QTH.COM Swap Chat

Well, now that I've started to dabble in (site redacted due to complaint), I knew that sooner or later I'd have a transaction that left me, at best, disappointed. Now I've had one.

I bid on and won a Heathkit Twoer from N3SQV last week. The item was sold "as is," and it was clear from the photo that it was missing knobs and had had a few modifications, so I knew I wasn't getting a pristine radio, and that it would probably need some TLC. So I wasn't expecting mint condition.

The box arrived today. First bad sign was that something was moving around as I opened the package.

The radio was wrapped in a few thin layers of bubble wrap and placed inside a "Large Flat Rate" Priority Mail box; the box was too big, and there was no other packing to fill the extra space. Second bad sign.

There was also a washer laying on the bottom of the box. Third bad sign.

When I unwrapped the radio, the damage to the controls on the front panel was obvious. If you see the picture posted with the auction, you can see the three shafts (sans knobs) for the controls clearly sticking out. Well, from right to left, the T/R control is loose and slightly indented; the receiver tuning is pushed in almost to the point where the end of the shaft is parallel with the front panel; and, most importantly, the Volume /On-Off shaft is missing altogether. I haven't opened the radio up yet, so I don't know if it is inside or if it is missing outright.

It is obvious, comparing the picture to the radio, that the box got dropped while in transit, and that the packing was inadequate to protect the radio. And the box is marked "fragile" -- which always makes me wonder if some wiseguy handling the box in transit decides to find out how fragile the contents really are.

Since the radio is sold "as-is no returns," outside of leaving negative feedback, I'm not sure what to do. As I said, I figured it would be a "work in progress" project radio, but it would seem that it will be more than I anticipated.

Frankly, for the relatively small amount that the purchase cost me, I'll probably just hang on to it. But that doesn't change my disappointment in the packing.

One other observation: No return address on or inside the box. Curious. Now you would think that if for some reason the box got misdirected in transit, you'd want to get it back at some point.

Anyway, I'm now waiting to see what, if anything, the seller is going to say. I'm not expecting much, I can only hope that he will exceed my expectations.

Would I purchase from N3SQV again? Well, S&H was $14, of which $11 went to the USPS for the priority mail postage. If this miniscule amount of bubble wrap is his idea of spending $3, should I purchase from him again, I'll offer to spend a few dollars more to get it shipped correctly. BUT, that will depend on what (if anything) happens next.

73, ron w3wn

This item was purchased on ebay and your feed back is for qth ??

I am at a loss as to how this relates to qth.com and why you would post
feed back about a transaction that occurred elsewhere.

Please clarify.

I think this is a very useful post ...it doesn't matter where you buy from this guy, he will probably pack it in the same careless manner. Thanks for the warning, Ron.

If you payed for the item using PayPal, file a claim with PayPal, under their buyer protection plan, stating the item received is significantly different from the auction description (not crushed as you described).

Good luck on a satisfactory resolution.

K4ICL

K4ICL wrote:If you payed for the item using PayPal, file a claim with PayPal, under their buyer protection plan, stating the item received is significantly different from the auction description (not crushed as you described).

Good luck on a satisfactory resolution.

K4ICL

The thought has occurred to me. But if I do so, I would feel obligated to return the radio. I don't want to do that, especially since I also bought (from someone else, a manual vendor) the HW-30 manual.

I also have to figure in how much my time and aggravation to continue this matter are worth.

I'm not looking to get something from the man I'm not entitled to. I simply want people to be aware that his packing methods leave something to be desired.

If that means that a future buyer will insist on better packaging, then it's worth it.

W1JCW wrote:This item was purchased on ebay and your feed back is for qth ??

I am at a loss as to how this relates to qth.com and why you would post
feed back about a transaction that occurred elsewhere.

Please clarify.

John, considering the many posts that you have made on this forum, I don't understand why you would even ask this question or why you claim that you are at a loss.

Is not the purpose of this forum to let people know about sellers (and in some cases buyers) that they've had issues with -- or had high praise for? More importantly, is it limited solely to transactions on QTH.COM? If that is the case, then I apologize for inconveniencing millions of electrons.

Considering that many sellers post their offerings on multiple sites, including this one, I would think a word of caution is in order.

Oh, I should also add that my eBay feedback was limited to about 100 characters as I recall. So a more detailed explanation of my concern and disappointment elsewhere would seem to be in order, just so that there is no further misunderstanding.

W3WN wrote:

W1JCW wrote:This item was purchased on ebay and your feed back is for qth ??

I am at a loss as to how this relates to qth.com and why you would post
feed back about a transaction that occurred elsewhere.

Please clarify.

John, considering the many posts that you have made on this forum, I don't understand why you would even ask this question or why you claim that you are at a loss.

Is not the purpose of this forum to let people know about sellers (and in some cases buyers) that they've had issues with -- or had high praise for? More importantly, is it limited solely to transactions on QTH.COM? If that is the case, then I apologize for inconveniencing millions of electrons.

Considering that many sellers post their offerings on multiple sites, including this one, I would think a word of caution is in order.

Oh, I should also add that my eBay feedback was limited to about 100 characters as I recall. So a more detailed explanation of my concern and disappointment elsewhere would seem to be in order, just so that there is no further misunderstanding.

I am at a loss because many have expressed and myself that this is not ebay and that ebay reference and other wise should not be allowed as qth is not allowed on ebay.

If qth was not involved in the sale then why mention the other means. I can see if the ham says hey so and so does a poor job of packing but why mention ebay on top of it. This ebay topic does not sit well with others as you have seen the in the many posts.

I am all for notifying others just so there is no misunderstanding.

Oh. So your objection is not to the post, just to the fact that I mentioned the other place.

Fine. Whatever.

Why didn't you say so in the first place? And personally, since you're moderating these posts, I think a PM would have been wiser than the public rebuke, but whatever.

Since the mention or that place offends you so much, I have redacted it from the original post.

I will remember this for the next time, if there is one, that I have to make a comment.

W3WN wrote:Oh. So your objection is not to the post, just to the fact that I mentioned the other place.

Fine. Whatever.

Why didn't you say so in the first place? And personally, since you're moderating these posts, I think a PM would have been wiser than the public rebuke, but whatever.

Since the mention or that place offends you so much, I have redacted it from the original post.

I will remember this for the next time, if there is one, that I have to make a comment.

I did not have an objection or a personal attack on you. I was asking how was an ebay transaction relevant it didn't take place via this forum.

I don't personally moderate these posts. It was a question of relevance and nothing more as it has been with many other issues that were on other forums and there is much debate.

There was no offense, see the above statement once again.

Freedom of speech say what you like and about who and there may be comments or questions in return. No big deal to most.

Maybe i'm missing something here. I think what was being pointed out that he bought a item from a HAM on e bay and was whether e bay or qth or e ham.net that to be cautious with buying from that person due to his bad packing. So here is what i read, beware of packing if buying from this person a fellow Ham> The site was not the important fact, it was the way this person packs items he is shipping.