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Feather Heart CreationsI just wanted to give everyone a heads up on this.
I bought this lot off E-bay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi … 033wt_1141
From this seller: fosterifits
It sounded like a great deal and lots of supplies. I paid $175 for the lot & $100 for shipping. I was so excited, thinking I would be set on bear making supplies for a long time. Seller would never tell me the true shipping amount so that got me a little worried right away. So one box comes in that has joints and lots of plastic stuffing beads and it smells like cigarette smoke. It was so bad that even the mail man commented on it. So I contacted the seller. They blamed it on USPS and said they must have smoked in the delivery truck and that nothing else smelled like smoke. They also claimed they had a wood burning stove and maybe that's what I smelled. I said not it was clearly cigarettes and was so bad that I had to put the box in my garage. They said if any these else smelled like smoke they would send a partial refund because I explained that I could in no way afford the return shipping.
So I get the other boxes in and everything smell horrible like it's been smoked around for years. I cried 
The listing says no bad odors and that lot is 90% in excellent condition. I contacted them as soon as I got the boxes. Again they said it did not smell like smoke & was just old! Again it was so bad I had to put the boxes in the garage & it made my whole house smell like smoke. On top of all that the bottom of one box was not taped right & had come open and another box was ripped open on one side from not being taped right. So now I have no way of knowing if anything is missing. Seller was nice to a point at first, they claimed they had their kids smell the items before they left & then didn't smell anything So they offered a refund if I would ship it back. I kindly explained that I could not afford return shipping and would be out money if I sent it back. I asked for a partial refunded and explained it would take lots of time and money to get all these items to where I could use them. They then got rude saying the lot was well worth over $500 and to send it back because they had a buyer. I again asked for what they had paid in shipping and they would not tell me. So I said if I don't know how much return shipping will be I don't know if I can afford it. I tried to explain if shipping ends up costing me $125 and I get refunded $275 I'm out $25 because I only paid $100 in shipping the first time. In other words it would be like getting $150 refunded not $175. They said that didn't make any sense and to send the items back. Again they became rude saying the lot of items was appraised at a consignment shop and would be willing to provide papers stating the value.
So long story short I filed a claim with E-bay and E-bay sided with me saying that yes the items where not as described. E-bays now paying for shipping back so I can get a full refund and not lose any money over this. Well any more money, I already spent $20 in baking soda to try to get the smell out of the first box of stuff.
I'm worried that this seller is just going to re-list this on E-bay so I just wanted everyone to know about it. I'm not sure what E-bay's rules are on that but he might also divide the lot up and sale it that way. Either way it still all smells horrible and needs to be cleaned so it's not what he's claiming it to be.
DENBY BEARS
thank goodness that Ebay backed you with the return. That would be horrible. Could have been there fireplace, that could smoke stuff up. Or they bought it at a fire sale. Either way, I am glad you got retrobution.
Hugs Pat 
Feather Heart CreationsThanks. Sadly it was cigarette smoke for sure (no mistaking that smell) and not a normal smoke smell. I wish it had been wood smoke because I think I could have gotten that smell out & it's not as offensive. But thankfully everything worked out & I'll just spend my money with Intercal or sellers I know from now on 
LALand BearsI am glad you were able to solve this with the help of Ebay. I had a similar experience. I bought a mink cape in "like new condition" that smelled like a wet dog when I opened the Plastic bag it was shipped in. Yes, a plastic bag dropped into some kids toy box with open sides.
When I took it out to inspect it, it started falling apart at the seams.
I sent pictures to the seller and explained I could not use it and she ended up calling me every rude name in the book and said "I see you are just going to make bears with it anyway and I think you just can't use it because of the smell".
Ummm.....yes...EXACTLY!
She kept promising a full refund and said to send the item back. Lo and behold I saw the item RELISTED on ebay before I even had a chance to ship it back.
I ended up including that comment in my claim to Ebay, that the seller was relisting an item not in her possession. I had to wait for a month or two, but I did receive a full refund.
I am glad this situation worked out for you.
Best Regards
Lee Ann
PennsylvaniaI happen to have a bit of knowledge about fur. If fur has a smell, at all, it should be a rich "musky" smell like freshly tanned leather. If fur has any other smell, especially like that of "wet dog," it is bad. It has probably gotten wet or, worse, it is rotten. In either case, it is not fit for use... any use... PERIOD. It makes no difference whether you are "just" going to use it to make Bears or anything else. Bad fur is bad fur.
