Is there a mathematician in the house?

Customer bought a brand new OEM ignition coil in a factory sealed package from me, installed it on his machine, and the darn thing still wont start. "The coil must be defective".

Defective coil = Percentage?

Mis-diagnosis = Percentage?

Of course I accepted his return, no questions asked.

inhawaii

Ebay's most handsome seller.5032 View listings

Posted 2 years ago·Last reply 2 years ago

16 comments

retrogames10000

·2 years ago

2989 View listings

In my limited experience fixing my own cars, I've learned that new in box does not mean anything for manufactured semi-disposable products. I think the manufacturers also package their defects and sell them on also.

Had enough experiences at advance auto with faulty new stuff that perhaps I'd be more inclined to believe it.

movieman630

·2 years ago

21830 View listings

@retrogames10000 wrote:
In my limited experience fixing my own cars, I've learned that new in box does not mean anything for manufactured semi-disposable products. I think the manufacturers also package their defects and sell them on also.

Had enough experiences at advance auto with faulty new stuff that perhaps I'd be more inclined to believe it.

I agree with that in regards to "modern" parts. ESPECIALLY those made in China fast and cheap. But the NOS parts from a bygone era had quality control in place. The defects were recycled in the factory. It was rare for a GM part made in Anderson or Detroit to be defective. Some parts are effected by time but it's mostly to do with the environment in which they were stored. Obviously parts stored for many years in optimal conditions are going to stand the test of time. Parts stored in a leaky barn aren't.

I do inspect parts before they're sent out, if they look like they didn't "stand the test of time" I won't sell them. They go right into the scrap bin. I can count on one hand the amount of times a buyer has said the part was actually defective and I've always just refunded them.

movieman630

·2 years ago

21830 View listings

In my opinion they were trying to diagnose the problem with their machine with the simplest and cheapest option first only to discover the problem lies elsewhere. For a NOS part to be defective is rare.

I can't tell you how many times I've had customers tell me the same thing only to discover the problem actually was that a mouse had eaten through a wire or something to the like.

Thus my "all sales final" policy. In regards to NOS parts. It's up to the buyer to take responsibility for their own vehicles and needs for such. I have no way to determine that and neither do you. You offer a product. It is what it is and does what it does. It's not your concern if it solves their problem or not.

Not to mention the amount of scammers in that realm who return their defective used part and keep your good one just to get a free part.

The automotive parts business is extremely frustrating at times. I haven't bought anything at a parts store lately but the last time I did they did not except returns on certain parts because of the scams.

There were times I pondered over if I should sign up with ebay and offer "no hassle returns" just to see what happens, then I come to my senses and realize what a can of worms that would open in ebay motors. It's just not worth the hassle. I'd rather not do business with buyers who are "just trying to see if it works" to solve their problem then want to return a "tried" part that I can no longer sell as New old stock. Once it's tried, it's over. The value is gone.

stuff4divas

·2 years ago

7585 View listings

@inhawaii i'm with @siamjane8

50% deduction

siamjane8

·2 years ago

7838 View listings

@inhawaii What you have is a 50% deduction on the return with ebay seller protections. you sent buyer a factory sealed and we must assume working product. they installed it, - no doubt it will be returned without original packaging and is no longer a new sellable item. You probably have no way to test it so you cannot list it against a resell it with a good conscious. That is why ebay put those protections into place. This is above and beyond the industry standard for electronic parts- no retail store will accept a return on a used electrical device- their policy is no returns on opened electronics.

Unavailable member

·2 years ago

Their profile isn't available.

@siamjane8 wrote:
@inhawaii What you have is a 50% deduction on the return with ebay seller protections. you sent buyer a factory sealed and we must assume working product. they installed it, - no doubt it will be returned without original packaging and is no longer a new sellable item. You probably have no way to test it so you cannot list it against a resell it with a good conscience. That is why ebay put those protections into place. This is above and beyond the industry standard for electronic parts- no retail store will accept a return on a used electrical device- their policy is no returns on opened electronics.

Not when the store sells a dud. The store might put up a sign to discourage the uninformed. But, they have to take back junk items. There are still great consumer protections around.

movieman630

·2 years ago

21830 View listings

@siamjane8 wrote:
@inhawaii What you have is a 50% deduction on the return with ebay seller protections. you sent buyer a factory sealed and we must assume working product. they installed it, - no doubt it will be returned without original packaging and is no longer a new sellable item. You probably have no way to test it so you cannot list it against a resell it with a good conscious. That is why ebay put those protections into place. This is above and beyond the industry standard for electronic parts- no retail store will accept a return on a used electrical device- their policy is no returns on opened electronics.

In that case if you have to pay for the return I always just issue a refund and let them "keep it". I can't re-sell it so why waste more money on a return that I'm just going to toss in the garbage can? If they're responsible to pay the shipping then make them send it back first, then toss it in the garbage can.

cardsforauction

·2 years ago

3112 View listings

If the spark plug is fouled then they should change that with a new one. They can try adding a couple drops of Marvel Mystery Oil in the oil and fuel. Maybe they get lucky and it starts.

sakic92710

·2 years ago

4044 View listings

Sounds like you need a gardener, not a mathematician. lol

12345jamesstamps

·2 years ago

8865 View listings

Selling something I don't even know what it's for...$46.00...that's means you can't go out tonight.

inhawaii

OP2 years ago

Ebay's most handsome seller.5032 View listings

@12345jamesstamps wrote:
Selling something I don't even know what it's for...$46.00...that's means you can't go out tonight.

I'm cancelling my trip to McDonalds.

onlinecentral

·2 years ago

15332 View listings

98.6% Buyer and seller both happy
0.4% Defective coil
1.0% Mis-diagnosis

a_c_green

·2 years ago

4200 View listings

@inhawaii wrote:
Customer bought a brand new OEM ignition coil in a factory sealed package from me, installed it on his machine, and the darn thing still wont start. "The coil must be defective".

For a weed whacker? He's probably got a gummed-up carb. That would be my 99% mathematical guess.