I recently sold a black Thomson Elite stem on the classifieds here (got called up out the blue on my mobile from a blocked number)

It was in very good condition – there were a couple of tiny marks on it that at some point in the past I’d touched up with marker pen. I’d graded it 9/10 as a result. Once fitted, a foot away from the bike, you wouldn’t know it wasn’t brand new.

I’d been asking £35 posted. We agreed a price of £32.50 posted (postage cost was £2.60). Seems reasonable for something that sells between £60 & £70, if you can find one in oldskool non OS size in the first place.

Cash arrived via bank transfer, sent it off and expected to hear nothing more, as is usually the way.

Anyway, yesterday she called me up again to say she was very disappointed with it, how I’d mis-sold it, lied to her etc, it wasn’t fit for purpose, not as described, etc because it was covered in scrapes. I offered to refund her if she sent it back, and after a bit of haggling (which included her threatening me with the small claims court) we verbally agreed to a refund of £32.50 (she wanted £35 to cover her postage costs I argued that £32.50 would mean we were both out of pocket by the same postage amount, which seems fair given that I think the stem *IS* as described).

This morning I get a snotty email from her, reiterating the content of yesterdays call and threatening me with Trading Standards (and including her bank details), to which I replied in as civil fashion as I could muster that as agreed I would refund her £32.50 once I’d received the stem back. I also suggested she just fitted the stem and got on with ridng… 🙂

Another (Very) snotty email has just turned up threatening me again with the Small Claims Court if I don’t refund her first and for £35.

Now from where I’m standing I can’t see much reason to act first. I have her money, she has my stem – that suits me fine. If she wants the money instead of the stem, well she needs to make the first move. As far as the postage goes, well if you return anything you’ve mail ordered you end up paying the return postage don’t you? That’s the risk of remote purchasing.

Given the way she’s behaved so far, I’m deeply reluctant to just transfer her the verbally agreed £32.50, as I doubt I’ll ever see my stem again. Frankly I couldn’t give a flying F… about +/- £2.50, but it’s become a point of principle now. I DO NOT LIKE being threatened. Especially over something so trivial.

So, thoughts please? Am I being fair or unfair? I’ve bought and sold a fair amount of stuff on STW over the years, and for the most part it’s been a very painless experience. This is leaving a very unpleasant tsste in my mouth though.

No return, no refund. Same as the shops

Tell her to **** off.

How would she sue based on a verbal contract?
Your offer seems to be reasonable IMHO
If you dont have the goods in your possession only someone mad would refund- I think the SOGA says you dont need to refund until you get it back – point that out to them and have some trolling fun 😉

Happy to write your emails for you 😈

you are being reasonable they are not

No return, no refund. Same as the shops

This thread really needs photos of the stem. Assuming it is as you described, you’re position seems both sane and justifiable to me (a non-lawyer).

Stem is in his ad… Looks fine to me.

name and shame

Tell her to shove it where the fiery ball of light doth not shine…

I’d reply with as many stem based puns as possible…
“Try to stem your anger” etc etc

As long as it’s not a complete billet of carp youve sent her, tell her to jog on.

DrP

I’ve encountered a fair bit of this on ebay recently.

If you get the thing back fine refund, else tell her to FO.

name and shame

Probably be one of those weird classified only nutbags, so we wouldn’t even know the name.

Moral of the tale is don’t put your number in an advert.

Tell her to shove the stem where the sun don’t shine!

Edit: beaten to it!

Stem looks fine to me in the add. Price is fair too, as said above, when its received then refund not before. Sounds like you are being reasonable.

Tell her to stroll on. Send it back and as soon as you get it you’ll refund. If she doesn’t like it she can take you to small claims and when you get there, if she brings the stem you’ll have the cash. You can swop at the court. (Do you actually go to court?) just an idea. 🙂

I had a similar thing with a wheel recently. Not as described and overpriced which i refuted. Offered reluctantly to take it back and refund as the op has

Two days later the buyer told me he’d sold the wheel on face to face for more than he paid me for it!! Obviously someone else thought it was worth the money too!

I would b reluctant to front the money without the stem back. I’d expect an online shop to refund after I had returned the goods not before!

Stem looks good to me in the pics and a decent price, just wondering if the buyer is confusing the machining marks as scratches ?

It cost me £80 for the one time I used the small claims court so I doubt the buyer will go down that route.

EDIT : I won the claim you just had to pay upfront to make the claim in the first place.

