Members mister natural Posted October 1, 2011 Members Share Posted October 1, 2011 Sold my trusty Alesis MultiMixer FireWire on eBay last week the guy get's it & tells me he want to send it back from Cali & wants a refund. I ask what's wrong with the mixer (it's mint). He says that his laptop doesn't have a card-slot or a FW port. The mixer is incompatible with his system . . . Why is this my problem ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ggm1960 Posted October 1, 2011 Members Share Posted October 1, 2011 That is a load of crap, I always make it clear with things like interfaces that people need to be certain it will work with their systems. You'd think most people would have the freakin' intelligence to research and know about what they're bidding on! I'd say it's too bad he didn't make sure it was what he needed before you shipped it out. I might also be suspicious that he might be trying to pull some sort of scam where he sends you a different one (like one that doesn't work right) back. Do you have record of the serial number? Of course now you run the risk of receiving negative feedback. Maybe you can charge some sort of return fee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted October 1, 2011 CMS Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 Sold my trusty Alesis MultiMixer FireWire on eBay last week the guy get's it & tells me he want to send it back. He says that his laptop doesn't have a card-slot or a FW port. The mixer is incompatible with his system . . . I don't think that's your problem, but I also think that you should be more understanding of the eBay experience (or inexperience). Sure, the buyer didn't do his homework, or maybe he thought that he could use a $10 Firewire-to-USB adapter cable (they just carry power to charge batteries). Or maybe he just plain didn't know enough to know that he couldn't connect it to his present computer. That's what you get sometimes when you sell through eBay because you probably couldn't sell it, certainly not as easily, any other way. A real dealer might ask the customer enough questions to be sure that what he intended to buy would meet his needs or expectations. Or some might not. But they would probably take it back. I don't see that you have any responsibility or obligation to take it back, but I think that you probably should. You should tell the buyer that you'll deduct whatever it cost you to make the sale through eBay when refunding his money, and of course he should pay the shipping cost back to you. That's just being a good trader on both ends. Not everyone who buys on eBay does his homework. Not everyone who sells on eBay anticipates the ignorance of some buyers. Let your conscience be your guide. PS - I neither buy nor sell on eBay, which is why my basement, attic, and workshop are full of stuff that I don't use any more but can't sell and it's worth too much to throw away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted October 1, 2011 Members Share Posted October 1, 2011 I'd probibly let him know what the others mentioned. I'd also let him know he needed a PCMCIA card if he wanted it to work. Both arent your fault because the unit is in perfect working condition. He got what he paid for. The question is if you want the negative feedback. If you dont then because it was no fault of yours,he would pay for "insured" shipping return. The guy may just throw it in a box poorly packedand you wind up with a piece of junk back. Also let him know it will go through inspection by a technician for damage. Only when you know nothing is tampered with or damaged will they get a refund. You never know with some people. They will pull anything. They may have damaged the unit applying the wrong power or something There are also jackasses that may have the same unit and swap parts out to get their own unit working. Then they send your unit back with their bad boards in it. Its usually pretty easy to tell. I always put some locktite on one of the screws so I know if somethings been opened. Look at the screws for marring or having cuts around the flat metal they hold together if you get it back non functional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nerol1st Posted October 1, 2011 Members Share Posted October 1, 2011 That is a load of crap, I always make it clear with things like interfaces that people need to be certain it will work with their systems. You'd think most people would have the freakin' intelligence to research and know about what they're bidding on! I'd say it's too bad he didn't make sure it was what he needed before you shipped it out. I might also be suspicious that he might be trying to pull some sort of scam where he sends you a different one (like one that doesn't work right) back. Do you have record of the serial number?Of course now you run the risk of receiving negative feedback. Maybe you can charge some sort of return fee? This is exactly why selling on ebay has become a nightmare in every way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members michael_B Posted October 1, 2011 Members Share Posted October 1, 2011 Did you have a return policy listed? Not that it matters much, because people are stupid. I usually say if you email me within 3 days of getting it and want to return it, you get to pay for insurance and