Besides, if you are going to make some material into a Teddy Bear, you don't want it to smell like anything but a Bear. Teddies are important as symbols, at least as much as they are important as objects. It is important that their symbolism is upheld. Bears symbolize steadfast love and friendship. They are something that will always be there to comfort you when you need them. A Bear that smells bad, that isn't nice to touch or that doesn't last a long time isn't much of a symbol of steadfast friendship.
As a Bearmaker, your business is built on your reputation of upholding the intrinsic symbolism that is part and parcel of the Teddy Bear. If you ship a Bear that does not fulfill that promise, you are not servicing your customers well and it is likely that you won't be in business very long. Therefore, it is the Bearmaker's right (or even duty) to be a complete and total *b*i*t*c*h* about the quality of the materials used to make a Teddy Bear. I would not blame any of you for making an unholy racket when you spend your hard earned capital on materials that are not up to your standards of quality.
I stand behind any of you who find yourselves in a similar situation.
As you already know, Bears are always very friendly and would never hurt a fly but, once they make up their mind about something, they will NOT take "No" for an answer. When a Bear makes up his mind, that's the end of the discussion! ;)
Don't take any fluff from these crooks! 
Posts: 70I looked up that persons ID on ebay and clicked on their ID name, in the Business information section This is what it says from that user about their stuff they get:
The items I sell generally come from Storage Units and Estate Sales. I can not guarantee the environment they came from. I will describe each item to the best of my knowledge and I encourage you research or have a general knowledge about what you are buying or bidding on. Storage units are not climate controlled.
There is other stuff in there as well. I will make a note that if I ever get anything from ebay I will look up that info first to see if it sounds iffy.
Thanks for the heads up!
Posts: 70OH I almost forgot...I bet she never opened up the boxes!
Feather Heart CreationsOH I almost forgot...I bet she never opened up the boxes!
Actually she did open them to take pictures and claimed she had everything appraised at a consignment shop so they had to go into the boxes (if that last parts even true). Yeah if she had put that about the smells in the listing I don't think I would have bought it. I was upset because the listing it's self stats no bad odor and 90% in excellent condition. But E-bay's custom support stated that vintage items should never be listed as excellent but listed as fair. From now on I'll check the sellers info and not just feedback. I was looking at the fact that she had 100% positive feedback. Next time I'll read all the feedback too even if it's positive because other people complained about smoke smells in their feedback.
Feather Heart CreationsAs a Bearmaker, your business is built on your reputation of upholding the intrinsic symbolism that is part and parcel of the Teddy Bear. If you ship a Bear that does not fulfill that promise, you are not servicing your customers well and it is likely that you won't be in business very long. Therefore, it is the Bearmaker's right (or even duty) to be a complete and total *b*i*t*c*h* about the quality of the materials used to make a Teddy Bear. I would not blame any of you for making an unholy racket when you spend your hard earned capital on materials that are not up to your standards of quality.
:
YES!!!! I agree 110%! LOL That's what I kept trying to tell the seller. I said what collector or child would want a bear that smelled like an ashtray? And even if I cleaned the items I would be worried that they might make someone sick. I would be so upset if a customer told me they got sick from a bear I made 
This stuff was so bad it was making me sick just opening the boxes.
Feather Heart CreationsI looked up that persons ID on ebay and clicked on their ID name, in the Business information section This is what it says from that user about their stuff they get:
The items I sell generally come from Storage Units and Estate Sales. I can not guarantee the environment they came from. I will describe each item to the best of my knowledge and I encourage you research or have a general knowledge about what you are buying or bidding on. Storage units are not climate controlled.
There is other stuff in there as well. I will make a note that if I ever get anything from ebay I will look up that info first to see if it sounds iffy.
Thanks for the heads up!
Yeah I wish I would have looked at that first. And the "general knowledge" is funny because when I told them I was a bear maker they freaked out & said then I must know this lot is worth a ton of money & can see the money to be made from it... I said not in this condition and they said I was insulting them....
