Potential Bad Seller -- What to do?

Early B.
Early B. Posts: 7,900
edited October 2007 in The Clubhouse
I purchased a subwoofer amp off ebay a few weeks ago. I finally got around to hooking it up, and the damn thing doesn't work. The volume knob is broken (it spins around and doesn't stop) and one of the binding posts is bent. When I opened her up, the damn thing has four blown resistors and a cap that crapped all over the board. The amp is probably not worth fixing.

I wrote him a very nice e-mail with a list of my concerns and requested a full refund, and I'm awaiting a response. However, the dude's ad says stuff like as-is, no return/no warranty, blah, blah, blah...So because of this, am I screwed or what?
HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

"God grooves with tubes."
Post edited by Early B. on
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Comments

  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited October 2007
    I don't think it looks good unless you exchanged verbage with the seller regarding the functionality of the unit. Caveat Emptor.
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • beardog03
    beardog03 Posts: 5,550
    edited October 2007
    sorry to say, but it sounds like it

    sorry to hear about your bad luck...
    It seems that there is alot of this kind of crap going on lately
    Cary SLP-98L F1 DC Pre Amp (Jag Blue)
    Parasound HCA-3500
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    Sanus Cherry wood Speak Stands
    Adona AV45CS3 / 3 Tier Rack (Black /Gold)

    :cool:
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  • BaggedLancer
    BaggedLancer Posts: 6,371
    edited October 2007
    "as-is" and "no warranty/no return" are an ebay sellers fast lane ticket to freedom when selling bunk stuff. Thats one of my number one things I stay away from with ebay stuff I buy unless it says right in that something is broken.

    But if it says something to the nature of "Last time I powered this up, it worked great, however it is being sold 'as-is' " shoudl immediately tell you it's broken.
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited October 2007
    BaggedLancer wrote: »
    "as-is" and "no warranty/no return" are an ebay sellers fast lane ticket to freedom when selling bunk stuff. Thats one of my number one things I stay away from with ebay stuff I buy unless it says right in that something is broken.

    But if it says something to the nature of "Last time I powered this up, it worked great, however it is being sold 'as-is' " shoudl immediately tell you it's broken.
    Exactly stay away from "as is" epay items unless they are giving it away.

    Thats the sh**ts Brad that you ended up with a junker.:(
    Testing
    Testing
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  • shadowofnight
    shadowofnight Posts: 2,735
    edited October 2007
    Thats the main reason I have NEVER made a purchase on Epray....Every single one of my transactions on craigslist has gone perfect because I MADE them perfect.....either the stuff passes my inspection and I pays my money ....or it doesnt ( Has happened about 3 times ) and I walk away with my money still in my wallet.

    The only other way I would purchase items is through a forum where I can see that the person is both technical enough and honest enough ( You can tell...previous posts by the individual tell a LOT ...tech wise and honest wise ) for a transaction.

    There are many on this forum I would buy from in a heartbeat....but with Epray you have no idea who you are dealing with...their feedback can be bogus as well....heard too many friends cry bad deals on there. Kinda like when you are out with your friends and while eating one of them bites into a dish ...makes a horrible face...and says " Ooohhh, that tastes like **** " ....then turns to you and says " Try this, tell me what you think "
    After seeing that I always pass :D
    The first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Fight Club
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited October 2007
    I got a response from the seller. Of course, he's refusing the refund. How should I respond to the seller at this point?

    Yeah, it was bad judgment on my part, but I still think the seller ought to step up to the plate. If I sold someone a blown amp, I'd definitely return their money, regardless of the circumstances. It's an integrity issue.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • shawn474
    shawn474 Posts: 3,047
    edited October 2007
    Early,
    If the auction sepcifically stated that the amp was working and there were no issues, but it is being sold "as-is" that is still grounds for refund. However, if there was no statement about its functionality and the seller did not claim the unit to be working, you might be up a river. It has happened to me in the past. If you paid by Paypal, you can file a claim and they are pretty buyer friendly. Sorry about that; it does seem as though integrity is a thing of the past in these cases.


    Shawn
    Shawn
    AVR: Marantz SR-5011
    Center Channel: Polk LsiM706c
    Front: Polk LsiM703
    Rear: LSI fx
    Subwoofer: SVS 20-39pci
    Television: Samsung UN58NU7100FXZA
    DVD Player: Sony PS4
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  • phipiper10
    phipiper10 Posts: 955
    edited October 2007
    If you feel he misrepresented the product in anyway you could get ebay involved. Other than that just leave bad feedback.
    Analog Source: Rega P3-24 Exact 2 w/GT delrin platter & Neo TT-PSU Digital Source: Lumin T2 w/Roon (NUC) DAC: Denafrips Pontus II Phono Preamp: Rega Aria MK3 Preamp: Rogue RP-7 Amp: Pass X150.8 Speakers: Joseph Audio Perspective 2, Audio Physic Tempo Plus Cables: Morrow M4 ICs & Audio Art SC-5 ePlus, Shunyata PCs Misc: Shunyata Hydra Delta D6, VTI rack, GIK acoustic panels
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited October 2007
    phipiper10 wrote: »
    If you feel he misrepresented the product in anyway you could get ebay involved. Other than that just leave bad feedback.

