Problem with electrical item

[plantopia*]

I sold an electric food processor  that worked perfectly.  packed well and delivered on the 10th February.       3 weeks later I get an email telling me that it is not working.    I am wondering  why she has waited three weeks to inform me it is not working as if I received an electrical item in the mail I would try it immediately..  Plus the fact that it was working well when I posted it.

Any advice out there please?

[pacotrading]

Tell them to plug it in and turn on the switches, usually helps LOL. OK on the seroius side always hard to tell weather they are telling the truth or trying to get a refund while keeping the item, have they opened a return request ? , i would ask them to make a short video of them showing the item plugged in power on and starting the machine or not staring as the claim is, not hard to do with a smartphone and can be uploaded to Ebay messages, this weed out the truth of the matter, if you do not hear back from them, forget it and move on.

[enigmabear]

It is also *possible*  they had the same make/model of said item that no longer works and they want to replace it for free

These things happen, sadly 

[kopenhagen5]

If the buyer opens a case, you will be instructed to send a return label and refund if you want the item back.

That's the nature of selling on eBay at present.

It is possible they waited to use until now or it is also possible it happened to break down now.

If the item was sold for not much I would just refund and tell them to bin it.

Otherwise perhaps querie the fault and ask for pictures if relevant then offer to refund if they can send it back.

If the item upon return is not functioning, I would refund in full.

If it is working after much use so it is not an intermittent problem, I would inform the buyer it appears to be their electrical connection and you will refund item only, no postage.

Then relist the item.

And as bear points out, selling electrical items, one should always write down the serial number.

[1150b]

Same thing happened to me for an audio amplifier. Received glowing feedback , then 3 weeks later buyer wanted a refund , claiming there was a fault.   I refunded plus postage (eBay forced me to)  but never saw the amp again. Fact is you have to give 30 days guarantee for what ever you sell, regardless of age or condition. From what I can see, eBay sides with the buyer most of the time. This is no place to sell this type of gear.

[kopenhagen5]

From what I can see, eBay sides with the buyer most of the time. This is no place to sell this type of gear.

Exactly, unless you list as pick up only with buyer paying cash on pick up.

Treating eBay like you would with the ol trading post newspaper. 

[4green2000]

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@enigmabear wrote:

It is also *possible*  they had the same make/model of said item that no longer works and they want to replace it for free

These things happen, sadly 

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It is also *possible* that the buyer is genuine and that the product did fail.

i dont understand people who jump to the conclusions that if a buyer makes a complaint that the product no longer works they are liars and scammers etc.

if sellers cant handle selling products that may fail, dont list them on ebay..!!

products do fail ,end of story !!

[audio--junction]

Yes, products do fail. But seller can state in their listings "no guarantees" and yet eBay will hold them to the 30 day warranty period regardless. No one can predict how long electrical equipment will last, plus they are subject to abuse. There is a tick box for "no returns" why not a tick box for no guarantees, then the buyer should take this on board.

[enigmabear]

Nobody is jumping to conclusions, thank you

It would be like me commenting why do people automatically say sellers are liars

Yes, BOTH situations are possible and BOTH situations happen

Difference,of course, is that ebay protects the buyer 99.9% of the time regardless of IF the buyer is a scammer or not, and even when the seller has proof that the buyer IS a scammer

[ytwo000]

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@enigmabear wrote:

Nobody is jumping to conclusions, thank you

It would be like me commenting why do people automatically say sellers are liars

Yes, BOTH situations are possible and BOTH situations happen

Difference,of course, is that ebay protects the buyer 99.9% of the time regardless of IF the buyer is a scammer or not, and even when the seller has proof that the buyer IS a scammer

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dont you think its a little bit harsh to say this when you know nothing about the situation with the product being faulty or not ? and fancy saying "they had the same make/model of said item that no longer works and they want to replace it for free" that to me is jumping to conclusions that the buyer is a scammer..