Dodgy Buyer?

red_boots2

Sold a Laptop Battery on Ebay. It arrived today and the buyer has already been in contact to say that the Battery Health is showing as poor. (He included a screenshot, but no evidence it's the battery I sent)

He asked if I could send him a replacement, which I agreed to. He then said he is away travelling so cannot send the 'faulty' battery back and would rather I just partially refund him.

Is it worth speaking to Ebay about this before I agree to anything?

se2020

He either gets a replacement or a refund/partial refund.  Not both. 

The battery health check will show the serial number as well but that's not much use unless you checked it and made a note of the number before sending?

I'd send him a message saying as he's travelling he won't be able to receive or test (or use) the replacement so to contact you when he returns and you will provide a label to return the old one...

Spoonie_Turtle

If he can receive the parcel while he's away travelling why can he not also send post?

Dodgy indeed.

red_boots2

Thanks both. I have asked him how he would have been able to get the replacement battery if he couldn't send the old one back.

The photo he sent of the battery health doesn't show the serial number and also states that only a original Dell battery should be used, which this isn't. The photo he sent me of the battery itself doesn't have any serial numbers etc on display... What a coincidence... 

se2020

Did you test it before sending or could it be possible that it is in poor health?

GadgetGuru

Ask him for an image of the health with the serial number showing - even if you haven’t recorded the serial before sending, it may make him think you did, and hence think twice with regards to his next steps……

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

I'd ask for a return to be opened, swallow the £3 odd for the label, get the battery back, refund the buyer and then block them. 

You may have the option to reduce the refund on the return flow when refunding which should only be used to cover any value lost as a result of the buyer's excessive handling.

In terms of the return label, if the battery comes back and is good you can report the buyer, eBay say they'll credit the postage label but I don't have much faith in them. 

The policy is detailed here, it's probably worded better than I have above!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-protection-policy?id=4345

soolin

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I'd ask for a return to be opened, swallow the £3 odd for the label, get the battery back, refund the buyer and then block them. 

You may have the option to reduce the refund on the return flow when refunding which should only be used to cover any value lost as a result of the buyer's excessive handling.

In terms of the return label, if the battery comes back and is good you can report the buyer, eBay say they'll credit the postage label but I don't have much faith in them. 

The policy is detailed here, it's probably worded better than I have above!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-protection-policy?id=4345

I agree, keep it simple.

Just ask buyer to open a SNAD request and tell them you will send a label, basically call their bluff. They either then send it back or keep it. Make sure you do everything via the eBay SNAD case route as if it does come back you get your FVFs returned. 

red_boots2

Thanks all.

Yes - it maybe possible the battery is faulty and will happily refund / exchange if it is.

I asked him how he was going to get the replacement battery if he was travelling. He then claimed he forgot and doesn't go until the end of the week, which would have been plenty of time to get a new one to him.

He's now said he wants to keep and test the current one he has and get back to me, if he does come back I shall suggest the above and that he opens a SNAD.

Spoonie_Turtle

red_boots2 said:

Thanks all.

Yes - it maybe possible the battery is faulty and will happily refund / exchange if it is.

I asked him how he was going to get the replacement battery if he was travelling. He then claimed he forgot and doesn't go until the end of the week, which would have been plenty of time to get a new one to him.

He's now said he wants to keep and test the current one he has and get back to me, if he does come back I shall suggest the above and that he opens a SNAD.

Wut.

'well dodge', as they would say round here!  Definitely worth reporting to eBay for trying it on, whatever he does actually decide to do.

rollingmoon

Yep, clearly gouging for a partial refund, obvious from the info in your OP even before you got out of him that he'd lied about going away! The 'poor' battery health report he's sent you will most likely be from the knackered battery he bought yours to replace.

He just wants to re-negotiate the price after the deal has been done, so refund in full on return of the item and then block him. You might find that, having tried his luck, he decides to keep it anyway.