ebay advice

[C2K]

Hi Gents,

Bit of advice from people who've faced this situation - Just what I need when i'm away on business for 2 weeks.

Sold a satnav on ebay about 35 days ago, as it was surplus to requirements. Mentioned in the auction that the car charger was a bit dicky, but the unit charged perfectly on the mains and all items were included to do so. I was perfectly honest.

Fast forward over 30 days, and the swine who bought it has opened a case against me on ebay demanding a refund saying I sold him faulty goods. Firstly he said it didn't turn on, then he changed his story to the unit doesn't charge and so won't turn on. This is total horsepoo as it had been turned off for months before i sold it and it still charged fully/turned on fine - it's shown turning on and plotting a route in the advert.

Where do I stand with this dispute, it appears as if my only option is to allow him to return it as it'll be my word against his? I've already had a hold put on the paypal as a result of the dispute. Basically seems like if i don't offer the return ebay will bum me and give him his cash back anyway.

Thing is with electronics I get the distinct feeling it won't be my unit that gets returned in the post if you get me. Either way, i can hope he forgets to send it tracked, or indeed I will claim that it's not the unit I shipped. (silly me didn't record the serial, but it does have distinctive case markings - plus the serial is on a removable part of the unit so easily swapped!).

Thing that annoys me is there was nothing wrong with it when it left me.

[rikky]

it's annoying as a seller when you get stuff like this, it's all in favour of the buyer really. i did notice a 'report problem buyer' sort of thing the other day though, which might be something new. i don't know what to suggest really though. i'm tempted to security mark a lot of stuff i sell but i rarely have an issue so never go through with it. atleast that way i'd know it was the same thing that had been returned

very frustrating though. if he sends it back untracked and you do get it back in your hand, won't you feel bad having his money and him having no goods?

[pioneer DJ paddy]

F#ck bags hate people like that I work in a van breakers and have to deal with shit like that all the time worst thing is no matter wat way u go ur allways the bad guy at lessed thats wat I founded any lol hope u get it sorted any way man :-)

[cully]

if the satnav has been updated in the life you had it you would have a id code for the unit
well garmins you do anyway

and as for being bummed by ebay you will be if you dont offer the refund on return of item

ebay will always decide on the buyers side.....the bastards

[C2K]

Just seems to me like unless I allow him to return it, despite not accepting returns, then I get f*cked over for my cash and the item too. Need to find a way to play him at his own game.

*goes off to ebay to find serials on other adverts to provide as photographic evidence*

[pioneer DJ paddy]

Hw can they do that any way he has had it over a 30 day pluse he could have broken it him self like maybe spilt a drink over it are wat ever and yet they are on his side ether way lol and dont no any f#ck this world lol

[vincent1]

Hes probably used it for his holiday trip as the satnav does work ok now hes back home hes let it run flat etc claiming it wont charge now, and may be being skint after his holiday he wants a refund as you say ebay will take his side no doubt.

[Dum-Dum]

Defo check if you have the serial number or was it uv marked at some point (top tip, UV mark everything you sell on ebay and make sure you get the right thing back)

My opinion would be that if you have proof it was working when you sold it and it's taken him this long to return it then it has broken in his ownership and thus as no warranty was given its his problem but sadly ebay doesnt entirely work like that.

[r3k1355]

If eBay do take your money you are able to take them to court.
You are not a shop and you don't need to offer any warranty.

I'd state that the item was working when it was sent and given the timeframe it's highly likely the user has broken it themselves.

Make a point that no warranty was offered or insinuated, and the item was shown to be working before it was sent.

[C.A.R.]

You have his address right?

Send him a message saying that you're in the area next week and would like to come by and show him how it works. He might back down. You can also request a telephone number to resolve the issue, although I'm not sure how obliged the buyer is to give it out.

Even better if it went to his work address...

[rikky]

if you have done a transaction with the person, which you have, you can request contact information. it is sent immediately to you. as is your information to the buyer

i have in the past threatened to drive 100 miles to recover £30 for a jacket i sold when they reported the item as not arrived, and paypal held the payment, yet the jacket was already in the post to the buyer. what a complete and utter plum they turned out to be

[r3k1355]

As they would be, being a stupid small time con-man thinking they're anonymous on eBay.

[rikky]

you can always resort to sabotage as well by winning all his items for sale, should he have any. but that is childish and i do not condone that

[Toms306]

Bit late now...but never sell electronics on ebay. This has happened to me several times, I just gave a refund and hoped the items did break in transit. What else can you do, you cant prove the item was working when they received.

I wont sell anything electrical on there now...

[C2K]

Seems my only option is to allow him to return it, otherwise ebay takes my money and he keeps a working sat nav.

Found a serial on another advert on ebay so can provide photographic evidence of different unit being returned....

Never sold electronics on there, now I know why.

[Orta]

eBay WILL always rule in the favour of the lying buyer. ALWAYS.

[Toms306]

Exactly. The customer is always right...

...even when they're wrong!