    Yeah, I can make a weak case for misrepresentation. A visual inspection would have noticed the bent binding post. And if he had simply twisted the knobs, he would have realized the volume knob didn't work. Neither of these issues were indicated in the ad. If so, I wouldn't have bid on it.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,712
    edited October 2007
    File a PayPal claim. "Item significantly not as described." Doesn't matter if the auction says as is. If the auction said it was in good working order and you found it not to be, then the claim is yours. It may take a month or more, but PayPal should side with you.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • BaggedLancer
    BaggedLancer Posts: 6,371
    edited October 2007
    billbillw wrote: »
    File a PayPal claim. "Item significantly not as described." Doesn't matter if the auction says as is. If the auction said it was in good working order and you found it not to be, then the claim is yours. It may take a month or more, but PayPal should side with you.

    You're wrong. If it says anything to the nature of "was working last time used, sold as-is however" the seller isn't responsible.

    If it says "in good working order however sold as-is" then the seller still isn't responsible and could blame the malfunction on shipping, etc......

    as-is are scary words......gets the seller out of alot of crap and has the ability to deceive big time.

    It's worth the shot to fight it but don't expect to win if you seethose 2 words.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,980
    edited October 2007
    "as is" and "significantly not as described"...2 different things. Screw PP, they may or may not side with you. I believe they just have fun flipping a coin when deciding what's right and what's wrong. The whole thing is a crock.

    If you paid with a Visa, go thru them, as PP won't mess with them and you will get your $$$ back. If you paid with PP credit, you are screwed. If you think E-Pray gives a rat's...............:eek:

    Either way, good luck Early!

    Hey, I thought you were "on a break" from buying gear! I see that didn't last more than 3 weeks. :p
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • shadowofnight
    shadowofnight Posts: 2,735
    edited October 2007
    Lasareath wrote: »
    Did the auction state the the sub did not work?

    I almost had thought he said sub as well...was gonna tell him to replace the amp ..good to go..then noticed he said he bought a subwoofer AMP..rot ro raggy said scooby :)
    The first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Fight Club
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,574
    edited October 2007
    What on earth do you need a subwoofer amp for?

    ;)
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • shadowofnight
    shadowofnight Posts: 2,735
    edited October 2007
    A subwoofer you just built yourself or to repair a subwoofer you just bought insanely cheap. I have bought broken subs worth 700 to 1,000 before that were in mint shape except the built in amp took a dive...for pennies on the dollar. Madisound...Parts Express...etc sell some nice ones ....some better then what came with the sub to begin with ...for good prices. ;)
    The first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Fight Club
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited October 2007
    Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »
    What on earth do you need a subwoofer amp for?

    ;)

    I bought this sub amp before my current VMPS sub came on the market. It was to upgrade the existing sub amp on my DIY sub. So when we finally moved the DIY sub to my friend's house and unboxed the amp and cranked it on yesterday, that's when I realized it didn't work.

    My plan was to trade the DIY sub and amp for my friend's Marantz monoblock. I put his Marantz up for sale in the Flea Market a few days ago, but I think I want to keep it and power my center channel with it. Can't do that right now until I settle on what to do with this sub amp.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited October 2007
    treitz3 wrote: »
    Hey, I thought you were "on a break" from buying gear! I see that didn't last more than 3 weeks. :p

    Damn, I don't even recall saying that, although I wouldn't doubt it. Are you keeping score?
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited October 2007
    If I were you I would go with the Paypal claim; I've done it twice, and twice I got my money back.
    _________________________________________________
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    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited October 2007
    Here are some pics of the guts of the RBH SA-400 amp....

    If you look closely, you'll find a few burnt out resistors and a cap, too, I think.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • snow
    snow Posts: 4,337
    edited October 2007
    I would tell him that given his decision not to issue a refund that you have no choice but to file a claim and give him negative feedback. He may or may not decide to issue a refund then depending on how much he values his feedback and the hassle of going through a paypal dispute.

    One fellow I am aware of got back at the seller by relisting the amp and the name of the seller and condition of the amp complete with pictures. He had a buy it now price listed, the one who hit the buy it now was the orginal seller guess he didnt like the bad publicity.:D


    REGARDS SNOW
    Well, I just pulled off the impossible by doing a double-blind comparison all by myself, purely by virtue of the fact that I completely and stupidly forgot what I did last. I guess that getting old does have its advantages after all :D
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited October 2007
    snow wrote: »
    One fellow I am aware of got back at the seller by relisting the amp and the name of the seller and condition of the amp complete with pictures. He had a buy it now price listed, the one who hit the buy it now was the orginal seller guess he didnt like the bad publicity.:D


    Ha ha.

    Now that's definitely an option!!!
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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