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SNAD Flute

HelenKA_2
Posts: 234 Forumite
Please be kind with me - I am kicking myself for ever starting this whole thing off.:mad:
We bought a flute from ebay from an Australian established seller with good feedback, using paypal, end Feb 07.
Since it was a different style of flute (open holes) I attributed the poor tone to her inexperience, expecting it to improve as she got to grips with it.
Over 6 weeks later the sound had not improved at all, infact it was worse than ever so I told her to go back to her old flute and had a think......
In May I emailed the seller saying I was very disappointed in the sound of the flute and that the instrument did not live up to the advertised standards ('equivalent to a yamaha semi-professional flute model XXXX' is one example).
They said 'It's probably just a fine adjustment, you can send it back but pay £XXX or get it checked by a local specialist'.
I did this and got a full list of things that were wrong and also an estimate for getting it to playable quality (not advertised quality BTW). That estimate was more than we paid for the flute in the first place - ~£160 inc P&P.
So come late August I emailed to the seller again saying 'I've had it checked and this is what is wrong and this is the estimate for bringing it up to playable standards. I'm not happy to pay this and would ask to be refunded the full cost'
Predictabley he said 'Send it over and we'll see.' After a few more emails backwards and forwards I sent the flute in October and he received it.
Now he is saying they will replace the flute after I pay another shipping fee (the 3rd one this will be) but refuse the refund and do not give me any reason that the flute we had here failed their supposed quality control so miserably.
Any ideas of how we could get them to refund?
We bought a flute from ebay from an Australian established seller with good feedback, using paypal, end Feb 07.
Since it was a different style of flute (open holes) I attributed the poor tone to her inexperience, expecting it to improve as she got to grips with it.
Over 6 weeks later the sound had not improved at all, infact it was worse than ever so I told her to go back to her old flute and had a think......
In May I emailed the seller saying I was very disappointed in the sound of the flute and that the instrument did not live up to the advertised standards ('equivalent to a yamaha semi-professional flute model XXXX' is one example).
They said 'It's probably just a fine adjustment, you can send it back but pay £XXX or get it checked by a local specialist'.
I did this and got a full list of things that were wrong and also an estimate for getting it to playable quality (not advertised quality BTW). That estimate was more than we paid for the flute in the first place - ~£160 inc P&P.
So come late August I emailed to the seller again saying 'I've had it checked and this is what is wrong and this is the estimate for bringing it up to playable standards. I'm not happy to pay this and would ask to be refunded the full cost'
Predictabley he said 'Send it over and we'll see.' After a few more emails backwards and forwards I sent the flute in October and he received it.
Now he is saying they will replace the flute after I pay another shipping fee (the 3rd one this will be) but refuse the refund and do not give me any reason that the flute we had here failed their supposed quality control so miserably.
Any ideas of how we could get them to refund?
0
Comments
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Almost a year has passed - you're looking at either a) the goodwill of the seller or b) some kind of interntional legal action.... neither of which sound all that promising?
Have you had recent contact? If he's still offering a replacement if you pay another shipping charge, tbh it might be worth trying, as it may be more likely to succeed than either a or bAlternatively, if you funded the payment with a credit card, it may be worth chatting to them... assuming, of course, that it wasn't too long ago for them to consider a chargeback.
My TV is broken!
Edit: refunded £515 for TV 1.5 years out of warranty - thank you Sale of Goods Act! :j0 -
Yes, it is almost a year but I first contacted them about it in May 07 and although it took me a while to get the flute examined here they have also delayed several weeks each time telling me that the person I was dealing with was abroad/the packer was on holiday/etc.
It's a good idea to call the credit card people, thanks for pointing that out.
Last contact was yesterday, my DH is also saying maybe we should just get the replacement and sell it ourselves. I'm just so annoyed with myself.0 -
Yes, it is almost a year but I first contacted them about it in May 07 and although it took me a while to get the flute examined here they have also delayed several weeks each time telling me that the person I was dealing with was abroad/the packer was on holiday/etc.
The trouble is... all that doesn't matter - because paypal won't help you after 45 days has passed. Even May would have been too late. So your CC is really the only chance you have to get someone else to act on your behalf - otherwise it's purely between you and the seller now.My TV is broken!
Edit: refunded £515 for TV 1.5 years out of warranty - thank you Sale of Goods Act! :j0 -
Just called credit card, need to call back tomorrow before 6pm to speak to retail. At least then I'll feel I've done all I can about it. Thanks so much for your advice f_f.
Helen0
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