[zx_volcane]

It is a pita, had it on a few items recently

As a seller, it does your nut in

I'd ask for video / photo proof that it is faulty

Good idea to call their bluff by saying you're in the area to pick it up

or get them to return it at their cost and sell it on again

Some low value items (sub £20) I've just refunded (minus cost of my postage out) and let them keep it as its not worth the hassle for me - and it has definitely put me off selling on ebay.

With paypal stepping in like that it gives people the mindset that you're just a faceless company that they can get a refund off for any stupid reason - rather than a private individual seller.

This coupled with the astronomical fees makes you think twice about selling on there

Shame they have the monopoly...

[C2K]

Trouble is, he could perfectly well scam me and return a unit that he had that was faulty which he replaced with mine. My spidey senses tell me i'll be getting a duffer back.

Apparently, the latest version of the story is that the light is on but doens't charge. Total total codswallop.

If i initiate the right for him to return, can I prevent a refund if i find discrepancy? ebay just says:

The buyer returned a different item than the one I sent. What do I do?
If the buyer returns a different item, or the same item but in worse condition, you should appeal to eBay immediately. We will review the case, and if we find in your favour we will repay you any funds which have been reversed from your account and record the incident on the buyer’s record. If a pattern emerges, we will take action on the buyer for fraud. We also will track the number of times a seller cases this happens, to monitor for potential abuse.

[r3k1355]

No as soon as he provides eBay with proof he's posted it then they will refund his money straight from your account.

Only way to get around it is to open another dispute when it arrives and claim he's sent you a rock back.

[C.A.R.]

Do any of the 306oc live nearby and could pop by for a friendly chat / demonstration?

[r3k1355]

Where does this fella live?

[1616six]

Do any of the 306oc live nearby and could pop by for a friendly chat / demonstration?

This.

I sold a set of cracked, damaged, scrap 19" snowflakes on ebay for £190 to a fellow in inner Luton.

I took 15+ photos of them, detailed every crack, detail, everything you could want. He paid, I sent them via courier & that was that.

A month later, I received an 'eBay dispute' and a lovely frozen £190 I didn't have, from my account.

A few messages later it turned out he'd paid to have them shot blasted and was told they're no good (As I'd already described them in my listing)

He suggested I refunded him, paid him £60 for the sand blasting, and let him "dispose of the scrap wheels to save postage"

No, Mustufa, I won't, thank you. Within 12 hours one of the guys on the Vecta-C forum was at his house to collect them. I refunded his £190, met the forum member at a meet, gave him a tenner & some beers for the favour, got my wheels back (freshly sandblasted) and sold them via the forum for £220.

Clearly wanted his money back and to keep the wheels.

#ebaybastards

[r3k1355]

Cheeky shite, some wankers will try anything on!!

---

Isn't there a way to get the money out of your paypal account now before the 30 day limit, or does everything stay in the account until then?

[C2K]

Hi Guys, only just got back from South Africa. He lives in Osbald wick in York. Anyone near by?

His latest post seems to indicate it took him 35 days to notice because he put it away whilst they went away. Bollocks, more like you holidayed around europe with it and now don't need it anymore. I've asked for a video of the fault as his story is inconsistent. I also pointed out that it was in a box for 6 months before I sold it due to a house move, so for a unit that didn't charge it's looking pretty healthy in the photos.

Ebay rolls over to arbitration day tomorrow. As per r3k posts i'm just going to claim he's shipped me a dead item back that was not the one i sent him. I spoke with ebay about this on thursday and they just said i must wait until the 8 days has lapsed (tomorrow) when they will then review it. If they find in his favour he will be told to return the unit to me, and in the case of any discrepancy I must immediately appeal.

Here's to getting bummed. -_-

[C2K]

What a knob, just admitted in his latest message that it operates exactly as i described - that it charges from the mains but the car charger is dicky. That's why i said car charging was intermittent.....

Forced an escalation to ebay now as it's just a game of tennis. As far as i'm concerned it works how i advertised it. See what ebay say.

[Matt-Rallye]

I have to deal with ebay all day everyday for my work (massive ebay shop)

Everyone know that ebay always rule in the buyers favour! i refuse to use ebay for selling personally, its a complete mugs game nowadays.

Hope you get it in your favour dude

[swampy]

What a knob, just admitted in his latest message that it operates exactly as i described - that it charges from the mains but the car charger is dicky. That's why i said car charging was intermittent.....

Forced an escalation to ebay now as it's just a game of tennis. As far as i'm concerned it works how i advertised it. See what ebay say.

IS it a tom tom unit?

mine is exactly the same, unless im using a genuine tom tom car charger it doesnt work.
got a desk top charge unit now, that also works off usb that i take with me if im going to be using it alot and charge it from there

[C2K]

They may decided in his favour, so I think Michael mouse might have to sign for the parcel.

lady gardens.

If there is any funny business I'm reporting him, especially if the lady garden gets to neg me.

Yes it's a tom tom, it worked fine until the sucker dropped off the first cradle, then the replacement unit which seems to be genuine, never worked properly, it just had a sweet spot. Always charged from mains fine.

[selectcase]

very true - ebay is not the place to sell now as too many scammers