, which proves it hasn't been worn.
Legal Acceptance: Under the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017, since they had a reasonable chance to inspect it and told me they were happy, they legally accepted the goods "as-is."
Substitution Risk: Since there is no unique serial number, I’m worried about item-switching if I accept a return after it’s been in their possession for days.
The Issue:
Trade Me/Ping has already sent an automated-looking email siding with the buyer because they provided photos of "scratches" (likely just factory micro-marks) and they are ignoring my points about the in-person inspection. I've already withdrawn the Ping funds to my bank account.
What I want to know:
• Has anyone dealt with Trade Me ignoring the "in-person inspection" rule?
• Since I've already withdrawn the money, what happens if I refuse the return?
• Am I being unreasonable here, or is this a classic case of buyer’s remorse?
Thank you