QTH.COM Swap Chat

I recently received an item from a ham that arrived with a bent cover due to very poor packing.

I removed the damaged cover and repaired the bent portion of the cover and replaced the cover, thinking that was the end of it.

The next day I tested the unit and found a band switch with three band position contacts completely burned away.

Because the unit was sold as being in EXCELLENT condition, and wasn't, I requested a refund from the seller, who refused.

I escalated the matter to PayPal to discover PayPal will not process claims if the unit is not is the same condition as it arrived. Even, if it is in better condition, due to a buyer's repair work.

Lessons Learned:

• 1) Test the equipment right out of the box. Don't fix or clean anything.
  2) Keep a written record of all faults discovered as well as the methods you used to test the unit.
  3) Don't repair or attempt to repair any faults found with the item, don't even replace a blown fuse.
  4) Take pictures of any and all damage you discover, if possible.
  5) Keep ALL of the packing material until your fully accept the item.
  6) Prepare any statements to PayPal PRIOR to contacting them--the PayPal site has a time limit and you will find yourself repeating some of the input due to being "timed out."

There is no "risk free" way to buy anything but knowing some of the rules of the road helps!

K4ICL

...

Why do you assume he was dishonest?

Being ignorant of how to pack electronic equipment does not make a ham dishonest!

Failing to test an item before it is resold, doesn't mean the seller is always dishonest, either.

In this particular case, the likely scenario is the seller obtained the item from another ham and, never using it, "flipped" it to gain a little spending money. The fault I found could only be be discovered by testing the item for functionality. Apparently, this wasn't done.

The sellers fault was his not testing it before he turned around and sold it to another ham. This is not dishonesty, since there is no evidence he intended to deceive and it is highly likely he was totally unaware the unit was internally damaged.

It IS negligence, however.

In this case, WHO is unimportant. He has already learned of the error of his ways.

This feedback has to with HOW avoid having to pay to repair a defective item, paid for using PayPal, regardless of WHY the item is defective -- damaged in shipment, undetected faults, etc.

As a side note: In my opinion, I see a lot of useless and often damaging "Judge Judy" attitude in this Forum. The purpose of feedback is not to hold court, but to provide useful, needed information regarding potential problem areas, when buying and selling on QTH.com.

K4ICL

K4ICL wrote:As a side note: In my opinion, I see a lot of useless and often damaging "Judge Judy" attitude in this Forum. The purpose of feedback is not to hold court, but to provide useful, needed information regarding potential problem areas, when buying and selling on QTH.com.

K4ICL

AMEN! Simple errors turn into pi$$ing contests.

K4ICL wrote:Why do you assume he was dishonest?

You said "Because the unit was sold as being in EXCELLENT condition, and wasn't, I requested a refund from the seller, who refused"

Why would you need to file a PayPal dispute with an honest seller?.

As I have already stated: The seller refused my request to refund.

Consider this; perhaps he thought I was being dishonest and had damaged the unit, when I tested it.

If so, his suspicion that I was being dishonest caused an issue which causes you to ask me why I did not question his honesty.

When does this crap stop?

If I KNEW this particular seller was NOT being honest, I would have said so.

K4ICL

K4ICL wrote:If I KNEW this particular seller was NOT being honest, I would have said so.

Would you buy from him again?

K4ICL What it all boils down to is a catch 22 Darned if you do and darned if you don't. I would guess if there was a declared winner it would have to be the seller an Pay Pal. But on the other side of the coin i understand where your coming from also.

kk9a:

Nah, he seems to have spats of negligence; makes me cranky.

k0pd:

No winner. No looser. Just trying to make swimming against the stream a little more exciting.