PennsylvaniaI would be so upset if a customer told me they got sick from a bear I made
Or worse... What if that poor Bear ended up getting stuffed into the back of somebody's closet because it didn't make somebody happy? That just doesn't uphold the Teddy Bear spirit!
It's just heartbreaking to think that the anticipation of making somebody happy with a lovingly crafted Bear would be shattered by the discovery that it was made out of smelly, rotten fur! Then, to top it all off, one hug from that Bear could make somebody sick!
And this person has the gall to accuse you of being a troublemaker? That's just macabre, like something out of a Stephen King novel!
my dear i have a fire place! and wood smoke smelling deliciously! i had a problem similar too : the smoke of cigarette is a thing so different you can forget! when i received the pack ithrow it in garbage bag!!! horrible ! even if in france we are not so carefully : i hate cigarettes cold cender: its the worth!
Posts: 70I can only assume that ebay did read their post plus their info and saw the inconsistencies and that is why they sided with you. I'm glad ebay did their homework and was able to get justice!
Offended, I wonder what she thought when she received the boxes back and they ALL smelled like smoke!? She knew it, offended or not she knew and was trying to get rid of it. I'm sure the reason she wanted it back was because she didn't want you getting ideas about going through ebay and complaining! Glad to hear you didn't let it go and didn't believe the persons nonsense, taking it up with ebay will help others! I hope the next lot you find will be of better quality, things happen for a reason so maybe the next one will be at a better price!
LALand BearsHi again
Two things ~~
1) ALOT of people go to Estate Sales, garage sales, and storage unit auctions and snap up bunches of items to sell on ebay, not knowing a thing about what they are selling. I am always a bit skeptical of claims that they took any further effort to have items "evaluated" by experts.
The fur I got was SO bad, I couldn't handle it without it "slipping" apart at the seams. I did not allow it to stay in my home more than the 10 minutes it took to determine it was rotten.
I have worked with some absolutely lovely vintage fur and it does have a particular scent. The smell of the item I bought was much worse than a wet dog, more like....rotten flesh. It had been stored in a damp environment, and I showed evidence to the seller in a photo - a RUST stain on the lining in the shape of a metal hanger !
2) Bless their hearts ~ cigarette smokers will never realize there is a "smell" about them. I visited my brother for a week (heavy smoker). When I got home, I opened my suitcase and my entire home smelled like cigarettes. I opened up one of my eye shadow packets, and even cig smoke smell came out of that. It permeates everything !
Thanks for the tip about reading the info section about sellers. I too have been one to rely totally on the feedback. Now I know to investigate a bit more.
And I am thankful I have also had some good experiences with eBay sellers.
Best regards
Lee Ann
So sorry this happened to you Thanks so much for warning us so nobody here bids on their things!
Hugs,
Janice
Feather Heart CreationsSo I got everything all packed up and sent back. Now I'm just waiting on the refund from E-bay.... I hope it doesn't take too long 
The listing was even more misleading as it says there are books in this lot & there wasn't a single book in any of the boxes!
Also says no signs of animals or mice, yet I found things that had been chewed up and mice droppings & urine.
What's even worse once I got done packing it up I had tiny little bites on my hands and arms. I jumped into the shower right away. I guess the fur made mites or fleas or something in it???
OMG - that is disgusting about the bites on your arms after packing it back up. You may want to have an exterminator come in and spray your home just in case some of the eggs got on your carpet :O( YUK!
Good luck on getting your refund.
Hugs,
Janice
PennsylvaniaWrap the package up in a plastic bag, seal it with tape then put it in the deep freezer.
Feather Heart CreationsWrap the package up in a plastic bag, seal it with tape then put it in the deep freezer.
Oh it's all going back to the seller. I'm not keeping any of it... it was way too smelly and gross. Plus its already at UPS
Feather Heart CreationsOMG - that is disgusting about the bites on your arms after packing it back up. You may want to have an exterminator come in and spray your home just in case some of the eggs got on your carpet :O( YUK!
Good luck on getting your refund.
Hugs,
Janice
Yeah we only had it in the house for a little time because the smell was so bad, so thankfully it was in the garage & packed it in the garage too. I spayed my house after & tossed out the shirt I had on just to be safe.
PennsylvaniaUs Bears wrote:Wrap the package up in a plastic bag, seal it with tape then put it in the deep freezer.
