Cigarette smoke smell rears it's head again.

[keepsakesandkollectables]

Bit of an odd one this, so am looking for some ideas.

In the last 2 months I have had 2 feedback comments ( Both still positive ) but also saying the item(s) had a smell of cigarette smoke about them.

Now if I smoked or anyone else on the premises did I could fully understand it, but nobody does.

I have looked on previous threads & googled it for suggestions as to why.

I did come across one that said certain packing has a similar smell, but that was about it.

Now I even changed my supplier with the bubblewrap I use, just in case it was that, but the 2nd comment I received used the new supply so a dead end there.

The only other things I could think of, was that I use 2nd hand boxes, sourced from loads of different locations ( I get them when & where I can ) so maybe that?

Or the simply fact that nearly every item I sell is 2nd hand, so maybe the original owner smoked?

But again on that point I do clean all my products prior to even taking listing pictures, let alone sending them.

So I am pretty much at a loss to find an answer.

Should also mention I have been selling for approx 15 years & it's never ever been mentioned before.

If anyone has some idea's as to why please let me know.

It is also very annoying, 2 fold.

1 - As I do understand that there are people who don't smoke who are very anti it so ge that point.

2 - But what annoys me more is they feel a need to mention it in a positive feedback comment where they are other than a smell that will go away ( I know this as my 1st feedback comment said as much ), so why bother to feel the need to even mention it, a sit could possibly have an impact on future sales.

[lucy_farmer]

I can remember (some years ago) the culprit of the smoke smell turned out to be the grey plastic 'mailing bags'.....

Are you using anything like them?

[keepsakesandkollectables]

No never used them.

I think that was one of the threads I did find, oddly enough.

It's a strange one.

Forgot to mention in my opening post I did used to smoke but gave up some years ago & an not anti it & the stock & packing materials I have, have all been purchased since I gave up, so it can't be that.

But maybe that is why I don't ever notice the smell?

[lucy_farmer]

'No never used them.'

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Damn. That was the only good idea I had on this subject! 😂

'I did used to smoke but gave up some years ago................But maybe that is why I don't ever notice the smell?'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

hmmm....possibly.

I gave up over 24 years ago and now I can sniff out fag smoke a mile away. But I think it did take a few years for the smell to start being really obvious to me.

And now it amazes me how I could possibly have *not* noticed it!

[keepsakesandkollectables]

Lol - yes it was a great idea & well worth the effort.

I am a long way off 24 years of not smoking, only just over 2 here.

Have heard that people who used to smoke can smell it more that a non smoker, but I have not come to that stage as of yet, if anything I still like the smell oddly enough when I am around others that do still smoke, especially cigar smoke.

[edwardian-dreams]

I occasionally got this feedback and no none of my items smelt of fags being from no smoke household,

curiously it was all worded the same  

“a strong smell of cigarette smoke”

not smelt of cigarettes or a strong smell of cigarettes 

But a strong smell of cigarette smoke 

Like what’s a slight smell of cigarettes and is that ok if there’s no smoke 

I think some do try it on

Strong smell would mean  you had item sitting in your coffee table all day while you were puffin all over it 

There’s strong smells in different plastics fabrics and other things

but fags smell of fags imo

when you’re a non smoker you don’t have to put up with this or fret where could it have come from..it’s not your problem imo .. put smoke free household in descriptions  and  

just reply to feedback appropriately 

People’s noses can be funny 

[keepsakesandkollectables]

Yes really odd.

Don't think either of the comments I received were chancers or trying it on as both were happy to keep the products, both  left positive feedbsack & neither asked for an sort of a reduction.

I would have though prefered it if they had not mentioned it in feedback comments left, if they werew happy & should have messaged me personally as if I were a smoker could have changed my habits or recleaned items before sending to disapate the smell that way.

[jma2815]

I think that the fact they complained but were both happy to keep the items probably means they were trying it on to get free items / partial refunds. The first feedback mentioning smoke could have given the second buyer ideas. 

I’ve had it loads of times. I have lovely clean, lightly used items and use new tissue paper and postal bags yet I’ve had complaints about smoke, perfume, BO, pet hair, moth damage (particularly when selling leftover knitting wool) all of it always described as extremely bad - None of it is the slightest bit true.

They’re always happy to keep the item and refuse to open a return request when I tell them no money back without one. Only once did one of them mention anything in feedback - over the top moaning about the smell of my item causing her to be ill then saying ‘apart from that it was fine’ - left, strangely, on a green dot so CS removed it. 

I stopped listing last week due to ebay being a mess atm and I’m glad to be done for a bit with online selling. 

[department28]

It sounds like you have done all you can to eliminate the possible source of the smell from packaging etc, so it may well be that it just lingered on in those items, if they were perhaps previously owned by smokers.

Some items do absorb smoke more than others - especially porous things, like books, board games etc - so it would be almost impossible to ensure every second-hand item you sell will be entirely smoke-free.

It is unfortunate to have had two mentions in feedback, as those buyers could make others wrongly assume your items are not from a smoke-free home... Rather frustrating, & can see how it would make you feel like you have to sniff everything...

Hopefully it will turn out to be one of those coincidental things, and likely won't happen again. 

[sumnites]

Another source could be contamination from other packages from smoke filled environments. How long in transit etc.  If wanting a refund it could be a try on as one of the few things you cant prove online.

[jills_cardclearout]

You don't happen to have a woodburner do you?

I used to get the odd comment about smoke smell when nobody ever smoked in our house, but realised we were so used to the woodburner smell it never entered my head that soft items might pick it up.

[jckl1957]

I haven't got any useful advice but will add a couple of things.

