I have a client with a similar issue - they buy out closed businesses, wall-to-wall. In the process, they acquired a large number of prepaid cellphones, new in sealed packages, but because they hadn't been 'register scanned', the carriers would not allow them to connect to the network. They were not reported lost or stolen, they just hadn't been scanned at a checkout counter.
They have been successfully selling them for a couple of years now, stating the Condition as "As-Is/For Parts", and then explaining in the title and description that these are retail bankruptcy phones (the most common reason my client buys out a business), that they are new in package, and that they may not connect to the carrier network.
To date, over 100 phones sold and only two customers were allowed by eBay to return their "as-is/for parts" phones for a refund because they were "only good for parts". I know - it's stupid to allow a buyer to return a product listed as being "for parts" because it's only good for parts, but that's eBay. I told them to appeal both returns, which they did. One was reversed, the other let stand.
So we reviewed their template and all listings - any mention of "new" was removed and replaced with "in retail package". We updated their title template, the description template, and reviewed everything twice, then one more time for good measure. Since then, no more returns.
-Bob.
@3dblack wrote:Thanks for the response, though I still don't understand. Should I have marked it "For Parts" even though it had never been opened?
"As-Is/For Parts" is a catch-all Condition for items that may not be working, may be missing parts, may have damage, may required technical repairs for proper operation... your calculator was new, but the corrosion in the battery compartment may have rendered it inoperative. If it doesn't work, the only Condition that applies is "As-Is/For Parts".
There is an extensive list of Conditions available by Category - I keep a copy pinned to the wall in my office and refer the boss to them when he wants something listed as "New" that is actually something else, usually "New Other" due to missing box.
-Bob.
@reallynicestamps wrote:Yes.
Without a network it won't operate.
It can only be used - at least by the average technodolt - for parts to repair connected phones.
As @rosachs posted:
So we reviewed their template and all listings - any mention of "new" was removed and replaced with "in retail package". We updated their title template, the description template, and reviewed everything twice, then one more time for good measure.
I'm almost certain they are being used for parts for repairs. For the unit price they are being sold at, just using the display to replace a cracked one could return 5x what they spent for that one phone. Well, without the forwarder charges -- I have no idea how expensive that is, but I'm assuming it's not as cheap as USPS domestically.
-Bob.
