There is one of those little office signs that I always liked, "Your
lack of planning does not constitute an emergency for me."
All you really know is what he told you. It sounds like he just
changed his mind to me and made up a story he thought you might go
along with. I would be awfully tempted to say that the sale was
final, point out that imposing an unrealistic delivery window was his
problem, not yours, and that if he would like his new camera back he
should remit shipping and other fees so you can send it again.
Winsor
Long Beach, California, USA
On Aug 29, 2005, at 10:03 AM, John Hermanson wrote:
>
>
>
> Subject: Re: [OM] OT: How much should I refund this eBay buyer?
>
>
>
>> A refund minus all the shipping charges would be appropriate. It's
>> certainly not your responsibility that he couldn't wait for the
>> camera to
>> arrive, or that he found an alternative.
>>
>> John Hermanson
>> Camtech Photo Services, Inc.
>> 21 South Lane, Huntington, NY 11743
>> 631-424-2121 | omtech@xxxxxxxxx
>> www.zuiko.com
>> Factory Trained OM Service since 1977
>> __________________________________
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Gary Teller" <gmteller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 7:25 PM
>> Subject: [OM] OT: How much should I refund this eBay buyer?
>>
>>
>>
>>> I'd appreciate hearing/reading some opinions on whether or not
>>> you think
>>> my
>>> proposed refund offer is fair. Here's the basic facts. Let me
>>> state at
>>> the beginning that all correspondence has been friendly or civil-
>>> no anger
>>> or threats. Nor has feedback been left by either of us.
>>>
>>> 6/11/05 Auction for Olympus 35 RC and Vivitar 100 flash ended with
>>> winning
>>> bidder in France. Auction was clearly marked AS IS and not
>>> subject to my
>>> return policy. Sold AS IS because of disclosed scratches on
>>> lens. Otherwise in excellent working condition.
>>>
>>> 6/12/05 I sent an invoice to the winner
>>>
>>> 6/13/05 Received notice of payment from PayPal
>>>
>>> 6/13/05 Received an e mail from winner telling me payment made
>>> and that
>>> he
>>> is leaving France at the end of the week and would appreciate my
>>> sending
>>> camera asap.
>>>
>>> 6/13/05 Shipped camera and flash via insured Airmail Parcel
>>> Post. Terms
>>> of
>>> auction say foreign shipments go either by Air Letter Post without
>>> insurance or Air Parcel Post with insurance. Buyer chose the
>>> Parcel Post
>>> option. I e mailed buyer same day notifying that shipment made
>>> and that
>>> US
>>> Postal Service estimates transit time of 4-10 days.
>>>
>>> 6/21/05 Received e email from buyer asking for tracking number and
>>> telling
>>> me he leaves for Venezuela in three days and wants to be sure he
>>> will
>>> have
>>> the camera before then. I replied same day and told him tracking
>>> numbers
>>> are not issued for this type of shipment. I also noted that the
>>> cost for
>>> sending a traceable package is prohibitive for most buyers.
>>>
>>> 7/24/05 Received the following e mail from buyer:
>>>
>>> I am back from Venezuela.....without the camera. It
>>> arrived after my departure. At my return, I went to
>>> the post office and they said the camera was back to
>>> the sender in USA, so to you.
>>>
>>> Given that I have found an alternative to be able to
>>> take pictures in Venezuela, I do not need the Olympus
>>> anymore as you can imagine. So I do not want you to
>>> send it again to me, I would prefer you to pay me back
>>> the amount I paid to you in June.
>>>
>>> Sorry for this but the shipment has been too long.
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance for your understanding and for the
>>> confirmation you agree.
>>>
>>> 7/24/05 I sent the following reply:
>>>
>>> I'm sorry to learn the camera did not arrive before your
>>> departure to
>>> Venezuela. As I mentioned in a previous e mail, the U.S. Postal
>>> Service
>>> does not guarantee a specific transit time for packages mailed to
>>> other
>>> countries. It is unfortunate that I was not made aware of your
>>> pending
>>> departure until after you won the auction.
>>>
>>> I am puzzled why your Postal Service returned the package. Do
>>> you not
>>> have
>>> in France a provision to have the postal authorities hold your
>>> mail until
>>> your return?
>>>
>>> As of today, July 25, the camera has not yet been returned to
>>> me. As you
>>> know from the terms of the auction, the camera was sold "AS IS"
>>> and not
>>> subject to my normal return policy. However, I will offer you
>>> some form
>>> of
>>> refund adjustment. But, I would like to receive and inspect the
>>> camera
>>> before advising you of my refund offer.
>>>
>>> I hope this meets with your approval for the time being. I will
>>> notify
>>> you
>>> immediately upon my receipt of the camera.
>>>
>>> After 7/24 we exchanged a short series of e mails the gist of
>>> which was
>>> my
>>> telling the buyer that the camera has not yet been received and
>>> the buyer
>>> telling me his post office advised him the camera was returned by
>>> surface
>>> mail.
>>>
>>> Today, 8/26/05, the camera finally came home. Everything looks ok-I
>>> don't
>>> think the package was ever opened by Customs/Postal folks there or
>>> here. The buyer paid $51.00 plus $22.60 postage/insurance for a
>>> total of
>>> $73.60. My eBay and PayPal fees totalled $5.55. I didn't have to
>>> pay
>>> return postage.
>>>
>>> Given that this was an AS IS sale and the fact that I wasn't made
>>> aware
>>> upfront that there was a time limit for the buyer to receive the
>>> package,
>>> my inclination is to subtract the fees and postage/insurance from
>>> the
>>> total
>>> amount the buyer paid and offer him a refund of $45.45.
>>>
>>> So what do y'all think? Am I being fair and reasonable? Sorry
>>> for the
>>> long winded post.
>>>
>>> Gary
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
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