PLEASE HELP - High $ Item Buyer Unhappy with Purchase

[fashionnerd]

Good Afternoon - 

I sold a Clover system, which is essentially a point of sale system with a computer, cash drawer, and receipt printer. The interface is very similar to an iPad. It was an expensive item - about $1500 new and I sold it for about half of that. 

I tested the equipment and it was all in pristine condition. I packaged it really well and insured the package -sent through UPS ground to CA from the east cost. About a week after delivery confirmation, the buyer messages me via eBay with complaints that the cash drawer not working "as described" or properly. I had a note in the listing that the cash drawer was missing the key for manual access. 

I'm not sure how to go about this. Typically, I don't accept returns. The buyer is asking me whether I insured the unit. He hasn't yet opened a case. TIA!

[bobwhitesoftheglen]

No returns are only for remorse returns.  If your buyer files a NAD claim, you will have to accept the return and refund when you receive your item back.

[fashionnerd]

Thank you so much for your reply. 

The buyer has not opened any type of claim yet, just direct messages to me via eBay messages. I have mainly used the messages to gain more info like photos and information about what's wrong. I am unsure why they are asking about insurance I may have or may not have put on the item for shipping...I did insure the item for its full value, but I'm not sure if I should tell him that. 

I am wondering what my next steps should be. Is it possible to work out a solution without filing a NAD or is the only option to accept a return and refund? I guess either way I can make a claim against the shipping insurance that I purchased with UPS.

[picknparley]

Why is the buyer asking if you had insured it?  It doesn't appear to be a shipping damage incident so it makes no sense for the buyer to ask about insurance. 

Kind of sounds like maybe they just didn't read the description. 

Wait and see what they decide to do.

[dtexley3]

Shipping insurance is usually voided if the item is shipped back to the seller.

Check the buyers feedback left for others, just sounds odd for them to ask.

[fashionnerd]

Personally, I don't think there are any actual issues - it was perfect and verified through test when sent and was also very well-packaged. The buyer sent a photo with the drawer partially open and another with the cash drawer closed, looked fine. He wanted my number to text me some videos, but I requested to keep communication in eBay.

My understanding from his messages and the two photos is that maybe something internal is bent, so it is opening "tightly" or possibly only opening partially. The latest message, the buyer said maybe the unit was damaged in shipping and that the box was damaged when he got it. I then requested any photos he might have of the shipment from arrival. 

I honestly am worried it might be some kind of scam, but trying to get more info from more experienced sellers. My thought was to gather photos and submit a claim to UPS, let the buyer keep the unit (it's like 30 some pounds shipped cross country), and then give them a partial refund to keep them happy. It sounds like maybe I should just wait and see if the buyer files a claim rather than working it out via messages to avoid a claim?

I haven't dealt with high $$ items like this before. I only insured for my own sanity in case it was lost in transit or something like that. I was also perplexed why the buyer was asking about the insurance coverage.

[fashionnerd]

The buyer rating says (47) and 100% positive feedback - low activity as of late only 2 transactions in the past year. Seems like the buyer has a good track record overall.

[chapeau-noir]

Buyers can only have 100% feedback - it's pretty meaningless.  I would look more at feedback left.

[heakal-54]

Basically it's a remorse return but the buyer is presently fishing for a better reason for the return because presently the GUILT of LYING about a SNAD is not allowing them to do it. 

Because of that sellers should never entertain their buyers conversation about whatever they think is wrong with it. I believe most sellers who do this are trying to "save" a situation and that would be fine but then the item isn't in their possession... Even more unfortunate is all that groveling places the seller on the low ground of the argument, something which very few buyers will be able to resist taking advantage of.

Therefore never try to "save" a sale (or a return) that concerns an item that's in the buyer's possession, instead simply and always reply with:

Dear Buyer,

I am sorry if you are unhappy with your purchase, please return for a refund.

Thank you,

Seller

[vintage-car-magazines]

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@fashionnerd wrote:

Personally, I don't think there are any actual issues - it was perfect and verified through test when sent and was also very well-packaged. The buyer sent a photo with the drawer partially open and another with the cash drawer closed, looked fine. He wanted my number to text me some videos, but I requested to keep communication in eBay.

