A Sony Tale of Woe

[Mr Magoo]

The problem is that eBay are not interested in what the actual facts are and just side with the buyer by default. And couriers make a successful claim against them virtually impossible. I've never got any money out of them. Has anyone else?

I’ll certainly have a go with UPS. There was cover up to £100.

 

[Mr Pig]

I have a friend who sold a set of bike rollers on eBay, a training thing your road bike sits on. Guy who bought it said it was knackered and set it back.

What he'd done was swap the good bearings out of my friend's set of rollers for the worn out bearings in his. It was obvious that's what he'd done but my friend couldn't prove it as the rollers looked the same in the pictures. Some sneaky, shitey feckers out there :0(

 

[Guinnless]

Only up to £100. I’ll try to get that back. The amp sold for £500.

Ouch!

I always insure in full even if I lose out on postage. I've had cause to claim with Hermes and got all my money back - 350 quid.

 

[PhilofCas]

I have a friend who sold a set of bike rollers on eBay, a training thing your road bike sits on. Guy who bought it said it was knackered and set it back.

What he'd done was swap the good bearings out of my friend's set of rollers for the worn out bearings in his. It was obvious that's what he'd done but my friend couldn't prove it as the rollers looked the same in the pictures. Some sneaky, shitey feckers out there :0(

Unbelievable, what an arsehole.

 

[Guinnless]

The bas**rd has 100% feedback because the system protects him. We couldn’t get the comments removed nor could we leave reciprocal feedback.

I've had neg feedback removed by contacting eBay and explaining that the buyer was a scammer. The smart arse scammer thought he could ruin my feedback but was wrong

You can leave positive feedback e.g. "pedigree tosser, scammer"

 

[mikeyb]

I have a feeling you will receive a different amp or at least different parts back, going by your description if it is your amp it must have been thrown off the van ( which I highly doubt ).

I’m still suspicious

 

[Mr Magoo]

Should be interesting checking it over.

 

[Tony L]

The only other dreadful experience I’ve had was with a guy in Canada who wanted to buy a first press copy of Days of Future Passed.

Selling records on eBay was often a PITA even back when I was doing it. Some stuff goes so absurdly high that it kind of pays in the long run, but even 15-20 years ago I reckoned on one non-paying bidder out of ten, which was a pain as you had to wait a month in case they paid, and then claim the fees back and relist. It meant I always had a big pile that I didn’t know the status of. Then you get the idiots that clearly over-bid on something, get buyers remorse, and use whatever method they can think of to return the item. I had some suff obviously scratched and returned on occasion, which is so annoying as it leaves you without the prospect to resell. I imagine it is way worse now as back then the internet hadn’t gone full idiot access. I do miss the stuff that went way higher than I’d have priced it though, I had some exceptionally good sales, e.g. a Carol Kidd (Linn) album I think I’d found at Sifters for £3 went to Japan for £120 and I think it was still in print at the time! If I’d priced it myself I’d have done it at £15 or so. Just lots of really bizarre examples like that. Worked the other way at times with some genuinely collectable stuff going under what my valuation would have been, but overall I ended up way, way ahead, I just got totally frustrated with dealing with dickheadery. I far prefer having a good repeat customer base and no hassle!

 

[colasblue]

It's a great shame that eBay has gone the way it has. It really used to facilitate the "audiophile shuffle" but these days far too risky as a seller.

In fairness I have had a three things sold on ebay which blew up on arrival or shortly thereafter but all of them were amicably sorted. It's an occupational hazard when you live in a part of the country with a below average mains voltage! So far my repair costs have amounted to the price of a couple of components, return postage and fuse!

Two of them (a Valhalla board 50R resistor + rectifier, the usual one, and a resistor failed to open circuit on a NAD 7150 protection circuit) were random failures that just needed a little push. The other one was blown output fuses on my old Quantum 207 which was definitely a case of defective new user.

Most buyers have been entirely reasonable, the only one who wasn't was a purchaser on here of a pair of 135's which arrived with some slight dinks to the chrome bumpers.

They were actually very easily restored within just a few minutes of their return with my linishing stone, and re-sold to a more appreciative individual.

So you don't only get these people on ebay, you also get people on here that seem to think you're running a retail business and and expect a comparable level of customer service.

I haven't so far had anybody deliberately try to defraud me though.

I'd be interested in the attitude others have to second hand purchases. I've certainly had transit issues with things arriving, and generally I'll just sort them out if I easily can. Recent examples are a pair of SBL XO's where Herpes had thrown them around sufficiently to break the cable ties that hold on the large inductors and a Teddy supercap where one of the LED's had come adrift in transit. To me little things easily fixed, which are all part of the used equipment game. I wouldn't be similarly tolerant if new equipment arrived in that condition!