shipping, then fine. Selling electronics on ebay is a nightmare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted October 1, 2011 Members Share Posted October 1, 2011 You simply explain to this guy that you upheld your part of the deal, sending him a perfectly operating mixer. It's on him to get a firewire card. If you don't mind getting it back - I've allowed things to be returned before, although never for a reason as stupid as this - then make certain that he pays all your fees incurred beforehand and then ships it back to you. You might also want to point out to him that the money he spends on this could be put toward a card slot, FW card, or some other thing that would make this work. I've had really good luck so far selling stuff on eBay, but there's always idiots out there who think it's on you to make up for their mistakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted October 1, 2011 CMS Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 It's on him to get a firewire card. Seems like the buyer is dumber than that. He apparently has a laptop with neither a Firewire port (pretty much expected unless it's 5 years old or a MacBook) nor an external bus expansion card slot, which seems to be a relatively new development. If he wants to be able to use the mixer with a computer, he'll have to get a new computer. Isn't there a law somewhere that protects people from their own ignorance? Sometimes I could use a law like that myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted October 1, 2011 Members Share Posted October 1, 2011 Yes. It's not really fair that the buyer has to waste his time because someone doesn't research what he needs AND can easily rectify the situation by purchasing something that will make the mixer work with the laptop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mister natural Posted October 3, 2011 Author Members Share Posted October 3, 2011 update : buyer & I have gone back & forth with no resolution. I think he's an idiot - he thinks I'm Nordstroms I offered $50 back, he could keep the mixer and buy a cheap USB interface to plug it in to. He claims my return guarantee should be without condition & is un-waivering in wanting a full refund. NOT GONNA HAPPEN. Don't care if I get negative feedback on this deal b/c he only has 3 transactions on eBay & I have 130, all positive. It's now up to eBay to judge what's what. Wish me luck ! peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted October 3, 2011 CMS Author Share Posted October 3, 2011 update : buyer & I have gone back & forth with no resolution. I think he's an idiot - he thinks I'm NordstromsI offered $50 back, he could keep the mixer and buy a cheap USB interface to plug it in to. How will that hel him since its audio connection to the computer is via Firewire? How many idiots does it take to make this deal right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FretFiend. Posted October 3, 2011 Members Share Posted October 3, 2011 The buyer is an idiot. Doesn't matter. It's ebay, and you're the seller. You're gonna get screwed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members techristian Posted October 4, 2011 Members Share Posted October 4, 2011 Make sure that you only reply to the buyer though EBAY mail system. That way they have record of the entire "conversation". Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chevybusa Posted October 4, 2011 Members Share Posted October 4, 2011 Man, that really sucks...I feel your pain, I sold a ton of things back in the day and it was always the zero/low feedback buyers that were always a royal pain in the ass...I know this may sound shady as hell, but just keep stringing him along until the 30-day dispute period ends, (if it still is that long, that's what it was way back when I was selling) then tell him that if he leaves you negative feedback you'll do the same, and that because you have 130 it'll only drop you down to 99.9%, whereas because he only has 3 it will drop his percentage to 75, and he won't be able to buy anything on ebay for a year cuz pretty much every seller on eBay blocks bidders with less than 90% feedback...I don't know if that's true, but hopefully it will scare him enough to not do so.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ggm1960 Posted October 4, 2011 Members Share Posted October 4, 2011 Man, that really sucks...I feel your pain, I sold a ton of things back in the day and it was always the zero/low feedback buyers that were always a royal pain in the ass...I know this may sound shady as hell, but just keep stringing him along until the 30-day dispute period ends, (if it still is that long, that's what it was way back when I was selling) then tell him that if he leaves you negative feedback you'll do the same, and that because you have 130 it'll only drop you down to 99.9%, whereas because he only has 3 it will drop his percentage to 75, and he won't be able to buy anything on ebay for a year cuz pretty much every seller on eBay blocks bidders with less than 90% feedback...I don't know if that's true, but hopefully it will scare him enough to not do so.... If I understand what I'd read correctly, a policy change last year means eBay no longer allows sellers to leave negative feedback on buyers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted