Promoting 100% feedback but all as buyer

eightyfish

Just need some input...

I want the buy this : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180545322657&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123#ht_1575wt_1137.

1. The seller says "BUY WITH CONFIDENCE FROM A SELLER THAT HAS 100% POSITIVE FEEDBACK!" but when you go into the detail ALL of the feedback is as a buyer.
2. The item is listed as USED but described as NEW.

Do you think I be suspicious?

Nody

it comes over as a refurb to me but I could be wrong.

The feedback is also odd as you noted but it appears he was doing the whole resell deal with 'em locally I guess.

As for the chance of a scam; yes it is possible but if he's been reselling laptops it is a good chance he'd know where to get batteries as well. My main worry would be around if it is a real original or a hk copy (more likely but you never know). Then again for the money you'd pay it is a gamble which may well be worth taking.

Judgement Day

Yeah, I don't buy this type of stuff on eBay but I do buy and sell quite a lot of other things and there's something not quite right here. A registered seller with no sales, advertising something as new and used? He seems to have bought masses of similar stuff so maybe he is now selling it off again with a mark-up? Anyway I don't like it. Just my tuppence worth. I'm sure jor_el will be along soon.

RoadKillTs

I'd say its ok but it is strange alright about his feedback.

Edit: Maybe go with a different seller just in case. Another one here

eightyfish

RoadKillTs wrote: »

I'd say its ok but it is strange alright about his feedback.

Edit: Maybe go with a different seller just in case. Another one here

Thanks. That one looks like a compatible. This looks like the best bet, but 50% more expensive than the first one.

Safe than sorry.

eightyfish

Okay, a further development. I emailed the guy and asked him about the listing.

I didn't sell on ebay previously, because this was a buyer profile earlier, when I bought items on ebay and sold them outside of it. Search for the value of the items I bought and let me know if you still think it's risky to buy from me.

I decided to start selling on ebay as well from using my profile because I have better chances to sell with this than creating a new one from scratch. Because than again...that would make people curious. You know it's quite hard to establish yourself on ebay, so I'm just using what I have to maximize my chances. I don't think that it's bad, and I'm not a bad person.

I leave the decision with you. Don't forget that even in the worst case you still have ebay and paypal to protect you.

Best regards,

Think it might be genuine now. What do you think?

RoadKillTs

I mailed him too

,
Hi,

Let me explain. I didn't sell on ebay previously, because this was a buyer profile earlier, when I bought items on ebay and sold them outside of it. Search for the value of the items I bought previously if you feel it's risky buying from me.

I leave the decision with you. Don't forget that even in the worst case you still have ebay and paypal to protect you.

Best regards,

Las

- laptopandpcparts

Think it might be genuine now. What do you think?

I'd probably buy off him.

clived2

Whats the cost of a new one

Perform a risk anaysis ratio and then decide

eightyfish

clived2 wrote: »

Whats the cost of a new one

Perform a risk anaysis ratio and then decide

It's about 50% more from a seller with feedback. It's about 150% more from Amazon. Will let ye know if it works out.

eightyfish

RoadKillTs wrote: »

I'd probably buy off him.

I did.

clived2

eightyfish wrote: »

It's about 50% more from a seller with feedback. It's about 150% more from Amazon. Will let ye know if it works out.

It seems like alot of work for very little return,
Prob worth the risk considering reward

Max Power1

Probably not genuine parts at that price.

You get what you pay for, and it will work fine. Probably invalidate any manufacturer warranty remaining (if your machine is still in warranty)

As I always say though, the buyer is always favoured with ebay/paypal, so if you dont get what you see, file a dispute and youll get money back.

eightyfish

Max Power1 wrote: »

As I always say though, the buyer is always favoured with ebay/paypal, so if you dont get what you see, file a dispute and youll get money back.

Aye. The only problem is that you have to pay to send the goods back. And registered. I'm cautious because I was stung before with a faulty DVD recorder from the UK. Ended up down about €25 even though I got a full refund.

Anyway - I've given this a go. The seller assured me personally that it was genuine. At €20, I'm willing to take the risk.

delllat

my best guess is its a chinese copy,ebay if flooded with them

when u get it phone hp with the serial numbeer and they willl confirm

these batterys dont sell for £17 if original

eightyfish

Okay I've just received this today. Super fast delivery.

