Computer overheating
I sold a device around a month and a half ago that was properly functioning and didn’t have any strange issues performing, today the buyer contacted me saying it was randomly overheating and shutting down, I don’t what he’s used the computer for in this time and why it’s doing what it’s doing, I’d like to help him out i.e possible partial but realistically I feel like there’s too many variables considering that anything could have happened to the device in that timespan
if y’all have any opinions on this let me know any help would be appreciated!
7 comments
broto_64
·4 months agoHmm... I recently had a similar issue, turns out it wasn't heat but an underpowered power-supply which only caused the issue when I installed a new graphics card.
Perhaps that is what the buyer did, installed new accessories and the p/s is unable to handle the load?
Because overheating, it would have to get REALLY hot, the only other possibility is a mission critical fan stopped working.
kensgiftshop
·4 months agoDoes it have a fan that could have quit working?
The fan on my desktop went out years ago and as long as I keep a fan pointed towards the back of it, it does ok.
oldjunkrus
·4 months agoTower style pc? Or laptop? Could have added memory cards, video cards, or many other add ons that may be too much for the CPU to handle and it overheats and shuts down. There are some gaming av cards out there that are so intense that they even require a outer water cooled CPU processor cooler to keep it from overheating. I had one someone gave me to use but never gamed, maybe that what's going on. My buddy is a computer builder and we talk a lot about him building different ones for people. He plays that warcraft game on line. So have the guy send a picture of the back or if laptop get a all around and look for more ports or something and see if it looks modified? If it has then just back away.
christworks
·4 months ago@galaxycollectibles_56 Is it the MS Surface Pro? You sold that March 4. The 30-Day period for returns starts when the item was delivered, not when the order was sold. You had 3-day handling on it, so if you used all of those days, I think it is quite possible your buyer is still within the return period. This means they could open an INAD return and you will have to take it back and refund them in full, or refund them in full and tell them to keep it. If they are still within the 30-day return window, you do not want them getting eBay invovled or going to their credit card/bank.
Look to see when the item was delivered. If it has not been 30-days, then tell your buyer to open a return. Have them ship it back to you and refund them. Or, refund them and tell them to keep it. In the alternative, if they want to keep it and try to get it fixed, you can offer them a partial refund. In that case they do not need to open a return. You can just issue them a refund, use the appropiate reason, and make a note in the text box to detail why you issued the partial refund. For example, "Buyer reached out near the end of the return period becuase the tablet was overheating. Buyer wanted to keep the tablet and have the issue repaired, so I am issuing a refund of $XX.XX to assist with the repair. This buyer is agreeable to this."
One thing about Surface Pros is they tend to run warm, especially under load (multiple tabs, video, background processes, etc.). If airflow is restricted or it’s used on a soft surface, heat can build up and the device may shut down to protect itself. It is designed to do that or else it would become a brick. It would be worth checking those type of issues first, as those are easy fixes.
If it’s shutting down during light use, the fan isn’t operating, or the battery is overheating, that would point more toward a hardware issue. In that case, a return would be appropriate, or a partial refund if both parties agree and the buyer wants to pursue a repair. This would assume it is within the 30-day window. If it is just past the 30-day window, you might consider some partial refund anyway. Even if you do that, your buyer could still open up a claim with their bank or credit card. I don't think sellers should live in fear of that, but you need to understand it is a possibility. Given how much you sold it for, it might be worth having them open a return, you get it back and see what is going on with it.
galaxycollectibles_56
OP4 months agoHi! Thanks for the response!
Most of my listings including this one have a no return policy however with electronics I’m always super flexible about if there’s an issue, I’ll definitely see if I can offer to cover any possible repairs and help them out 1000%
bobwhitesoftheglen
·4 months agoJust know that your No Return policy only applies to remorse returns, not SNAD.
jonathanbrightlight
·4 months agoIf it's been less than 30 days since the order was delivered (not shipped), they may still be eligible to file an Item Not As Described case. Past that, you're not obligated to do anything, though there is still some chance they could try to file a chargeback, so it's in your best interest to at least offer some advice and make them feel as though you're wanting to help, even if you don't give them any type of refund.