What would you do?

[DaktariT]

If you sold a gun on the classifieds, checked to see if it worked before posting only to have the buyer tell you the gun doesn't work. Would you ask for the gun back and refund or say no to any returning of the gun?

 

[ButcherBill]

I would ask for it to be returned, and prob take the hit on the postage.
Hate to say it but if a paypal dispute is reaised you'll lose the pew & the money.

 

[tside]

Jog on might feel right but I think if you can receive it back in a timely manner it saves negative feedback affecting future sale and you can always give it a once over and relist it. Don't offer part refunds while they keep the "broken" rif. And before re listing take a short video of it functioning to mention in all future listings as a quick back up against time wasters

 

[Skara]

Ask for a detailed video before doing anything!!

 

[Skara]

Also, always record a couple of videos of the gun cycling before shipping, it's a decent deterrent for idiots.

Had this happen once, guy was claiming a gun wasn't feeding on the provided mags but i happened to have a video of a magdump on each magazine + my lonex mags.
Haven't heard from him since then..

 

[Lyndication]

I had a guy claim a RIF I sold was broken, after messaging me on delivery to confirm it was working. He'd opened it up then claimed that it was actually broken in the gearbox.

That was pretty easy on the Paypal dispute actually, I just noted that the customer had clearly opened up a working product and damaged it.

 

[Rickwales]

As Bill said, id take the postage hit and get it back . It's horrible when something like that happens, and can really destroy your faith in people. Asking for a clear video of the problem as suggested is a good idea too. It's possible it's developed a fault, or he's just trying to get a big discount. Sorry it's happened to you mate.

 

[MrTea]

Always take a video (or several) of things working before postage just in case someone tries to claim it arrived broken for whatever reason.

I've had someone try this on me when I sold a RIF. Won't go into details but the guy had clearly been tinkering with it (and even provided proof lmao) so I provided the videos of it working beforehand and pointed out what he'd accidentally shown. Never heard from him again.

 

[Tackle]

Also, always record a couple of videos of the gun cycling before shipping, it's a decent deterrent for idiots.

Had this happen once, guy was claiming a gun wasn't feeding on the provided mags but i happened to have a video of a magdump on each magazine + my lonex mags.
Haven't heard from him since then..

Click to shrink...

Had the same thing, but like you i had a timestamped video of it cycling every mag through to empty.
Plus lol, someone had contacted me through another forum to say that gun you sold recently, guys trying to sell it on for almost double on a FB page (it was a long time ago)
Obviously he never really had the money, but thought he was a bit of a wheeler dealer lol, the irony was that the faults he tried to claim were all physically broken parts, so he'd literally smashed it up in the hope I'd refund a month after selling it, & ended up still skint but now had a broken gun

 

[Colin Allen]

This is why I have only sold two guns online, a KA M1A1 Thompson and a TM Type 89, but several at boot fairs at a site where potential buyers can try them over a measured range.

When I did sell online, I posted a lot of pictures, showing all the marks on them, and provided videos to interested parties. I cannot be bothered doing all that anymore, so I now only sell at boot fairs.

 

[DaktariT]

I appreciate everyone's replies. I thought I'd end up refunding (after costs), never had this before as I've always boneyarded broken guns. (Just hope this is some daft lad not use to springers).

 

[drgrzly]

depending on the value of the rif, If is above £200 (which 95% of the ones I make are) I only accept bank transfer. Paypal disputes go in favour of the buyer 95% of the times. And airsoft is not a perfect science, things happen.

I recently had a guy driving 1hr and half to mine, to pick up a mcx aeg, he shot it in my flat, left with a fully functional replica, a week after he said he went to the field and used the gun for the first time, the battery swollen and the Gun was dead. He shorted the gun somehow and started posting on forums that I scammed him, never had a photo of the swollen battery or gun malfunctioning, but had some of the gun being taken apart by one of his mate.

Let me correct myself actually, if the buyer opens a dispute/claim saying "Item is not as described" you have lost the claim 100% of the times, no matter what proof you can provide them

 

[Bwian_eh?]

I won't use PayPal, had similar happen where the seller claimed a partial refund - something like 90% of the cost of the item. I'll never know if it was genuine or not but I offered to send a replacement for the part he reckoned was missing (wasn't when sent- an external spring, and I'd got a spares gun) but that did nothing to stop PayPal siding with the buyer. He even put to the mediation message you get offered he didn't want the spare, just the refund- I was worse off because of postage than if I'd just binned it. He was pictured using the RIF the same weekend.

I will only sell face to face, or I'll take a chance on paying via bank if it feels right and I can afford to lose the money.