Good buy from Ebay

[big jim]

What looked to be a good buy from eBay turned up today, a selection of Bachmann buildings that I got for £56 including a carriage washer, southern signal box, low relief houses and the Art Deco London underground low relief station amongst other things, picked the box uk off the step when i got home from work to hear an awful lot of rattling around inside, opened it up to discover that the building had been put in the box with no inner packaging whatsoever and they were smashed up or all had bits broken off, to say I’m not happy would be an understatement!

 

 

also no mention of holes in the sides of the buildings (not a huge issue as they will be part of a terrace) some of them are salvageable and I’m not wanting to send them back but what on earth was the seller thinking not putting any packaging in the box, even wrapping them individually in newspaper then filling the voids in the box with more may have saved damage on some of them 

 

I’ve just messaged them rather than opening a complaint or return straight away and I await their reply 

 

 

[polybear]

What sort of total berk (other words are available - and far more appropriate....) sends something like that?  I'd be wanting at least 50% back or I'd return them.

[Bucoops]

That is ridiculous :(

[hayfield]

5 hours ago, big jim said:

What looked to be a good buy from eBay turned up today, a selection of Bachmann buildings that I got for £56 including a carriage washer, southern signal box, low relief houses and the Art Deco London underground low relief station amongst other things, picked the box uk off the step when i got home from work to hear an awful lot of rattling around inside, opened it up to discover that the building had been put in the box with no inner packaging whatsoever and they were smashed up or all had bits broken off, to say I’m not happy would be an understatement!

 

 

also no mention of holes in the sides of the buildings (not a huge issue as they will be part of a terrace) some of them are salvageable and I’m not wanting to send them back but what on earth was the seller thinking not putting any packaging in the box, even wrapping them individually in newspaper then filling the voids in the box with more may have saved damage on some of them 

 

I’ve just messaged them rather than opening a complaint or return straight away and I await their reply 

 

 

 

 

I like many others like a dabble on eBay, I have found in many cases the art of packing has passed many by and in extreme cases like this, the seller has no respect for the items they are selling. 

 

Firstly you are due a complete refund, secondly you should give the seller the option of returning the items as sent once reciprocal postage has been received (which will probably damage items further) at their own risk, or hold out returning the items until they send amount which will cover  proper post and packing

 

However it is still common to receive items that in my opinion have had the absolute minimum amount of packaging, and often surprised that they are still intact. My weak spot is for whitemetal tank locos, they are the optimum size  to fit ones hand and weight to be propelled from one side of the room to the other, like wise etched brass frets are so east to bend they need substantial support, not a piece of medium card.

 

As for this, its not the value you have paid for the items you have lost, but its the value it will cost you to replace them that you should be able to claim from the sender, especially for items that you will find in this section

 

For me I would refuse to return them until

1 you have received the funds

2 you have received a suitable amount to return them and of absolved from any further responsibility from further damage during transit

 

Sorry for the disappointment you are suffering

 

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

That standard of (not) packaging is shocking, the finer Bachmann Scenecraft models have a high rate of attrition in their own polystyrene cradles without being allowed to rattle around loose in a box.

 

Mike.

[big jim]

I’ll wait and see if they get back to me this morning, if not I’ll start a return/complaint via eBay, as I say I don’t want to send them back as I can repair the main buildings but the likes of the Bus stops and shelters are beyond repair and are only fit for the bin

 

i wouldn’t dream of sending anything out without decent packaging, I used to buy bubble wrap by the 300m roll back when I did loads on there but now I just buy it as and when I need it but still make sure everything is over protected

[ianmacc]

Hi all. If you request a return through eBay and the seller accepts you will be reimbursed for your return postage by eBay in the form of a printable pre paid label. 
 

I occasionally suffer damage in transit but blooming heck - sending out resin items loose in a box!!!???

[big jim]

I’ve had no contact so have requested a return through eBay 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 16, 2022 by big jim

[John M Upton]

I would say with the amount of chips and other damage, most of that has been rendered unusable without a lot of work, way beyond economic repair.  A full refund and a grovelling apology from the seller is in order but I wouldn't hold your breath...

[polybear]

33 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

I would say with the amount of chips and other damage, most of that has been rendered unusable without a lot of work, way beyond economic repair.  A full refund and a grovelling apology from the seller is in order but I wouldn't hold your breath...

 

They've blown fifty quid - hopefully they'll learn a lesson.  What's the betting they relist it at the same price - a contender for Ebay Madness methinks.