Wasn’t there someone on here recently who had a similar problem?
But they refunded first and when the item was sent back to them,it was a knackered old piece of junk and not what was sold.
I wouldn’t refund until you have it back to check its the same one you sent.

eBay has seen a rapid rise in people trying to send back items different to what they actually bought. So make sure you actually get back what you sent. Not saying that is what has happened here, but seems strange for her to kick off if the stem is as pictured in the advert.

Sadly, you run the risk of dealing with situations on the classifieds where something seems a bit odd, but you just have to take it on the chin and just move on. In this case, take it back, and sell it to someone who will use and enjoy it.

Are you a trader?

WTF !!! Would trading standards be interested in some nut job “off of a forum”

I would let her take me to court…polite email saying Ok get your small claim in either way court or otherwise you won’t be getting your money honey!!

I don’t think you will hear anything else , maybe the big bad wolf might huff and puff then jog on!!!

eBay has seen a rapid rise in people trying to send back items different to what they actually bought. So make sure you actually get back what you sent. Not saying that is what has happened here, but seems strange for her to kick off give if the stem is as pictured in the advert.

When i was 10 someone did this with my LEGO ,tried a bit of sleight of hand I kicked his head in and got grounded

Sounds like a total fruit loop to me. I’d ignore her calls and mails and carry on with your life…

When i was 10 someone did this with my LEGO ,tried a bit of sleight of hand i kicked his head in and got grounded

Another case of Lego related violence..

When will those Danish bastards learn! 😡

Soga/Trading standards doesn’t apply to personal purchases through the classifieds <sigh> You’re not a shop are you?

If she wants to send it back and if you feel so inclined, refund her after safe receipt. Otherwise, sex and travel come to mind 🙂

Set her email to auto delete and forget about it

Set her email to auto delete and forget about it

She has his phone number.

Use her time on the phone wisely to wind her up 🙂

That’s a very fair offer, as above – either return the stem THEN I’ll refund you or jog on

Oh, you could post up HER number, just in case anyone missed out on buying it off you? 😉

I’ve just looked at the stem and it looks decent to me, personally i’d tell her to return the stem and you’ll refund her the £32.50, if she’s still being arsey i’d be very tempted to tell her to “do-one” and take her chance wi the small claims court.

Tell the buyer to poke it.
Small claims court would cost her a fortune anyway.

Having met the OP a fair number of times, I think I could happily say that Jon’s as straight as a die and possibly the last person I’d think of as being dishonest in any way.

The only catch with small claims court is if they take you to court somewhere where it’ll be a sod to get to – Arbroath, for instance. Or Chigwell. Is the Buyer in your neck of the woods?

Frankly, it sounds like a huge scam. Do you have the shady buyer’s address, phone number and bank details? If so, I’d have no compunction with sharing them on this and other forums to warn people off. They’re being utterly unreasonable and going way over and above decent levels of tetchiness – even if sold something ropey.

Good luck.

If it is the 70 mm one get it posted to me and I will give you the money – she best send the real one though

E-mail in profile etc

Stem back or no money.
Imagine this scenario…

Hi I would like the money back on the shirt I bought yesterday.

Certainly sir if you would like to give me the shirt and I can arrange that.

Oh no the shirt is at home. Give me my money then I will get it back to you.

No shirt no money.

Doesn’t matter what state the stem was sold in, it can be as described or a small sack of assorted washers. The buyer still has two options.

Option 1) return it and have it refunded subject to inspection that it’s in the same condition as when sold, or

Option 2) don’t.

Assuming the court threat isn’t bollocks, which it is, what exactly is she going to take you to court for? “I wasn’t happy with my purchase and he offered me a refund, the bastard!” ?

Trading Standards for a private sale LOL.

Sounds like the stem could fit nicely up her ***.

Sounds like the stem could fit nicely up her ***.

Nah, it’s old style not OS so it would be a bit loose.

I’ve had similar situations with ebay sales. A guy i sold a chainring to sent me an email saying it wasn’t as described and wanted a refund or negotiated price. I offered a refund if he sent it back but then never heard from him again. He just wanted my chainring for free.

Point her in the direction of this thread and she will soon see sense, and hopefully steer clear of trying it on in the future. We need to clamp down on classified scams on this forum.

Just send her an email back saying from this point forward you will be charging her an admin fee for all “emails” plus time.

Fact is.. all she has is your mobile number… while you have her address.

No stem… no refund…

😀

Get some cardboard & draw one of them giant cheques they used to give pools winners. Then send her that.

I’d tell her to fornicate over yonder too. I’ve met the OP and bought a couple of things off him and have been pleased with both purchases.