- This topic has 11 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 3 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
-
I sold an xbox 360 with wifi built in. The customer can not get it to connect to their network.
Keeps asking me if something is missing on the xbox 360. Nothing is missing since the wifi antenna is built in on this model.I even included a photo in my listing showing the x360 was connected to the internet (which is something most sellers do not do). Also, on the side of the box it states wifi is built in.
They insist it doesn’t work. So I ask them can you try connecting another device to your network ? Their reply, “I tried connecting my phone and it won’t connect either”
I figure that’s the end of it your network in borked or perhaps you don’t know how to set up a wireless network. At any rate, I don’t see how it’s my problem.
They are still insisting that it doesn’t work maybe something got damaged in shipping. They did send me a photo showing they only had access to “wired networks” so I tend to believe them. I just think they are too dumb to figure out a wireless network.
I told them they can pack it up and send back to me at their expense. We’ll see what they do. I have 30 day returns so I don’t mind taking returns.
This is also why I DO NOT sell electronics on amazon. At least on ebay most customers will try contacting you first before opening a return.
-
I have several Nintendo NES systems I WILL NOT sell on ebay for this specific reason. I sold one two Christmas’s ago and the lady created an item not as described case. That was shortly after ebay changed the system so the seller has to pay return shipping. I even supplied the lady with a video of me powering on the system and inserting and starting 10 different carts to show how well it worked before the sale – the system had distinctive markings on the top to prove it really was the system I sent. I think it was buyers remorse, but the lady may have had an HDTV that wasn’t compatible.
I also recently refunded an incompetent buyer on a high end audio recorder ($200) that the buyer said it didn’t work. Sure enough I was able to pop in a freshly formatted SD card and it worked perfectly. I explained to the lady how to format her memory cards so they would work. I could have sent it back (the customer wanted it back) but I chose to refund and relist so hopefully a better customer purchases it. As the title of this thread states, I do not want to be technical support for incompetent customers.
-
-
-
Lately, when I list any vintage electronic item, I try to write my description in a way to almost scare people (idiots, mainly) off from buying it. For an old Smart Media memory card, for example, I will write something similar to this:
“This is an older memory card designed for older equipment manufactured circa 2004. It will not work with newer cameras/phones/etc. Please be sure this is the card you want before making this purchase.”
Or for an NES, I might write:
“This machine was built in the 1980s and was not designed for modern flat screen high definition TVs. It is built for the old style giant tube CRT TVs. It will not work with most newer televisions. Do not buy this unless you are sure it will work with the TV you own.”
I sell a decent amount of electronics and most of the time everything is fine. I think my descriptions usually scare off the grandma and grandpa / tech idiot buyers. Occasionally, I still do get an idiot buyer, but I make enough profit otherwise that I can afford to eat the return shipping cost a few times a year.
-
The buyer of the xbox 360 opened a return as I expected, but they did a NAD on me. Now they paid for shipping on the original listing and I have to pay for shipping back to me.
It’s not much maybe $12, but I wonder if I should refund minus the shipping or just let it go since it really is a wash. I’m more inclined to let it go. This is also why I usually charge shipping on electronics.
Also worthy to note when I previously asked them to try another device on their wireless network apparently they thought I meant to try connecting the xbox 360 to the phone. Not sure why someone would think that as it makes no sense at all, but that is what they wrote in their return request. That just further demonstrates to me they have no clue about wireless networks.
When I get it back I will make a video of it working and send the buyer a link. On the bright side I actually believe them and I don’t think they are lying just to get a free return. IMO They are just too dumb to figure it out.
To be fair I have been stumped before too on some wireless devices that I couldn’t get to connect to my network. I had some Sony PSP’s that for the life of me I couldn’t figure out.
Went to Google and finally got them connected. The issue was some type of old encryption that the PSP’s were using. Once I made the correction on my router they connected. So I have some empathy for customers like this. IF they buy another 360 they are just going to have the same issue, but some people prefer to learn the hard way I guess. -
The buyer left me a negative feedback over this issue.
The buyer did return the xbox 360 to me and I refunded 100% including the shipping that they paid.
I tested the xbox and found the wifi didin’t work as they said. However, I tested the wifi before sending it and have photos of the unit connected to the internet and xbox live.
That means the buyer damaged the xbox or it was damaged during shipping. There wasn’t any obvious signs of the box being damaged though.
