+MacRorie Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Folks, I recently got an auction for an Atari 800. One of the main reasons I got it was that it said it had an OMNIMON! installed. I won the auction and it arrived. Everything arrived EXCEPT the OMNIMON was not installed. In fact, the OS board had been reverted to stock (except it was not in the case, nor was the 1st RAM board). I double checked the install docs (which were included) and even booted the included OMNIWRITER 80 disk, but it is definitely not there. I *think* it might have been at one time because there looks like there is a solder mark on the pin the install docs say needs to be connected, but there is NO daughterboard. I contacted the seller and he said it was installed when he shipped it, I sent him pictures (attached) and no resolution. After that exchange, I opened a refund/eBay satisfaction request. I would rather not have to return it and suck up money shipping it back (which I will not get back). Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks -Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7800fan Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Could be a case of buyer making an under the table offer to seller to remove the addon and sell it separately, hoping you were aiming for Atari 800 as a whole computer and not because of the addon board. Common problem unfortunately, there have been buyers on this forum reporting winning lot of games but the rare game that was previously included was missing. Not much you can do there but to force the seller to refund it for incomplete and not as described item. If you are really vengeful, and have access to something with a strong spark like a cattle prod, you can fry the motherboard before sending it back so the dishonest seller would end up with a loss. Make sure you use tracking method so eBay can see the item has arrived at the seller's address. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Payne Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I'm slowly trying to understand some of the complexities of ebay from both a buyer and seller and this is a perfect example of how it can go bad from both sides. What option would the seller have if the buyer returned the item but it was damaged? Also, I assume the price you paid for the 800 wasn't so low that it was worth that price without the add on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojay1997 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I'm slowly trying to understand some of the complexities of ebay from both a buyer and seller and this is a perfect example of how it can go bad from both sides. What option would the seller have if the buyer returned the item but it was damaged? Also, I assume the price you paid for the 800 wasn't so low that it was worth that price without the add on. The seller would have very little recourse other than to complain to Ebay in which case they may do a goodwill refund to the buyer and allow the seller to keep the purchase price. Having said that, Ebay is getting much less willing to issue such goodwill refunds and would likely make the seller take the loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Payne Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Well, that is a good-to-know and a little disconcerting. So,is that just a risk you taken when using eBay? I know you can give a bad rating to a seller but it doesn't seem that there is the same thing when it's the buyer. "Opps, I broke it. I want a refund". :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MacRorie Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Yeah, it looks like I am just going to have to force a refund. Friday is the 'deadline' and then eBay steps in. Kind of annoying, but what are you going to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari181 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) Yeah, it looks like I am just going to have to force a refund. Friday is the 'deadline' and then eBay steps in. Kind of annoying, but what are you going to do? If you have been on Ebay for a long time and you DEMAND to them that the seller pays the shipping Ebay will send you a shipping label to send it back and they will charge the seller. You may need to make a call about it, but they have done it for me at least 5 times when the listing stated that the buyer pays return shipping. Edited June 23, 2015 by atari181 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MacRorie Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Fair enough. I will put that to them. Thanks for the info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojay1997 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 If you have been on Ebay for a long time and you DEMAND to them that the seller pays the shipping Ebay will send you a shipping label to send it back and they will charge the seller. You may need to make a call about it, but they have done it for me at least 5 times when the listing stated that the buyer pays return shipping. Actually, the default now for a successful "not as described case" is that Ebay sends you a prepaid return label that the seller has to pay for. I've had to do it twice in the last few months and that's how it was handled each time without even asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Payne Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 Let us know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MacRorie Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 (edited) Well, I kept emailing. I remained civil, I think. I eventually turned it over to eBay. eBay sent me a return shipping slip, so no money out of pocket there. eBay decided 100% in my favor. I got a refund. Now, he keeps sending messages via the eBay message system that accuses me of not sending back some controller/paddle that was a) not listed on the auction and b) I am pretty sure was not in the box. I unpacked everything and put it away and it was ALL in the same place, so I do not think it was there at all. Finally--and this is the REAL rub, he keeps accusing me of ripping HIM off!! Anyone know how to report this guy to eBay or do I just ignore him? Edited July 3, 2015 by MacRorie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MacRorie Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 (edited) Well, that is a good-to-know and a little disconcerting. So,is that just a risk you taken when using eBay? I know you can give a bad rating to a seller but it doesn't seem that there is the same thing when it's the buyer. "Opps, I broke it. I want a refund". :-( There really is no recourse if the buyer does this. I once sold an NEC LD-ROM2 System (NEC version of the LaserActive) to someone in France. Despite being told MANY times not to plug it in without a step-down transformer, the buyer blew stuff up. I was forced to take the loss. $400+shipping 20# box to France gone. No recourse from eBay period. Edited July 3, 2015 by MacRorie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Payne Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Well, if it wasn't listed on the auction then how can he say you own him it. Pretty plain and simple. Is there some other reason why he feels you ripped him off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Payne Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 There really is no recourse if the buyer does this. I once sold an NEC LD-ROM2 System (NEC version of the LaserActive) to someone in France. Despite being told MANY times not to plug it in without a step-down transformer, the buyer blew stuff up. I was forced to take the loss. $400+shipping 20# box to France gone. No recourse from eBay period. That's the stuff I'm worried about. It's like you should be able to take a video of it as proof that it worked before you shipped it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MacRorie Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 (edited) Well, if it wasn't listed on the auction then how can he say you own him it. Pretty plain and simple. Is there some other reason why he feels you ripped him off. His assertion was that the OMNIMON was installed. The whole reason I started a return was the fact that it was not there. You can see from the pictures in the first post, it may have been there at one time, but it was not anymore. Furthermore, the chips are back in place and all of the wires are disconnected. There were some switches installed to do a cold reboot, but those were disconnected as well. It just wasn't there. Moreover, the auction never showed a picture of the daughterboard being installed, so all I have to go one was the diagram showed in the instructions that showed where it would be. I can only think of two things: 1) he uninstalled it a long time ago and forgot or 2) he got a better offer for it after the auction closed and sold it to them and is somehow trying to save face. Edited July 3, 2015 by MacRorie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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