Cigarette odour is really hard to get rid of.  I have a leather jewellery box I bought at auction at least 5 years ago that smelled of smoking when I got it.  It has been thoroughly cleaned, inside and out, but still has a faint tobacco smell.  Maybe get somebody with a sensitive sense of smell to have a sniff of any potentially tainted items when you list them?  That way, you could add a line to the listing to say you think the item was previously owned by a smoker and may smell faintly of cigarettes.

And, your feedback is generally great.  I would just ignore the odd negative comment as your buyers are mainly clearly very happy.

[ile136yz]

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@keepsakesandkollectables wrote:

Bit of an odd one this, so am looking for some ideas.

In the last 2 months I have had 2 feedback comments ( Both still positive ) but also saying the item(s) had a smell of cigarette smoke about them.

Now if I smoked or anyone else on the premises did I could fully understand it, but nobody does.

I have looked on previous threads & googled it for suggestions as to why.

I did come across one that said certain packing has a similar smell, but that was about it.

Now I even changed my supplier with the bubblewrap I use, just in case it was that, but the 2nd comment I received used the new supply so a dead end there.

The only other things I could think of, was that I use 2nd hand boxes, sourced from loads of different locations ( I get them when & where I can ) so maybe that?

Or the simply fact that nearly every item I sell is 2nd hand, so maybe the original owner smoked?

But again on that point I do clean all my products prior to even taking listing pictures, let alone sending them.

So I am pretty much at a loss to find an answer.

Should also mention I have been selling for approx 15 years & it's never ever been mentioned before.

If anyone has some idea's as to why please let me know.

It is also very annoying, 2 fold.

1 - As I do understand that there are people who don't smoke who are very anti it so ge that point.

2 - But what annoys me more is they feel a need to mention it in a positive feedback comment where they are other than a smell that will go away ( I know this as my 1st feedback comment said as much ), so why bother to feel the need to even mention it, a sit could possibly have an impact on future sales.

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I purchased a pack of new black mailing bags & noticed a 

[tressygirl]

Think you hit the nail on the head  @keepsakesandkollectables  ( sorry I'm replying to you here @ile136yz ),  as you are not sure where your packaging or your items came from, and indeed may have belonged to a smoker.

Two of my closest friends are heavy smokers, ( I do not smoke )  one I have never smelt even a whiff of cigarette smoke on her or her clothing, but on the other, she just has to sit in my house, and I can smell the smoke on her when I enter the room!

Maybe it just clings to some peeps and their clothing more than others?

As others have mentioned some items once exposed to smoke , that smell can never be fully removed.

As for the black plastic lined mail bags,  Never use them,  some do give off an acrid smell akin to smoke which does cling to the clothing inside.

@keepsakesandkollectables 

[ile136yz]

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@tressygirl wrote:

Think you hit the nail on the head  @keepsakesandkollectables  ( sorry I'm replying to you here @ile136yz ),  as you are not sure where your packaging or your items came from, and indeed may have belonged to a smoker.

Two of my closest friends are heavy smokers, ( I do not smoke )  one I have never smelt even a whiff of cigarette smoke on her or her clothing, but on the other, she just has to sit in my house, and I can smell the smoke on her when I enter the room!

Maybe it just clings to some peeps and their clothing more than others?

As others have mentioned some items once exposed to smoke , that smell can never be fully removed.

As for the black plastic lined mail bags,  Never use them,  some do give off an acrid smell akin to smoke which does cling to the clothing inside.

@keepsakesandkollectables 

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Hi

The Black Mailing bags were purchased from eBay Business Seller & the bags were sealed in a clean clear plastic bag. 

When I opened the outer clear bag, I did not notice any smoke smell, but when I was going to put item in mailing bag & opened the individual bag the smoke smell came from the inside.

Checked random other bags & found the same. Binned bags & went back to purchasing from my regular Seller (who was on holiday at time of purchase).

[tressygirl]

Yep, I remember mistakenly buying those bags some time ago, on opening gosh it was such a strong smell, the lot went in the bin !

What on earth do they make these from ! 🤔

@ile136yz 

[keepsakesandkollectables]

Thank you for all the replies people, greatly appreciated & some good advise & food for thought.

Will let you all know if anything esle happens in the future.

[the-nutwood-collection]

All my stock is brand new.  It's fibre and silk, both of which easily absorb odours so there is no smoking, perfumed cleaning products, or food allowed - and have not been allowed in the workroom for years.

I get a few 'smelled strongly of cigarette smoke' messages.  I reply that it can't smell of smoke, but I will send them a return label if they're not happy with the item.  Only one complainer returned the item, the others were obviously trying to get a refund or discount.  The one item that was returned smelled strongly of perfume - so opened, handled by perfumy fingers, not wanted, so a remorse return at the seller's expense.

[the-nutwood-collection]

Had another one today!  'Packaging and product smell strongly of smoke'.  Both packaging and product are stored in a completely smoke-free environment. 

She even sent me an image of the ribbon in its packaging.  I was tempted to message back and say that I'd sniffed the screen but couldn't smell anything.

I've Googled, and this is what I've found.  In response to a question 'Why do I keep thinking that I can smell smoke', Google provides the answer - Phantosmia (olfactory hallucinations) is a condition that causes you to detect smells that aren't actually in your environment.

Maybe I should send the crazy lady a link.

[department28]

Buyers have to attach at least one photo if they've opened a not as described case, even though it's pointless for a 'smell' complaint... or did they just message you about it? Have they left feedback complaining about items smelling of smoke from other sellers, by any chance?!

This must be very frustrating for a smoke-free seller - obviously, it can't be proved one way or the other, so I assume eBay will automatically refund in such cases?