deaddds

God I hate eBay hassles. Ok guys and gals, here is the situation... Sold an NOS complete 64-65 Buick power antenna set up in the box that I got with a bunch of Olds stuff. Sold as is with photos of all the parts. Cosmetically perfect. Didn't test it nor was I asked to test it before it was bought. Sold for $455 minus 10% fees. Buyer calls to say he had to spend about 3 hours cleaning out the 50 year old grease but it does work and would like a partial refund. Should that be expected due to the age? Is it asking too much on his part? Am I unfair to not kick back something? And if so, what would you offer? Before he cleaned it I said to send it back for a refund, I would get it working and resell it but he can't find a perfect antenna so he wanted to keep it and see what he could do. What say you?

chip-powell

It's e-bay. No offense, but buyers should know that you get what you get. Also, the part worked, so what's the big problem?

Diego

I think it's kinda nervy for him to ask for a partial refund, but could you post your auction? That would help give more of the whole story.

oldcutlass

I agree with Diego could you post a link to the completed auction?

dnmfranco

Wow, I'd say nothing based on your testimony. It would be one thing if it was inoperable but that's not the case. And exactly he should of made a query as to the functionality of it. So he had to clean it , tell send it back or try to find another which I pretty sure is not an easy find.

mrolds69

It's a form of buyer's remorse, and not uncommon on ebay. He bid the item up big time, then it didn't meet his expectations. I would think even Stevie Wonder could get that thing re-greased in less than 3 hours. I've seen many 40-50 year old used and NOS parts with old grease, and typically they work, but not as fast as they should. Maybe offer him 10% off on the next thing he buys from you. He is trying to extort $ from you. You can complain to ebay + report him. Yeah...that's what you should do...report him. You offered to take it back, he wanted to keep it. They will look at the messages and see that, and slap him on the wrist. Then if he tosses you a neg, you can get it removed. My FB on Ebay is near 5K, I'm experienced. Somewhere on the home page or do a search on ebay for "Report a Buyer". It's extortion.........

BlackGold

I wouldn't go so far as to call it extortion without knowing the buyer's intent. He may sincerely feel he was wronged, in which case he's free to think he deserves some compensation, even though he doesn't. "Extortion" implies he know's what he's doing is wrong.


I consider it common knowledge that 40-year-old grease thickens and some cleaning may be needed, even for NOS items. The guy doesn't deserve anything other than the lesson he learned.

deaddds

How do I post a link? It was item #111592247866

pogo69

I would not offer a refund providing ample pics were in the add and also stating this was a used not new part.

mrolds69

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111592247866...866%26_rdc%3D1

mrolds69

Ok...I see you have what I would call a rookie buyer with low FB. Did he threaten your FB? Well...maybe it's not extortion, if he didn't threaten you, but if you offered to refund and he said...." I want to keep it", then he has no right to ask for $ off. Report him!

MDchanic

Wow. That's what we call chutzpah in NY (in the Southwest, you say "cojones").

What a frickin' pair on that guy.

He bought a 50 year old NOS untested part. What the frick does he want?

Tell him to pound sand.

- Eric

deaddds

It wasn't used. Brand new in the box. Perfect chrome, wiring, mounting hardware, etc. I told him I'd be irritated too if I spent that much and it didn't work and since I didn't test it, it was an honest mistake. I took it for granted a non corroded antenna would work fine. That being said, I told him I didn't know what it would take to get it running but I would refund if he sent it back even though I state no refunds in the ad. I figured it should be a relatively simple task but I understood his position. Yet another reason to only sell at swaps and skip the hassles, so the parts can be looked over in person.

oldcutlass

Its a 40+ year old part, I would not want something someone had tinkered with for that kind of coin. I really don't think he has any room to complain. Let him do what he thinks he needs to do, if it's a complaint you have the opportunity to rebut.

