Ebay etiquette question

[tenlittlebullets]

As though in answer to yesterday's predicament, the brown pinstripe suit I found for $25 on ebay arrived today... smelling like an ashtray. There was no mention of cigarette odor (let alone really strong cigarette odor) in the auction listing. Would it be reasonable to fire off a polite-but-annoyed message to the seller asking them to PayPal me enough money to get it dry cleaned? It's not like there's any other way to get the smell out.

Comments

[endofthewest.livejournal.com]

That'd be entirely reasonable, I think -- and if they failed to do so then I would give them crappy feedback and explain exactly why (namely, non-disclosure of serious product defects).

[mmebahorel.livejournal.com]

Yes, this. I mean, it's something they should have done before shipping the thing, so they ought to have been out the price of a dry cleaning.

[ulkis.livejournal.com]

Thirding. Although I'm cynical, because I doubt the seller will agree to it. But hey, that's what reviews are for.

[10littlebullets.livejournal.com]

Okay, sent. :D They might whine, but it was basically a choice between "give them crappy feedback because product was not as described" and "give them a chance to buy me off instead."

[reconditarmonia.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is reasonable. "Has lived in a house full of smoke" is something a buyer is expected to disclose on any product, and clothes even more so.