MusicMagpie - I returned a MacBook for repair / replacement, but refunded and now selling for more.

Livvipivvi

Hiya all, I was wondering if anyone could help me please?

I purchased a refurbished MacBook for my daughter for Christmas on MusicMagpie’s eBay store. Worked while there was power in the battery, so seemed okay when tested on arrival, then packed up and put away for Christmas. 

Opened Christmas Day and the MacBook would not turn on! Assumed that it just needed charging, but after several hours sat on charge, still no change. Totally let down on Christmas Day! 

Contacted MusicMagpie straight away, took them a few days to respond (fair enough as it was Christmas). I explained the issue and requested a repair or replacement, made it very clear via message and on the return paperwork that it was a Christmas gift for my daughter and that I still wanted the item and needed it for my daughter to carry out her online learning during the Covid lockdown.  

They refunded as soon as they received the return, no communication, no attempt to repair or replace and then to add insult, the following day the eBay listing went from “out of stock” (had been for many weeks) to “1 available” but for nearly £70 more! If they have it available then surely they should be sending it to me as stated in their warranty? Looks to me like they could repair it after all, but would rather leave a customer without what they paid for and a child without their main Christmas gift and get the cost of the repair off their next customer! So if I want the MacBook back I have to buy it back at an additional cost! (This is not due to an offer ending etc. This is based on actual prices). Can they do this? Is this breaking some sort of rule? If I buy it and it’s definitely this same item (there were distinct marks on the original item), do I have grounds to request the difference back? MusicMagpie must think their customers are ignorant and stupid! 🙄

Spank

Yes, it's perfectly reasonable to refund and not replace, still sucks for you though.
Have you tried elsewhere such as CEX?

Aylesbury_Duck

Yes, they can do it.  Given the numerous tales of people struggling to get any sort of resolution from retailers for problems at the moment, it's good to hear of a retailer acting swiftly to sort your problem.

Diamandis

Perfectly acceptable for them to issue a refund. You're back in the position you were before you bought the item so they have no further obligations to you. Shop around and see if you can find another suitable laptop.