Sold as seen and untested.

dobymicks

I sold an item that shipped abroad.

My description:
Sold as seen
Not tested but worked OK last time I used it.

I have been contacted by the buyer who says it requires a replacement battery and he would like me to contribute.
Also that he had contacted eBay who asked him to contact me as it was previously listed as working, this is not true, it had not been listed before.

The item sold for far less than it would have for a tested and working one which I expected when I stated sold as seen.

It's not a lot of money £13 + £3 postage.

Do they have a valid claim?

Many thanks

ballisticbrian

You have to weigh up that if the customer opens a "not as described" case, you'll be forced to pay the return postage and refund the item, and decide whether that is worth the cost of a battery. To be honest, eBay is becoming less and less of the place to sell these type items and has been now for some time. You can say what you want in the advert but the buyer can nearly always force a return.

Nesty

My advice come to some agreement with the buyer.

About 2 years ago. When clearing out a vacated property. I found a old i phone (I informed the Landlord and he said just keep it). It didn't turn on and I never attempted to get it repaired.
I sold it on ebay as spares or repair.
I had a case raised about 20 days after saying item not as described. The buyer took it to repair, paid money to get it fixed or looked at and it was a USA network i-phone.
It went to ebay & I lost the case
Ebay cited that I should of known it was a USA i-phone, but I gave the impression it might be fixable on the UK network, as I mentioned the word 'repair' in the title!
I didn't pay anything for it, but lost the postage. Though I felt it was very aptly listed.
Tho this is ebay. I agree for selling this kind of stuff now is murky waters!

telemarks

The odds a stacked up against sellers on eBay these days,

But in this case as the value is low, and you did list it as "not known" condition, I'd be temped to brazen this one out, in the first instance.

Then if the buyer does go to eBay, only then offer them a goodwill contribution as the buyer is asking. Once you have done that eBay should not rule against you.

The worst that can happen is you give full refund for item and postage, and the buyer keeps it.. At this point if you think it really is likely the item does not work, then no point you shelling out extra for the return postage as well.


for repair

dobymicks

Thanks all for the helpful responses.

As it is such a small sum involved I am going to ask his interpretation of untested and sold as seen?
If he bring a case then I will have it delivered back to me, buy a battery and sell for 3 x more.

My opinion of a buyer who buys cheap on a sold as seen basis then goes back for partial refund is very low and I would rather cut off a little piece of my nose than let him keep it.

Pun

'Sold as seen' is a non-concept when you are buying on line, for the simple reason you can't see the item - and for that reason it's a phrase you might want to steer clear of in future. Sell as 'for spare or not working' and the buyer has no comeback.

Alternatively, check if it's working and list accordingly, which seems the more logical option where it is easy to see whether or not something is in good nick. If a new battery makes it worth 3 times more, perhaps that might have been the best idea in the first place (sorry for the 'hindsight' comment, but worth keeping in mind for any future similar sales).

mrcol1000

As above. Suggesting it worked last time you used it, suggests that it is working. Buyers would assume it should still work. Overselling is tempting on Ebay to get a good price but often ends costing you.

Middlestitch

Expectation management is crucial when you are selling an unseen item. 'Worked last time I used it' is the sort of comment you might see on Freecycle where things are free, but putting it on ebay, where someone has to pay to get the item, is asking for trouble.

Without knowing what the item was, not sure why you didn't simply test it before listing and either say not working/may need new battery or whatever outcome you had when you tried it.

I'd cough up a few quid towards a new battery and get on with life.

Hermione_Granger

How can you state that it was "sold as seen" when the buyer hadn't actually seen it?

If all it needs to make it work properly and for it to sell for three times the price is a new battery, makes me wonder why you didn't do this in the first place.
Are you sure that it was actually untested? and not tested and found not to be working?

Nesty

I find when selling 2nd hand gear via Gumtree and preloved (via collection). The buyer often wants to see the item working/demonstration, before handing over cash & departing.
Once, I had a brand new Panasonic microwave sealed in the box. An Indian turned up with food in a Tupperware container, wanting to test the microwave before purchase.

Of course naturally, had I let him, do this process in assuming I'd get a sale. Once, he placed that food in the microwave to test. It automatically becomes used and wiped 80% of the value off. To which he would, then be offering a measly amount, as all it's worth.
Know your buyer and pitfalls. It is the world, we trade and live in today!

dobymicks

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

How can you state that it was "sold as seen" when the buyer hadn't actually seen it?

If all it needs to make it work properly and for it to sell for three times the price is a new battery, makes me wonder why you didn't do this in the first place.
Are you sure that it was actually untested? and not tested and found not to be working?

Hermione, When you ask me if I am sure? are you suggesting I have forgotten or that I am confused or are you implying I am a lying cheating scumbag?

Is this how you like to spend your time, accusing people of dishonesty after engaging your razor sharp intuition.
How your minds works makes me feel a little sad for you. In the outside world I manage to avoid such types but this is the internet so people feel they can throw out any sort of accusation without comeback.

just to feed your cell, I had no idea of the battery condition as I had no charger and stated clearly it was untested.
The buyer has since come back to me informing me the battery needs replacing and wants me to contribute.
I am going to ask them to return it to me. not because it will fetch 3 x more with a new battery but because I'd rather throw it in the bin than let him keep it.