Charlie Jones

You said it in the first line of your listing "NOS does not mean perfect".

deaddds

How about a $25 dinner card to a TGIF or something as a goodwill gesture. I can't offer a discount on more Buick stuff as I don't think I have anymore. Not thrilled about refunding but I'm not thrilled about a pissing match either.

pogo69

that would certainly be a nice move on your part... i guess it never hurts to do what you think is right

mrolds69

I agree...that would be a very classy thing to do. Maybe you would both feel better. 'Course, you could just send him somebody's old wisdom teeth or something...lol

gearheads78

That or offer 100% refund once its in your hand in the condition you sent it out. You have a part that can re sold again if you have to but my guess is the guy will not turn loose because he knows he can't find another.

BlackGold

You might want to warn the buyer that things could get even worse. I don't know about power antennas form the '60s, but I've heard that those from the '80s often fail soon after installation. The 30-year-old nylon strap which connects the antenna to the motor gets brittle with time. It doesn't matter that it's NOS and never been used; it might break.


I wonder if he would demand a refund if you sold him a NOS tire and he found it wouldn't hold air .......

Diego

Certainly there's no need to be rude to the guy, but he didn't do his due diligence and merely assumed that the part worked as good as it looked. You? You could have said you didn't test the part, but you didn't . . . but you weren't really hiding anything.

I think you owe him nothing. The parts look good, and they were described as NOS but 50 years old. I think someone above suggested he is a rookie, and that's probably true, but he should have known better that a NOS mechanical part may not be mechanically perfect even if it looks good. So it took him 3 hours to make it work? That's the cost of buying an old part.

This says it all: "ANY QUESTIONS ASK! Don't complain afterward that its unfair"

Koda

Be careful on offering a refund. He may have a broken one he will send you back instead of yours.

VI Cutty

I don't think you owe him anything. Your ad isn't misleading, you state right out "NOS doesn't mean perfect", and state that the antenna is in perfect "show condition". I don't read "show condition" as being the same as "perfect working order".

Anybody who bids that much for an electrical component without asking "does it work" assumes all risk. In the end, he DID get a working antenna with a few hours of his effort.

I'd say fair deal.

oldolds88

if he gets it back,he cant sell it for new as the guy took it apart, another buyer would be able to see thatand wonder

rickracer

I don't think he'll follow thru on it. I don't see how he has much to stand on or complain about.


I got an intake manifold off ebay once for a great price. When I got it finally it clearly wasn't the intake in the add! Identical intake just in really bad shape, I couldn't get most of the fitting off the darn thing they were so corroded in tight. I fought to get my money back in full and the seller just didn't understand why another intake wouldn't be just as good. Hose fitting and vacuum fitting seized in aren't good. I won after a lot of threats.


You've got a different case and I wouldn't refund anything. I think it's buyer remorse too.

Oldskeeper

Hi Pat, I would offer to take it back and he pays the freight, the part has a 1963 part number and it is NOS so taking it apart to clean is to be expected. I think he might feel that he got carried away and got caught up in bidding on a part he had to have.
Offering him anything would be wrong, he has two choices in my mind, send it back for a refund less the 10% evil bay fee and shipping or live with it and be happy that he has that one piece he hasn't been able to find.
Steve

deaddds

Hey stranger! Funny thing is he said a guy had a used one untested that wanted 350 for it and when he saw this one, he figured why not at starting 400. He said he had a top bid of $550 on the part so who knows. I sent a message offering to take it back straight up but haven't heard back yet. My guess is ill be the ******* as usual and have to live with myself.

steverw

Your not the *******, he is. You owe him nothing. I wish i had seen that when it was at auction.

lazy394

NOS does not mean perfect, he paid what he thought was a fair price on a rare part.
I bought a nos grill that turned up green and covered in moss. It took me the best part of a week ( and I was black and covered in stuff) and to set up a metal polishing wheel.
The grill was nos and never fitted but left outside.
Every time you buy an old part you take a punt, and if all I had to do was regrease the mechanism on an ascetically perfect part I call that a win.


Scott

59-59-59

Ummm...I would do the opposite of what this guy said. You couldn't be any clearer in your ad

1969w3155

You owe him nothing, you could not have been more clear in your statements on condition, payment, etc.

deaddds

Thanks guys, at least I don't feel like a total shmuck. Every ad has the disclaimer before the part description and I can't count how many times I get stupid questions on bidders asking to pay for the part with Paypal, they just noticed I don't ship but could I please make an exception, why do they have to pick it up, can't you send it? After a while I start sounding like a jerk when I send back READ THE AD!

deaddds

And so, here is the latest exchange....kind of sent a summing up of opinions from the feedback here.




