Suspicious ebay activity?

[flashjazzcat]

The "Boxed and Mint" 65XE I just won on ebay for 32GBP is apparently damaged and not working. Here's the mail I received:

 

Hi. Thanks for the payment but bad news Im afraid. Your item has been accidently damaged and subsequently doesnt work anymore. I cant apologise enough and Im gutted myself. I'll give you a full refund and would like to cancel the transaction if thats ok with you unless your willing to accept the item damaged which I doubt?

Please get in touch asap so this matter can be resolved.

Thanks,

Paul!

 

Call me an old cynic, but I'm wondering if he didn't get the price he'd expected and is intending to re-list. I replied (perhaps unexpectedly) by saying I'd be prepared to accept it for spares at a considerable discount depending on the extent of the damage. Surely if it really is damaged (and beyond his ken to fix), he'd be happy to accept a smaller price for it. If not, I'll be watching to see if it gets re-listed.

[MEtalGuy66]

Surely not.. 32GBP is quitea decent price for a 65xe.. Its not like they are rare or anything..

 

And no 65xe is beyond "Ken" to fix, unless it's a steaming pile of melted plastic..

 

But seriously.. Ask him exactly what the extent of the damage is.. I can't imagine what might have happened to it between the time he listed it and now, unless an EXTREME electrical surge damaged it, or he plugged something into the cart slot that doesnt belong there.. Ive seen people do that on 600XLs and either fry a trace on the motherboard, or blow up the PIA chip..

 

See if he'll do a 50% discount..

 

16GBP is a good price for a "parts" machine...

[Mirage]

Sounds legit especially since he offered to still sell it damaged... not like he's saying he can't sell it at all, just that it's damaged. I would think side-deal or higher price for something rare, but that's not especially rare or valuable, like MEtalGuy said.

[flashjazzcat]

I agree with MetalGuy: I will offer half price depending on what he gets back to me with. I've checked his previous activity and he's recently got over £100 each for a "Mint" C64 and C16. I've experienced ebay "bargains" which get myseriously damaged like this the instant you win them before, so I'm proceeding with caution. But heck, a spotless case with nothing in it is worth sixteen quid!

 

He'll know I won't want to pay full whack for the damaged item, so let's just see what he offers it for.

Edited November 23, 2009 by flashjazzcat

[Mathy]

Hello Jon

 

Ask for pictures of the damaged computer.

 

greetings

 

Mathy

[flashjazzcat]

Hello Jon

 

Ask for pictures of the damaged computer.

Yep - that was the first thing I did. Thanks!

[flashjazzcat]

Still waiting for a reply from this guy: and his first email seemed so urgent.

[mimo]

*Shameless plug begins*

I have listed a minty boxed 65XE on epay, just incase you want to make a bid on mine, and it does work:roll:

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=STRK:MESELX:IT

 

and an XF551 drive

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270489058253&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

*shameless plug over*

Edited November 24, 2009 by mimo

[flashjazzcat]

Haha, I wondered whose it was. Very nice.

[flashjazzcat]

Well, I sent a follow up email today again asking for a photo and detailed discription of the damage. Early this afternoon, I received the following:

 

Hi. Ive refunded the full ammount. The item as well as 2 other items from different auctions are well and truly damaged. Theyve been dropped from the loft hatch while getting them down. Yours which is one of the 3 items damaged is not powering at all and has signifant damge to the box and contents. Sorry for the inconvenience but its me thats out of pocket.

Thanks.

More glaring than his spelling and grammar is his failure to attempt any kind of compromise deal, even though I offered twice to accept the item, possibly at a reduced price. He sounds a bit irksome at the end. If it was me, I'd have rather got half the price for it than thrown it in the bin. Of course, it may be that he intends to have another crack at auctioning it... damaged or otherwise. I've kept the listing and all photos, and will be keeping a close eye on any further 65XEs that crop up.