[33C]

I once had a Wrenn 2.6.4T I won on Ebay arrive, through the letterbox, in a plain envelope!! (It survived, and ran perfectly.)

[John M Upton]

Reminds me of the oft mentioned but rarely seen these days 'Bung it in a bin bag' school of packaging...

[big jim]

The seller has just messaged me to say he’s disappointed I’ve started a formal return though eBay as I initially messaged him at 01:45 this morning highlighting the problem

 

ive explained I did it so that the return label can be printed off via eBay (at his cost) otherwise I’ll have to pay to return them, not that I need to justify myself really! 

Ive said I’m happy to keep them for a partial refund so I’ll see what he says, the bigger buildings are salvageable but the smaller ones like the shelters are only fit for the bin 

Edited August 16, 2022 by big jim

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, big jim said:

The seller has just messaged me to say he’s disappointed I’ve started a formal return though eBay as I initially messaged him at 01:45 this morning highlighting the problem

 

ive explained I did it so that the return label can be printed off via eBay (at his cost) otherwise I’ll have to pay to return them, not that I need to justify myself really! 

Ive said I’m happy to keep them for a partial refund so I’ll see what he says, the bigger buildings are salvageable but the smaller ones like the shelters are only fit for the bin 

I take it that you sent him the photographs of the damaged items.

[big jim]

3 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I take it that you sent him the photographs of the damaged items.

yeah, the ones further up the thread, they are also uploaded to the eBay return messages

 

He’s not got back to me since his previous ‘disappointment’ message which I replied to straight away or accepted the start of the return via eBay which will generate the return postage label. As I say I don’t mind keeping them for a bit of a refund in which case I’ll stop the return, however until he deals with it one way or another his funds are on hold until resolved so he’s out of pocket 

 

(sorry to slightly derail the good buy thread) 

[polybear]

5 minutes ago, big jim said:

yeah, the ones further up the thread, they are also uploaded to the eBay return messages

 

He’s not got back to me since his previous ‘disappointment’ message which I replied to straight away or accepted the start of the return via eBay which will generate the return postage label. As I say I don’t mind keeping them for a bit of a refund in which case I’ll stop the return, however until he deals with it one way or another his funds are on hold until resolved so he’s out of pocket 

 

(sorry to slightly derail the good buy thread) 

 

I'd suggest a lot of a refund.  If you do a return it'll cost him both the outbound and return postage fees (I imagine that's a tenner+ already) as well as the loss of the sale.  Worth bearing in mind when considering an offer.

 

[Hal Nail]

I can understand a reluctance to agree partial refunds personally. As an occassional seller, im always worried i'll be scammed by an unscrupulous buyer trying it on to get a better price.

 

Clearly not the case here but it is open to abuse whereas having the fall back position of a full refund means the buyer is merely disappointed, rather than worse off.

[big jim]

Thing with the partial refund from my point of view is how much?
 

I don’t want to be cheeky and demand loads back as the buildings I want are repairable (and a couple actually undamaged) but on the same hand I don’t want to be fobbed off with a ridiculously low figure

 

I can see my just sending them back but I hope it can be resolved amicably

[polybear]

8 minutes ago, big jim said:

Thing with the partial refund from my point of view is how much?
 

I don’t want to be cheeky and demand loads back as the buildings I want are repairable (and a couple actually undamaged) but on the same hand I don’t want to be fobbed off with a ridiculously low figure

 

I can see my just sending them back but I hope it can be resolved amicably

 

I'd suggest 50% as being fair.

[hayfield]

11 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

I can understand a reluctance to agree partial refunds personally. As an occassional seller, im always worried i'll be scammed by an unscrupulous buyer trying it on to get a better price.

 

Clearly not the case here but it is open to abuse whereas having the fall back position of a full refund means the buyer is merely disappointed, rather than worse off.

 

Forget what I call people buying expensive RTR models, on the whole railway modellers I have found are a decent bunch, certainly those I come into contact with who are mainly kit builders when I am selling

 

I think even the most careful seller may on occasion suffer something that gets either damaged or lost, providing you have abided with both eBays and the carriers rules (and used a decent carrier) financially you will be protected

 

The main area of issues I have had is from non railway modellers, who seem to think popping something in a padded envelope with a bit of bubble wrap is good enough. As you say take photos and ask for either a full refund or propose a solution which benefits both parties

 

In this case its slightly different and I think the buyer needs to talk with eBay. If the items are returned as sent then further damage will occur, to safely return these items it will cost time and money to safely return them, this is a difficult one !!

