Tophatter is a top hater to its few honest sellers Palo Alto, Ca. Internet

I was a seller on tophatter for all of to weeks before my lovely experience with them started. I was and still am an honest seller and sell vintage designer accessories on many other websites previously and I had decided to try my hand at the live online auctions on tophatter.

It went well for the first two weeks with my selling nearly every lot I listed for sale apart from a few items. Those items along with other consigned items from varius consigners I would list or relist the next day. One item in particular, a Lime green Coach wristlet, sold at auction and upon preparing the item for shipping, I noticed a stain on the bag that must have happened when it as in storage. I immediately contacted the buyer and advised her tht the item was stained and I was unabl to get it out and would have to cancel the sale and refund her, to which she agreed. 

The next day after my auctions, as I always do, I was going about a bulk relist of the unsold items which I really did not think to look at the lot of items because it s always unsold items, when I get a message from the buyer of the wristlet, accusing me of scamming her and relisting the item, calling me names, all sorts of horrible things, and she left me a negative feedback. I was stunned because I pride myself on 5-star service with every order and have received nothing but that up until that point. I replied back that I had no idea what she was talking about because I most definitely did not relist the soiled item and it was in fact on the way back to the consignor. I looked in detail on the relistd items from the bulk uploader and sure enough the cancelled item was relisted in error! Still, she does not know me nd had no right to harass and accuse me f something I had no idea was even possible. Remember I was new and was only on the site for 2 weeks prior, to which I reminded her and assured her it was an error and the item was indeed deleted. She replied back with more accusatons and name calling. 

At this point, I was pissed. I replied back to her to say basically that she was stalking and harassing me and go to hell you are now blocked. I in return now left her a negative feedback and said she was stalking and harassing me, to which she was. I go about my day. The next day, I log on to view my auctions and I notice a temporary suspension and I can not sell. No reson why, just some bullshit message saying that tophatter is a social marketplace and I sould basically allow buyers to walk all over me. Not in so many words, but you get the idea. Apparently, sellers have no rights when it comes to harassment and scamming by buyers. Not one thing. I emailed the help center and received a same copy and paset message as the original message on my dashboard. So much for the help center...

I emailed once again asking my account be reinstated and Marissa replied back only this time, she said i was permanently deleted and will not have my account reinstated. I asked why this was whwen the policy is to give 24 hour suspension, then a second warning, then a permanent suspenson, according to the seller FAQ's section. And clearly, this was not a 3 strikes you're out situation! To which I again, get the bullshit copy and paste reply. I mean really? So, I go to the forum boards to ask sellers there about if they have had anything like that happen, to which I get many yes replies and TH is buyer centric, buyers can basically, accuse you of anything an you have no rights. A few sellers even said that even though they had sold item new with tage and authentic, buyers have opened claims on them for authenticity, and even upon showing receipts as proof of the authenticity, etc., they still lose. It is bulls***, and so many honest sellers get scammed in so many ways it's unbelievable! 

So, I went back to (((competitor's name redacted))) and should have stuck with them to bgin with. Why ruin a good thing, right?