Oh it's all going back to the seller. I'm not keeping any of it... it was way too smelly and gross. Plus its already at UPS :)
Let UPS deal with it, then! ;)
You probably didn't have to toss out your clothes. You probably could have just washed them in hot water with plenty of soap and bleach. (If they are bleachable fabrics.)
You know, I'd give a seller a break if they just apologized for the problem and dealt with it fairly. Think about it. If you're cleaning out property from an estate, you can't know the exact condition of every item all the time.
My wife and I are cleaning out her father's estate after he passed away. He's got a house full of random stuff. Some of it is treasure. Some of it is trash. You don't know what's what until you look through it but you can't look through every last item in every last box or else you'll be messing around all year. You have to cut a few corners if you want to get the job done in any reasonable time.
So... Mistakes happen. However, the way you deal with those mistakes is what separates the good dealers from the bad ones.
I'll only give the seller a point or two on this one. They SHOULD have known that the fur was rotten but they sold it anyway. If they opened the box to take a picture of it they MUST have smelled it! If they handled the fur at all they MUST have known it was falling apart! If the fur has bugs it is NOT FIT FOR SALE! There is no damn way that box should have made it to market! Whoever made the decision to sell it was either greedy, stupid or a little of both!
And, to top it all off, they accuse YOU of being the problem?! No, the only reason they would do that is because they KNEW the fur was bad in the first place!
WassenaarI'm so glad E-bay helped you out, and thanks for the heads up, I read the bio of the seller and she basically buys stuff at auctions, estate sales etc, and bought the lot via that route, then you have no knowledge of whether or not the original owner was a heavy smoker. Just so glad everything turned out ok for you in the end. Defiantly a lesson learned for all
As for the fur coat, maybe the seller had a picture from the former seller, or took the photo staright away stored it badly for a long time before it sold and hey presto one very rotton coat. I would love to start making bears from real fur but after all this I'm not sure I would buy via ebay, I think I'lll go hunting in second hand shops and at least be able to feel it before
thanks for the warnings
-xxx-
Annette
PennsylvaniaI would love to start making bears from real fur but after all this I'm not sure I would buy via ebay, I think I'lll go hunting in second hand shops and at least be able to feel it before
Find yourself a good furrier who makes their own goods. (Not simply a fur salon.)
Ask them to sell you some fur scraps or, if you ask nicely, he might sell you some complete pelts.
Once you make a nice Bear out of the fur, be sure to take him back to visit the furrier! Just about every good furrier sells fur Teddy Bears. If your Bears are nice you might be able to strike a deal with the furrier to make and sell Bears on consignment.
Further, if you can establish yourself with the furrier you might be able to get some fur handling tips from them.
The fur trade is a very "closed" business. Most furriers are very tight-lipped about their trade secrets but, if you can show them that you are good with your hands and that you have the skills, you might be able to get in good with them.
Then you could have all the fur you need for Bearmaking AND you would have an outlet for your product!
Netty wrote:I would love to start making bears from real fur but after all this I'm not sure I would buy via ebay, I think I'lll go hunting in second hand shops and at least be able to feel it before
Find yourself a good furrier who makes their own goods. (Not simply a fur salon.)
Ask them to sell you some fur scraps or, if you ask nicely, he might sell you some complete pelts.Once you make a nice Bear out of the fur, be sure to take him back to visit the furrier! Just about every good furrier sells fur Teddy Bears. If your Bears are nice you might be able to strike a deal with the furrier to make and sell Bears on consignment.
Further, if you can establish yourself with the furrier you might be able to get some fur handling tips from them.
The fur trade is a very "closed" business. Most furriers are very tight-lipped about their trade secrets but, if you can show them that you are good with your hands and that you have the skills, you might be able to get in good with them.Then you could have all the fur you need for Bearmaking AND you would have an outlet for your product!
While its a clever idea, Unless its 'vintage' fur recycled from a coat, a lot of artists won't use it, because of the ethical issues. From what I hear many collectors don't like the idea of bears from anything other than recycled fur either.
PennsylvaniaI understand the sentiment. While everybody has the right to their own beliefs, it's not what I believe. Let's leave it at that.
If we want to talk about the ethics of using fur, we can do that in another message thread. Let's let this one be about how somebody got stinky, rotten fur from somebody on eBay.
