eBay

holsteinatlanta · ‎11-18-2019

A guy buys an item from me (on my seller username). Before he buys he asks if it works even though I stated it works. He said he has trouble with other sellers before and said I appear to be an honest seller. Red flag?

I buy a heavy duty box from FEDEX and use peanuts and large bubble bubble wrap. The item is in a metal housing like a stereo. Somehow he receives it with zero damage to the carton but the top of the item is crushed. A metal plated item is dented though the box and though thee peanuts and though the bubble wrap? Doubtful! This is the 10th item of the exact same thing and no complaints. I do not understand how it could have suffered such significant damage.

Wondering what FEDEX will say. I stated the item's serial number in the listing. I just asked for a picture of the item showing the damage fro the rear saying fedex needs all angles. I want to see if the serial number matches.

Seems like a PIA for a guy to go though all of this for a claim. Does he think I will just refund him and move on?

He ordered Wednesday, I dropped it off at FEDEX the same day. He got it Saturday and on that same Saturday he is asking for a refund. I told him FEDEX is closed on the weekend and he now wants a refund today.

It's the holiday season... here come the crooks!

gwzcomps · ‎11-18-2019

FedEx delivers to residential areas Tuesday-Saturday.

I once shipped an Apple server with 3 inches of heavy duty bubble wrap. Fedex somehow managed to bend one of the rack ears in shipping. Luckily the buyer didn't care and just bent it back in that case. It isn't impossible for the shipping companies to damage something in shipping without damaging the box. FedEx auto declines every claim, so I would just file a damage claim and dispute it.

mam98031 · ‎11-18-2019

That is exactly what will happen if they file a claim. To try to deny it or dispute it will only result in you getting a defect on your account. Ebay will rule for the buyer.

So if you can resolve the matter through emails and no claim, I'd do that. So keep it polite and not pointing figures at the buyer.

Trying to get pics is an excellent idea. Tell them you need to contact Fedex to file a claim and it will require pics for you to do that. Maybe that will help you to get them.

Smart taking a pic of the serial number and putting it in the listing. I always do that whenever I'm selling something that has a serial number.

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." Quote from Edward I Koch

reallynicestamps · ‎11-19-2019

Does he think I will just refund him and move on?

That's possible.

Or it could have arrived damaged.

"I regret that you are not happy with your purchase. Please return it, with the original packaging, for a full refund. "

At best, he's trying it on and will shut up.

At worst, he's right and you pay for him to return a broken item.

"I regret that you are not happy with your purchase. Please return it, with the original packaging, for a full refund. "

hawkwind5454 · ‎11-19-2019

@holsteinatlanta wrote:
He said he has trouble with other sellers before and said I appear to be an honest seller. Red flag?

Yes there is a good chance, as that is a line used for a scam, and others, who have been scammed, have mentioned it on the boards. Though I have never sold electronics, I've sold high dollar items. I've had a 99% non-problematic tenure of almost two decades on eBay, with scrupulous feedback, and not once have I ever had a potential buyer tell me, "you appear to be an honest seller".

holsteinatlanta · ‎11-19-2019

My thoughts are that he asked twice if it will arrive safe before buying and now it has cosmetic damage that wouldn't even happen if the FEDEX truck ran over the box. Looks like he took a hammer to an edge

holsteinatlanta · ‎11-19-2019

Here is a picture of the damage. The box doesn't show any damage. I'll add box pix later

southern*sweet*tea · ‎11-19-2019

@holsteinatlanta wrote:
A guy buys an item from me (on my seller username). Before he buys he asks if it works even though I stated it works. He said he has trouble with other sellers before and said I appear to be an honest seller. Red flag?

More red flags than you'd find at a Bolshevik parade.

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell

hawkwind5454 · ‎11-20-2019

@holsteinatlanta wrote:
Here is a picture of the damage. The box doesn't show any damage. I'll add box pix later

That sure looks like it took a direct hit with nothing insulating it from whatever it was struck with... it is just too centered of a strike rather than a broad, gradual dent, as would happen if it were in a box.