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unhappy ebay buyer - item not described well

  • 22-01-2008 12:45pm
    #1
    HarryD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 913 ✭✭✭


    Hi All,

    Recently my friend asked me to take a look at his laptop.
    It was giving the blue screen of death regularily.
    I tried a fresh install of windows and all drivers to no avail.
    So he told me to stick it on ebay as faulty.
    I did, with faulty for spares/repair in item title.

    In the description I included:
    This machine works fine for some time but then shows the blue screen of death and reboots.
    Items is in good cosmetic condition except a mark on the dell logo.
    Items sold as 'Spares/Repair' hence no returns accepted.

    It sold for 207ukp - more than we expected.
    Now the buyer is complaining:
    not impressed with your discription on ebay.This supposed to have good plastics apart from the 'dell' logo.The lid is badly scratched along with the palm rests(which needs new one's),there is no sound as well.

    I have photos that show no major marks on the body except the one described - so I don't accept this concern.


    I noticed in device manage there was 2 unknown devices.
    I guess one must have been the sound.
    The sound hardware must be faulty causing the thing to reboot.
    I told him that a faulty laptop may well have a faulty component,
    it's the nature of the item.
    Also provided photos of the body with no visible major marks.

    I'm considering offering him a partial refund as it sold for more than expected, but don't really accept either of his concerns so would be doing it for the wrong reasons. He was the one who bid so much on it.

    Any thoughts ?

    TIA,
    Ray.


Comments

  • #2
    Vikings
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,784 ✭✭✭Vikings


    What is his suggestion on how to resolve the problem?

    If you have described the item accurately and explained the damages i.e listed it as for spares only etc. and the buyer then tries to claim because the item is damaged then it is not a valid claim.

    Stand your ground on this one, you may be better off giving him a partial refund (of a small amount) if he requests it to keep him happy but otherwise you don't have to do anything else.


  • #3
    HarryD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 913 ✭✭✭HarryD


    So far I have stood my ground and he hasn't replied since.
    He hasn't suggested anything to resolve the issue, but did
    state the fact that the sound card is faulty (and non-existent cosmetic damage)
    makes it a dear laptop.
    That makes me think a partial refund would keep him happy.
    For a Inspiron 2Ghz/60GB/512MB/DVD+-RW/15" LCD, 207ukp is not too bad IMO for spares.


  • #4
    dudara
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    I think that you should stand your ground on this one. You stated clearly that it was marked (you did provide photos right?) and the fact that you stated no returns accepted would make me a wary buyer.


  • #5
    ei9go
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,036 ✭✭✭ei9go


    If he paid you by Paypal there is a grave danger that if he complains through them, they will give him all the money back upon proof that the laptop has been returned to you.

    Try and sort it out before that.


  • #6
    zeusnero
    Closed Accounts Posts: 334 ✭✭zeusnero


    ei9go wrote: »
    If he paid you by Paypal there is a grave danger that if he complains through them, they will give him all the money back upon proof that the laptop has been returned to you.

    Try and sort it out before that.


    ei9go is spot on here - in all my dealings with Paypal they have sided with the buyer and i've had funds in my account frozen for up to 2 weeks until one problem was sorted...

    Also, another factor that comes into play is how valuable a positive feedback record is to you. If it is important than you should try to placate the buyer to some degree - a small refund might help out here... If you don't care about your feedback, and payment was through Paypal then I would withdraw all funds from my Paypal asap.


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  • #7
    HarryD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 913 ✭✭✭HarryD


    feedback is important as I'm at 193/100%, and all funds withdrawn from paypal account.
    I feel if he had legitimate concern that I would have no problem offering a partial refund.
    But if I offer a partial refund on illegitimate concerns, I'm doing it only to protect my feedback and because he expressed his dis-satisfaction.
    Based on that principle I can bid whatever I want on an adequately described item, and claim it was too 'dear', in an attempt to get a partial refund using feedback/paypal as a weapon.

    I've attached a photo of the laptop showing the palm rests that are apparantly badly scratched, and need new ones.
    My one issue is prehaps I should have mentioned the unknown items in device manager,
    however at the time I thought they were just some non-critical hardware, which I hadn't
    installed drivers for - eg: bluetooth module, or smartcard reader.
    I didn't notice no sound, but when I tried to install the sound drivers it failed - I assumed I had the wrong drivers from dell..


  • #8
    Vikings
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,784 ✭✭✭Vikings


    ei9go wrote: »
    If he paid you by Paypal there is a grave danger that if he complains through them, they will give him all the money back upon proof that the laptop has been returned to you.

    Try and sort it out before that.
    zeusnero wrote: »
    ei9go is spot on here - in all my dealings with Paypal they have sided with the buyer and i've had funds in my account frozen for up to 2 weeks until one problem was sorted...


    If an item is "Not as Described" PayPal will ask the buyer to return the item to the seller and a full refund must then be given, but in this case it appears as though the item is exactly as described yet the buyer is still unhappy. This is not a valid claim and should the buyer claim with PayPal it would most likely be denied.

    That being said, for feedbacks sake you may be better off negotiating with the buyer. Ask him what he thinks would be a fair outcome and then haggle with him if he names a price.

    If it was me I wouldn't be offering any more than £20 and that is just to keep him happy and to leave positive feedback.

    I wouldn't worry too much about him taking the issue to eBay or PayPal as he doesn't really have a valid claim.


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