Question on handling an unhappy buyer

[Mike D]

I'm no expert either, but it looks redone to me. I don't know what it sold for, but enough to ask questions, I'm sure. I would have.

If you did not specifically state that finish is original or you are unsure of finish originality, then many will assume it is original, but they should still ask questions on a rifle they are buying "sight unseen". Hope that makes sense.

Should you take it back? Hard choice.

On a side note, I'm about to possibly jeopardize my A+ rating on GB. I don't have a large history, but I bought a 1903 buttplate, 100% checkered, and received a 1903a3 buttplate. Completely different from the pics. When asked, the seller said "only one I have, blah, blah, blah.

I search completed auctions and turned up an old auction with the IDENTICAL pics. This guy STOLE pics from another auction to represent his item! I asked him what was up with that, and haven't heard from him since. Even if he returns my money, he's still getting a big, fat F-! He could give me negative in return, I don't know.

I don't know if its right to give this guys username, but lets just say he's "in charge of a ship and a Kings son" in that order.

BEWARE!!! On GB, an A+ feedback score beside the persons username e.g., A+(342), DOES NOT mean they do not have negative feedback! Click on the feedback score and check. Even if it says 100%, they can still have negative feedback!

[wbs2111]

RBurce,
The carbine has been refinished. The biggest key is the brazing showing thru the parkerizing on the sandwiched trigger guard. Other parts show to be rounded over and punch marks show finish in them when they shouldnt in the pics as well. That said, this is a double edged sword.

Edge one, as a seller it is your responsibility to describe the item to the best of your ability. Generally, if you do not state the firearm has been refinished it is usually assumed to be original.

Edge two, the buyer should have some knoledge of the product he is buying. If the pics you posted here are representative of the pics posted on the auction he should have been able to tell it was refinished. He knew well enough that it had when he received it.

It is better to realise the mistake and move on. You stated you had no idea it was refinished. No harm no foul. See if you can minimize the loss. You have pics of what it looked like before it was shipped make sure it looks the same when you get it back. Check for any swapped out parts. Give him a refund for the winning bid and drive on. It happens, it is one of the unfortunate problems of dealing on the internet.

[Peter Laidler]

It's happened to me too, but over a piddling £9overcharge of postage to Italy! I sent him the cash by return which didn't (?) arrive so he wanted some more plus inconvenience money which meant he got the brand new L81 fore-end for £2..............! I called his bluff, got a crap feedback but left an explanation that covered it pretty well.

Call his bluff..............

Just to add insult to injury, he wanted a letter from the bank to confirm that I'd got him the Euros as I'd promised. Cost of bank letter...... £38!

[Chuckindenver]

feedback is just that feedback,,
one thing iv learned over the years of dealling on the net, is that you cant make them all happy, sometimes you just have to put your foot down and say NO.
one thing to be a nice guy, another to make the nice guy look like a putts.
heres whats happened to me...and this is one example.
sold a used M1A stock on Ebay, took lots of pics, over discribed the dings dents ect, and it was a Chicom stock to boot, and even said that.
said in my letters...SOLD AS IS WITH NO GUARANTEE,
guy gets it for 35.00 plus shipping, a week later he emails me and said it looks like it was drug behind the tank, i nicely say, that i showed all the damage, and explained that its sold as is,,,
he says he will negaive me and all that. so
i say, ok, send the stock back, ill refund your money, just to make you happy.
now, he wants the stock, but wants me to knock off 10.00 for the damage..
nope.
send it back, and ill refund, or keep it, and be done.
so he finds my number, and calls me, and happens to get me when in working, so im in no mood top deal with jerks..
and starts this...
explain to me how i sent this stock and thats beat up yadda yadda yadda..
so i take a breath, and say look, even though it was sold as is, i still offered to refund your money, and your not happy.
what more would you like me to do, fly out to NY and kiss your bleep??
he was kind of taken back by my responce, as most my emails were nice, and friendly, then to find out that im actually a jerk lol..
he said, no...ill send the stock out...thanks for being patiant..
he never sent the stock back, and never left me a feedback, this is when you could leave buyers a neg, on ebay.
all in all, try and resolve the issue, but stand your ground, tell him, hey, if you dont like the gun, resell it make a couple bucks...
say, i didnt get a warranty when i picked it up , and im not offering a warranty when im selling it.

[TDH]

Chuck I have always admired your knowlege of Mil Surps and now I admire your way of thinking. Bravo.

[Grandpa Rex]

As an AA buyer, I watch pos and negs on the feedback...one or two negatives are informative but they are not deal breakers.

Can't tell you one way or the other...either way you choose to respond has it's risks. Live and learn and make your descriptions more resistant to issues of this nature in the future.

Good luck!

[rr2241tx]

Your photos weren't the best but plenty good enough for a collector to know that the rifle has been refinished. If he didn't look, TS. I wouldn't even consider taking it back nor discounting it to him because you will get it back with all the pieces he wanted picked off it. If he is unhappy, he can always sell it.

[rice 123]

I had a 3 digit Devine M1A that I sold after he received it he claimed that the barrel did not have the correct address on it and it was fake after comparing the receiver to pics on a website it was a devine receiver. I talked to the guy who I purchased it from. He told me no way was it fake and that in the 70s he ordered it in new for a customer and then he purchased it from that customer in the 80s for his personal collection. It was all USGI TRW parts a NM barrel and a winchester stock.I sent him his money back then he said he could not return it because I was not a FFL I arranged for a FFL to received it then he emailed me offering to keep for 500 less then he paid for it. lesson learned I never return the cash until I get the gun and it was a long time before I sold a gun long distance through GB

[Maple_Leaf_Eh]

Caveat Emptor. I'd be telling the guy to move along and keep his mouth shut. It is too easy to get 'stiffed' when trying to be a nice guy. Your reputation matters, but your integrity is worth more. As many of the guys here are telling you, an argument over the internet is pointless. Real money and real goods talk. Lesson learned.

[mike webb]

Personally I wouldn't return it but if the trader rating thing really bugs you maybe you could offer to refund if the buyer pays the shipping and any fees incurred. That would be more than fair in my opinion.