October 4, 2011 Members Share Posted October 4, 2011 update : buyer & I have gone back & forth with no resolution. I think he's an idiot - he thinks I'm NordstromsI offered $50 back, he could keep the mixer and buy a cheap USB interface to plug it in to. He claims my return guarantee should be without condition & is un-waivering in wanting a full refund. NOT GONNA HAPPEN. Don't care if I get negative feedback on this deal b/c he only has 3 transactions on eBay & I have 130, all positive. It's now up to eBay to judge what's what. Wish me luck !peace Keep in mind ebay is now all about protecting buyers from you crooked non-commercial sellers.Have you discussed his sending the unit back on his dime? Then, if it is the same unit and in the same working condition, issue a refund less shipping?Other than that, it might be, as suggested, not a bad idea to string the guy along but I thing the time frame is longer now.The bad feedback is probably the way to go and if he gives you bad feedback you have the opportunity to post a rebuttal.In any case make sure you have a copy of the original ad where the clown purchased the unit so the disclaimers are in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chevybusa Posted October 4, 2011 Members Share Posted October 4, 2011 If I understand what I'd read correctly, a policy change last year means eBay no longer allows sellers to leave negative feedback on buyers. You're absolutely right (and IMHO it's absolutely {censored}ing REDICULOUS and completely unfair) but the buyer (especially with only 3 feedbacks) most likely won't know that, and even if he does, if the seller threatens it he most likely won't want to risk it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted October 4, 2011 CMS Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Mr. Natural - Is this mixer really so difficult to sell that you feel that if you don't stick the present buyer with it, you'll be stuck with it forever? Sure, you're within your right fo enforce the sale and refuse a refund, but why? How would you feel if you were on the other end of the deal? Of course the buyer didn't realize what he was (or wasn't) buying, and that's clearly his fault, but if every eBay seller was like you, I'm not surprised that eBay is working harder these days to protect buyers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted October 4, 2011 Members Share Posted October 4, 2011 You're absolutely right (and IMHO it's absolutely {censored}ing REDICULOUS and completely unfair) but the buyer (especially with only 3 feedbacks) most likely won't know that, and even if he does, if the seller threatens it he most likely won't want to risk it... That's {censored}ed and certainly unfair but has to go along with ebays slant toward getting rid of private sellers, along with over protecting idiots who cannot read and don't have the sense to do the requisite research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Goobers Posted October 4, 2011 Members Share Posted October 4, 2011 Let him return it. Take a "restocking fee," or whatever, for your troubles, since the unit wasn't defective, and move on. Not letting him return it is kind of a dick move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mister natural Posted October 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted October 5, 2011 Mr. Natural - Is this mixer really so difficult to sell that you feel that if you don't stick the present buyer with it, you'll be stuck with it forever? Sure, you're within your right fo enforce the sale and refuse a refund, but why? How would you feel if you were on the other end of the deal? Of course the buyer didn't realize what he was (or wasn't) buying, and that's clearly his fault, but if every eBay seller was like you, I'm not surprised that eBay is working harder these days to protect buyers. That's the kind of common-sense advise I guess I was looking for here. Why am I digging my heals-in over something like this ? Just being stubborn ?? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flemtone Posted October 5, 2011 Members Share Posted October 5, 2011 Mr. Natural - Is this mixer really so difficult to sell that you feel that if you don't stick the present buyer with it, you'll be stuck with it forever? Sure, you're within your right fo enforce the sale and refuse a refund, but why? How would you feel if you were on the other end of the deal? Of course the buyer didn't realize what he was (or wasn't) buying, and that's clearly his fault, but if every eBay seller was like you, I'm not surprised that eBay is working harder these days to protect buyers. ^this^ I'm reading this thread and thinking to myself, 'why not just refund and resell?' - all the talk of stringing along the poor yutz until the time-linit expires, etc. is really discouraging. Yes, the buyer didn't do his homework, but we've all been in his/her shoes at some point. Sometimes a helping hand and a quick explanation of how things work is the better approach. Maybe the buyer will pay that small kindness forward. Mr. Natural, I think you're on the right path if you follow Mike's words here. Tell Flakey Foont and Honeybunch Kaminski that I said 'Hey'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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