Fun on ebay - what would YOU do?

LongLensPhotography

LongLensPhotography

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LongLensPhotography
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Imagine, you bought a longish L prime and it is not as described.

This is the item description (sold by a well established wedding photographer from up North - not sure if he is a member here):
The lens is fully working and delivers very sharp photographs. I have used this lens sparingly over the last few years it is in good condition, optically it is clean and unmarked and comes with a free skylight filter which has been fitted since new.

The reality looks different. The lens is really well used, no pouch, fake rear cap that doesn't fit, scratches on hood, on rim with text, and a very small scratch mark on the glass. The filter is dead cheap Hoya green - I doubt he ever used it in his life.
This is not the worst part. The focus mechanism is worn off, and is loose. MF is very problematic, and may not engage depending how the lens is turned. AF seems somewhat slower than 24-70 / 70-200 and may also struggle at times around 1.2-2m mark. The accuracy is also off; unusable on my 1Ds mk2, hit and miss on 1D 3 my backup camera for what the lens is for).

Could you describe it as normal wear and tear? Within acceptable limits?

I contacted him, asking for a refund. He doesn't agree to take it back, at most he offered £65 towards the service. I spoke to Canon and they charge £60 per hour + parts + VAT. This is likely >>£200. I am really not happy. I could buy mint copy with warranty and cash to spare at that cost.

Would you try to escalate a paypal / ebay claim given this information? Would you do something else?

There are many things I NEED to buy now instead of a faulty lens, including a car upgrade and probably 100mm L IS upgrade.

Oh well I am not paranoid enough when shopping on ebay :bonk:
 
Id definately escalate the claim if your getting no joy from him, especially regarding the focus issues.
 
what's his feedback like ? As a buyer, you have way more rights than a seller these days on ebay
 
Escalate is the way forwards.
 
i would put in a claim through ebay straight away stating the good were not as described, (which they are clearly not) and that you will be returning the item to the seller for a full refund!

He doesnt have a leg to stand on or a choice in the matter, ebay will see that you get your money back!
 
the item is significantly not as described, you will get your money back. Best thing to do is to send him a message via ebay explaining that you are not happy and the item is not as described and you are going to put a claim in for a refund (you did pay with Paypal didn't you?)

Chances are he will issue a refund after the threat, if not just escalate the claim. You as the buyer have much more protection than the seller.
 
Really sorry to hear of your troubles.

As above, I'd escalate to a claim now, you have contacted the sellar and from your OP, the lens is not as described and it sounds like he's not interested, so to a claim it goes now.

Hope you get it sorted out
 
Make sure you take photos or better still a video of the lens, and also of you packaging the lens before you send it. Chances are ebay will side with you anyway, but if he wants to play silly buggers, he might claim you broke it and sent it back in the wrong packaging etc.
also note and photograph the serial number and send it back with a tracked delivery service.

Not that Im paranoid, but I always film every expensive item I buy from unwrapping the parcel to using or demonstrating the product. That way, I have concrete evidence should the item not be as described, and I can proove it was sent to me that way, and not me that damaged it. Ive been screwed too many times, so I take no chances anymore.
 
He, agreed to take it back. That was quick!

How does it work now? How / when will I get my money back? Is there anything to watch out for?

I will take a couple shots how the lens looks now and in the box before I go.
 
Paypal will put the money back into your account when he refunds it. If you send it back and he doesnt refund, get straight back onto paypal.
 
Has he agreed the refund via eBay messaging or by some other method? either way make sure you keep all emails both sent and received in case you need to pass them to eBay.
 
as already stated start a dispute, you'll have to pay the return postage though and you MUST send it recorded because if you can't prove he received it back you'll lose your dispute straight away.
 
You seem to be sorted now which is always good. Is the seller registered as a business? If so you are entitled to your return postage costs too under SOGA. You may have to chase the seller/ebay for this but there should be no reason that you are out of pocket on this.
 
You should not send valuable goods through the post by Recorded delivery, I believe this only covers you up to £41, use an insured service (e.g. Special Delivery which can cover you up to £500).

Good luck in sorting this out.
 
pauljs said:
You should not send valuable goods through the post by Recorded delivery, I believe this only covers you up to £41, use an insured service (e.g. Special Delivery which can cover you up to £500).

Good luck in sorting this out.
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£35 I believe unless they have recently changed it.
 
TCR4x4 said:
£35 I believe unless they have recently changed it.
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I think the value changes with each postage rate increase, as it is the value of 100 x cost of basic 1st class postage, 41p currently.
 
dentedshed said:
You seem to be sorted now which is always good. Is the seller registered as a business? If so you are entitled to your return postage costs too under SOGA. You may have to chase the seller/ebay for this but there should be no reason that you are out of pocket on this.
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He is going as a private seller. He has a big business in his name, and he is selling his business equipment. He also sold 300mm f/2.8 L where he claimed he would give a VAT receipt. There is no mention about VAT in all other listings, including this poor lens. Smells fishy?
 
daugirdas said:
He is going as a private seller. He has a big business in his name, and he is selling his business equipment. He also sold 300mm f/2.8 L where he claimed he would give a VAT receipt. There is no mention about VAT in all other listings, including this poor lens. Smells fishy?
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More fishy than a brace of haddock.

If he is able to provide a VAT receipt then surely he should be registered as a business.

Depending how you are feeling about it all when you get sorted, you could always report him for trading as a business under a private sellers account.
 
Well well well... the lens is finally back on ebay. It is still in fully working condition. He didn't mention a recent service so it is not hardy to see what's going on. Anybody fancy a link?

