strange problem with item i sold?

pinkgem

I purchased a mobile phone charger from ebay from a reputable seller with 4000 feedback 99.8% positive

Unfortunately, in my haste, I had purchased the wrong type of charger for my mobile and the end plug/connector was the wrong size.

I since sold it on ebay, to someone with 7 feedback (3 buying & 4 selling) and have just received the following message:

"hi, thanks for sending this promptly, however charger does not work and feels incredibly light in comparison to my genuine black charger. it seems like this charger has no internal components and is in fact an empty plastic shell. this makes it not as described, what do you think? best regards."

I am not disputing that it does not work, this is possible as I was unable to test it before selling as it would not fit mine or my OH mobiles. Obviously I presumed that a brand new charger purchased from a good seller would work and have no reason to think that it wouldn't.

I do remember that it weighed just under 100g with packaging though, and have just weighed my genuine charger which weighs 77g on its own and would be approx 100g with the same packaging. So I don't think that the charger I sent was extraordinarily light at all it seems a normal weight to me.

I find it a bit odd that because it apparently does not work, and is "incredibly light" according to the buyer, that she has come to the conclusion that it has no internal components and is an empty plastic shell! To me that seems a very absurd presumption to make... unless she has opened up the item (if that is possible) and it is in fact empty.

I have replied:

"Hi, Sorry for your disappointment in this item. Although I do not believe it to be a genuine charger it was purchased from a reputable mobile phone retailer. Unfortunately it was the wrong one for my phone which is why I sold it. My mobile uses the newer type of charger which is a different shape and with a smaller plug/connector. I remember that the charger I sent you weighed just under 100g with packaging and I have just weighed my genuine charger which is only 77g so the weight of it seems normal to me. Maybe the older charger, that I presume you have, weighs a bit more than the newer ones. Was there anything other than the weight which made you think that the charger had no internal components? Have you opened it up?"

I guess I will have to get her to return the item and try to test it (will see if friends or family have a phone it fits) but if I can't test it I suppose I will just have to refund.

My only concern is, why was she buying a charger in the first place? I am guessing maybe because her charger had broken or gone missing, if it is because her charger had broken and now she says the one I sent doesn't work, could it be her mobile which is the problem? or maybe she bought the wrong type of charger (like i did) and is either pretending it does not work or she may have removed the internal components herself.

If she had just emailed and simply said that the charger doesn't work then I would not have a problem with it but her claims seem rather odd. Also the "this makes it not as described, what do you think?" comment annoyed me as I sent her the exact item I described and pictured in my auction.

Opinions and advice please.

Baby_J_2

God, what an annoying eBayer. I think you have done the best thing with your reply to her. It is the most ridiculous conclusion which your buyer has come up with! I think you are taking the right course of action with her. Simply have her send it back to you, try and have it tested (Some carphone warehouses do this free of charge) and if it is working, tell her there is nothing wrong with the charger, return it to her and leave the matter at that. If it isn't, obviously, you will have to refund her.

j_davies

pinkgem wrote:

I"Hi, Sorry for your disappointment in this item. Although I do not believe it to be a genuine charger it was purchased from a reputable mobile phone retailer. Unfortunately it was the wrong one for my phone which is why I sold it. My mobile uses the newer type of charger which is a different shape and with a smaller plug/connector.

This would of got my suspicions aroused immediately, If you bought a wrong charger from a reputable retailer you would of taken it back to the shop from where it was bought not tried your luck on ebay hoping you would get the same amount as you paid for it.

Moglex

pinkgem wrote:

I find it a bit odd that because it apparently does not work, and is "incredibly light" according to the buyer, that she has come to the conclusion that it has no internal components and is an empty plastic shell! To me that seems a very absurd presumption to make... unless she has opened up the item (if that is possible) and it is in fact empty.

They can make these things bizarrely light nowadays. The one for my Motorola feels as if it's empty and I wonder if I would have suspected that if it hadn't worked.

It must be some new PSU technology but I can see why someone who had one that didn't work might think they had a shell.

I'll be very interested to break it open and have a look when I eventually ditch the phone.

Baby_J_2

j_davies wrote:

This would of got my suspicions aroused immediately, If you bought a wrong charger from a reputable retailer you would of taken it back to the shop from where it was bought not tried your luck on ebay hoping you would get the same amount as you paid for it.

Not really as most mobile phone shops would not take a charger back if it had been opened unless it were faulty. As it simply did not fit, a mobile phone shop would not give a refund on it.

pinkgem

j_davies wrote:

This would of got my suspicions aroused immediately, If you bought a wrong charger from a reputable retailer you would of taken it back to the shop from where it was bought not tried your luck on ebay hoping you would get the same amount as you paid for it.

I did not say I bought it from a shop. I bought it from a mobile phone retailer on ebay but after receiving I realised I had purchased the wrong one, I left positive feedback as it was my own fault for buying the wrong one and I had no way of testing to check it worked so presumed it would since they had excellent feedback.

Also if I had purchased it from a shop they do not have to refund because I bought the wrong one or changed my mind. Only if they had sold me the wrong one or if it was faulty.

j_davies

Baby_J wrote:

Not really as a mobile phone shop will only accept an opened charger as a return for a refund if it is faulty. If it is not faulty and simply doesn't fit, the mobile phone shop will not reund.

Thats not true as I bought a wrong charger from carphone warehouse opened it and thought oh crap, so I took it back and got a refund and got the correct one in phones 4 U.

pinkgem

Moglex wrote:

They can make these things bizarrely light nowadays. The one for my Motorola feels as if it's empty and I wonder if I would have suspected that if it hadn't worked.

It must be some new PSU technology but I can see why someone who had one that didn't work might think they had a shell.

I'll be very interested to break it open and have a look when I eventually ditch the phone.

The reason I remembered it weighed just under 100g when I packaged it was because I thought it was quite light myself but after comparing to my genuine charger just now it is a normal weight. My charger is from a fairly new phone and so presume chargers are just lighter now.

If she sends the charger back to me and it does not work I want to open it up myself to check and photograph the insides.

Baby_J_2

j_davies wrote:

Thats not true as I bought a wrong charger from carphone warehouse opened it and thought oh crap, so I took it back and got a refund and got the correct one in phones 4 U.

You were very lucky then as that is not their policy.

j_davies

pinkgem wrote:

I did not say I bought it from a shop. I bought it from a mobile phone retailer on ebay but after receiving I realised I had purchased the wrong one, I left positive feedback as it was my own fault for buying the wrong one and I had no way of testing to check it worked so presumed it would since they had excellent feedback.

Also if I had purchased it from a shop they do not have to refund because I bought the wrong one or changed my mind. Only if they had sold me the wrong one or if it was faulty.

So why didnt you send it back to where you got it from if they are reputable, also phone shops will take back chargers if opened I know this as I have done this myself.

Also reputable retailer gives the impression of a shop, if you had said reputable ebayer that would of been clearer, or even ruptable online shop/retailer.

j_davies

Baby_J wrote:

You were very lucky then as that is not their policy.

Not lucky at all, just wont be told bull by shop staff. :beer: