Ebay ethics

[Kryten]

Just thought I should seek some opinions.

Been selling rather a lot of laptop memory (mostly PC100 and PC133) recently, and I've always stated clearly in the auctions that if you're not sure about compatibility, don't bid/buy until you're sure it will work or you've asked me - and importantly all ram I sell has been memtested for 4 hours.

I've had 3 problems come up all because of Crucial's website.

First instance, a chap messaged me, asked if PC133 would work in a Dell C600 laptop. Had a look around, found Crucial's site and it says yes, it will work. Checked the specs of the memory I was selling were identical to the Crucial parts. So, no problem - said yeah. I've also tested them in a C610, very similar machine.
Didn't work - so naturally I offer the guy a refund or replacement - he takes a replacement of PC100 parts, he's happy.

Second time - someone has bought some PC133 outright, no messages - and again, it doesn't work. He messages me saying "Oi, I know this works on a Thinkpad T22 - because Crucial's site said so". Bloody annoying - I know full well a T22 won't use any PC133, only the T23 will. But, because I'm a nice chap, I offer him a refund if he want's it, or he can save himself postage by reselling it himself. Haven't heard back, but even so, I'm being VERY generous.

3rd time. This morning.
Chap has bought 512mb Elpida branded PC133. For a Stinkpad A22m. Another one I know only run on PC100. He also checked on - yes, crucial!
I've already messaged him saying sorry, that machine ONLY takes PC100 and Crucial are only in a position to offer guarantees on their hardware - this isn't Crucial stuff and I did state clearly check compatibility or ask me beforehand - and sorry, I won't offer a refund.

I'm getting sick of people relying on a single source of information and not investigating further, but I'm a little worried about adverse feedback from the latter 2. My feedback means a lot to me (100%) and I want to keep it that way, as I pride myself on honesty. But I also don't want to be giving refunds to everyone that asks for it because of their own mistakes.

Is this being too harsh? Or is feedback not as important as one might think?
I'm aware that mistakes can be made and I'm sympathetic to that - I made the same one myself in that first instance. But should I effectively be paying for them?

 

[Dreamor]

Your first mistake was, you didn't stick to your guns, when they ask about compatibility, its not your problem. I know you may feel as if you want a sale and something is better than nothing.... but the moment you go looking to help them, its going to get you a big problem.

As long as you state things clearly on the sale and 'possibly' link 2 or 3 sites where people can look for themselves, then if they buy = tough shit

 

[Kryten]

Exactly my thoughts. Linking to a couple of sites is a very good idea, cheers - will do that in future. I've already started saying please dont use Crucial as your source of information - it's incorrect, and it does indeed clearly state I don't accept returns for incompatibilities - so please check with me beforehand. It's still rather nice of me, imo, to say "they do work, feel free to resell them, you'll probably find you'll sell them for more money too"

I wasn't too fussed about a refund for that second one - mainly because I know I'll get them back and can re-sell them myself (after re-testing them). Semi-OCD means I keep serial numbers of them too

Cheers

 

[Tom]

If the crucial website is a problem, just put 'DO NOT RELY ON THE CRUCIAL WEBSITE FOR DETERMINING COMPATIBILITY' in your auction.

 

[Clown]

I don't know much about laptop RAM but doesn't it automatically clock down if you use faster RAM or something?

 

[Maljonic]

If the crucial website is a problem, just put 'DO NOT RELY ON THE CRUCIAL WEBSITE FOR DETERMINING COMPATIBILITY' in your auction.

I agree, nice a big like that too so you can't miss it. More than once with a link to the site NOT to check, just in case.

 

[Kryten]

yeah i've already done that previous to that 3rd listing.
although laptop ram is strictly backwards compatible some laptops are a pain in the arse and only use what is meant for them - those Thinkpads, the Dell Latitude C series and Compaq Evo series are especially troublesome and refuse to take PC133 at all - hence much of the issue.
I've no doubt that Crucial stuff works but thats their problem - most this stuff is Hypertec, Kingston or Hynix.

 

[ECA]

It is the buyers responsibility to check compatability.

Do you when buying ram randomly buy anything off a website and go DUUUURRRR IT R NOT WORKANG LOLOLOL MONIES BACK PLX.

