Thread: argh...advice needed

warning...this is kind of long...
so i bought a couple coti's together that were advertised "look like new...excellent condition, will satisfy you 100%". seller put them in a box together, no padding, threw them in a bubble wrap envelope and shipped them from Greece. got them...one of them had a small crack that wouldn't effect anything...the other was in worse shape...here is the email back and forth once i told him there was a problem:

me:
Here are some photos to show what I am talking about...The larger stone is fine and I am totally happy with that and the slurry stone...but as you can see from the smaller stone, it took some damage in the trip over from Greece.

I'm not sure if I used the right word when I said separation...as you can see, it is in two pieces, which isn't the biggest problem, I'm sure I can figure out how to get it back together...but as you can see in the second photo, there are two sizable chips and a crack the entire length of the stone (it's the crack on the left side in the picture). It would definitely effect honing as I can feel it significantly with my finger. I understand this was a good deal...I suppose from the ebay ad I was expecting "looking like new, excellent condition". And I realize this probably happened in the mail...I’m just not sure what to do now as the smaller stone isn't really fit for anything other than being cut up and turned into slurry stones. I know you paid a lot more for these stones, but I would also be willing to bet if you got the smaller stone in this condition you wouldn't have spent anything on it...

seller:
i now realize the serious damage that occurred to the small stone and i assure you that this happend during the mail.In my hands was in perfect condition and that is for sure.Maybe i should pack them with a softer enclosure to prevent this damage but as you can see they are in a wooden box tight together.I believe that the biger stone will cover your needs in honing your razors with no any problems.Please don't forget to leave a feedback.

me:
Yeah, I figured it happened in shipping...There was space between the stones and the top of the box, so it kept hitting the top of the wood box.

I guess my problem is, I paid $110 expecting to have two usable stones and now I have one. I would not have bid on the stones if it was just the one. So I was thinking we could do one of two things...either you can refund me a partial amount...say $20 to make up for the damaged stone, or I can just send you the stones back and get a refund of my $110. I'm not trying to be difficult, but this isn't what I paid for.


seller:
i am sorry for that but i can't deal with any of this two proposes you mentioned.It is not my fault if someone in the mail didn't do his job propertly.Thank you for your understanding.

me:
Again, not trying to be difficult, but I don't see how it is my fault either, especially considering I didn't even pack the item, it doesn't seem particularly fair that I would end up being the only one who loses out in this situation.


I would rather not take this to the eBay resolution center and get my money back that way, but if you are completely unwilling I suppose you don't leave many other options. I'm sure if the situation were reversed, you would be equally unhappy with half of what you paid for arriving broken and unusable. I'm sure you see where I am coming from.

seller:
i can't help you farther more do what you think is best for you.

so, as you can see...i'm in a bit of a fix now. anyone have any experience with something like this? if i go through the resolution center, they will want me to send it back to him with a delivery confirmation, but unless i'm wrong, there's not a delivery confirmation process to send to Greece that wouldn't cost as much as what I paid for the item in the first place...

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'd see what eBay can do for an international sale like this. From there, I guess it's just negative feedback.

This is the big complication with oversees eBay transactions. I'm sure most go as planned, but when there is an issue, the shipping costs to resolve it seem almost counterproductive.

Good luck!

I had a similar experience. I bought some 78RPM records a few years ago and they were the Shellac type-very fragile and the seller put the album with 10 records in a box and some padding around the album but the records moved around within the album during shipping and when I opened the box I had a pile of hard shellac. This was after I specifically told the seller to ensure they were properly packed and the seller told me not to tell her, her business. We went back and forth but when threatened with bad feedback she refunded my money.

It's the sellers responsibility to ensure the mdse is properly packed especially for overseas delivery. Unless the thing received unusually bad treatment in transit he should make good on it.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I had a similar experience. I bought some 78RPM records a few years ago and they were the Shellac type-very fragile and the seller put the album with 10 records in a box and some padding around the album but the records moved around within the album during shipping and when I opened the box I had a pile of hard shellac. This was after I specifically told the seller to ensure they were properly packed and the seller told me not to tell her, her business. We went back and forth but when threatened with bad feedback she refunded my money.

It's the sellers responsibility to ensure the mdse is properly packed especially for overseas delivery. Unless the thing received unusually bad treatment in transit he should make good on it.

yeah, i was trying to just keep cool and be polite...but it appears the threat of resolution center, bad feedback, whathaveyou is not dissuading this guy one little bit. i thought $20 so we could share the misfortune was more than fair...

Did you use PP???

If so, just file a claim with them when you file with e-bay

g

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Did you use PP???

If so, just file a claim with them when you file with e-bay

g

i did, but wouldn't they require me to ship them back using delivery confirmation...so express mail, ups, or fedex to greece, which would cost as much/more than the stones? i sent a vinyl record to milan using fedex and it cost $100...and was a lot lighter than these...

I had an issue like this VERY recently from Italy. It started in Nov. after ebay and paypal telling me to send it back to him the way it was sent to me. Two razors etc. long story short and about 20 emails and 10 phone calls to ebay. they also "investigated" it. They closed the case and refused to refund my money as the seller would not confirm receiving it. I had to go to my bank and dispute it last week. now paypal is threatening action against me. Crazy!!
Paul

Originally Posted by Str8Shooter

I had an issue like this VERY recently from Italy. It started in Nov. after ebay and paypal telling me to send it back to him the way it was sent to me. Two razors etc. long story short and about 20 emails and 10 phone calls to ebay. they also "investigated" it. They closed the case and refused to refund my money as the seller would not confirm receiving it. I had to go to my bank and dispute it last week. now paypal is threatening action against me. Crazy!!
Paul

this story makes me think negative feedback alone may be the way to go here...

Originally Posted by Str8Shooter

I had an issue like this VERY recently from Italy. It started in Nov. after ebay and paypal telling me to send it back to him the way it was sent to me. Two razors etc. long story short and about 20 emails and 10 phone calls to ebay. they also "investigated" it. They closed the case and refused to refund my money as the seller would not confirm receiving it. I had to go to my bank and dispute it last week. now paypal is threatening action against me. Crazy!!
Paul

If you read the PayPal Protection Policy you'll find it's much like "The Emperor's New Clothes "

Originally Posted by onimaru55

If you read the PayPal Protection Policy you'll find it's much like "The Emperor's New Clothes "

So the moral of the story is...at least I'm not naked in addition to being ripped off.