Art, I got your message from the wife. With cleaning of the 50 year old goop and the antenna works, its still sold as is. If the antenna really does not work, I will be willing to refund the price and take it back since I did not test it to verify full working order. However, since it was not asked about full operation and if after cleaning it works as a new part, it seems to be reasonable that a 50 year old part advertised as is may need servicing.

Dear g.dead,

Pat, I feel the antenna was not as described. Condition "NEW" means to me that I should be able to install the part and have it work as "NEW". "NEW" doesn't mean to me that someone might have to take it apart to service it to make it work like " NEW". Also the listing states "perfect show condition". If my car was in a "show" and the antenna didn't operate properly I would loose points. You.say I didn't ask any questions about the condition of the item. Should I have asked, Are you lying? Is it really "perfect show condition"?
You also assumed that the antenna was in "perfect show condition" since it was right there in the box with all the parts needed to install. This is true since you didn't bench test it.
You say you don't have time for BS. Well I feel I saved you a lot of time and BS by being able to dismantle and repair the antenna myself. If someone else bought the antenna and was unable to do that it would have been sent back to you. You would have had to repair the antenna yourself or pay someone else to make the repair.
Your time is worth money and my time is worth money. I feel a credit of at least $75 is in order. If you still feel this is unjustified then I will have to express my displeasure with eBay
Good day, Art

redoldsman

Based on the above, I think the buyer is a jerk and has buyers remorse. Although I don't think you owe the guy anything, I would probably offer the guy the $25 gift card just to make him go away and be able to put this behind you. He is probably in trouble with his wife for paying this much without her permission. He really needs to pound sand.

oldcutlass

I would send him a note back explaining that he had an opportunity prior to taking it apart to send it back for a full refund. Once the item was dismantled your responsibility ended and he became an owner.

tru-blue 442

^^^Agreed, Tell him to do what he has to do, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

gearheads78

This! NOS mean New "OLD" Stock not New New Stock. 1/2 century old grease is the only problem with an otherwise perfect part. then tell him to stick it where the sun don't shine. If your feedback is otherwise good one hit will not hurt you and you can write a rebuttal that will show next to his comment in back feedback.

Olds442redberet

Most of the time it is "Buyer Beware", but from time to time it is "Seller Beware". There are a few experienced buyers out there who have learned a few tricks over the years. This buyer may be truthful or maybe he's just trying to get some money back after he ran up the bidding. It's really hard to tell. It is obvious that he wanted the item pretty badly since he didn't send it back.
In this case I would report the incident to E-bay so when he gives you a negative feedback you'll have something to work with when you contest it.

At least he didn't complain and then send it back broken or damaged. It happens. This would allow him to return the item for a full refund and in most cases, he keeps the insurance money as well. Yeah! It happens.

I don't sell much on E-bay these days. But I have noticed how the buyer is so well protected and the seller isn't. The seller pays the commission, or E-bay's profit, and then has his money held for a period of time to allow the buyer time to decide if he really wants the item or not. IMO the money is held in order to gain more income for E-bay through interest accrued on monies held.

mrolds69

Ok...now there is NO question that the guy is a jerk, and a scammer. That IS extortion in my book. I don't think the "not meeting description" applies, because he chose to keep it AND he tampered with it. It's very easy for ebay to go back and look through the messages. If that exchange was in the messages and not by straight email, they will know. Time to play hardball and report this buyer. Just the fact that he's telling YOU how much you owe HIM pisses me off. Oh yeah...put him on your blocked list of buyers. Do that RIGHT NOW, that's important.

Indy_68_S

x2 w/ the above.
Your buyer's sense of entitlement is exceeded only by his ignorance and arrogance.
Do not offer to take it back as who knows what he's done to it (& now it's no longer untouched original)
Do not send him a $25 refund/certificate. Chances are he'll still not be happy since he didn't 'get his way' and still ding you on feedback....which you can rebut, but you won't feel any better.
Your ad explained everything. Simply quote it to him and move on.
Don't kowtow to simps like this...