is this buyer on eBay trying to screw me over?

[nadams]

I sold my Profile AP1000m amp on eBay - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...DME:B:AAQ:US:1

The winning bidder just sent me this eBay message-

"I got the amp today but when I installed it there seems to be no out put from the amp. There is sound but really really low. My stock stereo is lowder than this alone without an amp. I called profile to verify the problem and they told me the amp was defected. I have been installing car stereos professionally for 2 years now and from what I see is that this amp has a clipped signal which means proper output level for the speakers for sound is lost."

Sounds like he's trying to BS it to get his money back but keep the amp to me. I sent him this reply-

"The amp worked perfectly when it left here. Please check your connections and try again. If you cannot get it to work, we will arrange return shipping so that I can test it."


He already posted positive feedback.... and the money is already out of my paypal account.

[hoosier21]

scam

[shawn474]

Keep all correspondence and watch for a chargeback attempt. I've ben screwed over like this before. If it worked when it left, he should have a claim with the shipping company.

[Serendipity]

Maybe he didn't install it properly?

[Deadof_knight]

let me guess he worked for best buy for two years muhahaha Professionally installed Yea !

[bobman1235]

In my opinion, most times, if you have to ask "is this person trying to screw me", the answer is inevitably "yup."

[Dennis Gardner]

I think the buyer is defected.....................

[Bill Ayotte]

I had some moron try to tell me his package never arrived last week....Too bad I still had the UPS TRACKING NUMBER......What a moron! That mofo is trying to screw you over man.

[madmax]

Don't know. I had a perfectly good working amp in one car, removed it and later put in another and it didn't work. I do know what I'm doing, it just happened to die then.

From my "Professional" point of view I would say:
Get it back and take a look at it. If he hooked it up wrong chances are you will see burnt components. If it looks fine but doesn't work I'd say it probably became defective. I say this because most amps have pretty good protection against speaker wiring problems. If he messed it up it was probably from connecting power in reverse. You will see that.
madmax

[nadams]

Don't know. I had a perfectly good working amp in one car, removed it and later put in another and it didn't work. I do know what I'm doing, it just happened to die then.

From my "Professional" point of view I would say:
Get it back and take a look at it. If he hooked it up wrong chances are you will see burnt components. If it looks fine but doesn't work I'd say it probably became defective. I say this because most amps have pretty good protection against speaker wiring problems. If he messed it up it was probably from connecting power in reverse. You will see that.
madmax

This is what I was thinking when I told him I'd arrange return shipping to test it. But he's not getting his money back until I get the amp and find that it's defective and not burnt. I offered no warranty on the amp, because there's no warranty left on the amp. If it actually took a **** with no evidence of misuse, I'll refund his money and just have to eat it, I guess.

[madmax]

If it actually took a **** with no evidence of misuse, I'll refund his money and just have to eat it, I guess.

Thats always up to each seller on what he wants to do. I always try to run ebay sales like an audio shop would but the options run from blindly giving the money back to splitting the cost to doing nothing at all. I've run into all three as a buyer.
madmax

[RuSsMaN]

Make sure it is the actual amp you sent out. I've had a buyer try to pull the old 'switcheroo' on me a couple years ago, with a nearly identical, but non working unit.

[rskarvan]

I think the buyer is stuck with the amp. He's got it. You've got the money. You offered no guarantee in the ad. You provided an amp exactly as described.

This is just the risk of buying stuff off e-bay without a formal return policy.
I don't think you need to do anything more as a seller.

[madmax]

Its a good idea to state exactly what you are going to do under exactly what circumstances up front. The buyer will feel more at ease if it really isn't his fault. I once dealt with a speaker seller who wouldn't give me any specifics on return of some damaged speakers. I felt that if I sent them back to him I would loose the speakers AND the money. He would not tell me what was going to happen. He kept saying only that he would decide after he saw them. It caused a lot of grief.
madmax

[WilliamM2]

You provided an amp exactly as described.

Not if the amp wasn't working when recieved, he described the amp as "excellent condition", he did not say it wasn't working.

This is just the risk of buying stuff off e-bay without a formal return policy.
I don't think you need to do anything more as a seller.

That is excacly the attitude of most bad sellers on Ebay. Remind me never to buy from you.

