I got taken by a crook who used 'not as described' to try to renegotiate after the auction to get a lower price.
I listed an item that I knew was a real collector's item, but I had no need for it. It was never 'all that' even when designed and sold as new - and now it was 30 years old - but it was rare and collectors loved it. I described it as honestly as I could, noting a scratch here, and a missing screw there. I provided many high-quality scans. But I made a HUGE mistake. I said 'except for what I've noted, this is essentially perfect'. I should never have used that word. Even though I disclaimed, disclaimed, disclaimed that the item was 30 years old, used, never was really all that good in the first place, etc. The bidding was intense, and a guy with 100+ positive feedbacks bought it. He paid promptly. First, he thanked me for prompt and safe shipping. Two weeks later, he emailed me and complained that the item was not as I described/pictured it, giving a whole litany of reasons. I offered him a 100% refund, despite having said 'no refunds, as-is' on my listing. He waited another week, then wrote and said he'd consider keeping it if I gave him 50% of the money back, otherwise he wanted a full refund and his shipping both ways back too, so he'd be out nothing. Either way, I lose essentially the entire value of the item and it would be as if I had just thrown it in the trash from my point of view financially. I told him to go pound sand, I don't deal with extortionists. He complained to Paypal, my account was frozen for three months while they did their 'ten to 14 day investigation'. I lost, was forced to take the item back, it arrived dented. I complained to Paypal, they told me to file a police report, essentially telling ME to go pound sand. I still buy on eBay - I will not sell EVER AGAIN. I get things all the time that are not as I expected - some through honest mistakes (the guy really was no camera expert) and others because I'm sure the fellow was being a shyster and concealed a known problem. I pay for them, I keep them or toss them. I sometimes send the seller an email - hey bozo, you packed it badly, it was smashed when I got it, or excuse me, you said this was m42, it's t-mount, and so on. Some sellers offer to make it good, some ignore my emails. I don't demand that they do anything except try to describe their items better in the future. I've got a desk drawer full of $5 lenses with fungus in them or missing the rear element, etc. Whattya gonna do? Costs more to ship it back than to keep it. E-Bay is not a retail market - it is a risk/reward system. You could get a great thing for nearly nothing, you could get taken through your own mistake, the mistake of the seller, or seller dishonesty. Nature of the beast. If you buy at a traditional auction, you don't get to bring it back if it wasn't 'all that'. Where did people get the idea that auctions now come with warrantees if one is not stated in the terms? I think - to put it as kindly as I can - that people tend to want something for nothing - and they expect that eBay, Paypal, and the seller should protect them from all disappointment. "I want to pay less than wholesale, and I want it to be 100% as new, or I'm going to pitch a bitch." Life sucks, get a helmet. "Not as described" complaints are for losers, anal-retentive perfectionists, and crybabies. Fraud is another matter entirely. I've been on eBay since 1996, Paypal since 2000, and I have 450+ positive feedback, no negatives. Like I said, I still buy, but I'll never sell again. Well, you asked for an opinion....grin... Best, Wiggy -------Original Message------- > From: "Graywolf" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Opinions wanted, ebay item condition > Sent: 15 Jun 2005 12:06:51 > > Hi guys, > > I bought the following via BIN on eBay. It is not in my opinion in the > condition described. I would rate it as vg+ to ex-. I certainly looks ex+ in > the photo and as you can see was described as in perfect condition. Also he > did not box it but shipped it in a padded envelop (These do tend to be > somewhat delicate), despite the fact that for Priority Mail the PO will > provide free boxes. > > > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7521363779&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1 > > Normally I would send it back demanding a 100% refund. However, I am under > some constraints timewise and financialwise. I basically want to have it for > the GFM Camera Clinic, but being poor, poor, poor I can only afford the > holder this month and to order the film next month, so I can not even test > the thing until then. > > The guy has 70+ positives and no negatives so I thought I could trust the > description and thus used the BIN although I figured I could save quite a bit > by bidding until I got one at my price. I guess what is bothering me most is > this "not as described" thing happening more and more often. Sure I can > probably negotiate with him and get my money back or a partial refund in > return for giving him positive feedback, but I am feeling that is > self-serving and does not help in the end as we see more and more of this. > > So I am asking for opinions about what I should do. How do you guys look at > this kind of thing? > > > -- > > graywolf > http://www.graywolfphoto.com > "Idiot Proof" <==> "Expert Proof" > ----------------------------------- > > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.7.4/16 - Release Date: 6/15/2005 -------Original Message-------
