Difficult customer

A lady purchase a bearded dragon from me on the 23rd. It arrived fine and has no physical problems. So, I spent the money she gave me for the dragon. Well, apparently the dragon doesn't like it's new home and has not wanted to be handled, and she said it has threatened to bite, which it hadn't doen with us. She's not crazy about being handled and squirms a lot when held (told her that in an email), but had never tried to bite.
So, the lady is demanding a refund of purchase price, shipping charges to her and half the shipping charges to get her back to me.
she purchased the dragon for $155 shipped. But, I may be completely in the wrong here, I don't feel I should have to pay for shipping either directiosn since I told her she squirmed when held and there is nothing physically wrong with the dragon. So, I am only wanting to refund her $137 total,a nd that will have to wait until I sell something, as I already spent the money she sent me for her.
Should I be responsible for shipping either way or both ways? I'll pay it if you think I should. I sure don't want to be viewed a bad guy (or girl as the case may be) for not doing so. Afterall, I never guaranteed the personality of what I ship, as animals will react differently to each environment they are in.
I leave the choice of what I should do to majority of responces I get from this post.
Thank you for your advice.

When I got my first beardie, he would nip almost every time I handled him. That only lasted a week, then he was fine with reg handling. Since no animals temperment can be guaranteed, I would not feel obligated to giving any refund. Just my opinion.

Laura - If you disclosed the temperament of the dragon prior to sale, and she agreed to the animal despite your disclaimers, then you should not pay shipping costs. spam_You are going out of your way to take the animal back, and that in itself is going beyond the call of duty. spam_My opinion, buyer pays shipping to get the animal back to you, and when it arrives (hopefully in the same condition you sent it), you refund only the price of the animal. spam_Shipping costs should be absorbed by the customer spam_<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

Just my opinion from what I've read..

Thanks, Stephen Emerick
Napa Valley Snakes

I'm with Al on this one.... You're not in the business of "loaning" animals to someone to see if they are gentle enough for them?? The Beardie arrived alive and healthy.... just because she's scared to take the time that's needed to get used to one another, shouldn't be your fault! It's like anything else.... strangers need time to get to know one another.... after that happens, she should have a pet for life! Personally, I would tell her to handle him as much as possible for the next couple of weeks.... I guarantee you, that when the beardie finds out that she won't hurt it, and it can't hurt her.... everything will be fine!
I don't think you owe her a thing, and I wouldn't let her return it.... and if she DOES return it (after you tell her that it's hers).... she's basically SOL!
I'm as nice a guy as there is when it comes to doing the right thing.... but, there are times that you have to take a stand and not let your customers push you around.... especially when you did NOTHING wrong???

....Neil

She ordered a live healthy animal. She got a live healthy animal. I would agree to a refund of the cost of the animal if she returns it in the same condition she received it. Her covering the shipping costs is the price for buyers remorse (IMHO).

On the note of dragon tempermant, that is such an environmentally controlled situation (we have dragons that if we put them outside in tubs they freak out and get aggressive if you stand over the tubs, where as if they are inside and your standing over the tub they look at you with puppy dog eyes waiting for a worm). It could be resolved by something as simple as her changing the way she trys to pick the animal up.

I have to say you owe the person nothing.

The problem with letting her return the animal is you have no idea the conditions the animal is living in right now.

A few years ago I sold a ball pyhton to someone and after 2 weeks the people said it wasn't eatting.(this was local) So I agreed to have them bring the animal back and I would trade them for another one. After they left I was looking at the animal and it was covered in mites. I mean 2 weeks and now the poor snake was covered. After this I try to be nice but if it isn't dead. I don't want the animals back, because you never know what it will bring home with it.


I have to say you did nothing wrong. If you can make her happy with say a $30.00 refund then go that route. &nbsp;The only way I would accept the animal back if is she just doesn't want it and will give it back for no cost to you.

Some people are never happy.

Wow,
I have never guaranteed an animals behavior.........Oh wait I have. spam_I guaranteed my aphrodite to bite.

Anyway you disclosed the behavior. spam_There is nothing else you can do. spam_Actually there are two options.

1. spam_Refund absolutely nothing because you owe her nothing. spam_And then she goes around bad mouthing you to other people.

or

2. spam_Agree to her terms. spam_ And hopefully she tells people that you did her "right".

Actually in number two she can tell people you did her right......or there is a great chance she will still tell people your animals are mean etc etc etc.

I would probably have to go with one.
95% one.

oh
if she is gonna return it no matter what.....
Then you only owe her for the price of the animal....NOT the SHIPPING

Buyers remorse thing

I &nbsp;agree with the buyers remorse issue. I dont like to admit it, but I too have thought twice a little to late. But when it was me, I sucked up and now put alot more thought about what I purchase, and who it will be purchased from. If a refund is given by you, that is way more than deserved. You are showing integrity by a refund, but if shipping is lost as well, it may turn into being a push over. not to long ago i refunded unjust funds to avoid aggravation, and I now look at it a little differently.

sick-mean=refund
healthy-nippy=nada

i would get a very cleary defined terms page going on your website...
make this event a lesson learned.
not to repeat itself.