[SLOCOOKN]

I had some moron try to tell me his package never arrived last week....Too bad I still had the UPS TRACKING NUMBER......What a moron! That mofo is trying to screw you over man.

I had a package shipped by a seller USPS. I never got the package. He has a tracking number and it showed delivered.

I called the post office here and the manager said HUHHH. I show it being delivered twice...that is strange...Anyway do you have insurance....No I said...Well not much I can due....Can you say STOLEN...

[bobman1235]

Not if the amp wasn't working when recieved, he described the amp as "excellent condition", he did not say it wasn't working.



That is excacly the attitude of most bad sellers on Ebay. Remind me never to buy from you.

People scam on both sides of the coin. You can't expect a seller to do backflips trying to accomodate someone who is most likely just trying to screw him. He should certainly try to verify the buyer's claims, and if they are real, refund his money, but you seem convinced that the buyer is telling the truth when at least half the time (and that's being generous) they're just lying scumbags out to cheat you.

[madmax]

at least half the time (and that's being generous) they're just lying scumbags out to cheat you.

Wow! A few bad experiences out there?
madmax

[bobman1235]

Well 90% of my eBay expereinces have been flawless. But every time someone has complained or tried something like this, it has come out, one way or another, that they were being deceitful.

Couple that with my complete lack of faith in humankind (Club Polk members notwithstanding) and yeah, I'm a big pessimistic.

[WilliamM2]

People scam on both sides of the coin. You can't expect a seller to do backflips trying to accomodate someone who is most likely just trying to screw him.

My comment was directed at rskarvans attitude, claiming the seller needs to do nothing. I think nadams is doing the right thing by verifying the buyers story, and acting on that.

[madmax]

I'd give rskarvans attitude 3 out of 4 stars.
madmax

[bobman1235]

A++++++ Great attitude would read again! Thanks!!

[edbert]

A++++++ Great attitude would read again! Thanks!!

Now that's funny right there. :D

[rskarvan]

Hey... I'm offended. (Not the first time I've been offended on this website).
Anyway... I honestly think the seller did nothing wrong. He sincerely delivered a product that he knew was in fine working condition to UPS. The fact that it arrived in non-working condition is not the sellers fault (at all).

The product was either:
a) damaged in transit.
b) damaged upon installation.
c) just plain broke at an unusual time (coincidence).

In any event, the seller did not offer any return policy. Its not listed in his ad. When I buy things on e-bay, I look for a formal return policy. If its there, I'll bid a little higher because I am assuming less risk. If its not there, I bid lower and assume more risk.

Again, the seller did absolutely nothing wrong. He described the unit honestly, packaged it well, and delivered it to UPS as promised.

The fault lies elsewhere.

FOLKS... EBAY STUFF IS USED AND BEING SOLD AT AUCTION. It doesn't come with a satisfaction guarantee like stuff purchased at a good audio shop. If you don't want to take a little risk, you shouldn't be pursuing the big discounts.

AND, I DESERVE 4 out of 4 stars for integrity!!!

[madmax]

Even the tackiest of sellers guaratee against DOA unless otherwise stated. Sheesh

[rskarvan]

Madmax, why should the seller be responsible for the UPS sorter who drops the package from a 25' elevated conveyor belt? That is why shipping insurance should be offered. If its not offered, the buyer is assuming the risk of damage in transit.

You are an awfully nice fellow to assume all risk in your auctions. Personally, I think you should assume an appropriate amount of risk (as disclosed in the listing)... but, certainly not all of it.

Also, think about how many trucks the UPS package is loaded and unloaded from in its journey from pick-up to sending hub, to sorting hub, to receiving hub, and to delivery vehicle. Assuming the risk of transit is substantial. That is why shipping insurance is a very good idea.

[madmax]

You are an awfully nice fellow to assume all risk in your auctions.

No, I am not a nice fellow. I follow the contract and provide the article as described for the cost agreed upon. That is simple business integrity.
madmax

[rskarvan]

No, I am not a nice fellow. I follow the contract and provide the article as described for the cost agreed upon. That is simple business integrity.
madmax

And, that is EXACTLY what nadams has done.

[shack]

It has always been...and always will be the sellers responsibilty until the buyer receives it. Anything else is bad business. How should it ever be a buyer's risk until they take possession?

[AsSiMiLaTeD]

And, that is EXACTLY what nadams has done.

Yeah, but how to I as a buyer know that?