Item Description Issue, Return Policy Violation, Negative Feedback

[vinwagal]

Hi, Just want to share this selling experience. It's bothering me and losing few night sleep lately.

Below are sequence of events...

1) Buyer notified me that item been received, happy with the condition but testing functionality.

2) Couple of days, notified me has problem not working as described and sending it to third party  repairer/inspection.

3) I asked the buyer not to do that, but send back to me without touching it, I'll give full refund.

4) Buyer didn't send back the watch to me, still he said sent it to the third party for repair/inspection.

5) A week later the buyer came back, telling me the watch is not cleaned or working as described. Left negative feedback.

6) I asked the buyer again anything I can do to satisfy him, to return the watch to me and I'll give full refund. Never heard from him yet.

In my view, the buyer is abusing buyer's protection regards description. And, violated my "Return Policy".

What have I've done wrong? Anyone who have similar experience?

Your advice would be appreciated.

[*crikey*mate*]

Let me clarify I am definitely not the person who purchased your watch, but I have a watch story myself.

The first watch that I ever bought from eBay. The seller claimed to have had a professional jeweler check over the watch and install a new battery in their description.

It arrived and it was working.

I notified the seller that it had arrived but I was just going to wait a while before leaving feedback to make sure it kept working.

A few weeks later I left positive feedback (that's how I know that I'm not your customer)

About a month later, I went to get my watch out of the box for the first time to wear it.

It was not working.

I took it to the watch shop to get a new battery put in.

They told me that there was nothing wrong with the battery, that the entire internal mechanism was corroded and that it was obvious to the naked eye and would easily have been visible to anyone replacing the battery.

I liked the watch enough that it then cost me a further $150 to have the internal mechanism replaced. I would never have returned it anyway, had I been given the opportunity, I liked the watch, and it is rare, so unlikely to come up for sale again very regularly.

I have since bought about 15 more watches, and every time I receive one the first thing I do is take it to the watch maker for an appraisal, etc and battery change (for the ones that have batteries, obviously)

I have never had another problem and I now only buy off a few selected sellers that look after me well, but that first time I was bitten is a bitter memory.

[joz*garage]

yes i was gonna say the OP covered the item well in the description

...fitted the watch with a new battery so the OP must have known it functioned properly.

(why would a seller list an item.. as such, saying it functions if it didnt?

vin, i would ask the buyer for proof, if they sent the watch to a repairer/insection. if they dont comply with a report from the watch expert, i'd use that as part of the details for ebay when you request ebay to have that malicious FB removed.

nice watch btw  

[joz*garage]

i have a couple of old seiko watches, i'll get around fixing the bands one day, they both work. ive no idea what theyre worth, all i know is i like them. the one on the right i was wearing playing cricket, went for a catch and miscued, ball hit the watch broke the band up top, bent the pin.. i couldnt find the bracket anywhere

[*crikey*mate*]

oz, the person who sold me my watch KNEW it was faulty, however they sent it to me anyway. Not sure, but maybe they thought it might keep working long enough for me to leave the positive feedback, or the time would expire before I could do anything about it.

I guess, for a $180 sale they were prepared to take the risk. In my case it paid off for them. Now I know better.

The problem that I now face though is that because I do get my watches inspected, if there is a fault found, I have now altered the watch, so I am not sure if I would be covered anyway.

A similar thing happened to me with a $200 leather bag. The item was described as having a few feint marks which would come out with "a bit of leather cream".

I even messaged the seller for confirmation before I bought, as the pictures did make it look like the marks were a little more than minor - I was told it was just the bad lighting of the photo.

The "marks" were deep scratches. I contacted the seller and they told me that the bag was exactly as described. At no time did they offer me a refund. 

I did try to polish the scratches out myself with some clear dubbin. What this meant is that I had now altered the bag and could not return it anyway.

I took it in to a leather specialist who couldn't get the scratches out either, although for $50 he was able to get it looking pretty schmick.

[lyndal1838]

Crikey, if the watchmaker was prepared to put in writing what was wrong with the watch then you would probably be covered...it is not just your opinion that there is a problem but the opinion of an expert.

I would certainly give it a try if you are ever in that situation.

