1. You should leave positive feedback if the item was shipped promptly and communication was good with the seller. You can say something like "Item received promptly, but cigarette smoke smell is strong."

2. Yes - you should have asked about the smoking situation, so that's on you. If you neg or neutral them for that, they will (and well should!) report you to eBay as a poor buyer.

3. Can't help you with the smell. I'd risk the washing machine since you wouldn't be able to wear them anyway.

Get some odorban and soak a cloth with it stuff in the shoes and put shoes in a shoe box or sealed zip lock. Putting baking soda in them will help too.

No, you should not leave this information in the feedback. Limit your response to the areas of communication (did they answer your questions, advise shipping info etc), promptness, described accurately. You are correct that you should have checked, if it wasn't explicitly state in the listing. As for getting rid of the odor, try sealing them in a bag with either fish filter charcoal or kitty litter. The charcoal will work faster, but they will both absorb the smell over a week or two.

If you are not sensitive to smells and the shoes truly reek, that should have been disclosed in the ad.

My "used shoes" sometimes smell, I'm not sure what a reasonable expectation should be.

Odoban as Raven says..but no plastic bag with wet or it will mold. You may have to soak in a bucket with water and a tad of detergent. .change water often so they arnt soaking in smoke infused water...last soak add the odoban than rinse well...shape them up and let sit outdoors in the shade...no sun until dry. The sun will help odors but may shrink them...you can save these shoes.

I bought a stuffed animal that reeked of something, but not smoke. I sealed it in a plastic bag with lots of baking soda and let it sit unopened for two weeks. Afterwards, the animal was fine. I would try that first and if it doesn't work, I would probably try washing the shoes in the washer.

Leave a positive feedback, but also let people know it's from a smoking seller. in the meantime, I find Febreeze works excellent for removing odors from fabric. If it can kill the stench in my sons running shoes, it'll kill cigarette smoke. ;)

I would set it outside in the sun, that will probably get rid of the smell. It could take a couple times. That's what I would do anyway.

Ditto, sit them outside in the air, sun, hopefully a breeze. It might take a couple of afternoons, bring them in in the evening so they don't get damp in night air.

Ditto what imstillchloecat said plus email seller suggesting that she disclose her merchandise comes from a smoke environment and that you regret forgetting to ask about it as shoes reeked. I don't know how to eliminate that nasty smoke odor from anything.

Try putting a generous dusting of foot deodorizer in the shoes and then wear for an hour of two. Maybe that will quell the smell.

Before you wear a used shoe, its a good idea to put a generous amount of anti-fungal powder in the shoe. Make sure it is really anti-fungal, not just a common foot powder. The two foot powders that I recommend are Desenex and Tinactin. Both contain 2% of Miconazole nitrate as the active ingredient.

Did you contact the seller? They may refund your $ to avoid negative feedback.

I left positive feedback but wrote about the smoke smell in the comments. I also read the long list of positive comments this seller has gotten, and several mentioned smoke smell. One person bought a cooler from the seller and the comment indicated he tried to get rid of the smell but in the end had to toss the item: "Heavy smoke odor, tried hard to clean, had to discard!" So it is not just me. Sure wonder why this seller doesn't get the hint.

I soaked the shoes overnight in a diluted mix of water and Nature's Miracle, the enzyme cleaner I've used for cat "accidents" and which has successfully removed cat urine smell. This morning I rinsed them and they are now drying--they survived the ordeal just fine and I expect this will work for the smoke smell.

Again, live and learn about ebay. No matter what the item, ask about smoke and check the comments.

I have had 2 instances recently where I have bought movies on Ebay that are supposed to contain multiple discs, and only 1 of the discs arrived. Both sellers refunded my money without making me send the item back.

It's frustrating because both of them were supposed to be birthday gifts for my husband. What kind of feedback would you folks leave?

positive w/comment: seller fully refunded b/c item incomplete or not as expected.

You will need to leave positive feedback since you didn't ask about the smoke free home thing. I know it stinks......literally, but things like this happen. I recently bought 2 items of clothing from eBay, They didn't stink of smoke but of laundry detergent, softener or perfume and it reeked to me. I washed it 2-3 times with baking soda & vinegar and it still stunk. Try putting charcoal in the shoes. Baking soda may help also.

As an ebay seller, I do agree with the information about leaving positive feedback. I hate that you didn't remember to ask about the smoke free issue. I do hope the smell comes out. Yes, reading the feedback from people is very important. I have seen some listings which say "from a smoke free home" which is helpful. I cannot understand why the seller doesn't list that items are coming from a smoker's house.

They probably don't disclose because they don't want to lose sales from posting that they smoke around the items they're listing on ebay.

My "used shoes" sometimes smell, I'm not sure what a reasonable expectation should be.

It may well be reasonable to expect that shoes may smell like feet. To me, it is not reasonable that people would expect shoes to smell like cigarettes. In my opinion while it may be smart to ask, I think the seller has a duty to disclose odors that are not ordinarily associated with shoes. Cigarette smoke, cat urine, mildew are all in my opinion subject to disclosure.

Are smokers even aware how much their smoke affects others? Honestly, I sometimes wonder. People who smoke smell like smoke, and if people smoke around items they will smell like smoke. Yuk. Smokers need to keep in mind that while it is their right to smoke it affects people, animals, and things all around them. This ebay seller needs to disclose that items may well stink like smoke. That's the truth.

As a somewhat recent smoker who has since moved on to a combination of 'reduced risk' products that don't smell like cigarettes because they're not cigarettes...:P I was really amazed at how different my sense of smell and taste are now in comparison to when I smoked cigarettes. After a while smoking and the stink it leaves on everything sort of lessens to the smoker themselves, now I can't stand the smell either and it is SO much more noticeable to me!

"cannot eat the steak and ask for refund b/c you didn't like it."

Judge Judy says THAT? A guy at a grocery store ate the frozen lasagna brought back the receipt, wanted a refund...and got it! :0)

I'd give positive feedback and say it reeked of cigarette smoke. Non disclosure was not YOUR fault.

Nicole, the store policy may be to accommodate customer, right or wrong, but it doesn't mean he was LEGALLY entitled to a refund.

im w/you about + feedback and smoke stench comment.

bossyvossy.....I thought the customer request was unreasonable! Outlandish! I didn't mean Judy was incorrect....just happy she said it! lol She tells it like it is! That grocery store had people wanting last weeks sale prices, shoplifting....it's closed now....