Bought some speakers.

Drove 50 miles to collect. Seller wants to meet in town due to social distancing blah blah so can’t see them working. The Listing has them ‘in perfect working order’ which the seller confirms by email, and then again in person when I collect them.

Get them home and surprise surprise… both tweeters are completely dead. Replacement tweeters for this model are impossible to replace which is why I kept asking etc.

Anyway, I request a refund from ebay. They say that the seller has agreed to a return and to send the item back for a full refund. Well, I’m not going to pay money to pack and send a pair of heavy speakers back so ask the seller to cover this. They say no because ‘no postage was paid’, and they can’t pick them up because they don’t drive.

What to do?

Sounds like you’ve been ripped off.

You should play the system and send him an empty envelope by recorded mail.

You’ll have the recorded / signed for certificate that eBay / Paypal need as proof and can upload that to the dispute centre, thus getting your refund.

It was a bit weird actually, young girl selling a nerdy old pair of studio monitor speakers. To be honest, I’ve been down this road before with ‘item not as described’ so didn’t bother asking too many questions as Ebay are usually really good about it and just refund you. The only confusing bit this time is the fact that I collected them etc.

I don’t know why sellers do it? Does it ever work? I’ve had expensive audio gear arrive wrapped in a bin bag or rattling around in a shoebox. When you contact them they get all defensive and say it was in fine condition when it left, you must’ve broken it etc etc…

Can’t you meet in town again?

Should’ve claimed non-delivery.

I drove 100 miles there and back to pick them up. The novelty of a long drive was great. But I’m buggered if I’m doing it again. They should’ve bloody checked them if they’re not actively trying it on.

devash

I like the cut of your gib.

Top marks.

You shouldn’t have to pay gor postage. Register a return via the listing gor “item not as described” and the seller pays the postage.

jambourgie, I had a similar problem with one of the tweeters on a pair of B&W speakers I bought on eBay.
I spoke to B&W who, not unsurprisingly, no longer had the part for a pair of mid eighties speakers, but put me to John at:

http://www.loudspeaker-design-restoration.co.uk/2/Contact-Us/

I sent him the tweeter, he repaired it, seller paid for the repair. Might be worth a try?

Thanks Watty. I didn’t know tweeters could be repaired, something to consider.

This is one of the risks of collection 🙁 You’ve collected the speakers which means you had the opportunity to inspect them (whether there is power or not) and distance selling regs don’t apply.

I’m not sure on the return postage thing either as you collected them, the onus may be on you to return them.

The only thing on your side is the seller description was wrong, but I’m assuming a negative feedback isn’t really going to compensate you.

Now that I think of it, exactly the same thing happened last year with a turntable. But it was local. Went to pick it up, looked alight but nothing to plug it into it. Buyer seemed really nice etc etc. Got it home, plugged it in, and the bearings are shot in the tone arm meaning the arm just skates across the vinyl. Absolutely useless.

Contacted buyer, he says “was fine when I last used it, you must’ve broken it etc etc”. Standoff ensued – think ebay had told him to issue me with a ‘postal ticket’ or something which he promptly ignored. After a while ebay just refunded me, the guy suddenly stopped ignoring me and came and collected his turntable.

So hopefully, the same will happen here. Bloody shame though, they were a good price. I know why now…

jambourgie
Member
I drove 100 miles there and back to pick them up. The novelty of a long drive was great. But I’m buggered if I’m doing it again. They should’ve bloody checked them if they’re not actively trying it on.

Oooo go on then… ‘Essential’ journey was it? Wait 2 weeks to see if you’ve got a complimentary bout of Covid-19 to go with your NF speakers…

Essential… I thought all that’s done with now? Aren’t we allowed to go to beach, drive to exercise/test eyesight between hours of 7 and 9am (10:30 NI and Wales) whilst clapping and keeping 3.7 yards away from each other whilst wearing a mask and not wearing a mask?

and distance selling regs don’t apply.

They wouldn’t apply anyway as it is a second hand item. Distance selling regs apply to retailers.

The option here is to drive to their house, leave them on doorstep and knock on door. Another 100 mile trip but presumably that is worth £50? If it isn’t then just throw them away and hopefully learn a lesson and be glad you only threw away £50.

Latest Govt bolleaux…

Here you go. No mention of eBay speaker sales that I can see after a quick scan… 😉

That must be a rather large document if it lists every possible thing you are allowed to leave the house for.

They wouldn’t apply anyway as it is a second hand item. Distance selling regs apply to retailers.

“Distance Selling Regulations” wouldn’t apply because it hasn’t existed for several years now.

Ooh some strong Big Hitting here!

OP repair can be possible but also tweeters mostly act as pistons so you can often replace with a similar model with **** all difference in sound.

What speakers are they? Does sound like 100miles of petrol would be cheaper…

Yamaha NS10 Studio,

They’re coming to get them. Although now there’s a standoff about refunding me before or after the exchange.

Absolute farce.

Ah, proprietary drivers…

Get a pic of them collecting them.

I’ve told them to balls. They’re the ones who’ve tried to pull a fast one and wasted my time and money. They’re in no position to dictate terms and act all mistrustful. I paid for the bloody things before I got them after all. I’ll leave it to ebay to sort out which will take ages but I’m in no rush.

A quick google would suggest replacement tweeters are available at a price…..

https://vintageking.com/yamaha-ns10-replacement-tweeter-xc712aa0

https://www.studiospares.com/Headphones-and-Speakers/Headphones-Spares/Yamaha-NS10-Studio-Tweeter_415160.htm

https://www.ebay.co.uk/c/1100424552

Assuming these are the correct ones for the model of speaker you purchased, whether it is cost effective to replace is another matter altogether.

If the OP goes to Vintage Kings, he’ll have to quaranteen for 14 days when he gets back. Unless that doesn’t apply to him either…