I sold an iMac recently on eBay which worked perfectly. The new owner now has the computer but is saying it doesn’t work. (it did when I posted it to France for him) It was packaged in the original packing cases and was insured for the correct value. I also said I don’t except returns.

Could I have some suggestions to how I can resolve this problem?

Thanks oh wise ones

Have you got good pictures of the serial numbers / identifying marks. Maybe someone trying to scam/swap out their broken one for your working version.

Have you got good pictures of the serial numbers / identifying marks. Maybe someone trying to scam/swap out their broken one for your working version

very much this

very much this

If you bought it new you may have the details on the original receipt from Apple too, but either way, call their bluff by responding saying you will take a return but reminding them you have a record of the serial number etc anyway so you will know if they swapped it for a faulty one.

Not much you can do IME. Ask for it back but ebay will expect you to pay postage and you risk getting something damaged back. They generally accept the buyers word that something in faulty. Easiest option is to offer a partial refund if the buyer will go for that.

unless it got damaged and I need to use the insurance I bought?

When i get emails like this my first email back is “please return it for a full refund”.

95% of the time is suddenly starts working and you never hear from them again.

I find it difficult to believe that there will be internal damage to the point it won’t work without there being any external damage / packaging damage. Ask for pics of the packing, laptop itself, plugged in with nothing on the screen. Also what does the buyer’s feedback look like. Ebay is rife with a-holes, suspect the worst until proven otherwise.

razor – from what the OP is saying, I don’t think the buyer is saying it is damaged, just that it doesn’t work. I assume that if they are accusing the OP of selling a dud in the first place there is no need to prove damaged packaging.

@johndoh – my last comment was in response to this;

Eddie Fiola – Member
unless it got damaged and I need to use the insurance I bought?

Suggesting as OP knew it was working before sending that it was damaged in post. I can’t see this being the case unless proof of physical damage to packing / laptop (which as you state doesn’t look like the case – as such most likely explanation is a scam).

Out of interest, who did you courier it with? When I sold mine all those I tried wouldn’t cover all-in-ones like the iMac at all. Did it as collection only in the end which meant I could show it working.

As said, get them to return for a refund and (assuming you did find someone who covered it) claim on your insurance.

Suggesting as OP knew it was working before sending that it was damaged in post. I can’t see this being the case unless proof of physical damage to packing / laptop (which as you state doesn’t look like the case – as such most likely explanation is a scam).

I read it as the OP was suggesting he could fraudulently claim it was damaged just to get a refund.

Edit – I see what you are saying.

If the item is faulty then is the seller that pays for the return. The no returns only applies to sending back unwanted goods. Lots of people have cottoned onto this and say it’s faulty when they don’t want it anymore even if they already had some use out of it.
As for claiming off your carrier then it’s jumping through the hoops of why was it signed for if it was damaged.
It’s these reasons why I no longer use eBay for high value items unless it is collect in person.

Into the realms of whose word will eBay side with.
Short of getting an independent repair person to confirm its knackered (could be as simple as a blown fuse, who knows) it’s going to be very difficult. I have sent stuff abroad through eBay, against better judgement and – touch wood – they have bene fine. Even the electrical stuff. But I usually have a sinking feeling when I see the buyer is abroad.

Thanks for the advice folks its much appreciated For the record i wasn’t thinking of fraudulently claiming for it, but i sent a working iMac then surely someone has broken it before it got there.

Thanks again