Used Gear
Scenario:
You sell a VCR it's 30 years old. You tested it. It worked. Few days later buyer complains it's dead.
AUTOMATIC RETURN OR REFUND & KEEP IT.
NO this is not MY story but every day on ebay used audio/video gear is sold & much of it is nearing 30 years old & older
If you say it works you best hope it does for at least a month or more
Used should mean USED & as such the buyer should not be allowed to return it unless there is a return or if they force the seller's hand to do so
No used component should be considered working perfectly "indefinitely"
But here's the buyers rub...
Too many lazy sellers DO NOT test or test thoroughly selling components as tested or working & hope they get away with it
If not who cares they had FREE money for a while & that's why ebay allows returns & refunds
It's obvious a used component could fail partially or fully
Could you guarantee a 1988 VCR?>
No but as long as sellers lie about an items condition i.e. working when they have not tested it or fully ebay will always side with the buyer on a used tube radio from 1937
luckythewinner
·3 years agoIn you scenario the buyer never said it should work "indefinitely". He said it did not work right after he got it. 🙄
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoOMG, I hate shipping DVD/VCR players. For a while I was selling and shipping them at a clip and it's such a krap shoot with arrival and setup. My supplier finally stopped giving them to me - the younger cinemaphile thrift shoppers are now snapping them up for their DVD collections (thank gawd) and he's not finding any. I also used to sell vintage amps, pre-amps, etc. Everything is tested and yes, it needs to work when the buyer gets it.
IMHO, it's just not worth the headaches selling that stuff online.
@buytodayshipnextday BTW, that Magnolia Diner slide is like a snapshot of my youth and young adulthood!
annadryl
·3 years agoExactly why many sellers choose not to sell such fragile stuff online or trust it to the mail. Some things can still be better sold locally. I'm not saying there aren't great electronics sellers (and packers, shippers) out there, it's just not for me. I also have great respect for those who can ship glassware without taking too much of a loss, I however... just better not! 🙂
fashunu4eeuh
·3 years agoJust about any item in the mail stream has the potential for damage. Even well-packaged items can sustain damage in transit, particularly in categories like electronics, that may have sensitive inner components.
Testing one’s new item may not be feasible when it’s in the manufacturer’s sealed packaging. (It is accepted practice that new items can be assumed to be fully operational.)
But used items should definitely be fully inspected and/or tested before listing. If the seller cannot test due to the item’s age or lack of components (or laziness), then those items would best be listed as For Parts/Not Working, to better protect one’s interests. (Personally, i’d choose not to list such items here, because some buyers do not read the listings.)
Yes, there are some eBay sellers who operate on the mistaken belief that it is the buyer who bears all the risk when purchasing a used item. However, the opposite is true—the seller is held fully accountable by eBay policy. Sellers bear all the risk. No caveat emptor here.
itscalledapostingid
·3 years agoThey don't really "side with the buyer."
If a buyers says they believe the item is defective they just allow the buyer to return it for a refund.
That's the way it works petty much everywhere business is done online or in person. There are consumer protection laws in place to ensure a customer can return an unsatisfactory item for a refund if they say they believe it's unsatisfactory.
lakefor94
·3 years agoWhen the buyer asks eBay to step in or the seller "thinks" they have a chance eBay will side with them, eBay will side with the buyer in any INAD Case.
Seller is like a scratch-off lottery ticket, instant loser.
itscalledapostingid
·3 years agoThe seller should already know ebay will allow a buyer to return an item for a refund if they say they believe it's unsatisfactory.
lakefor94
·3 years agoIf you hang around here for a bit longer today, some seller will be along that does not know what a INAD is and will wonder why they have to refund when they have "returns not accepted" in their listing.
lakefor94
·3 years ago@itscalledapostingid did not take long......
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Returns/Buyer-Wants-A-Return-Listing-Was-Correct/td-p/33632046#M32122
itscalledapostingid
·3 years agoI am not sure why you are telling me this. I have been a member of the community for years.
I am aware that many people have no idea how to run a business.
Have a nice weekend.
lakefor94
·3 years agoLol
maxine*j
·3 years agoPer eBay, USED means and says right in the listing: "Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used."
And eBay's Money Back Guarantee is good for 30 days, not "indefinitely." PayPal and credit card companies will allow chargebacks for up to six months, but that has nothing to do with Bay, and it is still not "indefinitely."
People who want to sell old electronics but want to sell them as "used" rather than "for parts or repair" just have to deal with the occasional loss when something gives up the ghost not long after a buyer receives it -- because it is going to happen.
And remember that brand new components can, and do, "fail partially or fully," too.
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lakefor94
·3 years ago"ebay will always side with the buyer on a used tube radio from 1937"
eBay will always side with the buyer on any INAD return.
pcobra93
·3 years agoEven if it was IEAD.... (Item Exactly As Described)....There is the big rub.
inhawaii
·3 years agoThe only question I could find in your post is...
"Could you guarantee a 1988 VCR?"
If you are selling it on ebay, yes, you have to.
Ebay offers a 30 day MBG to all buyers.
If you say it's working, it has to work for the buyer for 30 days.
buytodayshipnextday
OP3 years agoYES I understand but used is used not reconditioned, refurnished, rebuilt. A used item especially an audio/video or mechanical item should not be mandated to work perfectly for 30 days. anything can go. they are subject to age & usage & sometimes abuse before & after the sale which is beyond a sellers control
lakefor94
·3 years agoFortunately for the providers of income, AKA as buyers, get to receive items that work for at least 30 days and longer should they pay via PayPal or CC.
Selling closet electronic junk is a mainstay but also risky.
kensgiftshop
·3 years agoEven if an item is working fine when the seller checks it, doesn't mean it will still work when the buyer receives it.
A lot can happen to the item from the time it's dropped off until the buyer receives it.