@icehawks18 thank you...
@tee_dee agreed, not what it used to be for sure.
@tylermunns agree with all you said, most likely he is as stupid as a brick.
Unscrupulous ebay buyers
Beware if you sell on ebay. I’m probably stating something most already know, but anyhow, I listed a brand new cartridge there which was bought and shipped on time. Buyer receives It, opens it and installs it. He proceeds to play his records. He then messages me that the cartridge has muddy bass and poor channel separation. I advise him to check all alignment parameters, but he insists cartridge is defective, I highly doubt it. I do not accept returns as stated in the listing. He proceeds to pack it up, taking a photo, and states "on the way!"...I again told him that I do not accept returns for a cartridge that is now used...also said that just because you bought something you have never listened to and you are displeased with its sound or performance, does not give him the right to demand I accept a return. I reported him to ebay, as in my opinion he is pulling a fast one. He could very likely have damaged it while installing it. It was brand new pristine condition upon shipping it. I am standing my ground and will not accept a return. If it shows up at my door, too bad. At this point, I can care less if I receive negative feedback, it would be my first. Worse buyer I’ve encountered in 20 years of selling. Man I hate ebay. Honestly, to me it sounds like buyer remorse, not a defective cartridge, plus I am not the manufacturer....he can pound sand.
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eBay has deteriorated greatly since it was founded. There is zero seller protection. I don’t care what they say. They do not back it up. I don’t and won’t sell on eBay for that reason and others. I also rarely buy on eBay and certainly never buy audio gear on eBay. I only sell and buy on USAM and Audiogon. Period. |
First of all, I want to say - I’m very sorry this happened to you - and I'm not trolling! Someone stole my cellphone yesterday, so yeah there are $hitty people out there in all walks of life. Nonetheless, I wanted to say, I’ve sold 200+ things on ebay - most recently a $2500 turntable, and I’ve probably bought over a thousand things, dating back to 1999. I’ve literally never had any major issue buying or selling. An occasional minor thing, that we were able to reach a middle ground on. nonetheless I hope you get everything settled! |
If you have a local craigslist in your city, and if it has a reasonable amount of audiophile equipment activity, it works best. You and the other party meet, you make the exchange, and you are done. The downside is that you may wait a long time. Here in the SF Bay Area, for example, I kept an ad for the wonderful Quicksilver integrated amp going for four months until a buyer appeared.
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@dill you have a point.... |
Haven't been selling on ebay for quite a while and decided to re-open activities. For no reason account suspended indefinitely with no explaination. Turns out to be that if you really wanna sell on e-bay you gotta buy an anonymous account and tie it to pre-paid card for security. Once received money, CASH right away from ebay-paypal domain preferably next second once available. |
@tds3371 I don't doubt that you are correct. I'm waiting for next shoe to drop....in other words as you stated, money deducted from my balance for this jerks refund. He is treating me as if I'm some kind of audio store where as he can buy my stuff, try it, and return it at will because he doesn't like how it sounds. Sorry, in my book it does not work that way, at least not for a cartridge. I checked many an audio retailers return policies on cartridges, and 99% of them do not accept a return if it was installed and used. Which is the case here. For all I know he f'd it up and now wants to return it. In fact it now says returned. I don't care what it says, he's not getting a refund if I can help it. Ebay may, as you stated, have other ideas in mind. So be it, unfortunate. I have since blocked this buyer. Not much else I can do. Worst buyer in 20 years of selling. Just unbelievable this guy. .. |
You may wish to read up on eBay's rules, regulations, etc. governing purchases and returns. As I understand it, eBay is no longer connected with PayPal - they deal directly with the buyer's credit card and the seller's bank account (which, as a seller, you were required to give them access to). This allows eBay to essentially enact a refund without your consent (they call this "buyer protection."). Second, if you sell on eBay, there is no such thing as "no returns." Buyers can initiative the return process at any point and for any reason - even if you've clearly stated a "no return" policy. All this was designed to eliminate unscrupulous sellers; now it empowers unscrupulous buyers. In a nutshell: eBay contends they merely provide a platform for buyers and sellers to connect - after which they assume no responsibility. Since they get a piece of every transaction (regardless of outcome), they're content to simply let buyers and sellers eat one another alive. Financially, it's a foolproof business model; ethically, not so much. My .02. If I'm wrong on this, I stand to be corrected. |
I have sold hundreds of items on eBay and thankfully only had 2 issues - one similar to yours. A guy bought a vintage guitar amp from me which I said worked fine in the description, but that due to the nature of vintage electronics was not warranteed, and no returns are accepted. I even checked off the “no returns” box on the listing form. The buyer obviously decided he didn’t want the amp after all, and said it wasn’t working, filed a defective item claim, and eBay let him return it in spite of my appeal. When I received it, the amp was fine, I sold it again to a satisfied buyer. It cost me shipping both ways, which wasn’t cheap. I now sell guitar/amps on Reverb and avoid eBay ( primarily due to their excessive fees). |
Thank all for you input! I'll be sticking to my guns, no refund. I'm not sure of warranty, I informed him to contact the manufacturer and take it up with them, as I do not provide a warranty. I clearly indicated this in my listing, no returns, no refunds, all sales final, no warranty expressed or implied. Yet, he continues to message me. I'm not taking back what was a brand new cartridge after he man handled it. He may have caused damage during the install for all I know. People are just so entitled today. Honestly, he just does not like the cartridge and thinks I'm foolish enough to take it back. Anyhow thanks again! |
(1) @jl35 has an important point. (2) Warranty claims against unit build defects are generally those against the OEM manufacturer’s designated distributor. Intuitively, if the Seller is not an authorized retailer with Distributor, then that warranty option generally is rendered null and void in the fine print templated in 99+% of product sales documentation (3) Unless otherwise forced upon you by PayPal TBD, the AGON Court of Public Opinion can sympathize with your reported facts situation and your further response options. Carry on and good luck. |
I have sold many many items on ebay with only 2 issues which I won, but now I only sell within a few self imposed restrictions. I don’t sell items over $100 and most are under $50 such as tubes, CD’s, LP’s, other assorted items. All are low risk and not worth fretting over. I get very few complaints and if I do I give a full refund with pictures or video proof. The goal for me is to reduce stuff not make money and ebay is a good partner for this. Any higher ticket items go on agon or mostly usamart since commission fees add up. So far good luck on those sites but I do get nervous especially now with everyone using F&F. |
