Recently I won the Marvelettes LP "Marvellous" (item 130870324752) but when I received it the upper seam had a large split (15 cm) at the center. https://tinyurl.com/c94rfyj

 

As you can see the description was not that detailed so I asked the seller about the condition of the record (the cover looked good). He replied to me “no cracks and surface noise is minimal to none throughout the record.”. It was not true as the record had more noises than I expected but I can do with that as my main interest is in the cover.

 

I've been searching for this record for a long time, so I prefer to keep it even with its defaults rather than sending it back, so I asked the seller for a partial refund. I sent him one message a day during FOUR days. Without any reply I put a claim on ebay then immediately he changed it  in a PayPal claim, saying he was not at home...

 

For the PayPal claim I asked for a £50.00 refund here is his reply :

 

I apologise for not being in contact, I have been away from home.

I feel upset at you opening this case,

It is extremely unfair that you use the product as a way of bullying into gaining money back. Is there any proof? No. I feel that the product was described fairly 'good overall condition'

I also said to contact me for any further info, which lots of people did,

Not once since then have you asked for your money back. This is strange as if I'm not happy with an item I always ask for a refund.

You have since put a hold on my PayPal account, so I am unable to transfer any money even if I wanted to.

I feel that £50 is too much, the record was in good condition when it left my possession. I asked if you wanted any other type of postal service and you didn't.

How do we proceed from here?

 

My reply :

Hi,

 

I opened this case because you didn’t reply to my four previous messages (in the four previous days).

 

I did it because I was very disappointed by the condition of the cover. I already have the US pressings of all the Marvelettes’ albums so I was interested in this English pressing mostly for the cover.

 

I contacted you about the condition of the record, you replied “no cracks and surface noise is minimal to none throughout the record.”. That is not true, it has more noises that I expected. Though, I could do with that as my main interest was in the cover.

 

If you had mentionned the large seam in your description I doubt that it would have sold for that much. Thinking about it I think that £50.00 is not enough, But that’s what I asked and that’ll be fine by me.

 

Philippe

 

His latest two messages :

 

Why haven't you asked for a full refund then?

 

Then :

 

Sorry, I forgot to mention another thing, I have asked PayPal to decide this case as you have put a hold on any funds that I had in my account. Even if I wanted to pay you a partial refund, without any funds accessible I would have been unable.

If PayPal rule in your favour I will provide a refund when the record is returned to me,
If they rule in my favour then I consider this matter closed,

Again, I apologise for not replying I was on holiday for the last 10 days and had no access to Internet.

- oqureshi1

 

I want to keep the record, so what can I do ?

 

You can't have your cake and eat it - either keep it or send it back.  You have a choice.  

reminds me of a German guy who wanted a 50% refund off me for a minor crease (and I mean minor, could have easily been done when he took the record out of the mailer)) on the corner of a sleeve described as M-, as he already had 12 different copies of the same LP so the sleeve condition was the only thing that mattered to him. If people have these specific things that they want from a sale that are frankly not exactly 'normal', then the buyer really should make their criteria clear before buying/paying for the record, otherwise it descends into this kind of nonsense, IMHO.

close the case if you want to keep the record and not bothered about refund... best vin

I've had partial refunds from eBay sellers on a small number of occasions. When I have done, I sometimes feel that sending the item back and getting a full refund might have been the better option. But, once that item is in your hands, it can be difficult to let go of it. 

 

Having said that, a partial refund is often much easier than having to repackage the item, set off to the nearest post office, pay the return shipping costs, and keep fingers crossed that it arrives back safely with the seller.

 

Also, it's not always me asking for a partial refund. Sometimes the seller offers one as an easy compromise to the general inconvenience to both parties of returning an item.

 

Sometimes it really is the simplest and most convenient option.

End of the case : he refunded me £30.00.

Edited April 11, 201312 yr by Philippe

..recently rcvd a PR for a record that had an unnoticed tiny run in crack and scuff..all good in the end..

It should be normal if all the sellers were honest. Unfortunately that's not always the case.

 

But I know that all the buyers are not either...

It should be normal if all the sellers were honest. Unfortunately that's not always the case.

 

But I know that all the buyers are not either...

 

 

To be honest mate, if you were more interested in the cover then you should have enquired about the condition of that rather than rely on the picture.

 

 - Kev

You're right Kevin, but on the picture it looked fine so I thought it was...