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 Posted - January 22 2013 : 4:30:20 PM
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I recently sold my GN 2-8-0 to a guy who wrote to me today and told me it doesn't run. Now I'm trying to make it right with him so I offered him two suggestions:
That he could send it back to me and I would issue him a complete refund plus pay return shipping...
OR
That if he decided to keep it and work on it, that I would issue a partial refund...
What is acceptable here? Should I give him a half refund? More? Less? He said he thinks he knows what is wrong with it and has what he needs to fix it.
Here's the other issue: I don't necessarily trust him that it doesn't work. Not because I don't have reason either. Because when he first made an offer on the Loco, his first email to me asked if I would please send the train to him first and then he would send me the money in cash placed in a card in the mail. He said and I quote "As you can see I'm a member on this forum so you can trust me". He is in fact a member...since December of 2012. I (for obvious reasons) did not agree to this, and insisted in paypal or MO which he paid with a MO.
Any suggestions guys? As a buyer, what would you expect or accept?
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 4:38:21 PM
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| It's on a different forum BTW, he's not on this one.
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 4:52:49 PM
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Could've cracked its drive axles....That is THE MOST common issue they had. I bought a bachmann 2-8-2 from my go to train store, it ran on their test track and when i brought it home it ran for 5 minutes then i cleaned the wheels, then the axles broke....2 of the them. I repair my own engines and just replaced the axle and did some other work while I was at it but Bachmann's are hit or miss so it may not be his fault, but then again I don't know the guy.
I buy, repair, and collect
http://scvr.weebly.com/
http://seyboldlocomotiveworks.weebly.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDeputation?feature=watch
Hyde.
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 5:00:49 PM
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| I dont like the part about paying for it. I always pay first then it gets shipped. Thats if im buying or selling anything.
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 5:15:34 PM
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I'm not worried about it being his fault or mine but I do have a disclaimer with every listing I post letting everyone know that I'm not a collector and just happened to find this lot of rolling stock in my grandparent's attic. I don't have the means to run anything just to see if it works and it's kind of a buy at your own risk situation and I've always been up front with any issues I have found with my limited knowledge such as broken stirrups, railings, axles etc. but every piece I have is new and never been run so I don't know about motor issues on the locomotives you know?
I know it's not a shipping issue because I ship everything wrapped up super tight and rolled in bubble wrap and packing paper.
I'm more worried that he is just trying to have his cake and eat it too. I don't want to be difficult and if it's a defect or anything else I am willing to make it right but how do I know?
I'm thinking I just ask him to ship it back and issue the refund...I have some track and old power packs that I could probably test it with if I had it here...I don't know. I don't want to offend him either, cause that's not my thing.
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 5:17:05 PM
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quote:I dont like the part about paying for it. I always pay first then it gets shipped. Thats if im buying or selling anything.
Originally posted by royal blue - January 22 2013 : 5:00:49 PM
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I think that's standard practice! I mean, why would you trust a stranger with your merchandise without payment or a good faith payment even! I know I couldn't call sears and ask them to send me a lawnmower to make sure I get it and then send them money later!
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 5:27:30 PM
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I agree with Hyde. If it was a Bachmann; older style, the drive axle has cracked. These are easily repaired in my opinion.
A partial refund would be acceptable to me because I could fix it. This buyer may not be able to. Now if he paid $20 for it then a ten dollar refund would be fair.
Randy
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 5:28:14 PM
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That all sounds really sketchy. Ask him to send you pictures of the damages. If he refuses, he's probably BSing you. If he sends them, post them here and hopefully you'll get some helpful opinions. I know there was another thread very recently with a similar situation (on ebay) where the buyer had probably dropped the item and then claimed it was broken during shipping.
If you were selling them "as is" and there is no super obvious damage I'd say tough luck for him.
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 6:40:12 PM
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My opinion:
If you didn't claim that it ran and sold "as is". Then it's his problem.
Offering a full refund is good salesmanship and above board, if you ask me. It shows your willingness to keep a good reputation over making a buck.
If you claim new in box and doesn't run then the full refund is more or less the expected the action.
As for a partial refund... I don't think I'd offer it. Not that it's a bad thing...it's just determining how partial a refund based on what kind of defect, etc.
