I need some advice re: possible counterfeit perfume

Hello, I bought my favorite no longer made perfume, Givenchy III from a seller. She did have some bad comments back a ways, but the grand majority of her comments were favorable. Got the bottle, used (I knew as was in description) every thing looked right,but the spray nozzle didn't work. I didn't care about keeping it in the original bottle, so I very carefully pried and cracked the top off, after trying everything I could think of and read about on line to make it work. This is not my perfume, it doesn't even smell remotely like it. I have some fragrance allergies and can only wear a couple of things- and the perfume in the bottle made me start sneezing immediately, unlike the original and the reissued Givenchy. I wrote her about this, my message will follow at the end. No answer to my message so far, but I guess, since I took the top off, I'm just out of luck and out over $60. Any advice? Thanks, Cat "Hello, Well, I got my bottle today and although it was very well packed and your shipping was super fast- the spray top didn't work. Since I have been out of this perfume, one of the few I can wear- I went ahead and finally pried the top off. To my great dismay- it does not smell at all like Givenchy III, even the reissue. I had a bottle of the reissued and even though it wasn't as good as the old, I liked it and it didn't affect my fragrance allergy. This one smells different, and I started coughing immediately. So now I have a bottle I can't return, and perfume I can't wear. Do you have any ideas? I won't leave any feedback until we can figure out what to do. Cat P.S. I have never left negative feedback in all of my history here on ebay."|||I think you are out of luck since you broke the bottle (in effect) How the seller is supposed to get the item back now is an issue too. There are lots of buyers who claim fake to get free perfume - not sure if you are aware of this so it makes it doubley iffy. You can file a SNAD if the seller is unwilling to deal with it but I don't know if Paypal will refund you. It's unlikely but who knows? How old was this bottle? the chemicals in perfume will change when it sits around for years and can alter the scent to be unrecognizable.Need a website fast?|||Well, I'm just scr*wed. I have a couple of old bottles of both the older and the newer version, and what I got smelled like something that came in a baby powder container. Nothing like the original or remake at all, which were both a chypre based perfume (unmistakable). I feel like sending it back on my ticket, with the bogus stuff decanted into a new bottle with the original wrapping and all, but heck, she'd probably resell the nasty stuff. Sigh. Ebay university has finally struck home.|||If I were the seller, I would not take it back because you have "altered" the original item. You should have contacted the seller immediately if there was a problem and not pry off the cap. dvgvintage|||I feel like sending it back on my ticket, with the bogus stuff decanted into a new bottle with the original wrapping and all, but heck, she'd probably resell the nasty stuff. Sigh. Ebay university has finally struck home. This is so wrong in so many ways, because what your considering to do is fraud. dvgvintage|||You were desperate enough to smell good you pried off the top?? You eat it!!|||Once you realized the sprayer did not work, you had the obligation to advise your seller, return with Delivery Confrimation and get a full refund OR as you chose , alter the item. You can not expect the seller to "do anything" because in this case, you chose to waive all your return/refund rights ,upon discovering the item not as described ( broken/non working sprayer). You had no right , to even mention feedback. Since fragrances can easily turn in a few years exposed to light, I highly doubt the item is counterfeit. Since the item it no longer made, it is more likely the perfume is old dead stock and not counterfeit. Since you can not return the item in the same condition as shipped to the seller, you need to eat this one and just leave NO feedback.|||"what I got smelled like something that came in a baby powder container. Nothing like the original or remake at all, which were both a chypre based perfume (unmistakable). " You have NO idea what storage conditions over the years, this item was exposed to. This is the risk of buying fragrances on line. Light,heat ,cold temps can alter the delicate balance of fragrances. Since you state, you have fragrance allergies, buying on line may not be your best choice. Certainly "prying the top off" voided the chance of any recourse, but that was your choice. You did not even give the seller a chance to replace or refund.|||Both Paypal and Ebay require you to advise the seller of the itssue and return the item in the same condition as shipped. You can not do this, so you have lost/waived any recourse. Sorry, but the one who "scewed you" is not Ebay or the seller, but yourself.|||Hmm, well I did say I was scr*wed, and admitted all of my errors- but seems like most of you are ignoring the fact that the product was bogus. What I most blame myself for is not reading the toolhaus feedback before bidding- that is the real lesson. This is apparently not the first time the seller was accused of selling something counterfeit. I have used this perfume for over 30 years. My first bottle lasted me 5 years and since I lived in Florida without air conditioning- I am well acquainted with how it smells when it gets old in non-climate controlled conditions. And yes, since I can wear a grand total of 3 perfumes- I was determined to get it open. My bad- but seems like the tone of some responses were not helpful, and sounded more like they came from sellers and not a buyer support group. I was asking for help, not a harangue. BTW, when I talked about sending it back I was being sarcastic. What do I want from the seller? The actual product I mistakenly thought I had purchased. Nothing less, nothing more.|||"Hmm, well I did say I was scr*wed, and admitted all of my errors- but seems like most of you are ignoring the fact that the product was bogus" Unless you can prove the item was counterfeit, then it really is just a guess on your part. Sorry, we can't tell you what you want to hear. For all you know the product was subjected to any number of conditions and yes perfume can change overtime. If you retained the package, then check with the manufacturer to confirm the item was "bogus" as you claim. If it is confirmed , then by all means report it to the trademark owner and Ebay. Since the item is no longer made, I don't know,if this even possible. I understand your disappointment, but with your limited choices of fragrances due to allergies and the abundance of counterfeits out there, I don't think any retailer would take back a spray perfume, who's top was pryed off and altered in anyway. By the way, many of us are buyers and sellers.|||You may want to look at this link regarding your item. It is entirely possible this is a very old item as I said, dead stock that has been in storeage a very long time. Link|||"What do I want from the seller? The actual product I mistakenly thought I had purchased. Nothing less, nothing more." Then you should have not impulsivly pried open the top rendering it un returnable. Had you purchased this in a brick & mortor store, they too would expect, if the spray did not work properly, that it be returned in the same "un opened condition". Since this is an item that is used on the body, most if not all retailers would have a problem with the pried open top of the sealed spray bottle. NOT saying this is the case, but how would a retailer know, if you/someone added or alter their product with the NON meant to be opened/sealed spray top pried off?|||333cat, did you hear back from the seller? I understand your frustration and because perfume is pricey it would peave me off too, to get a product that didn't but you should have contacted the seller before prying it open. As I said before, you can file SNAD of you don't hear from the seller but you may end up paying for shipping again, for nothing.Need a website fast?|||Yes, I did. She has offered a partial refund, which is generous and not really what I asked for. I asked her to check her resources, and if she can find something that is verified, then I will pay shipping and any difference above her offer of a partial. Yes, I really just want the perfume. And, yes, I have currently photographed the labeling, and I have a question in to Givenchy as we speak. Since this was sold as used, it may only mean that she got it from a bad source.