The joys of selling hifi .

[hifi-dog]

If you're going to sell something on eBay you need to be prepared to do a few things: 1) add plenty of high quality, well-lit photos showing the item (and any flaws), and all included accessories clearly from all angles, 2) write a decent description mentioning any faults or flaws, as well as highlighting how otherwise excellent the item is, to encourage bidders, and 3) take photos of the packaged item, including the shipping label, before it goes out the door. These steps should defend you against any fraudulent SNAD (significantly not as described) claims. Yes, eBay's automatic systems tend to side with the buyer in most cases, but if you stick to your guns and raise it with their support team then the innocent party usually will come out on top.

Do not use terms like "as new", "like new", "like brand new", or anything that could imply the item is completely 100 per cent blemish-free, unless it is literally a brand-new, unopened product.

I have sold a lot of electronics and hifi gear on eBay over the years, both cheap and expensive, and have luckily not had any issues yet. Only a couple of issues where the buyer for some reason has refused to pay. This is annoying mostly because I wait for the fee promotion weekends to list stuff, and if you need to re-list something, you have to wait until the next promo!

I have also bought a lot, and have had my fair share of items arrive not as described. I never go straight for the jugular of raising an eBay dispute though - I message the seller directly first in order to work out an amicable solution (i.e. a return, or partial refund).

I've also had some bargains thanks to taking a punt on lazy listings with a couple of crappy photos and/or whose auctions end in the middle of the day on a week-day

yes same here with listing ending mid morning and even better if they have a typo in the description and I've ended up being the only bidder.. kerr ching!

 

[linnfomaniac83]

It’s possible that temperature changes might have affected the glue or broken the bond due to different materials expending and contracting at different rates… in any case, I’d just used a gel type glue and stick it back on, job done.

 

[lencotweaker]

This is a common mantra that I often read on Internet fora. (..or 'forums' if you prefer).

I can only speak from my own experience here, so please don't shoot the messenger . I've been using ebay for over twenty years and have 100% positive feedback on well over 1000 transactions as both buyer and seller and I've never failed to win a dispute as a seller. I've also managed to nuke the few negative feedbacks I've received.

This has often required being bothered to to take the time and jump through umpteen hoops, but I can't agree that the buyer always wins.

Not my experience.

I had someone buy a lovely Majik LP12 off my last year on eBay. All good feedback etc until some 6 months or so later he initiated a return. Technically I did not have to have it back as it was outside the supported period but the email I got from eBay was alarming as it suggested if they chose to investigate, and they found in the buyers favour, I may not receive the item back at all. In the end I thought it financially safer to take it back after all and just suck it up. Then when I got the LP12 back I discovered it had been butchered. They'd tried to fit a different tonearm, roughly hacking one of the corner braces out, badly scratching the plinth in several places, knackering the cartridge and one of the headshell wires. Obviously I complained to eBay but after several goes on the phone, they sided with the buyer anyway, despite extensive photographic evidence. I withheld the refund as long as I could but eBay eventually took it from my account. I appealed but to no avail.

 

[dspatterson]

Omg that is horrific , you have just made it clear to me I'll never sell on it again ...jeez .

 

[Ellenor]

I sold an old Arcam Black Box 500 dac some years ago on eBay. It was in perfect working order. Then about 3 weeks later I had messages from the buyer along with photos of the case opened up with all the internals exposed. Apparently it had never worked and he reckons he found the blown component and wanted me to pay of the repair. I was having none of it and told him I knew he must've put power somewhere he shouldn't have and he shouldn't have removed the cover. He started a dispute with eBay but I won that one which really surprised me.
I don't do eBay anymore and if someone want's to buy something off me they've got to try pretty hard to get me to part with it even when I'm advertising it lol.

 

[lawrence001]

Oh I dunno. The folks in “Ice Cold In Alex” seemed to appreciate a glass of it.

Not sure that's a good argument, I'd have enjoyed a can of Tesco value lager after that journey.

 

[allthingsanalog]

I would never sell on eBay again.

Neither will I now they’re sending info to the HMRC.

It‘s also becoming the Wild West. I sold a T&A DAC8, posted it and heard nothing. A week later he decided he didn’t know how to set it up so I spent a considerable amount of time helping him. Eventually he got it working and then another week went by still with no feedback so I contacted him asking if everything was ok, he said yes but he's just deciding if he wants to keep it or return it! Luckily he decided on the latter.

 

[lawrence001]

I have just sold my Naim 282 on pf ,as followers of the for sale page may have noticed . I packaged up in its poly bag ,inserted into the poly end blocks , Fitted in box Napsc in its cardboard etc all secure in original packaging .
I've just been informed that when the new owner removed it from packaging ....the volume knob just slipped off. I can't understand how this could happen , Does anyone have experience of this .
I can't understand how even if it was unstuck it could just slip all that way out .
The joys...

Presumably they're not asking to return it or for a discount for that. If so I'd say they're trying it on and to politely decline is quite acceptable.

 

[dspatterson]

I just can't understand how a sleeved item over the drom , the sleeve looks about 2 cm deep can fall off the drum with adhesive , its like saying a condom just fell off a ..... Without any effort ....well now you mention it ...

 

[Paraheadache]

It should probably be added that Carlsberg is at absolute best a very mediocre, bland industrial lager the quality of which is far exceeded by that of its advertising.

I'll drink to that.

 

[stony]

Not my experience.