[Hal Nail]

25 minutes ago, hayfield said:

In this case its slightly different and I think the buyer needs to talk with eBay. If the items are returned as sent then further damage will occur

I agree although there have been plenty of stories of things returned for spurious reasons that had been well packed when sent, but returned smashed, and ebay still refunded leaving the seller with ruined goods. 

 

Generally i think the buyer gets the most protection.

 

To put some perspective tho, I use eBay for most purchases, over 1000 deals, and only ever had one issue with some life expired bike parts i bought years ago.

 

[hayfield]

I think we should take events like the one being reported in to some form of perspective

 

The reason this thread exists is because quite often sellers (usually non railway modellers) recognise railway modelling items do have some value, thankfully not knowing what they are selling and somehow have the ability to take photos out of focus plus having no idea how to present an item

 

I understand that non railway modellers have no idea about gauges, but compounding the issue with out of focus photos

 

I have just bought a couple of chassis from a seller, on the face of it a clear title

KEMILWAY ETC `OO` WHITE METAL/BRASS LOCOMOTIVE PARTS (SPARES or RESTORATION)

 

But 7 poorly taken photos and not much more information in the details hid what I guessed was a couple of decent chassis which I thought looked to be to P4  gauge

 

What arrived was 2 built Kemilway etched brass compensated chassis P4 chassis. A 2-6-0 with P4 wheels but no cylinders and connecting rods and a Hall/Manor chassis, no wheels coupling and connecting rods but with cylinders

 

I am hoping that these will easily convert to EM gauge and after a quick refurbishment will result in two new compensated chassis all for under £19, I have a spare cylinder so just need some coupling and connecting rods plus 4 crossheads quite a saving on the price of 2 new etched chassis kits

 

I have 2 more buys coming from the same seller, the last of which was nearly described correctly and had 2 really good photos. 4 Exactoscale (Pre Len Newman) EM/P4 turnout operating units. Luckily there was no mention of Exactoscale on the packets and those who would normally buy there either missed them or are too young to know how good they are . £15 for all 4 which in one way is not cheap, but they are so good and in my opinion have never been equalled. The other is another boring compensated P4 14xx chassis (Kemilway ? certainly not a Percy or Comet) with an Airfix body. Lets hope the post gods are still on my side

[hayfield]

6 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

I agree although there have been plenty of stories of things returned for spurious reasons that had been well packed when sent, but returned smashed, and ebay still refunded leaving the seller with ruined goods. 

 

Generally i think the buyer gets the most protection.

 

To put some perspective tho, I use eBay for most purchases, over 1000 deals, and only ever had one issue with some life expired bike parts i bought years ago.

 

 

Hal Nail

 

Sorry but I have missed these, anyway as I said providing you have adhered to both eBay's and Royal Mail's rules, the seller will be fully compensated, I have had to fall back on to Royal mail two or 3 times, every time the claims were fully met. As I said these things happen let the Royal Mail sort out those who go out to defraud, if that is its a dodgy claim. eBay will refund the charges, Royal Mail will refund the selling price and postage, its the buyer that probably misses out the most, especially if its a good buy!!

[big jim]

39 minutes ago, hayfield said:

The reason this thread exists is because quite often sellers (usually non railway modellers) recognise railway modelling items do have some value, thankfully not knowing what they are selling and somehow have the ability to take photos out of focus plus having no idea how to present an item

 

I understand that non railway modellers have no idea about gauges, but compounding the issue with out of focus photos

 

In the case of my damaged items the listing actually mentioned the ‘unusual London Underground station’ in particular with a picture of it so the seller possibly knew what he was selling as that is quite a rare model (which drew my eye to the listing to be honest) which makes it more strange that they should be sent in the manner they were

 

regards the refund amount, the suggestion of 50% actually seems quite high in my eyes thinking about what buildings I can repair reuse and bearing in mind what they would have cost me to buy individually, if he agreed to say £20 back then I’d take that as I think that’s a reasonable figure for what I’d have useable with a bit of work at the end of it 

 

I’ve had no more contact from him direct via messages or from the resolution centre to proceed with the return, if he doesn’t hurry up and action the return from his end soon then I’ll automatically get a refund, he will have received emails from eBay asking for his action but for whatever reason he’s not responded yet, I’m not chasing it up, it’s now down to the seller to proceed with the next step 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

Does e-bay refund everything or just the cost of the items and not the postage?