Yet another suggestion for BST "best practices"

While the current thread is of some interest, what my own pet peave is when a seller doesn't want to take back a knife even after you offer to refund his or her postage and actually never even use it, because it just doesn't work for you. For example, I had an experience where I bought a fairly expensive knife on BST but the handle just absolutely didn't work for me. It's not that there was anything wrong with the knife description or pictures, it was just the way the handle was designed - didn't fit my hand at all. And yet the seller wouldn't take back the knife, very annoying!

There's no buy backs just because you don't like it.. If someone asked for a refund for any reason other than it being a defect that wasn't clearly listed than I would be super annoyed at the buyer. it's on you torelist it on bst, not make the original seller go through the process all over again. remind me not to sell any knives to you lol.

Forced buy backs because of personal reasons would be absolutely ridiculous. This is private sales, not business to customer.

I agree with Panda here. If the knife matches the description and the pics, there is no reason for a private seller to take the knife back. If you want this kind of service: buy your knives in a shop.

side note:
I even know some online shops in USA (which-should-not-be-named-here) that do not even agree to take back unused knives if they were send abroad. At least, if you buy from an online shop in Europe, the law forces the seller to take back the good if you change your mind within 14 days. No question asked. Moreover the seller has to refund you fully within 14 days.

zetieum said:

I agree with Panda here. If the knife matches the description and the pics, there is no reason for a private seller to take the knife back. If you want this kind of service: buy your knives in a shop.

side note:
I even know some online shops in USA (which-should-not-be-named-here) that do not even agree to take back unused knives if they were send abroad. At least, if you buy from an online shop in Europe, the law forces the seller to take back the good if you change your mind within 14 days. No question asked. Moreover the seller has to refund you fully within 14 days.

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More to this I would suggest that most retailers won't "buy back" something just because you decided you didn't like it.

Best you get here in Aus, which based on stories I have heard has one of the better legislated return policies, is a store credit.

Actually the good solution would be to force seller to list return policy along with price and description.

Examples:
2 week full refund period if buyer isn't happy with purchase and pays return shipping.
or
No returns unless there's a serious defect.

malexthekid said:

More to this I would suggest that most retailers won't "buy back" something just because you decided you didn't like it.

Best you get here in Aus, which based on stories I have heard has one of the better legislated return policies, is a store credit.

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I see this as a bad example compared to Europe policies and don't see why it makes sense to use bad policies here. Just be clear in your description so buyer knows what he pays for.

icanhaschzbrgr said:

I see this as a bad example compared to Europe policies and don't see why it makes sense to use bad policies here. Just be clear in your description so buyer knows what he pays for.

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Sorry I wasn't suggesting that is something we should do... was trying to point out that even stores won't let you return, i.e. get you more back, just because you didn't like it

icanhaschzbrgr said:

Actually the good solution would be to force seller to list return policy along with price and description.

Examples:
2 week full refund period if buyer isn't happy with purchase and pays return shipping.
or
No returns unless there's a serious defect.

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:goodpost:

Actually, I wasn't t saying the person has to offer a buyback, especially if the knife has been used for two weeks say. at that point yes relist it - Panda is right there.

And I am certainly not saying buybacks should be forced under any circumstances,

But I think it is a good policy to allow returns if the knife wasn't even used so opened, just held in the hand = I would certainly would allow a return if the person payed return postage, the knife wasn't used and so was exactly in the same shape as when I sent it out, (I did n fact do that the one time it happened to me)

And in any case I think Zetium has a good idea...

Wait, what? Sorry.

This is even more ridiculous than the other thread. You want a knife with a return policy buy from Amazon.

Talim said:

This is even more ridiculous than the other thread. You want a knife with a return policy buy from Amazon.

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+1

ugh, once it has been shipped, it's a done deal even if it was never opened. there's no changing your mind after that.

Talim said:

This is even more ridiculous than the other thread. You want a knife with a return policy buy from Amazon.

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Hey hey play nice

That's actually not really an insult. There's some good knives on amazon.

If you don't like the knife that you bought instead of shipping it back to the original seller and covering shipping costs relist it on BST and ask what you paid for it and you even score on the shipping

zetieum said:

:goodpost:

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+1 as well.

some people are ok with doing pass arounds even to get the knife in people's hand to encourage sales.
some people are ok with taking returns after, say a 24 hour period.
other people want to sell the item ONCE and not be hassled trying to market the knife to multiple buyers.

panda said:

ugh, once it has been shipped, it's a done deal even if it was never opened. there's no changing your mind after that.

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I'm with Panda on this.

These are private sales of non-mechanical items. They only cut things, and require that you pick them up and move them through food to do so. Basically, unless there is no edge, all knives are fit for their intended purpose. If you don't like it that's personal preference and not the seller's problem.

The reason we show photos, have descriptions, and can ask questions is so all potential buyers can assess condition and desirability for themselves. It's the same for everyone. If you want to handle a knife before purchase, buy locally.

If a seller on BST wants to provide a return policy, I'd say that was up to them. Otherwise, it's only fair to assume no returns.

labor of love said:

That's actually not really an insult. There's some good knives on amazon.

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yeaah, I was suprised how many items popped up in a search.... some jdm sellers as well.

OP can express his personal pet peave, no problem. He's not saying "returns" should be mandatory on BST. And they really shouldn't. Merchants can absorb those costs because of the volume of business that they do. Private sellers are in a very different position. I guess folks are free to include some sort of return policy in their WTS listings, but frankly, I hope that they don't. If people start doing that, it will come to be expected. And I don't think that's fair to most private sellers who really aren't equipped to deal with buyer's remorse. I also think that return policies on what really amounts to Internet classified ads could easily be abused by buyers who really are just itching to fondle a certain knife, maybe try it out a little (not saying this describes OP's situation!!). And how would the disputes be handled if the buyer claims that the knife is unused, but when the seller gets it back, it looks like it might be used?

Much cleaner overall to have the default policy be no returns. If parties want to negotiate some sort of return policy offline on a case by case basis, then fine I guess. I just see it leading to lots of problems across the board if it ever becomes the norm. So I'd prefer to steer clear entirely.

[Edit]: I should add that I have NO problem with a seller deciding to take a knife back. Especially between trusted parties. I just worry about what might happen if that kind of transaction becomes expected.

FoRdLaz said:

If you don't like the knife that you bought instead of shipping it back to the original seller and covering shipping costs relist it on BST and ask what you paid for it and you even score on the shipping

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I thought it was already assumed that people do this.

Spipet said:

Hey hey play nice

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Playing nice is for mitches 🤣