Some advice please

Air_Cooled_75

Hi guys,

Just wondered if I could pick your learned brains please?

We bought a item on eBay, it was delivered quickly but didn't work. I contacted the seller via the 'contact seller' thing but it seems to have opened a case. Seller is angling that the item was damaged in transit (unlikely). He also said that the 'led On the power supply has never worked anyway' and when we've contacted the manufacturer and from the serial number it would seem that the unit is nearly 7 years old (seller said he's only used it for 6 months). His last message was saying close the case as his PayPal has been frozen and we can sort it out without eBay. I'm extremely reluctant to do this.

I've been buying on eBay for over 10 years and have never had cause for complaint before so am unsure of the process and what to do next.

Any help/advice would be very gratefully received.

Many thanks,
AC

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Well don't close the case (you can't open another), if he won't help out eBay will allow you to escalate after 8 days of opening (8 x 24 hour periods exactly) and they'll ask you to return for a refund of the original payment.

Advise the seller the funds are held but once they refund it's those held funds that are used for the refund, could be they don't understand how it works, could be they are trying to trick you in to closing it, either way let the case run until you have a refund (if the seller refunds through his Paypal account the case will close by itself).

TrickyWicky

Don't close the case! Once you do you can't open another and ebay / paypal will not want to know. In other words, if you close it, the seller is off the hook and you loose out. Keeping the case open is the only way to keep the seller responsible. Many sellers will try to fool you into closing a case because they know that it will get them off the hook - we had a thread about this here a while back.

The 7 years old thing may be legitimate. It could be when the manufacturer finished the unit and sent it on it's merry way to the retailer. It doesn't mean thats when it was sold by the retailer though.

cat1122

Hi iv just been to cash converters & left £10 deposit for a phone now iv change my mind and the lad in shop said I will not get I refund off the £10 I left is this right?????

Tessie_Balloon_Juice

DO NOT CLOSE THE CASE!

If you do, Ebay will assume that you've resolved the case and that you're happy with the resolution. Also, ebay wouldn't be able to freeze his paypal account surely? They're 2 separate companies. I call BS!

Did the listing state that the led on the power supply wasn't working? If not the item was not described correctly so I'd say you've got a good chance of getting your money back when ebay get involved to resolve your issue.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Tessie_Balloon_Juice wrote: »

Also, ebay wouldn't be able to freeze his paypal account surely? They're 2 separate companies. I call BS!

eBay can do this.

Air_Cooled_75

Nope, no mention of the led not working, the whole unit (filter for fish tank) doesn't work at all, we could get a new transformer but i think its a risk, who's to say it will work? There is also some damage underneath that looks as though its been dropped or something (no bits in the box so not a transit accident). Seller claims to have used it for 6 months only but we think more likely is that he's either bought it cheap to sell on and has never even used it.

Tessie_Balloon_Juice

If the item you've bought us damaged and there was no mention of it in the description you've got nothing to worry about. Let the case remain open until you've got a full refund. The fact that the seller has tried to persuade you to deal with him/her outside of eBay will probably go against them too.

The_lunatics_inside_my_head, I'm amazed that eBay would be able to stop your PayPal account! I have monthly "direct debits" leaving my PayPal account (for spotify etc) And I'd be appalled if eBay stopped that sort of thing! Maybe I should check the small print!

soolin

Tessie_Balloon_Juice wrote: »

If the item you've bought us damaged and there was no mention of it in the description you've got nothing to worry about. Let the case remain open until you've got a full refund. The fact that the seller has tried to persuade you to deal with him/her outside of eBay will probably go against them too.

The_lunatics_inside_my_head, I'm amazed that eBay would be able to stop your PayPal account! I have monthly "direct debits" leaving my PayPal account (for spotify etc) And I'd be appalled if eBay stopped that sort of thing! Maybe I should check the small print!

If you get any case opened on ebay then it can affect your paypal account as well.

hermum

OP, the seller has to make sure the item gets to you safely, which would mean packing in such a way that it couldn't suffer damage in the post.
Whether it was damaged before he sent it or in transit you shouldn't be out of pocket.