Buyer won't put new batteries into a 8 year old NIB collectible toy...returns instead

[modulok!]

Just venting...Sold an 8 year old collectible new in sealed box batt. op toy.  This toy had factory installed batteries in it from 8 years ago.  Buyer receives toy and says that it isn't working properly and wants to return it.  I tell buyer through Ebay Messages that the factory installed batteries are 8 years old and have probably lost much of their power and to just put in new batteries and it will work properly.  Buyer doesn't respond to the message and instead opens a SNAD return.  I accept return (because I have to) and pay for return shipping.  I get the toy back and the toy's box is ripped open and basically destroyed.  I test the toy and it is doing what the buyer describes.  I take out the factory installed batteries (which have lost most of their power) and replace with new batteries and the toy works properly as I told the buyer it would.  This buyer couldn't be bothered to put in new batteries and instead decided it would be easier to return it to me.  Now I have a collectible toy with a destroyed box, I'm out $25 in shipping, and I have a return on my Service Metrics.  Grrrrr!!

[sweetpieces4you]

LOL , sorry but that is just to funny !! Also sorry about the costs you incurred !! But some people you have to wonder about !! Hope you can at least sell the toy to someone who will use it !! Good Luck

[anthology-of-treasures]

That is sad to hear.

I am surprised to hear that the batteries were intact. The number one thing to check with any old battery powered toy is the battery compartment. Age, heat, & cold will cause a lot of batteries to leak over time, espcially the older batteries. This typically leaves a crustly white corrosive layer of chemicals within the compartment and on its internal parts. This can easily darken or completely eat the outer metal finish on the internal parts of the compartment. It can be a very tough job or impossible job to clean off and will likely damage the appearance of the compartment to some degree.

[extrememobility]

Likely the buyer did not have any money left in piggy bank? LOL"

[gracieallen01]

Are you sure it was the box that you had sent the toy in, and not the old, torn one the buyer may have had from another toy like it?  Not that any buyer would do anything like that, you understand! 

[a_c_green]

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@modulok! wrote:

I take out the factory installed batteries (which have lost most of their power) and replace with new batteries and the toy works properly as I told the buyer it would.

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In addition, there is often a disclaimer printed somewhere on the box to explain that the batteries are for in-store demonstration only, and may need replacement before use.

[gamersbaystore]

I'd say the bulk of returns on ebay are because buyers realized they're broke and now they want their money back. And of course they will make up any lame excuse for the return. Its bad enough the sellers have to lose out on shipping over buyer remorse, then ebay punishes the seller because the buyer changed their mind.

Don't worry though, years of ebay's bad karma is finally catching up with them. They're losing sellers left and right, which they greatly deserve. Eventually ebay is going to have to realize they need to start treating their sellers better, otherwise they will have none left.

Besides, there's there's more alternatives than ever for sellers on this platform. Who needs ebay when you can launch your own e-commerce website with your own domain, and operate your business for less than one third of the costs of selling on ebay. This is my goal over the next few months, to get my own site up and running and ditch this place.

No one is tied down to ebay, it just seems that way because we've allowed ebay to get away with all their anti-seller policies that only benefit themselves.

[castlemagicmemories]

I completely understand that vent.  How frustrating.  Your collectible has now lost its' value substanially.  

There was no need for them to rip and trash the box.  Logic tells you the batteries in something that old aren't going to work and the value is of a collectible nature.  If you want to play with it, put new batteries in.

I bought a collectible of this nature as a gift for someone fully aware that you could not expect the batteries to work.  In any case, many of those tester batteries only have a very limited lifespan anyway.  In my case, the item was not bought to be played with but as a collectible.

Sorry this happened to you, OP.

[modulok!]

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@sweetpieces4you wrote:

LOL , sorry but that is just to funny !! Also sorry about the costs you incurred !! But some people you have to wonder about !! Hope you can at least sell the toy to someone who will use it !! Good Luck

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It was a $50 item.  The value was in that it was still sealed in the box as most were opened because this was something that a child would wear for a costume (voice changer helmet from a popular movie series).  The value is now gone since it was opened and box was destroyed.  Now its just a used dime a dozen helmet with not much value.  Think I will just give it to the neighbor kid.

[modulok!]

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@anthology-of-treasures wrote:

That is sad to hear.

I am surprised to hear that the batteries were intact. The number one thing to check with any old battery powered toy is the battery compartment. Age, heat, & cold will cause a lot of batteries to leak over time, espcially the older batteries. This typically leaves a crustly white corrosive layer of chemicals within the compartment and on its internal parts. This can easily darken or completely eat the outer metal finish on the internal parts of the compartment. It can be a very tough job or impossible job to clean off and will likely damage the appearance of the compartment to some degree.

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These were factory installed Try Me type batteries which are under powered to start with so not much risk in them leaking.  When the item was sold they were still working but who knows how much power they had left in them...not much apparently.

[modulok!]

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@gracieallen01 wrote:

Are you sure it was the box that you had sent the toy in, and not the old, torn one the buyer may have had from another toy like it?  Not that any buyer would do anything like that, you understand! 

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No it was definitely the right box (had a small crease on it and the box I got back had exact same small crease).  Buyer just ripped the box apart trying to get the item out of the box instead of simply opening the top flap where it was meant to be opened.  Buyer didn't mention anything about destroying the box when he messaged me about the return.

[modulok!]

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:

I completely understand that vent.  How frustrating.  Your collectible has now lost its' value substanially.  

There was no need for them to rip and trash the box.  Logic tells you the batteries in something that old aren't going to work and the value is of a collectible nature.  If you want to play with it, put new batteries in.

I bought a collectible of this nature as a gift for someone fully aware that you could not expect the batteries to work.  In any case, many of those tester batteries only have a very limited lifespan anyway.  In my case, the item was not bought to be played with but as a collectible.

Sorry this happened to you, OP.

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Thanks for the understanding.  The thing that gets me is that I specifically told the buyer, when he messaged me about the toy not working, that the factory installed batteries were 8 years old and probably lost their power and needed to be replaced.  He said that the toy made a rumbling sound "like a freight train was rumbling by".  I told him that in my experience that a rumbling sound means that the batteries are under powered and needed to be replaced.  No response to that suggestion just a SNAD return opened.  When I got the toy back, it did have a low rumbling sound definitely not "like a freight train".  I think he just wanted the money more than he wanted the item, or he just would have replaced the 3 AA batteries that it required instead of going through the hassle of returning the item.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@modulok! wrote:

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@gracieallen01 wrote:

Are you sure it was the box that you had sent the toy in, and not the old, torn one the buyer may have had from another toy like it?  Not that any buyer would do anything like that, you understand! 

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No it was definitely the right box (had a small crease on it and the box I got back had exact same small crease).  Buyer just ripped the box apart trying to get the item out of the box instead of simply opening the top flap where it was meant to be opened.  Buyer didn't mention anything about destroying the box when he messaged me about the return.

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Sounds like someone was in a hurry to get at it; possibly a child opened it without adult supervision.  But then again, one never knows.

[escuintla]

Dear buyer:

As you can see in pictures, this is a brand new, still wrapped toy from the year xxxx. Per factory instructions, the batteries are for demonstration purposes and, given the years the toy was stored, they may be expired and no longer able to make it work. I suggest you be ready with 2-4 batteries of size xxx, xx, A,B,C,D.
Please note that item is wrapped and has to be returned as is, as you bought it. Once you break the seal, or cut the wrap, it is not returnable "

[trustedbasset]

I would report the buyer at the very least sending you an altered return. 

I would probably contact eBay but that won’t do anything, I would still try.