Should ebay remove the negative ? This is exactly why I offer 30 day returns and refunds in case something breaks. Seems to me I did my part and this situation wasn’t never elevated to the point where ebay would step in.
PS I also did not tell the customer the wifi was broken when tested. In fact I haven’t had any contact with them whatsoever after I received the xbox back.
-
I agree that it’s a fuzzy line when we do everything we can to help the buyer as eBay asks, and then the buyer leaves a negative feedback. I would definitely call eBay. Can’t hurt.
But just some thoughts:
Sometimes things just happen with electronics. Once we pick it up at a yard sale, who knows what it’s history is. Shipping it to a customer could just jolt it enough to mess up some intricate electronics. This is why we avoid selling this kind of merchandise. Too many issues like this.Others may jump in here, but I think if you choose to sell used electronics, then you have to be willing to eat technical problems that are out of anyone’s control.
-
-
-
Thanks for the replies. I did call ebay and spoke to two different reps and they both told me the negative feedback isn’t removable. Since it does not fall into one of their narrowly defined reasons that negative feedback can be removed. Such as profanity or extortion.
They told me to contact the buyer and ask them to revise the feed back. However, since I already refunded them I have nothing to offer the buyer in return and don’t see why they would remove the negative if nothings in it for them.
I have actually had a number of items over the years that were damaged in the mail and or defective on arrival and no buyers ever left me a negative after refunding them.
I don’t see the point in offering refunds if buyers can still give a negative feedback other than the TRS discount. Since I’m a small part time seller the TRS discount isn’t very much for me, so losing it wouldn’t make much of a difference. I pointed this out to ebay as well and they didn’t seem to care.
They also didn’t seem to care that the feedback and comment are contradictory. In the feedback message buyer wrote something like “product was defective, but seller refunded me” that sounds like a good experience to me. I argued that the feedback should be removed just because of the contradictory statements. (For example, contradictory statements like this would be removed by amazon)
I suppose I can call another day, but they sent me a message/email that said in bold letters
FEEDBACK NOT REMOVABLE CASE #xxxxx so it seems like I won’t be able to argue this with another rep.I have sixteen years on ebay without a single negative and that doesn’t seem to matter to them I guess.
-
As the saying goes.. “No good deed is left unpunished.”
You’ve done all you could do to remedy the problem and still got the negative. The bottom line is that the item arrived defective. Clearly the buyer had the right to return it. This is a risk we take whenever an item is returned. This is not being disputed by anyone.
Not all buyers fully understand how serious it is to leave a negative feedback. If it matters, send them a nice apologetic note and request a revision. Based on the comment they left, they may agree to a revision. You never know unless you try, but don’t send the note until you’ve had time to cool off.
I had a buyer agree in a message to revise the feedback, but were having problems with the procedures. I contacted Ebay and they said the only way it could be revised, was by the buyer in an official request. Eventually the buyer figured it out and it was removed.
After all the hassle, I decided I really didn’t care anymore. One negative feedback is just one feedback.
Good luck with it.
-
“Not all buyers fully understand how serious it is to leave a negative feedback.”
Neither does this seller (i.e. me). How serious is it? What’s the big deal to have 99.5% positive instead of a 100% positive rating? Or even a 97% or 98%? As a buyer, anything above 95-96 seems excellent to me. What am I missing here? Does ebay somehow punish folks for having less than 100% positive feedback?
The way I see it, even if the seller thinks they’ve done everything right, that doesn’t mean that the buyer must be forced into thinking the transaction was great. I mean, the buyer could be very happy with the item, but still not be satisfied b/c (for example), the photos were not very good so they felt unsure about what they were going to get. Or the description was not as complete as they would have liked. Or the price was too high – just because they agreed to pay the high price doesn’t mean they have to like it. I’m sure some buyers don’t particularly like my 3-day handling time, even if they end up purchasing something from me anyway. Perhaps a better example is something like going to a restaurant and having to wait an hour for the meal to be served b/c of a slowdown in the kitchen. The restaurant then comps the meals, but the diner might still give them a not great review b/c they didn’t like the long wait.
Of course, if there’s a way to get neg feedback removed at least some of the time by calling ebay, I’m all for it and may try it myself sometime. I just don’t think it’s unreasonable for ebay to refuse to do it sometimes on the grounds that they buyer is entitled to their opinion. But maybe there’s another way to look at it that I’m missing?
I’m a small seller, and a recent (first!) bad feedback (despite full refund including original shipping) brought me down from 100% positive to 99.2%.
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.