Seller has been economical with the truth....

me4bargains

Hi,
A seller listed a used hair steamer. I've been after one for ages but would be away when the auction ended so I placed a bid using a sniper and went off for my weekend break.
Ok my return, I discovered he had received a neg for the same steamer from a buyer saying it has parts missing and not only had the seller omitted that salient point but then refused to adjust the winning price to take this into account.
This prompted the seller to add to the listing that there was a minor fault but not what it is about 14 hours before the auction ended- while I was away.
I emailed the buyer and asked him to elaborate on the faults and he is being very vague and claimed it will cost me 'very little' to fix.
So I contacted the previous winner who told me two parts are missing which will cost about £35, she emailed the estimation she received from the manufacturers.
She also forwarded a series of foul-mouthed emails she received from the seller as a warning.
I won the steamer for £50 so I think an additional £35 is a lot to pay.
It's collect only so I haven't paid yet.
I don't want a Npb against me but I can't help thinking the seller is untrustworthy so what shall I do?

tyzer2001

I'd email the seller, telling him what you know and offering three choices.
One - you will pay for the item, and when it arrives you will open a SNAD dispute - or
Two, He can sell you the item for £15 as it will cost £35 to get working, or finally
Three, he can agree to mutually cancel the transaction.

me4bargains

It's collect only but I was intending on paying with paypal.
I'll dangle option two and three.
It's very annoying if we mutually cancel the transaction because he needs to be stung by fees.
Twice he has listed the steamer without stating it is faulty. That's bang out of order

Smiley82

Personally, I'd live with the NPB. I wouldn't want the stress or hassle of potentially wasting my money on something that doesn't work fully.

robnye

could you not forward the emails from the other buyer to ebay.....

me4bargains

the original buyer told me she did and eBay done nothing.
I don't see why I should get a strike when the seller lied.

pinkshoes

I would send him a polite email stating that you've contacted the person that previously bought it, and it needs £35 of parts, so would he be prepared to reduce the price to £15?

If he opens a NPB, you could always pay, then claim that the item was not received. Or collect it, then claim it was not received...

On a side note, he wasn't to know you paid with a sniper, so technically it's your responsibility to check if the auction has been changed...