I had someone buy a lovely Majik LP12 off my last year on eBay. All good feedback etc until some 6 months or so later he initiated a return. Technically I did not have to have it back as it was outside the supported period but the email I got from eBay was alarming as it suggested if they chose to investigate, and they found in the buyers favour, I may not receive the item back at all. In the end I thought it financially safer to take it back after all and just suck it up. Then when I got the LP12 back I discovered it had been butchered. They'd tried to fit a different tonearm, roughly hacking one of the corner braces out, badly scratching the plinth in several places, knackering the cartridge and one of the headshell wires. Obviously I complained to eBay but after several goes on the phone, they sided with the buyer anyway, despite extensive photographic evidence. I withheld the refund as long as I could but eBay eventually took it from my account. I appealed but to no avail.

I had similar experience with ebay. Put on sale £1600 item which sold in less than 6 hours.
I was thinking that was lucky. But in 12 hours after delivery he sent me a return request saying that the display doesn't work.
I asked for video of the problem but he refused. Ebay forced me to accept return anyway without him giving any proof of the fault.
The item came back with scratches so I sent pictures to ebay and got £600 compensation for it.
Of course there was nothing wrong with the display unit.
I got all scratches polished and sold it again. The new owner is as happy with it as a pig in mud.

 

[EPear]

If I sell on eBay I no longer offer auctions but would rather have the chance to see who is making the offer, exchange a few messages and get a better feeling. I often choose a lower offer from someone I prefer and overall this has worked well, so far at least.

 

[stony]

If I sell on eBay I no longer offer auctions but would rather have the chance to see who is making the offer, exchange a few messages and get a better feeling. I often choose a lower offer from someone I prefer and overall this has worked well, so far at least.

That's exactly what I'm doing too.
But you have no choice when somebody hits Buy Now button straightaway.

 

[Hcanning]

Not my experience.

I had someone buy a lovely Majik LP12 off my last year on eBay. All good feedback etc until some 6 months or so later he initiated a return. Technically I did not have to have it back as it was outside the supported period but the email I got from eBay was alarming as it suggested if they chose to investigate, and they found in the buyers favour, I may not receive the item back at all. In the end I thought it financially safer to take it back after all and just suck it up. Then when I got the LP12 back I discovered it had been butchered. They'd tried to fit a different tonearm, roughly hacking one of the corner braces out, badly scratching the plinth in several places, knackering the cartridge and one of the headshell wires. Obviously I complained to eBay but after several goes on the phone, they sided with the buyer anyway, despite extensive photographic evidence. I withheld the refund as long as I could but eBay eventually took it from my account. I appealed but to no avail.

6 months?! That's massively outside of the returns window eBay states which I believe is 30 days after delivery. I believe after that, they can open a return request but they can't escalate it. After 6 months I would have simply ignored it, or told them to jog on.

 

[Pure_Carbon]

Guess we all have eBay horror stories , I've had to return stuff that was clearly not as described.
But a few years ago sold a nice Canon Digital camera, in A1 condition, boxed etc...
2 weeks later, oh it's faulty !
I disputed it, but eBay found in his favour.
Camera came back, he'd left the SD card in, with some nice holiday/overseas wedding pics.
Basically used my kit as a free 2 week camera loan.
I notified eBay, radio silence.....

 

[awkwardbydesign]

6 months?! That's massively outside of the returns window eBay states which I believe is 30 days after delivery. I believe after that, they can open a return request but they can't escalate it. After 6 months I would have simply ignored it, or told them to jog on.

It's now 180 days. I know, because I used it.

 

[Hcanning]

It's now 180 days. I know, because I used it.

That's Paypal, not eBay. But yes I suppose it's possible, and all you can do as the seller is fight your case directly with eBay/Paypal. 6 months for a second hand item sold by a private individual is indeed ridiculous.

 

[kensalriser]

I think you have to be prepared to be persistent with eBay when you know you're right. A major problem is that eBay (and other platforms) have significantly blurred the demarcation between professional and private sellers and many buyers now think buying used privately gives them the same rights as buying new. It doesn't, of course, and neither is eBay able to trump the law should you choose to challenge legally.

 

[simon g]

I think you have to be prepared to persistent with eBay when you know you're right. A major problem is that eBay (and other platforms) have significantly blurred the demarcation between professional and private sellers and many buyers now think buying used privately gives them the same rights as buying new. It doesn't, of course, and neither is eBay able to trump the law should you choose to challenge legally.

Indeed. It's now many years since I sold anything on eBay, but I did have one problem some years ago. I sent an item, buyer said not as described and returned some old books in lieu of a reasonably expensive bit of kit. eBay were only interested in the tracking of the returned item and ruled in buyer's favour. I had taken great care with recording serial numbers, first class pictures and a video of both packaging the item when sent and opening the 'return'. I was having none of this nonsense so I gave up on eBay as a route to resolution and went straight to Court. 'Buyer' didn't turn up to the hearing and case decided in my favour. No payment received. I immediately escalated to High Court and sent in the Sheriffs (as they were then). They seized the guy's car, which motivated him to settle up. The item he bought was for around £400 I seem to recall; it ended up costing him a couple of thousand with all the additional costs and fees (including a claim for my time).

 

[John Thomas]

Indeed. It's now many years since I sold anything on eBay, but I did have one problem some years ago. I sent an item, buyer said not as described and returned some old books in lieu of a reasonably expensive bit of kit. eBay were only interested in the tracking of the returned item and ruled in buyer's favour. I had taken great care with recording serial numbers, first class pictures and a video of both packaging the item when sent and opening the 'return'. I was having none of this nonsense so I gave up on eBay as a route to resolution and went straight to Court. 'Buyer' didn't turn up to the hearing and case decided in my favour. No payment received. I immediately escalated to High Court and sent in the Sheriffs (as they were then). They seized the guy's car, which motivated him to settle up. The item he bought was for around £400 I seem to recall; it ended up costing him a couple of thousand with all the additional costs and fees (including a claim for my time).

Go Simon!! If more people stood their ground (maybe shared how to do the legal thing in real world as well?) eBay/buyers may get a little more realistic.