Bags Not Mine
Like my new bag? Pretty cool, isn't it?
Except it isn't.
Remember the bag I couldn't get due to postage? I thought I was really lucky to find such a funky psychedelic cooler bag so soon after fate had cruelly denied me (dramatic much?). It looked good in the photos and the seller said it was in good condition ('in his opinion'). Even the lovely purple packaging looked promising but when I opened it - POW! A stale smoky stench with what could have been hints of mould or mildew, smacked me in the face.
Okay, I thought, I can do probably do something to get rid of the smell. But then I noticed how dirty it was. The outside was marked all over, and the inside...eeyew - you don't want to see a picture, trust me. The flash used by the seller (as I have used above due to low light) hid a multitude of problems. Hey, I didn't expect it to be like new but it is so dirty inside and out. Here is an example of the kind of marks I'm dealing with (I have already tried to give it a clean to very little avail):
After taking the above photo I realised the split seam as well:
In with the bag was a generic note from the seller, asking buyers to contact him before leaving negative feedback as "most things can be resolved with patience and understanding". I'm happy to do this but I'm not sure exactly how this can be resolved.
I've resigned myself to using the bag for tools or something as there is NO WAY I can use it to store wool like I had originally planned. I'm happy to chalk it up to experience but I think claiming the bag to be in good condition was a bit misleading. Surely so many marks, and a damaged seam can't be good in anyone's opinion. What do I say?
*UPDATE*
I contacted the seller to express my disappointment. He has offered a full refund including the return postage. Obviously I will need to go to the trouble of packing and returning the item but this is as good as it will probably get. Better than nothing?
Ohh nooo, I FEEL your pain!!!
ReplyDeleteAs for stink, my stinkie slipper chair still stinks. =(
Got a couple Disneyland post cards. Stink. Mold is the worst.
The latest two triple tiered side tables I just got? One leg is so short the whole thing rocks like crazy. What the??!! Maybe if I try reassembling it a hundred different ways, it might be better? I don't know.
So sorry, it's such a bummer to discover your hard earned money went for something you would have never bought if you had seen it in person first. =(
I knew if anyone could feel my pain, it would be you, 1950s. :)
ReplyDeleteStinky items suck. I'm also trying to destink a great mug that arrived on Friday. A ceramic mug! Didn't think ceramics could absorb smells but now I know better. Apart from the smell it's in excellent condition.
That sucks about your side tables - they looked so cool in the photo.
Now, I just need to figure out the best way to express my disappointment to the seller.
I bought a "1950's black bakelite rotary phone".
ReplyDeleteWhat I got was a vintage black rotary phone that smells like... Get this... Vomit!
I kid you not!!
Some kinds of plastics in the 50's degrade and emit that smell. There is a plastic doll, in the world of 50's doll collecting, famous for smelling the exact same way.
Good luck with the seller, some are super cool, some not so much. I hope it goes well for you!!!
Have a look at their previous feedback and feedback they've left for others. I would ask for a refund to be honest, their description clearly was not accurate, yuk!
ReplyDeleteI recently had a bad CL experience too. The seller totally misrepresented the item, and I made a long drive to her house for nothing. I just don't get why people do that. ::shaking head:: The right bag will come along. I just feel it!
ReplyDeleteTo help other buyers, it's your duty to leave correct feedback and to let the seller know you are completely disappointed with the purchase. If you paid by paypal (and why wouldn't you?) you can file a claim for misrepresentation.
ReplyDeleteThe more people don't call sellers on bad items, the more they will sell them!!
Don't worry, I WILL be contacting the seller. I've just been putting it off because I'm not sure how to word it.
ReplyDeleteI'm determined to do it tonight.
So sad that you have to return it. It's adorable.
ReplyDeleteI've had this same problem with items off of Ebay before. Yuck. The marks on the bottom of the bag look like mold damage to me. If old plastics and vinyls get moldy, there really is no way to get that smell out. I bought some old plastic place mats and they smelled pretty funky. I tried everything even submerging them for weeks in a bucket of baking soda to no avail.