Ebay issue, need advice/opinion.

[TheMagicM]

I sold a old Panasonic video camera (vhs).. very nice, worked perfect when I had it tested a few months back.  I sold it for $228 on ebay.  Well I had one ebayer ask if I guarantee no DOA, so I said that it works fine and that if he'd like we can put shipping insurance on it so he/they agreed and they won for the $228 + shipping.  Well after they get it they claim that white balance isnt working "I think"..so I asked them "do you know what you're doing" to which they replied they've used these cameras for "14 years"...so they take it to a shop which said " the CCD Board and the video amp circuit need replacement" and the cost is $260, well they want to keep the camera and paid $260 for it to be fixed.  

So I said basically they should have contacted me so I could have had it fixed for basically parts cost (a local shop owner is a friend of mine) but I also said since the camera checked out fine here AND my auction stated AS-IS with no warranty expressed or implied that I wasnt inclined to help with anything at all.  They said pay $114 (half the auction) and they'll be ok with it.  I said that it had to have been damaged in shipping because it checked out fine here but they said, no the repair shop said it wasnt damaged in shipping.  Kinda got me to thinking that, did they have a camera like this one and are trying to pull a fast one on me?  

Comments, suggestions...

PS. and just because i'm a moderator dont say the politically correct thing. need honest opinions.

[doctorq]

If you stated in the auction that it was sold as-is, then I see no problem not refunding anything at all, but since you answered a question making the asker think that you were giving a DOA (which you were not) you should expect to at least get a negative feedback.

Noone can think, that it's ok to get an item repaired WITHOUT agreement with the seller, and then expect anything from the seller.

If they have paid 260 USD for repair, then ask for a receipt and the place where it got repaired. Phone the repair place and ask.

Personally I think it sounds like someone that just want's to get the price cut down, by pulling a scam on you.

[TheMagicM]

I was thinking something similiar.  They did give me the company name/phone # to where its being repaired though.  

I also thought it was very odd to get something repaired without first asking the seller to pay for partial cost and just 'getting it fixed'.

[doctorq]

Do you know if this phone number is an actual repair shop, or shop related at all?? The buyer could just have asked a friend to help out. Anyway, the way they did it, I wouldn't shell out, even if they showed you a valid receipt, as they haven't even asked you for helping with the issue.

[twizzle]

having read your and Doctorq`s post`s

you have covered yourself in all aspects of the sale.
there is no onus on yourself, to refund or help with any repair what so ever.

it sounds like he is pulling a fast one.

[Fester]

They should have contacted you BEFORE bringing the camera to the repair shop. Verify their claim with the repair shop. I honestly don't think you're at fault.

Nevertheless, you could give them their money back including shipping and tell them you're sorry that the product was damaged. I'm the nervous type about these sort of things. I loose sleep over things like that.

You make no money although I assume you got enjoyment out of the camera...but you get the satisfaction of going above and beyond for your customer and perhaps they will appreciate that enough to give you a positive mark on eBay.

Sorry if this sounds corny. This sort of thing happens sometimes.

Alternatively, if you give them 114.00, you still get to keep some of the proceeds and they might be quite happy with this compromise too.

Fester

[arkanoid]

as an above poster has already said, morally speaking, I do not think you are obliged to pay repair costs. Just be aware that if this guy has paid through PayPal using a credit card then he may well request a "charge back" to be issued by his credit company for "damaged goods".

if i'm not mistaken, this means that PayPal *MUST* charge-back the full amount to this person's CC account, as they are the financial service behind the transaction. after this, PayPal will either sneak into YOUR PayPal account or issue a  Direct Debit (depending on how you have your PP account setup) to recover the funds - WITHOUT WARNING. This has happened to a friend of mine, so beware.  :angry:

[Anthomatic]

Another thing to think about - this person who you sold the camera to has been using that model for 14 years. If there is a valid receipt for the repairs to that make and model of video camera, who's to say that it's not actually one of THEIR own cameras that had the fault?

I smell a scam!

[TheMagicM]

@Anthomatic:  thats exactly what I was thinking.  Had i bought something from ebay and it was damaged, I wouldnt fork over $260 just to fix the item without contacting the seller.. I'd want to know I'm getting something back at least.

[Plaz]

Can you point me to their feedback? I can get a very good feel for things if I read some history.

BTW, not knowing the feedback at this time and if I were in the same situation, I tell them to return the camera and I'd refund their $$$ minus the shipping cost. But that's just me. However, if you did have postal insurance I would still say they need to place a claim with the post office. It was good when you shipped it.... period.

Plaz

[Anthomatic]

True. The only way they could try and get money from you is by "supposedly" paying for repairs first. Obviously, if they contacted you about money BEFORE going ahead with any repair work, your answer (and anybody's answer for that matter!) would certainly have been no.

I've dealt with a few individuals who have tried to claim money back through items that have been "damaged in the post". When I tell them that they can claim it back through the postal insurance (I send everything recorded/signed for) they tend to reply "I don't think I'll bother. Not worth the hassle." Makes you think if it was true in the first place!

[amigakid]

Last I remember AS-IS meant AS-IS.  You don't have to do anything about the Item.  If it could have been damaged in shipping insurance would have covered it, but since they didn't contact anyone and just supposedly had it repaired, well sorry but thats tough for them.

Cheers

[TheMagicM]

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=dfp71

page 3 is what had me wondering.



well they didnt want to go through the postal service because they said that its happened before and the seller didnt give them the money from the insurance and then they said that the repair company said no its not due to shipping.   The only way in hell that camera is broken would be shipping.. I know, because I used it for about 45 minutes before even putting it up for auction.

[Damion]

Sorry, but I smell bull***t. No one pays $260 to fix a $228 item without contacting the seller first.

First rule in a situation like this, buyer contacts the seller and *asks them* how they want to handle it.

If they want to send back the camera for a refund minus shipping, fine. (...and, technically, you're not even obligated to do that.) But trying to pull the seller into some kind of suspect repair deal doesn't sound legit to me.

[TheMagicM]

ok, these replies answer my question.  I was wondering if I was thinking correctly when I also wondered about paying for a repair when its even more then the cost of the item.

I'll keep you posted on further occurances.


anyway.. gotta get my butt in gear.. a certain AO user is waiting for his A4000D