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what can reasonably be expected of a seller?

Let's get the obvious out of the way.  If the seller posts the item "as-is" & "untested" then that's that and you get what you get.  Right?  But if neither of these is indicated and the item is listed as practically new or unused or immaculate....  or has been in ideal storage for years, then is it perfectly reasonable to ask the seller about functionality, to request the seller test the item to confirm proper functioning?  If the price is really good, is it reasonable to ask about functionality?    I've had 2 situations lately where this has come up.   In the first instance, the seller was willing to accommodate and I did pay for the item and was awaiting confirmation that the item worked properly but was unexpectedly told that he sold to another who didn't need confirmation and my money was refunded.  And in the second instance, I asked the seller to connect the cdp he was selling to a system to confirm that if worked properly as it could be a decade old and had "probably" never been used.  He responded that he wasn't connecting it to anything and didn't have time to sit and play it and that it was already packed.   So, am I just being unreasonable and expecting to much?  What do you think is reasonable?  Thanks.
lcherepkai
2psyop's avatar
2psyop
1,500 posts
 
I have very low expectations with the buying and selling service of Audiogon. I have, in the past, had some transactions. Only a few and all but one went bad. I think the agreement one makes with Audiogon really is one that means nothing.
1. Audiogon really places ALL the responsiblity on the buyer and seller. The site offers tips, guidelines and I think? a dispute process that does not help (see number 1) . Anyone please correct me if I am wrong. I also think the venders (small) manufacturers and dealers also are not held accountable for bad business deals. If you have a serious problem with a deal or product and you describe it in the forum, it is discouraged and the thread will probably be quarantined. Buying on Audiogon is like putting your hand in the cookie jar. You might come out with a great oatmeal raisen cookie or you might get bitten by a black mamba?  And if the deal looks really, really good. It probably is a bad one.
dill
2,424 posts
 
There is nothing wrong with you asking that the item be tested before shipping. The buyer needs to know if it works as it should. In my dealings with people online, if they ask questions like yours, I simply take out my phone, make a short demo video and send it to them. If they refuse to verify that it works, I would move on to the next one. Both parties need to be comfortable in the transaction.
basement
245 posts
 
I recently saw an ad for a Theta transport with a batch of LD's."....powers on. Drawer opens and closes. Laser has not been tested". What does that tell us?


And all the ads that say (paraphrased): "Trust me, it works, but no returns due to age". 


There are lots of ads everywhere , where it seems obvious the seller is lying because you can catch it. And there are lots of dishonest sellers, to be sure, that are good at not getting caught because they know how to work the system. 


Then there are sellers who are basically not trying to be dishonest, but have different or lesser ethics. Such as not taking responsibility for their shipper or packaging. 


The only "solution" as I see it, is to be ethical myself as a buyer, and expect the seller to  want to be the same. Then it's easy to know what questions to ask, and if they don't want to step up...well, then there is "as is" prices. 
loomisjohnson
1,903 posts
 
from my experience, with a few exceptions (i.e. a goodwill store or a widow selling her late husband's gear) the "untested" label is code for the equipment being faulty in some way. any seller who's too busy to test equipment before sale logically should be too busy to list it for sale or to field offers.
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