No?

So neither should the stupid plebs buying ram off ebay.

 

[Yaka]

well ebayed a modified xbox, got a handy sum for it. only for the buyer to throw up a bitch fit about it not being a HD player. when i clearly stated in the auctionits and xbox and xbmc upsclaes dvd. had to do a refund with the buyer refusing to leave feedback.


ebay has become a headache over the past cople of years. with more and more peeps swayed to it by adds etc its gotten a damn site worse.

anyways you have contected crucial for rhe crap info they got on thier site yet?

 

[Kryten]

No.
Reason being the information given by Crucial is with regards to their memory only. Crucial guarantee their memory to work even when identically specified modules from other manufacturers don't.
The trouble is that people try a simple search string "thinkpad T21 memory compatibility" and the first big name that comes up is Crucial, saying "our PC133 ram is guaranteed to work".

Yeah, their ram. These people just assume that applies for all of it.

Well I'm not gonna take any shit from now on, it's already clearly stated, I'm gonna make it even more clear (cunning use of bold and some links to check compatibility as suggested above). If people are too stupid/ignorant/arrogant to take that advice, it's their problem. If they're gonna leave bad feedback, I'll just report them in return for being utter morons.

Not that Ebay are likely to do anything about it.

 

[Chilly]

are ebay auctions covered by the distance selling laws? Ie the buyer has a right to a refund within a certain amount of days regardless of the reason?

 

[dysfunction]

are ebay auctions covered by the distance selling laws? Ie the buyer has a right to a refund within a certain amount of days regardless of the reason?

I don't believe so.

I think its more of a case of "Buyer beware" with auctions...unless of course you have been deliberately missold something.

 

[Chilly]

I'm curious as to why an ebay listing might be exempt, though. In principle its the same thing as buying from any other online shop. I suspect it probably would be covered - any experts here to speak The Truth?

 

[MYstIC G]

I'm not "an expert" however, my quick glance at the SI - Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 2334 - would suggest that it's probably exempt unless you're doing it for a living/as a professional/as a business and also item 5. (f) seems to exclude auctions.

 

[Chilly]

ah, that makes sense I suppose. One-time low value trades are often exempt from all sorts of taxation and regulation.

 

[tris-]

here is an extract from the essay i wrote on reasonableness for uni -

A case which demonstrates when someone is acting in the course of business is R & B Brokers Co .Ltd V United Dominions Trust Ltd. It was held that for a party to be acting in the course of business, the contract made must be integral for the running of the business or that it must be made regularly.

so there you go

 

[Tilda]

here is an extract from the essay i wrote on reasonableness for uni -

A case which demonstrates when someone is acting in the course of business is R & B Brokers Co .Ltd V United Dominions Trust Ltd. It was held that for a party to be acting in the course of business, the contract made must be integral for the running of the business or that it must be made regularly.

so there you go

we'll make a lawyer of you yet tris! Congrats you managed to say something vaguely relevant, but such an obscure manner that whoever wants to understand it will need another lawyer just to translate! Good work!

 

[tris-]

i thought the whole point was to confuse people

 

[MYstIC G]

Confuse people whilst extracting money methinks.

 

[Chilly]

Extracting money BY confusing people.

It's all about semantics!

 

[Trem]

What pisses me off the most about the feedback at the minute is when a seller leaves you feedback and its 'many thanks from www.blowupgoats.com we hope to please you again' it pisses me off that the feedback they leave is just another ad for them.

 

[Guest]

what are you doing up at 6.47 luv.....

 

[bob269]

what are you doing up at 6.47 luv.....

Trying out the goat ?



*Puncture repair kit on standby

 

[Trem]

I have to get up to make the boy his milk and the goat her cup of tea

 

[Maljonic]

I didn't know you could put links in feedback, how odd.

 

[Trem]

It doesn't show as a link and you know what I meant

 

[Maljonic]

I didn't know what you meant, I've only used ebay about 15 times ever - I never saw that before.

 

[Trem]

Fair enough, what you wearing?

 

[Maljonic]

Right now I'm wearing Jeans, a lycra teeshirt, a hairband and a watch - but I'm about to strip down and do some dirt plumbing.