HELP with: Vintage 1970s Atlantic Mold Ceramic Christmas Tree with Lights

[hipcoffeetalk]

If you have ANY knowledge on the LARGE Vintage Style 1970s Atlantic Mold Ceramic Christmas Tree with Lights can you please please help!

I sold a like-new mint condition tree for $165, with no flaws at all. I packaged with great care and the buyer received and requested a $50 refund because the lights on the tree were glued on?  Wasn't that how they were made? I literally can not afford to refund half the price, what can I do? Hoping someone knowledgeable posts here with info on how the lights are placed on these vintage-type trees.

They wanted to remove the original lights and replace them with parrot lights. 

Thank you 

[hipcoffeetalk]

Thank you, shipping was $31 

[skeletonstore]

I detest customers like this.  Glue?   Ever heard of solvents?  They're clearly indicating they intend to modify the item.  Now I don't exactly know if Ebay has changed their tune regarding this but they used to close out cases in the seller's favor if the buyer modified the item.  I highly doubt the glue used was impossible to dissolve.  If it was Crazy Glue for example acetone would do the trick and a can of that has to be less than $10.  Nail polish remover which is cheaper and lighter form might dissolve the glue easily.  Since the customer intends to modify the item, I think they are asking for too much.  However like others point out if they open up a case you're on the hook for the shipping and they may(probably)will get angry and either send you back an empty box or smash it with a sledgehammer.  Up to you as to whether you want to take the chance of getting them to accept less than $50 when the modification is significantly cheaper.  I'd say even free if they have the item(acetone) at home.  Jeez if the person glued it with resin(think like spirit gum)it might melt with hot water or again nothing too expensive(I'm partial to Telesis).  You could also bait them into a trap by getting them to modify the item and admit they did so.  That only works if ebay still cares about protecting sellers.  That's some of your options not mentioned above and yes I have had to do something like this in the past few years but "bad buyer technology" is always evolving.  

[jayjaspersgarage]

A conundrum for sure.  If they haven't given feedback yet perhaps counter with a $25 credit once they leave positive feedback.  Be sure to follow through.  A carefully worded response is needed here.

[skeletonstore]

One thing I would add that when one is intending on using any kind of adhesive/glue they general want to have a solvent(appropriate)for cleaning up/touching up.  Keep that in mind.  The buyer may have all the necessary ingredients to remedy the matter and is just trying to save a few bucks by extorting you.  

[hawkwind5454]

As already mentioned, the colored light diffusers should not be glued in. If it were me I would do what the buyer wants, and be happy to have settled for that. Many would consider that tree ruined because they were glued in. You can see the glue in the hole when it's illuminated and it interferes with the clarity, and the crispness of the color.  A $50 comp is not a bad settle. If only some were glued in, maybe a $25 to $30 comp? Just my opinion. 

[*_forum_id_*]

...If they haven't given feedback yet perhaps counter with a $25 credit once they leave positive feedback...

This violates eBay's Feedback policy:

Sellers aren't allowed to:

• Demand that buyers take actions related to feedback in order to receive their purchased items, such as requiring a buyer to leave positive feedback and high DSRs before they'll dispatch the order
• Offer refunds or other monetary compensation, or additional items or services that weren't part of the original listing, in exchange for buyers leaving specific feedback or revising negative or neutral feedback

[maxine*j]

All I can tell you is that a late sister-in-law of mine made many of these back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which she gave to various family members.  The lights were definitely not glued in, the idea being that they coud be easily replaced if need be or so desired.

=

[house*of*paws]

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@hipcoffeetalk wrote:

Thank you, shipping was $31 

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@hipcoffeetalk 

The listing showed $53.20 to me in CA.  

eBay may charge you more for the return label than you paid for original shipping, however.  I don't think eBay uses Ground  for returns.

[oneblindcat]

If the light diffusers are plastic, any solvent that would dissolve the glue would probably harm the plastic. A good twist might well pop them out, depending if the glaze extends down into the hole.

Either way, the buyer would have modified it, so there's that.

[katzrul15]

@hipcoffeetalk 

We also have this tree from the 70's - we have 2 of them.  One was Gran's and one was my Mother-n-laws.

We could not find ours (Grans) to display this year, but I just has DH go get his Mom's out of the box (it is upstairs over the garage in a box) and he says the lights come out and there are a bunch of them in the bottom of the box.  He also said the Star is also removeable.

My recollection is that is the way Gran's is also.  The colored lights insert into the ceramic tree tips, etc.

I will admit that I never thought about gluing them and how handy that would be as it seems every year I am searching for one that seems to be missing.  lol

When did your Buyer get this?  In time to use it for the Holidays?  If yes, could this be a carpy reason for a remorse/rent-a-tree deal?  How long has the Buyer had the tree?

Obviously, there is not much you can do if they claim a SNAD, etc.  I just do not do partials - burned too many times on those.  Return for a full refund.  I would strongly suggest to your Buyer to insure the parcel for the return, if they proceed.  Also, if you are a TRS (am assuming this is your Buying ID?), then you can deduct up to 50% should it not return to you in the condition shipped/received.

Good luck to you.  Hope it works out.

[katwawa58]

Most of the older vintage trees the bulbs were glued in with Elmer's glue. All they have to do is put it in the sink and get it wet and they will all come out. Or they can use a blow dryer on low and loosen the bulbs up. But if you stated in your original post that they were glued in, that's their problem

[simba6]

All you can do is issue a paid return label and refund in full when you get it back. If you don't want to refund.

I would issue the label as I don't like encourage  discounting.  That is my call, another umpire might call it different.

It's hard to say how it was made as processes often changed during production.

[grand-and-glorious-purpose]

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@hipcoffeetalk wrote:

Wasn't that how they were made?

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Glued and not glued

[continentalcollectibles]

Lights burnout over time. these were made to take out and replace when they did. they were not glued in. No Matter that you knew or not, the buyer can claim basically anything they want to return it, Unfortunately eBay is going to allow any buyer to return items. Part of being in the eBay business.

You have a few choices, in my humble opinion.

1. Agree with the request or at least message them back and negotiate it to both of your satisfaction

2. Agree to the return which YOU pay for and refund all their purchase plus the shipping.

3. or fight with them eBay will refund them automatically and take it out of your funds. You will almost be guaranteed to get a Negative from the buyer and a Defect on your account from eBay.

You have too good of a Selling record on Here to want that. The best thing to do, again in My Opinion, is accept the return, relist it with what you now know is an aftermarket modification. and resell it. who knows? Christmas is coming and this is a Pretty popular little display you might get more . Keep up your great selling record

[fern*wood]

First of all---those plastic plugs don't burn out.  Their "glow" comes from one bulb inside the tree shining through them.

Second of all---this is an old thread that will be locked soon.