My understanding from his messages and the two photos is that maybe something internal is bent, so it is opening "tightly" or possibly only opening partially. The latest message, the buyer said maybe the unit was damaged in shipping and that the box was damaged when he got it. I then requested any photos he might have of the shipment from arrival. 

I honestly am worried it might be some kind of scam, but trying to get more info from more experienced sellers. My thought was to gather photos and submit a claim to UPS, let the buyer keep the unit (it's like 30 some pounds shipped cross country), and then give them a partial refund to keep them happy. It sounds like maybe I should just wait and see if the buyer files a claim rather than working it out via messages to avoid a claim?

I haven't dealt with high $$ items like this before. I only insured for my own sanity in case it was lost in transit or something like that. I was also perplexed why the buyer was asking about the insurance coverage.

---

Good luck getting anything through an insurance claim on a used item. Unless the package was extremely damaged then it's going to be tough to prove the damage was from shipping.

Return shipping with be expensive. I'd start with asking the buyer what they have in mind, go from there and compere the cost of their suggestion with the cost of shipping and another FVF. You have three choices.

• Return for a full refund including shipping they paid and also pay for return shipping.
• Some alternative negotiated between you and the buyer.
• Do nothing and wait for them to open a claim. It's a gamble. If they don't open a claim you're in the clear. If they do you'll be back at the first two options with a buyer who's likely to be less cooperative.

[lilbama911]

Before telling the buyer to return the Clover System or talking partial refund, try trouble shooting the system with her, most likely the system needs rebooting which will solve the cash drawer problem in addition to other things.   The Clover system appears to be user friendly.

Watch the You Tube video first , because periodic rebooting solves a lot of problems. 

This is the link  by silveredge Clover Troubleshooting

Also, asking whether the item is insures should not be the buyers concern, inquiring about insurance makes her sould suspect.  Tell her, lets try rebootingthe system first.

[fashionnerd]

Thank you, everyone, for your responses!

[mobley120]

Your issue sounds just like the one I had, about a year or two ago, in which prompted me to stop selling stuff on eBay..

This is what happened:

I sold two high dollar registers; they were like new and both worked perfect. They original sold for 2k each, I sold then for 1/4 of that cost.

Buyer left great feedback after receiving them. Then a few days later the buyer contacts me, he said one of register's drawer wouldn't open and he need the key. I told him the key sets to both registers we're complete, and the drawer keys are present with both sets. But he insisted I send him another key. So, I did. Then a few days later he said the other register's LCD wasn't working.

To make a long story short, every couple of days thereafter he'd come up with some different problem: his story kept changing; nothing in his emails coincided with his previous emails. Then a week went by and I didn't hear anything from him. Then 2 days prior to the end of the 30 day return policy, he enacted an INAD though eBay. And, in the arbitration between us through eBay's system, a 5 year old could tell that he was lying throughout every response he gave. But eBay didn't give a bleep and issued him a full refund plus return shipping cost.

This is what was returned to me:

Gutted machines, wasn't even the same registers I sold to him.

I kept all info, his emails, copied all correspondence between us that was made within eBay arbitration forum. Took photos of what was returned to me. I present all info to eBay and spent two weeks on the plone with eBay reps. They basically said take your losses and move on. I then sent the info to my local DA,s office. I never heard anything back from them. I called then and was given a run around. 

I hope your issue doesn't mirror what happened to me. But your post is surely looking similar.

I wish you the best of luck.

[mobley120]

Just want to note: the only thing original to what I sold to him, was the top frame parts, he had removed all of the insides and just stuffed old broken parts in that frame, the LCDs had also been switched. When I got the gutted machines he returned to me. It became clear: all the emails were just his way of making time so that he could rob the parts off of the registers that I sold to him: bleeding thiefing bleep-ard

[heakal-54]

The real problem with ebay is they are NOT upfront about these issues.

Every day threads just like these, right here in the Selling part of the community.

Many do not end well, granted it doesn't help that the sellers are new but it need not be this way.