So far it looks genuine - doesn't look like an obvious copy. I called HP and they said judging by the part number the new battery will have slightly less charge than the one that came with the laptop, but will be compatible.

Using battery bar, the current info is that my battery has a capacity of 50kWh and this new one has a capacity of 44.7kWh, not bad for just over 20 quid. Will charge it up and let it run out a few times before I leave feedback.

eightyfish

Actually I take that back. It's 44.7 mWh. So my current battery gives 3+ hrs and this one only gives 1.2 hrs.

Though it does fit the description on the listing.

Looking up HP's site I can see 2 batteries for my laptop:

486296-001 (55Wh)
486295-001 (47Wh)

This one has the second part number but so far batterybar is reporting 44.7 mWh and a lifetime of only 1hr18mins

ttm

eightyfish wrote: »

Actually I take that back. It's 44.7 mWh. So my current battery gives 3+ hrs and this one only gives 1.2 hrs.

Though it does fit the description on the listing.

Looking up HP's site I can see 2 batteries for my laptop:

486296-001 (55Wh)
486295-001 (47Wh)

This one has the second part number but so far batterybar is reporting 44.7 mWh and a lifetime of only 1hr18mins

Keep on charging and using it for a bit to see if that improves but I'd expect the battery life to be in proportion to the rating so of the 55Wh one does about 3hrs the 47Wh one should do at least 2 1/2hours.

So maybe it is a fake?

Edit> Not sure how your battery bar measures its stats but if its saying the battery power is 44.7 mWh that is 1/100 of 44.7Wh and suggests either a problem with the battery or that the chip on the battery is wrong. Most laptop batteries would be rated between 30Wh and 70Wh, for example the Dell D505 battery on my desk is rated 11.1V 4700mAh Capacity 53Wh.

ttm

Not sure if this from the HP website is any use Battery information center if you don't have it it might show up a fake?

Don't forget there is a chip in the battery that contains its serial number and other data that the computer can use to recognise the battery and that 44.7 mWh statistic has me wodering if the chip is programmed incorrectly and hence a fake?

Try weighing the battery, I't might be less than half the weight of the original which would mean it was half the battery, although the chineese are on to that one and often include strips of metal to add to the weight.

eightyfish

Thanks. I downloaded the battery check and it says the battery status is OK. I'm not sure if that means it's definitely official or not.

However, it is almost fully charged now and battery bar is now showing an estimated lifetime of 4hrs 30mins! So it may be okay. I'll let it de-charge and time it.

Thanks for the replies.

EDIT:

Battery Check does have a more detailed scan. Attached are scans of the old and new batteries. Manufacturer in both cases comes up as Simplo who do manufacture HP batters to that looks kosher. See attached.

My only concern is that the new battery age comes up as 817 days! (My old one comes up as 384 days which is about right.) but this could be since manufacture, as the cycle count is 1.

ttm

Isn't there normally a "System Information Tool" as part of the HP software that gives you serial numbers and stuff read directly from the components that make up your system. It will probably give you perfectly feasable info about your battery but might show up characters that shouldn't be there.

Only way you can check out that 4hr 30mins figure is to calibrate the battery which basically runs it through a charge discharge cycle to test out what the actual condition and capacity is so if you havn't done it yet try calibrating the battery (from HP's software).

Edit> Scrub that you have got all the info in your edit

ttm

Looks OK to me, guess it might have been cheap due to its age? The manufacturing date seems to be in the serial number. So did HP update the spec a bit and use the higher capacity on the newer laptops? Only a full charge and discharge as per Calibrating Laptop Battery followed by a use it test to see how long the new battery really lasts compared to what the software says it will is going to prove anything at this stage.

I'd tend towards it being a good battery but old stock.

I'd still be intersted as to its weight compared to the orignal even if thats just a "feels about the same" type comment.

eightyfish

ttm wrote: »

Looks OK to me, guess it might have been cheap due to its age? The manufacturing date seems to be in the serial number. So did HP update the spec a bit and use the higher capacity on the newer laptops?

Must be something like that. Laptop's been running on it now for 35 mins and battery bar indicates another 2hrs 24minutes of charge left, so yeah it looks genuine. I'll be leaving the guy positive feedback.

Good value overall considering it cost less than the belt I bought last week!

ttm wrote: »

I'd still be intersted as to its weight compared to the orignal even if thats just a "feels about the same" type comment.

The weights feel identical.

eightyfish

Exactly 2.5 hours running time on a full charge. All good.