 

Am I being too cynical? Well, as an ebay seller of quotidian stuff like hard drives I've made many large losses in the past on items which I expected to fetch higher prices. How might this guy feel when he sees other 65XEs in worse condition than his previously "mint" example listed at BIN £60-£100? If he has limited understanding of hardware mods, it might trouble him to see a VBXE equipped 8-bit listed at £250.

 

Of course, in seeking to avoid a compromise deal, he may simply be attempting to avoid complications and ensure that he gets good feedback. After all, I'm not out of pocket. Perhaps the thing did fall out of the loft and smash into a hundred irreconcilable fragments when it hit the landing floor (in its box, cushioned with expanded polystyrene).

 

I think I'm duty-bound to leave him decent feedback. Any thoughts?

Edited November 24, 2009 by flashjazzcat

[Mirage]

I know the ebay feedback thing changes every week seemingly, so maybe I'm not up on how it has to work, but frankly, I wouldn't leave any feedback at all. There was no transaction, so why bother leaving feedback at all? I mean, you could, but why? You really don't know whether the guy is telling the truth or not. In light of the new info, I guess I'm leaning slightly towards not, but without actually making any accusations.

 

I have a hard time believing the case itself could be significantly damaged if it was in the foam inside the box though. He could have at least sent a photo.

[Goochman]

Sounds like he either found a use for the XE or another buyer that might be paying more.

 

He is clearly trying to end any and all communication fast.

[flashjazzcat]

I agree with you both: looks like the gut instinct was correct. A photo would have been nice but somehow I didn't expect to get one. There isn't really a thing I can do about it (unless I see the same item listed again in the future). A case of diminishing returns.

 

Fair point about not leaving any feedback. The only thing I haven't done yet is cancel the transaction. Might as well do that and forget about it.

 

...and my Last Word to him on the topic:

 

I did offer to buy the item from you if you'd provided a photo but clearly that's not possible or desirable for one reason or another. I repair and restore these things routinely so it may still have been worth my trouble, and the chance to decide for myself would have been welcome. However, since I've been left totally in the dark about the condition of the item I can't really be of any help to you or draw any conclusions about its value to me or anyone else.

 

The refund is in any case appreciated.

...News Flash. He just sent me a photo:

 

 

Looks like the guy's genuine after all.

 

Edited November 24, 2009 by flashjazzcat

[+bf2k+]

Am I being too cynical?

 

I don't think so... the whole thing sounds a bit fishy to me.

 

I think I'm duty-bound to leave him decent feedback. Any thoughts?

I tend to agree with Mirage1972... there was no transaction... feedback isn't necessary.

[Animan]

 

That's quite some case mod *sarcasm*. I'd feel pretty bad if I did something like that and it got trashed.

 

(Did he actually send you that photo? )

Edited November 24, 2009 by Animan

[mimo]

No feedback for sure

[flashjazzcat]

That's quite some case mod *sarcasm*. I'd feel pretty bad if I did something like that and it got trashed.

 

(Did he actually send you that photo? )

My friend sent it to me, having laughed hard at the "melted plastic" remark further up the topic.

 

No feedback given, transaction cancelled, my last email probably not read. Case closed.

[+poobah]

No feedback for sure

 

I think I'd probably leave neutral. "Failed to complete transaction, refunded money"

 

Just as a buyer is entering into a contract to purchase the item, the seller is obligated to sell the item. More than once I have not gotten the item I "won" because the seller didn't get the price they wanted (and some have even admitted it).

 

I'd wager that these will be auctioned again, or were side dealed.

[flashjazzcat]

I'd already agreed to cancel the transaction, so I can't leave feedback anyway. I will, however, be looking out for this 65XE turning up again. However, I tend to think he complained to a friend about the selling price and someone he knew popped up with a better offer... his story seems taller and taller all the time.

 

It's a shame when people don't enter into the spirit of things in cases like this. I was really looking forward to receiving a nice, boxed 65XE: a nice home for my at-a-loose-end 1MB upgrade. In another sense, of course, the guy's done me a favour: I no longer have to explain a fourth Atari 8-bit to my wife.