Am I alone in that?

 

[Mr Magoo]

I must admit that over the years, the vast majority of buyers/sellers have been perfectly decent people. But as has already been pointed out, eBay’s policy of putting 99.9% of the onus of proof on the seller when things go wrong does encourage malevolent activity from certain quarters. You just never know when they will strike. Usually something expensive is the likeliest target.
Oddly, I have purchased most of my gear on here, and sold on eBay, trading on my very long and strong feedback I suppose. That is all about to change.
As mentioned previously, I will be checking the amp carefully. Plus, my local repairer replaced some caps just before I listed it (after the first buyer blew the thing up within minutes……which I couldn’t prove was his neglect even though it worked just before I put it in the car and secured it). He will have details of what he used should I need to contact him. Could be useful as a third party should there be an issue.
Anyway, I’m so happy with my system now that it’s unlikely I will change for some time….unless I can save for a Leben CS300. The combination of the Sugden A21 power amp and the rather fine Exposure 2010 pre in to Revel F206 Speakers, fronted by my WTL Versalex, is a real joy. More than I had when I had a Naim 252/300. And no, I’m not Naim bashing. It’s just that the system and the room have gelled wonderfully.
Older and wiser? Well, older anyway.
Peter

 

[Mr Magoo]

So my Sony amp finally arrives back. Unpack (original box and internal packaging as shipped out) and find the bottom of the Sony tracked. I wish I could post photos, but with only my iPad, I haven’t been able to. The base of the amp is loose and 2 front corners broken.
What’s odd is that the box it was shipped out in and returned in was completely undamaged. I strongly suspect the amp as dropped after it was unpacked. That would be consistent with the damage. After all, it weighs quite a hefty 25kg.
Inevitably eBay raided my bank and gave the buyer his £500 back on the basis that the item was not as described. I have made my appeal on the grounds that the amp was shipped at buyer’s risk and the damage was high impact and the box was completely undamaged. Odd that. Not holding my breath…….

Peter

 

[tiggers]

It all depends on the buyer and whether they're genuine or not. I sold a carbon fibre trimmed Merc steering wheel with paddle shifters that I'd bought new and never used. It fetched good money and I packaged it and sent it off. Three days later the guy replies saying the up paddle shifter does not work, but he'd like to keep hold of it and get it looked at before discussing a refund. He takes it to a Merc tuner who diagnoses failed paddle mechanism and declares it needs £155 of new paddles from Merc. The buyer lets me speak to the garage so I know it's not some sort of scam and I agree to refund him £155 of the selling price. Happy days.... except about a week later the guy contacts me to tell me he found a £30 second hand paddle on eBay and he's just sent me back £125. So there are some decent people around.

 

[Ali T]

Set up a savings account with your bank and use that for ebay. Anyone who gives Ebay access to their main bank account needs their head looking at imo.

 

[mikeyb]

I did say the buyer was dodgy, undamaged packaging proves it

 

[Mr Magoo]

Still awaiting the outcome of my eBay appeal. However, I have no confidence in them making a proper judgement on the evidence presented. The buyer said that the packaging was insufficient. Didn’t stop him using it. It arrived here without a dent in it. Incidentally, I had the box specially made to my spec by a local company. It was double boxed and loads of bubble stuff. I’m convinced it wasn’t trashed in the box whilst in transit. He dropped it.

 

[lambo]

Hi peter
I sold an oasis double album
Dead wax read A1 B1 C1 D1
It was exactly what the buyer had been searching for apparently and it went for top money
When it arrived he reckons it was A1 B1 C2 D2 and wants 50% off he even sends me a photo to prove it
I was convinced I was right but what can you do
So I refunded him
A week later I am looking through his profile and on the same day he sells his copy which is C2 D2
Now I know where he got the photo!!
It’s horrible when you are scammed
Hope it sorts itself out for you
All the best
Tony

 

[timpy]

Was the Sony delivered to a home address?

 

[MUTTY1]

Someone said earlier that professional ebayers build in a scam premium. As amateurs we need to take this on board. Eventually you will be scammed. Like most I’ve been lucky. I’ve taken precautions; the offence to my pride would be more offensive than that to my wallet. Maybe the same with the OP? He and his wife had done well until now.

 

[Mr Magoo]

Was the Sony delivered to a home address?

Yes, it was his private address as far as I know.

 

[Mr Magoo]

Someone said earlier that professional ebayers build in a scam premium. As amateurs we need to take this on board. Eventually you will be scammed. Like most I’ve been lucky. I’ve taken precautions; the offence to my pride would be more offensive than that to my wallet. Maybe the same with the OP? He and his wife had done well until now.

Fair point, but this was £500.