graystonephoto
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Upload & Sell: On
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I am posting in order to see if I can get some guidance to an issue I've recently experienced in the B&S forums.
So, I'm a relatively new member and have a few transactions in the B&S forum. I've done around 10 transactions, some trades and all have been good and well received...until recently.
I sold an XM1 recently to what appears to be a knowledgeable and "established" member of the forums. Initially the transaction went well. We decided on a price, I completed a preship inspection of the item I intended to sell and I shipped it out the next business day. I do a preship inspection on every item as a final check to make sure everything is good to go. I stand behind what I sell and always try to disclose any "issues" any item may have.
The buyer sent me a PM shortly thereafter stating that the item showed up and looked good. Then a day or so later, the buyer sent me a PM stating that I mislead him in the ad and didnt include and item previously stated in the ad. I redirected him to the ad and explained again what was included (it was the difference of a stock battery and an aftermarket battery). No Response. Then another day or so goes by and I get another PM from the buyer saying that the camera might have a scratch on the sensor. At this point I am getting a little miffed because I know for an absolute fact that it had zero marks or scratches on it when I shipped it (again...due to my preship inspection) but the buyer said he would double check and let me know. Let another day or so pass and guess what....another PM. This time the sensor definitely has marks (again, not something it had when it left) and the flash does not work. When questioned the buyer states that the flash wont pop out or fire.
At this point he asks if he can return it. I tell him that he can ship it back, I will inspect it and if any issues are found that weren't there when I shipped it I would return it to him. If something had gone bad with the flash somehow, I'd return his money. Several days pass now and I begin to think he changed his mind because I don't hear from him. Then he sends me a PM telling me he shipped it back (we are a week, week and a half since he received it at this point) and gives me a tracking number.
Next thing I know, I get an email from paypal stating the buyer filed a claim. Then an hour later I get a PM stating that the item was delivered and he wanted his money back. I check the tracking number, and sure enough it shows delivered so I head out and make the 20 minute trip to the post office (i live way out in the sticks and don't have curbside service from USPS). I get there and its not there. I talk to the postmaster. I show her the tracking on my phone showing it delivered. She double checks....not there. She runs the tracking against some kind of internal tracking and it shows its still in transit. To be delivered on Monday. I PM the buyer. He gets upset and tells me that I'm wrong and that it was already delivered. He demands his money back. I reminded him of what I said about checking the item and then moving forward....
Five minutes later, my email states the paypal claim has now been escalated.
Which brings us to today. I make another trip to the PO and retrieve the item. My inspection revealed that the flash does in fact work. It pops out and fires perfectly. The buyer spent a lot of time in the menus changing everything (even went as far as downloading the brand specific app to his phone and setting up the wifi feature) and at some point set the camera to silent mode which defeats the flash. Problem one solved. Upon inspection of the sensor I now found several small scratches and a blob of spittall dried to the sensor. Again, this was not there when I sent it off.
My initial reaction to the buyer (when he complained about the battery and then a few days later about the sensor "maybe having scratches" and the flash not working) was that he had buyers remorse and was grasping at straws trying to get me to accept a return. I told him as much. He claimed that he bought another one at a higher price, so buyers remorse was not true.
So herein lies my dilemma: do I return his money and be stuck with a camera body I no longer want or need (or have lenses for and cannot honestly sell to anyone else do to what appears to be a paper-towel to the sensor...) or do I fight him by sending it back (with the potential to receive poor feedback as well as the issues that come with Paypal) and see where the dust settles? I also happen to photograph items I sell (had a bad experience on Ebay once) and can supply proof to paypal of its condition prior to shipment but you never really know with paypal.
Thanks for any advice.
Charlie
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so what if he leaves you bad feedback. You can leave him bad feedback as well and that would serve as a context for understanding what happened. Failing to leave feedback for him just lets this guy roll along and perhaps continue to do this with other Sellers.