Faulty appliance

[wazon1976]

I bought a brand new build-under oven from a private seller. I picked it up and paid in cash on collection.

It now appears to be faulty (trips the fuse every time we try to switch it on).

The seller didn't mark the oven as sold as yet and is completely unresponsive for over a week.

How can I open a case if it doesn't even show as my purchase?

How can I contact (email) Ebay directly to try to resolve my problem?

Many thanks for any help and/or suggestions.

[plpmr]

Unfortunately as you paid cash you are on your own - speak to CAB.

[gallovidian]

I'm afraid plpmr is right. Collection by yourself doesn't deprive you of ebay protection but the use of cash does.

It can work well for some simple items, but you have identified the kind for which it isn't. For most ebay items the seller must offer to accept ebay's standard list of online payment methods.

He can add cash if he wants to, and you can use it if you want to. It is a violation of ebay policy to discourage the buyer from paying by his own choice,  and refusing to sell unless you use cash is worse.

If he demands cash in the listing or by message, and you pay online, he will probabably back down.and supply the item. The evidence is there to be quoted to ebay. They give the buyer a code which he must give to the seller before the latter relaxes his clutch on the item. There is no way, without the code, that he can lie that you collected it keep money you paid online through Checkout.

I hope we don't sound unsympathetic. We aren't. But you have found out the main reason why sellers try for cash. There are others, but do you really need a seller who prefers his money to be freshly laundered?

[wazon1976]

Hi. Thanks for you comment. Everything was agreed directly through Ebay and they can see all our messages/communication containing the arrangements, seller's address, offer price, discount offered, etc.

Doesn't it all mean that it was a genuine Ebay purchase? Wouldn't Ebay be able to help?

[papso22]

No, they can't help, purchases that are not paid for through ebay checkout (e.g cash), are not covered by the ebay money back guarantee. 

[wazon1976]

Hi. Thanks for your comment. All the evidence is in my communication with the seller (arrangements we made, their address, offer price, discount offer, etc. I can also retrieve my journey from Google Maps as a proof of pick-up. Does it count for anything here?

Would it make any difference if it was the seller accepting cash payment only or buyer offering cash payment on collection as a more convenient payment option?

[*guinevere*]

Sorry but you are not covered by the MBG because you paid cash. As you have discovered you can't open a case because ebay has no record of it going through ebay checkout. Obviously you have made an honest payment, no one is diputing that, but unless the payment hs gone through ebay checkout you are not covered.

As advised try the CAB.

[buffster1963]

If you had made an online payment through managed payments, Ebay can force a refund of those funds on return of a faulty item. They have no way of refunding a cash payment as there is nowhere to take it from as they have no record of it being made. 

[nigel_paul_wright7557]

I suspect it was faulty when you bought it.

My last oven would run fine for 15-20 minutes then blow out the circuit breaker.

[wazon1976]

Our one was similar. Working fine for afew minutes and then just suddenly stopped.

The oven was however 'unopened' and still fully wrapped up in foil with all polystyrene protection intact.

[wazon1976]

Thank you all for your help and contributions.