I haven't left him a feedback yet, is it time now?
 
cheers :)

I know I would be most inclined to leave feedback after your earlier experience!
 
I think it is important that you do leave feedback. How else are other buyers to be warned. Perhaps your experience was not the first, and others might not have the support of a forum for the advice you received here.
 
The reason for the refund is to avoid you leaving bad feedback.

The rules say you should leave bad feedback, but is that really the best thing to do? He has come through and sorted the problem out and that has to stand for something. He could have fought it hard from his side, but didn't.

I would leave neutral feedback and vaguely say there was a problem, but he sorted it.
 
daugirdas said:
Well well well... the lens is finally back on ebay. It is still in fully working condition. He didn't mention a recent service so it is not hardy to see what's going on. Anybody fancy a link?

I haven't left him a feedback yet, is it time now?
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Neutral at best. I get the impression that he should have had a neg for 140499404621

What about "Not as described, sloppy lens, needed major service before sale"
 
BarryG said:
The reason for the refund is to avoid you leaving bad feedback.

The rules say you should leave bad feedback, but is that really the best thing to do? He has come through and sorted the problem out and that has to stand for something. He could have fought it hard from his side, but didn't.

I would leave neutral feedback and vaguely say there was a problem, but he sorted it.
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I tend to agree with this more or less. I've just left a neutral. Hopefully any potential buyers look at it before clicking away

It is a close call for a negative, but then I got a refund
 
daugirdas said:
I tend to agree with this more or less. I've just left a neutral. Hopefully any potential buyers look at it before clicking away

It is a close call for a negative, but then I got a refund
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Should have left neg IMHO

Also your neutral lacks any info of what the problems were.

I know if I were a potential bidder I would want to know if someone else had had the problems you did but without detailed/neg feedback how would any potential bidder know?

You were not happy with the lens when you got it yet you seem happy enough for some other poor sod to get it :shrug: (well that's how it seems to me)
 
dentedshed said:
You seem to be sorted now which is always good. Is the seller registered as a business? If so you are entitled to your return postage costs too under SOGA. You may have to chase the seller/ebay for this but there should be no reason that you are out of pocket on this.
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Appreciate I'm late to the party (again :D)
but although technically correct this wouldn't fly.
I tried this card on a recent issue and after having a long debate with paypal, it ended up that as the payment was made via them - which is based in Luxembourg, they don't follow the SOGA and have no power to enforce the 'additional' costs incurred.
In effect they return money against their disputes process and not the SOGA. :thumbsdown:

also, fwiw, returned or not, I've had negative feedback from items lost in the post even when I've given full refunds for the inconvenience. It's a damned joke these days, and certainly if I saw the same item go up, I'd have left feedback as per exactly how I said.
Was it a 'neutral' experience, not really, it was a bad experience, you had hassle, and the seller is effectively being dishonest - I think you let him off lightly.
All IMO of course :D :thumbs:
 
RacingSnake said:
Appreciate I'm late to the party (again :D)
but although technically correct this wouldn't fly.
I tried this card on a recent issue and after having a long debate with paypal, it ended up that as the payment was made via them - which is based in Luxembourg, they don't follow the SOGA and have no power to enforce the 'additional' costs incurred.
In effect they return money against their disputes process and not the SOGA. :thumbsdown:
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It does fly as I went through it last year, link, although it did take a lot of perseverence to get the refund. It has nothing to do with paypal as such, you need to engage ebay on it.
 
daugirdas said:
I've just left a neutral. Hopefully any potential buyers look at it before clicking away
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Sorry but people who leave neutral in this type of situation make the ebay feedback system useless. Doing that doesn't help anyone - why not just leave honest feedback - in this case negative?
 
dentedshed said:
It does fly as I went through it last year, link, although it did take a lot of perseverence to get the refund. It has nothing to do with paypal as such, you need to engage ebay on it.
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It has everything to do with Paypal if thats where your claim lies.
To be fair, they were pretty explicit in their statement to me only 2 months ago "We will only refund your payment through paypal" and "We do not have to follow the SOGA as we are based in Luxembourg".

I have no doubt that if other factors were at play then there would be a difference.
I 'made the item available for collection' to the seller - which I am perfectly entitled to do under the SOGA as I was not supplied with a return address, but if all contact has ceased what do I do? Paypal gave me an address, I sent it there, they had no power to take additional money from the sellers account.

As I say, I'm sure your circumstances were different, but a straight claim through paypal would not get you your return postage fees back. :(
 
Good to hear you got it sorted. I always leave negative feedbacks in cases like that. Even if you got your money back, it caused you anger, frustration, and wasted your time.
 
If he gets a negative he might be unwilling to even refund it next time and cause loads more trouble. I suppose it is a carrot and stick situation.


I agree I should have been more specific than that. I normally regard 'neutral' as somewhat negative.
 
awp said:
Sorry but people who leave neutral in this type of situation make the ebay feedback system useless. Doing that doesn't help anyone - why not just leave honest feedback - in this case negative?
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:agree:

Especially considering the lens is now being auctioned again.
 
What a complete and utter plank, good to hear you got a refund.
Ebay should grow a spine and realise that banning an idiot like this is less hassle for them in the long run.
He had no excuses, end of.
If this seller really is stupid enough to think he can rip someone in this manner clearly he lacks any working brain cells.
Sadly we've seen a few posts like this about muppets on ebay and it's a credit to TP and the members that's it's very rare for problems like this to arrise in the classified section.
Personally there is no way I would have left neutral feedback after I received a refund.
I'd probably not be as harsh but it would certainly be negative feedback, just because I get a refund, it doesn't mean that I am going to forgive a muppet for causing me all the hassle in the first place.
 
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