[*crikey*mate*]

oops, I fibbed - I have had some other troubles with my watches,

The next one I bought from a different seller (both of these watches are BIG watch sellers - that's what they sell, nothing else) Whilst it was used, it was described as being in Mint Condition, with no scratches on the crystal face. It arrived, and not only was there a scratch on the face, it was a very rough chip that even scratched the top of the box it came in.

I contacted the seller and told them that I thought they had sent me the wrong watch, as the one I received didn't even have the correct box (collectible, so yes, important) as shown in the pictures, which they had specifically uploaded for me when I asked if the watch did come with a box.

They told me they thought I would like this box better (a plain blue generic cardboard box vs a really cool collector box?) and that $250 was a great price for that watch, I should be happy with it and just get the crystal replaced (at my expense)

For $250, and on the back of my previous experience, I did open up a SNAD, as it would cost me a further $70 to get the crystal replaced, but only $20 to return it for my refund.I never touched it or even remove it from the box, so I had not altered it. (Automatic Watch - no battery)

About a month ago, the same design watch came up from a deceased estate, listed for $US 60 - figured it was worth the risk (not a proper watch seller, just a bits and pieces seller - so not experienced) as even if I had to replace the mechanism, I was still in front.

It was brand new in mint condition and perfect - so a score for Crikey!

I did purchase 2 more watches off another seller registered with some watch association etc - when he went to check them before postage and one was damaged. He immediately offered me a refund or gave me the option that he would get it fixed there for me (USA) at his expense. So I could have the refund if I wanted and the option to repurchase at the same price when it was fixed - if I wanted to.

I asked him to get it appraised and see if it could be fixed - he did so and assured me it could, so I said I was happy to wait, no refund necessary.

he kept me updated on the progress - it was another three weeks before he even sent it - when it arrived I left him glowing positive feedback and keep an eye on what else he has to offer, as i will have no hesitation in returning to buy from him.

But my favourite seller, the first two watches that arrived from him were not working - so i took them to get the batteries changed and checked etc, and all was good - so he got positive FB as well and my return business - I could hardly blame him for flat batteries, and the rest of the watches were perfect. (I suspect they got zapped in customs - as he knew my previence experience, so I doubt he would have done anything dodgy knowing I was going to get them checked anyway) All others from him since then have arrived ticking and passed inspection,

So whilst that original seller did get my $180 and my positive feedback - he has missed out on around $2500 in sales since February this year. I don't mind replacing the batteries if they get zapped in customs, and nor do I mind waiting, as long as the seller doesn't try to pull a swifty on me.

[*crikey*mate*]

Crikey, if the watchmaker was prepared to put in writing what was wrong with the watch then you would probably be covered...it is not just your opinion that there is a problem but the opinion of an expert.

I would certainly give it a try if you are ever in that situation.

I did look into that Lyn, but an "official appraisal" costs $50 if I want it documented etc, so I have to consider that too, I'm not sure that I would be reimbursed for that? So I pretty much accept now that there could be a risk, but tend to stick to just a few sellers who have really looked after me and I trust.

The watches I buy are only worth a few hundred dollars at most, they're not Rolex's worth a few thousand.

So to spend the $50 for the appraisal and then another $20 to return, it sort of starts to eat into the value of the refund anyway.

[belindabargainhunter]

I just wanted to share my experience with vin. I just bought an almost $80 item that has many faults. Now if I am to return I will have to pay the return fee. Is this fair. Should the seller not check that the item works before sending. The condition of the item new ? maybe if it was left sitting outside for a year.

I think buying on ebay is becoming more expensive and more hassle than it's worth. When u factor in return costs.,

[belindabargainhunter]

I know that u checked it was working and offered ruturn at your cost but for the number of sellers not like u we buyers are thinking quick as to not waste anymore money or time

[*crikey*mate*]

Belinda, is there a difference between buying from a B&M store, getting it home and finding it faulty? You still need to return it to the shop for your refund or exchange at your expense. I don't think I have ever been reimbursed for the cost of petrol, wear and tear on my car etc to either buy or return the item.

Also if I buy something from a B&M store interstate or from another town, I'm not sure I can easily return a damaged item by just popping it in the post.