Again, if you sold "as is" , then it's his deal. He can attempt to fix it or whatever he pleases with his purchase. If he attempts to fix it and makes it worse, then there's problem all around.
I would tell him any attempt to repair it ...makes it permanently his.
Offer the refund.
Unspoken expectations are premeditated failures.
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 7:29:43 PM
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| Thank you guys, your advice has been super helpful!
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 9:37:50 PM
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? He said he thinks he knows what is wrong with it and has what he needs to fix it.
ask him to tell you in detail what he thinks it is and how he intends to fix it.
THen bounce it off the forum
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 10:16:48 PM
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| Okay so he asked if I had another steam loco to trade in lieu of a refund to which I replied that I did not and asked if he had already had begun taking it apart and he responded that it's the motor and drive gear. I don't know what to do now if he's already cracked it open. He said it will cost 30 dollars to repair.
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 10:37:16 PM
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| So he said he already has what he needs to fix it. Why the $30.00 repair bill????
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 10:47:09 PM
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| I'm not sure and it's unclear as to whether or not he expects me to pay or not. I'm just going to have to ask him up front about it.
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 11:27:39 PM
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Teresa, as others have said, those Botchmans are famous for cracked plastic axles that let the drivers slip loose. As for the $30 repair cost, I don't know where he got that figure, unless that's what his local hobby shop wants to charge him. For $15 + shipping he can send it back to Bachmann and get a much better 2-8-0 through their lifetime replacement policy:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Spectrum-HO-Scale-Train-2-8-0-DCC-Tsunami-Sound-Chesapeake-Ohio-702-84506-/200872466714
I should have mentioned this problem when I told you why the saddle tanker was bowed, but I never thought of it.
I would say give a partial refund if he wants to fix it himself or send it to Bachmann, or a full refund if he can't repair it and wants to send it back. Either way ask for photos of the defect.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - January 23 2013 : 12:01:44 AM
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I hate to sound like a pessimist, but I think he is trying to hose you! If he has already opened the loco up, any photos he sends will only show what he wants you to see.
I would only offer to give a refund. I would only offer the refund if the loco is returned in "as sent" condition. I would demand tracking number since you will be repaying the shipping cost. And never refund the money until the loco is in your hands!!
Edited by - Hypoponera on January 23 2013 12:02:27 AM
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Posted - January 24 2013 : 5:24:37 PM
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He's trying to hose you, as the previous post said. He cracked it open thus voiding any attempt you had to have him send it back and refund upon receipt of the loco in the condition that you shipped it in.
If it were Tony or Fred or Justin or John or .... on THIS forum, they would have told you that they know it's a Bachmann and the drive gears are notorious for cracking, and they probably had a spare gear and might have asked for $5 or might not have asked for anything.
if they did NOT say they already had what it takes to fix it....
Or if they asked for $15 because that's what it costs to send to Bachmann....
But I don't think this is an honest attempt. $30 is NOT worth it. You're honest, and you did offer the full refund BEFORE he took it apart. (Tony or whomever on this forum can open something up and it will be fine.)
Stick to your instincts. The full refund you offered PLUS SHIPPING is BEYOND reasonable. I wouldn't give him more than $5 or certainly NO MORE than $10. If he ships it back to Bachmann, he's very likely to get a much nicer engine in return and laugh all the way to the bank if you give him too much.
Sounds like a scammer to me. Your instincts are right.
Starting my Tyco and other favorites collection over again after 37 years.
My still in progress list of inventory and wantlist: tyconut.com
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Posted - January 24 2013 : 5:41:00 PM
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I agree with the others; this dude is a shyster.
I would offer him the $5-10 as a goodwill gesture. That will ease your conscience about doing the right thing.
He on the other hand; he should realize that this used stuff is generally sold, "as is-where is".
Then he could also be reminded of the old saying; "caveat emptor"/ buyer beware.
Randy
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Posted - January 24 2013 : 5:52:42 PM
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I'll just repeat the advice people give on the eBay forums in this type of situation - no partial refunds, ever. They return it on their dime.
Right away that seperates out the honest people from the scammers, because the ones who will spend to send it back are the honest ones - and you can turn around and give them the shipping anyways, based on what they actually paid if they shipped it from the post office.
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