[Jules]

I've traded on here loads of times and had a great experience, however I saw a pair of KEF TDM23s on sale on ebay and decide to bid. I won and went to collect them as the seller wasn't too far away.

It was an elctronics company (not a shop) and the guy seamed ok... not great, just ok.

Anyway, when I unpacked the speakers at home, one of them was fine... but the other was absolutely knackered. Cosmetically ok, but clearly been subject to some incredible force.

When I took it out of the box I could hear (and feel) movement inside. I plugged it in, and there was no sound coming from either the tweeter or one of the 2 'race track' bass drivers.

I folded down the cloth grill to inspect the drivers, and it looked as thought the tweeter was missing! I put my fingers into the empty space and found part of the tweeter inside. The silk dome was flat and the magnet had seperated from it.

I then inspected the bass driver, and the magnet had fallen off that too. The voice coil was mis-shapen, and the magnet was in bits... it clearly cannot be re fixed.

I'm sceptical that this could have gone un noticed by the seller, and I fear I may have been had. £200 I really shouldn't have spent in the first place, so I'm really hacked off.

Definately my first and last venture into ebaying.

Anyway, I sent an email to the seller giving him the opportunity to come up with a solution, but I've got a strange feeling something isn't right.

What can i do... I paid cash... if it turns sour?

[bouncer]

Go to the shop and demand it be fixed/replace/refunded or kick his face in

[Mep]

I don't think bouncer is a candidate for the next presenter of Watchdog, but yes Jules....go and see the guy...don't rely on email.

[DVD-Man]

Sorry to hear this example of ebay has tainted your experience, not all folks are that bad and in over 100 times on Ebay I've only had a slight problem which was done to language barriers.

There is no substitute for looking into feedback.

Liam

[OV3RCLOCK3R]

I'd say go and see the guy seeing as he isn't far away

[Paul_HDLover]

Your one step ahead of all the other people that get skimmed of Ebay in that you actually know where to find the guy.

Take it back to him and demand your money back. I know not everyone likes confrontation like this, but you have been skimmed for a poor product. The guy is probably hoping you dont want to comfront him.

Get straight down there mate.

If necessary reverse you care through his window

[Kieron]

Problem is, the seller will come out with the old "they were fine when they left here" excuse.

Legally the buyer hasn't a leg to stand on - it's a second hand purchase, unless he has a "store" receipt.

Did the guy sell it on behalf of his company, or was it a cash deal with no paperwork. Do you still have the ebay link showing it being sold by a company rather than an individual?

If you have a store receipt, and can prove it was sold by a company rather than a chap selling second hand goods from his home then you may be fine.

Depends on what you have, and what you can prove....

[Jules]

Thanks for the replies guys.

The sale was not advertised as being from a company, but the guy did need me to sign a proof of sale for the company records.
I've Googled the name of the company, and they come up looking like a profesional oufit doing custom installs.
The weird thing is the premises were not indicative of the company image found on the internet.

Anyway, I got a reply fom the seller saying they will inspect them if I take them back.... but there's no apology, no indication of what they'll do when I get there, and it has a rather "not my problem mate" tone about it.

I've contacted KEF Audio (now they are nice people to talk to) for replacement parts, and the bill is £50.
So, I've now asked the seller to pay the £50. Not unreasonable I don't think, so let's see what happens next.

[Woodywizz]

Originally Posted by bouncer

...... or kick his face in

The art and skill of negotiation is alive and well, and living within bouncer

[Nimby]

One always has the chance to sink his feedback well below the local event horizon.
(An option best left until he has had a chance to sort out your problems)

[Mep]

Originally Posted by woodywizz

The art and skill of negotiation is alive and well, and living within bouncer

He's a loss to the Diplomatic Corp!

[BrokenArrow]

I had my first bad ebay purchase today. I bought a CD on Wednesday but when it came today it turned out to be a copied CD with a printed paper label and a standard jewel case. It was only £2.50 delivered but I could just as easily have downloaded the album and burnt the CD myself.

I've sent an email to the seller asking what they propose to do but they haven't replied all day. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now and assume they're out because it's Friday night, then I'll send another email tomorrow.

I want my £2.50 back!

(Sorry to use your thread, Jules, I'm just a bit peeved.)

[Nimby]

BrokenArrow

You should warn your vendor that it is a matter for the police.

The sale of copies of copyrighted material is a criminal offense. Probably several offenses.

Tell your vendor that you will be sharing their details with the police on Monday if you do not get an immediate response.

Ebay should certainly ban them for life.

[dejongj]

Originally Posted by Jules

I've contacted KEF Audio (now they are nice people to talk to) for replacement parts, and the bill is £50.
So, I've now asked the seller to pay the £50. Not unreasonable I don't think, so let's see what happens next.

Why did you do that when you already agreed to take it back and have them look at it!? If would not appreciate that and probably than say forget, sold as seen....I hear it is not nice, but let's get real this has nothing to do with ebay, and secondly a very wise lesson to inspect it first especially as you are picking it up

Good luck, hope the seller has got more patience than me

[Jules]

Thanks for your comments, however I havn't agreed to take them back yet.
I took the step of contacting KEF for a repair quote because it gives me and the selller more options.

At this point, I get the distinct feeling that if I took them back, the seller would try to palm them off on somebody else.

I've been extremely polite and courteous in my communication which hasn't been reciprocated.
The least I expected initially was an apology and I got nothing.

[Matt_C]

One question tho - why did you not physically check them over before paying/taking them? I don't take ANYONE's word for anything these days asthere are FAR too many dishonest people about! Ok, mail order you have no choice as such, but if you are making the effore to physically go somewhere to collect, why not spend 5 mins looking them over before handing over the cash?

[blizzard]

did he state on the auction that they were BOTH working in perfect order ?

if yes you can go through ebay themselves.

if no it was your responsibility to inspect the items on his premises and i take it that was not the case so it's going to be hard to negotiate a return.

Or go with what bouncer says. ( not recomended but if all else fails why not have a nice big assault bill on your hands to pay the guy even more of your hard earned money).

i feel for you as scams are widespread everywhere that's why i love the system here on AVF much safer. ( mods i'll accept my fiver later )

I wish you good luck though i hope you resolve it.

[Jules]

Yeah, I should have checked them.
But I don't think it would have helped in this case as cosmetically they were ok, and the place was an office with no way of connecting them up.

[Nimby]

This office... how big was the front window?

[dejongj]

Originally Posted by Jules

I've been extremely polite and courteous in my communication which hasn't been reciprocated.
The least I expected initially was an apology and I got nothing.

Unfortunately a lot of people just aren't like that, I'm one of them as I only am like that when I really mean it and not just say it as part of the English language...But that doesn't have to mean people won't be forthcoming...

All I am saying is that when someone offers (even after you had to ask/demand) to take a look at it, I would continue to walk the friendly path and not immediately mail them along the lines of return £50 please....Besides do you really want repaired speakers?

Anyway either which way I hope it will work out for you...

[BrokenArrow]

Originally Posted by BrokenArrow

I had my first bad ebay purchase today. I bought a CD on Wednesday but when it came today it turned out to be a copied CD with a printed paper label and a standard jewel case. It was only £2.50 delivered but I could just as easily have downloaded the album and burnt the CD myself.

I've sent an email to the seller asking what they propose to do but they haven't replied all day. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now and assume they're out because it's Friday night, then I'll send another email tomorrow.

I want my £2.50 back!

(Sorry to use your thread, Jules, I'm just a bit peeved.)

I got my £2.50 back. £2.50 would have been a fairly cheap lesson learned but it's the principle of being sold bootleg goods.