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Selling on for spares or repairs
Summary: tobhay-82 is considering selling faulty vacuum cleaners for spare parts or repair after facing repeated issues with a specific model. They are seeking advice on how to list the items at auction clearly, emphasizing their condition to avoid misunderstandings. **peaseblossom** suggests explicitly stating "spares or repair" in both the title and description, noting the faults, and clarifying that the units are cosmetically new, but cautioning about potential returns from buyers.
Hi friends,
I bought a Shark cordless vacuum cleaner last year and had it replaced three times due to recurring issues (suction etc.) before finally receiving an entirely different model as a replacement (clearly the issue was the model). I therefore have some vacuum cleaners units that are effectively brand new (albeit faulty) and I know that some people buy such things and refurbish/repair them (and even sell them on). Seems a waste just to bin them. I’m tempted to stick them on at auction and let them do their own thing - how would you recommend going about this? I obviously want to be as clear as I can to explain it is effectively spares or repairs, and make that as clear as possible to buyers to avoid any issues.
Thanks in advance.
red_magpie
Mentor1 month agoSelling for "spares or repair" was supposed to be sellers' protection against buyers who used to buy items listed as not working, but then tried to claim a refund if they couldn't fix them.
This worked well at first, but today we are hearing from sellers who have still been required by eBay to refund their buyers. The problem for sellers is that by explaining that parts of the item are still working correctly the buyer can open a case to claim that something that was described as working didn't work. eBay never sees the item and the seller is required to accept the return, with a very uncertain possibility of appealing.
To add to the problems for sellers, if all you can say is that it doesn't work without giving any description it's likely to sell very cheaply, if at all.
On the plus side, not all buyers are dishonest and there is certainly a market for repairable items. For years I used to buy non-working science instruments to repair. Sometimes I succeeded, sometimes I didn't and the item went in the parts bin. But I never once returned an instrument.
**peaseblossom**
Mentor1 month agoPut "spares or repair" in the title and again in your description, with more detail about the problems. Don't describe them as brand new because they're not but you could say that cosmetically they are as new. You could still end up with somone wanting to return one because it doesn't work but that's the risk you take.