Some sites were over-protective of buyers. I understand that there are questionable selling practice by some.
But at the same time, I dealt with more and more buyers whose expectations were unrealistic. Expect everything perfect, a tiny thing you missed or not pictured perfectly, you would be coined a liar. Full refund and dispute and all. Always haggle about shipping cost (which is a lot nowadays). One time, an RCA input wire got loose --- the buyer didn’t wanna connect it back himself, he doesn’t want hire a local guy to put the wire back --- they demand the unit fully refunded at my expense, or ship to the original factory to put the wire back. Yea.
I started to encountered a few who falsifying operating condition just to file a claim to force refund. Paypal’s policies made it worst (a little better if you’re selling in eBay). Some would try saving return shipping by using flimsy boxes to cut weight, instead of using the original factory boxes. That usually end up damaging the working items (and make the situation even worst against the seller)!
The other not so obvious thing is ... my stuff is mostly tubes, and I seriously doubted people know how to operate them. Some are like big spenders who wanna get into this cool hip retro thing, and is completely clueless about its safe operation. If I am selling something modern, idiot proof like Ayon or Music Reference, great, but any vintage, or DIY stuff or un-even QA stuff (VAC, Counterpoint), I would get a return request 9 out of 10 times.
Would giving away my used stuff to avoid such hassle help? Not really. Some of my friends felt I was forcing my "trash" down their throat. They do not appreciate my good will at all. Even those "charities" become so nit-picking ... anything that look old, they would refuse pickup (seriously).
I am resorting to yard sale sometimes, simply trash them thru recycle some other times, unless the items are working great and worth serious cash to go thru the used market sale, and I don’t wanna ship anymore.
Not because of risk of shipping damage, but to avoid abusive, nit-picking buyers.
But at the same time, I dealt with more and more buyers whose expectations were unrealistic. Expect everything perfect, a tiny thing you missed or not pictured perfectly, you would be coined a liar. Full refund and dispute and all. Always haggle about shipping cost (which is a lot nowadays). One time, an RCA input wire got loose --- the buyer didn’t wanna connect it back himself, he doesn’t want hire a local guy to put the wire back --- they demand the unit fully refunded at my expense, or ship to the original factory to put the wire back. Yea.
I started to encountered a few who falsifying operating condition just to file a claim to force refund. Paypal’s policies made it worst (a little better if you’re selling in eBay). Some would try saving return shipping by using flimsy boxes to cut weight, instead of using the original factory boxes. That usually end up damaging the working items (and make the situation even worst against the seller)!
The other not so obvious thing is ... my stuff is mostly tubes, and I seriously doubted people know how to operate them. Some are like big spenders who wanna get into this cool hip retro thing, and is completely clueless about its safe operation. If I am selling something modern, idiot proof like Ayon or Music Reference, great, but any vintage, or DIY stuff or un-even QA stuff (VAC, Counterpoint), I would get a return request 9 out of 10 times.
Would giving away my used stuff to avoid such hassle help? Not really. Some of my friends felt I was forcing my "trash" down their throat. They do not appreciate my good will at all. Even those "charities" become so nit-picking ... anything that look old, they would refuse pickup (seriously).
I am resorting to yard sale sometimes, simply trash them thru recycle some other times, unless the items are working great and worth serious cash to go thru the used market sale, and I don’t wanna ship anymore.
Not because of risk of shipping damage, but to avoid abusive, nit-picking buyers.