Edited November 25, 2009 by flashjazzcat

[+poobah]

I no longer have to explain a fourth Atari 8-bit to my wife.

 

Only 4?

[+orpheuswaking]

heh my gf can't believe i have 25 atari's

[mimo]

My wife has no idea how many Ataris (and other computers/consoles) I have ;)

[oky2000]

Well, I sent a follow up email today again asking for a photo and detailed discription of the damage. Early this afternoon, I received the following:

 

Hi. Ive refunded the full ammount. The item as well as 2 other items from different auctions are well and truly damaged. Theyve been dropped from the loft hatch while getting them down. Yours which is one of the 3 items damaged is not powering at all and has signifant damge to the box and contents. Sorry for the inconvenience but its me thats out of pocket.

Thanks.

More glaring than his spelling and grammar is his failure to attempt any kind of compromise deal, even though I offered twice to accept the item, possibly at a reduced price. He sounds a bit irksome at the end. If it was me, I'd have rather got half the price for it than thrown it in the bin. Of course, it may be that he intends to have another crack at auctioning it... damaged or otherwise. I've kept the listing and all photos, and will be keeping a close eye on any further 65XEs that crop up.

 

Am I being too cynical? Well, as an ebay seller of quotidian stuff like hard drives I've made many large losses in the past on items which I expected to fetch higher prices. How might this guy feel when he sees other 65XEs in worse condition than his previously "mint" example listed at BIN £60-£100? If he has limited understanding of hardware mods, it might trouble him to see a VBXE equipped 8-bit listed at £250.

 

Of course, in seeking to avoid a compromise deal, he may simply be attempting to avoid complications and ensure that he gets good feedback. After all, I'm not out of pocket. Perhaps the thing did fall out of the loft and smash into a hundred irreconcilable fragments when it hit the landing floor (in its box, cushioned with expanded polystyrene).

 

I think I'm duty-bound to leave him decent feedback. Any thoughts?

 

No offence but ebay are scum and take a sizeable chunk out of the winnings especially for low feedback score (not percentage...score!) sellers and most categories are enforced FREE postage and packaging so if he is going to discount it to 16 pounds AFTER it sold for 32 he might end up with maybe £12 in total...not worth the trip to stand in line with the losers at the post office to send your parcel.

 

Give the guy a break jesus christ, why not moan about the scumbags running ebay screwing sellers into the ground with more and more unfair changes....you are lucky sellers still list this stuff on ebay. I have 4000 8bit games and about 50 computers and ebay can get stuffed with their latest changes! I will be making my own website...and pimping it to hell on single high profile item ebay auctions...ebay is just not worth it anymore. I could end up LOSING money on games let alone making my costs back at all.

 

He bothered to email you and explain...what more do you want blood? 12 megapixel DSLR images? LOL behave! I am sure he is wanting to cancel the deal to get back his commission charges from ebay and paypal on refund simple as that.

 

Just stop crying, cancel the deal and find another machine if they are so common and worthless....be a bit less of a child about the whole 'loss' of a 65XE and move on....nothing to see here. If anyone has tried to get bulky boxes down from a loft via a rickety ladder (which is 99% of how UK homes are) then clearly you would know this is very probable. It's not like he can hide re-listing it for more either

 

The days of retro sellers on ebay are numbered, they are leaving in droves, just read the ebay forum posts from people with 20000 or 30000 feedbacks....these are major suppliers to us.

Edited November 26, 2009 by oky2000

[spookt]

Whoa - harsh response there. I don't think Jon was exactly being a child about it but I feel your pain with eBay. I recently sold a few things after a long break and to be honest I don't really want to repeat the process. The seller experience sucks.

[zaxon]

Flashjazzcat, i have 65 xe in good condition boxed ,untouched, no any upgrades inside (for now) , i think put it on ebay but if you looking for 65xe? I need little clean my storage,wardrobes and living room.

Edited November 26, 2009 by zaxon