Ebay Problems

typeractive

Hi all,

I just typed the original post I was going to make and it was 4 pages long! So thought I’d try and cut it all down a bit.

I spotted an apple mac on ebay, it was about to end but the seller had 100% feedback, so I put in late bid and won. The items included:
Mac mini (with box and all software), preinstalled 3rd party software.
Mac Keyboard
Flat Screen monitor

Described as nearly new. The total was £390 plus £35 p&p.

As I won the auction late, I wanted to run a few questions past the ebayer who had 100% feedback prior to payment. The seller was more than happy to answer my questions and told me the screen was a 17inch brand new screen. I then paid the full amount via paypal with my bank card number – not credit card.

The items all arrived yesterday. The mac and keyboard are fine. The screen however is not. It is far from 17inches or brand new. 1. the paint on all the buttons has worn off, 2 the back is scuffed, 3. it is only 15inches, 4. it did not come with the power plug or VGA cable so I can not test it. 5. There is no serial number, 6. It is dated November 2005 on the back (hardly brand new).

I questioned the seller about all this, and expressed I was unhappy. I proposed a couple of options. 1. Refund me for the monitor and I’ll post it back. 2. A full refund. The seller would not welcome any of my suggestions. I have been communicating with the seller a lot. The seller has refused to allow me any type of refund, claiming the money is spent (like that matters to me), and claims the monitor is in great condition and (I quote) “therefore it looks brand new”.

The seller assumes that because I won the item and then questioned him afterwards it is my problem to deal with it all. I understand what the seller is saying. However, the seller described it all as brand new and 17inches prior to me parting with the money. If the seller had said: it’s a couple years old and about 15inches – I would have no reason to complain…..but the seller didn’t.

The seller has said they will pass the leads onto me. Though no refund as the advert description stated: no refunds. However the advert does not state this policy anywhere on the advert description.

Further investigation, and the mac has arrived with the 3rd party software but with no licensed discs or manuals. This means according to ebay/Microsoft and Adobe policies, I have been sold illegal software. I have asked the seller to forward me the licensed versions, but the seller does not have them. I have also asked the seller for the admin password to reinstall the unit to factory standard but the seller will not part with this information. I can not revert this unit back to factory settings. The seller described a method of doing so, but it does not work, and also when it would be reverted back to factory I can not install all the other programs described.

To summarise, I have been sold a monitor that does not fit description and I can not test it – so in theory this means it does not work. I have been sold a mac with illegal software on, unless the licensed versions are sent out to me as well?

What should I do? Should I report the seller to ebay / paypal / the police? I really didn’t want this to happen. I sent the seller a proposal of giving me £40 compensation/the leads and password to wipe the mac but the seller will not comply. I know I asked the questions after winning the bid, but I paid the seller after their description. Am I being unreasonable?

There is probably lots more to the story including the sellers use of inappropriate language.

Has anyone been in the same position? I don’t want to draw the issue out into a massive war, but I am sticking to my guns. I bought in faith of a description and did not receive complete items / items described fully (albeit described to me after the auction completed)

Thanks all,

pinkgem

did you receive what was described in the auction? eg did the auction state that the screen was brand new and/or that it was 17 inches?

if not, start item not as described dispute with paypal

typeractive

The monitor was not described on ebay. It was just listed. I asked about it after winning. It was then described to me, before I paid (through the ebay messaging system). If the seller said: "it's an old thing, but does the job etc", then I would not be able to complain at all. However it was described as brand new and 17inches - it is far from either. It also did not arrive with the leads needed, and does not fit the description anywhere near given. So I guess it does not fit the description.

The mac I received is as described but the seller will not tell me the password. The software that has came with it does not have the original software discs/manuals. This means the seller has sold me pirated software. It was stated it would be preinstalled, which is fair enough, yet it is still a legal obligation to provide all original software described.

Thanks for the help

Sugar_Coated_Owl

I don't think you can really complain about the monitor if it wasn't described as brand new 17" in the listing. All questions should be asked prior to placing a bid.

Did the auction state whether the monitor would be supplied with a power plug or VGA cable?

I'm not sure of the legalities re:software.

typeractive

Yeah the leads were included.

The software is illegal.

Thanks

pinkgem

if you received what was described in the auction then you can't do an item not as described dispute

if it said leads were included in the auction and you did not receive the leads then you may be able to do an item not as described dispute for that, but not the monitor if it didn't say in the listing that it was brand new or 17"

soolin

The questions and answers do not form part of the auction so paypal may well ignore them. In that case it is as the others say and is likely that paypal will find against you if you file an item not as described claim.

The software issue complicates things as you can of course take legal action against the seller. If you make a formal complaint to ebay the most that will happen, and even that is unlikely, is that the auction will be pulled retrospectively which does you no good at all.

typeractive

Maybe I should just get the seller to send the leads up, give me the password and leave it at that. I can't really be bothered with the hassle. As long as the monitor works of course. The software is still annoying. If I can wipe the machine then I will have none, and he probably only has pirate stuff.

What a polava! There's too many liars on ebay.

AlexisV

The monitor is not as described, but you're dealing with a private sale here, so there's little you can do unfortunately. A genuine seller would probably give you a goodwill gesture of £20 for the missing two inches, but I think you'd better just shrug your shoulders with this one. The perils of buying second hand goods unfortunately.

With regards to the software - I bet you're referring to Photoshop, Illustrator etc? Consider it a bonus these were installed on your machine - if you think a seller would throw in grands worth of genuine software for nothing then you're mistaken!

Does the Mac come with the original grey install CDs? If these weren't included then you've got some right to be angry.

What do you mean by password as well? The password that OS X asks for when you install new software? You don't need a password to restore to 'factory default' - to do this you'd need to wipe and reinstall OS X from scratch, which you'd do with the install CD's.

suckmaster.burstingfoam

I assume that, since all Macs ship with OS X discs, and these discs are useless without a Mac to run them on, you'd be well within your rights to download 'backup' copies, safe in the knowledge that you are entitled to own them.

mioliere

Hi - looking for advice. I have emailed Ebay's customer support three times in the last twenty-four hours and not received a response. Does anyone know if Ebay actually read their emails? I have a problem. Yesterday, I listed a car under Cars, Parts and Vehicles, CAR PARTS, and then the correct make of car; I should have listed it in Cars, Parts and Vehicles, CARS. When I try and revise the item it won't let me change a category or add a second category. I have asked Ebay- twice - if I can change it or if they will automatically move it into the correct one. As they have yet to reply, I have just emailed them again to ask if I can cancel the listing and then list it again in the correct category. I could kick myself because I recently listed five things correctly and I am annoyed that I have made such a mistake. I would be grateful if anyone has any advice especially as I have only listed it for seven days and one of those has now expired! I would love to know if Ebay ever respond to emails. Many thanks! As a small consolation, despite it being in the wrong category, I have 20 hits on it and 2 watchers!