Ebay buyer claiming item faulty - Advice please!

Happy_bunny

I recently sold a virgin media cable box, Working and being used till it was posted. packaged well but received the following from the buyer

"hello recieved my box today... it is not working it doesnt move from saying ld 20 on the box? and im gettin electric shocks from the top of it?"

I've replied stating i will refund on return of item but wondered if anyone with more experience on returns can offer me any advice on a couple of points?

* Should i refund the return postage too?

* Is it worth trying to claim through the royal mail for an item damaged in transit? As I've said the item worked fine and had never given me any problems, nor any shocks :eek:

bris

If the item is faulty then yes it's only fair you pay the return postage, ebay don't make you though. It would be difficult to claim against the royal mail if there is no signs of damage and you would need to prove how in transit would result in electric shock. You could put a claim in and see how it goes.

Happy_bunny

bris wrote: »

If the item is faulty then yes it's only fair you pay the return postage

Just to clarify this item wasn't faulty/giving shocks when sent.

Obviously this has become damaged in transit - internally rather than a visible dent, would this be difficult to pursue via RM?

Myyrrddyn

Happy_bunny wrote: »

Just to clarify this item wasn't faulty/giving shocks when sent.

Obviously this has become damaged in transit - internally rather than a visible dent, would this be difficult to pursue via RM?

you do know that Virgin boxes are owned by Virgin and not you as you rent the box. So what you have done is sold something that does not actaully belong to you even if you have switched to another supplier. Virgin will have sent you a letter asking when can they pick up their equipment.

Happy_bunny

Myyrrddyn wrote: »

you do know that Virgin boxes are owned by Virgin and not you as you rent the box. So what you have done is sold something that does not actaully belong to you even if you have switched to another supplier. Virgin will have sent you a letter asking when can they pick up their equipment.

As i purchased this myself from ebay this box was mine to sell as i wished. The box supplied with my contract sits happily under the telly box

millerose

I'd be careful in case the buyer is trying to send you back their old broken box and replace it with yours. It has been known in the past to happen .

Whenever I sell anything electrical I now mark it with a special UV detector pen somewhere secret so when I get it back I can check. I also tell the buyer this when they are wanting to send me something back. Last month I had a buyer try to con me but once I told them I had marked it they changed their minds and tried to repair it themselves. Just be careful as not everyone is honest! :cool:

Happy_bunny

millerose wrote: »

I'd be careful in case the buyer is trying to send you back their old broken box and replace it with yours. It has been known in the past to happen .

Whenever I sell anything electrical I now mark it with a special UV detector pen somewhere secret so when I get it back I can check.

TY - Brilliant advice! The box was marked by the previous owner who gave me his details in case it was ever stolen. Tiny dots somewhere with ID marks on it apparently, i never saw them! :rotfl:

Hopefully if they are scammers this will make their day!! :cool:

Inner_Zone

Happy_bunny wrote: »

As i purchased this myself from ebay this box was mine to sell as i wished.

Wrong, it was not the property of the person you bought it off in the first place it's owned by VM. Get it back put a hammer though it and recycle it at your local tip.

VM boxes and cable modems have to be registered to the installation address that's probably why your buyer is getting the code displayed as it is not registered to that address.

Myyrrddyn

Inner_Zone wrote: »

Wrong, it was not the property of the person you bought it off in the first place it's owned by VM. Get it back put a hammer though it and recycle it at your local tip.

VM boxes and cable modems have to be registered to the installation address that's probably why your buyer is getting the code displayed as it is not registered to that address.

If box is installed elsewhere VM may block it as it is illegal to sell on.

Happy_bunny

Just received the following message - Anyone have any idea on the likelihood of this being genuine virgin advice?

"had virgin out this morning the reason the box is giving me electric shocks and is not working because the box is registerd to you and not me."

Apparently unregistered virgin media equipment shocks you into not using it! :eek: :rotfl:

Have offered a full refund and will be taking Inner Zones advice and recycling it with hammer indents! :T

JPS29

Speaking as an ex VM employee whose job was an asset recovery operative (set top collector) this is carp.

The boxes can be used at other addresses but only for freeview. VM will and do charge the original customer £250 per unreturned box. The boxes are identified bu the barcode on the white sticker on the back and also the smart card which is inserted inside normally starting 0751 IIRC will be paired to the box.

Even if you remove these they can still be plugged in to a diags screen to recover their ID