buying a used lens - dealing with deadbeat seller

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

01/20/2012 07:38:00 AM · #1

I must not be destined to have the lens i covet.

so i found a seller of a used lens i want on another site. the site seems pretty reputable with tons of listings (fredmiranda.com). the seller had good feedback so i proceeded with a trade of one of my lenses and cash for his lens.

i sent the money (via paypal) and my lens and i have not received his yet. in this time i shipped two other lenses and all got received either last Saturday or this past Tuesday. The lens i sent to him was delivered on Tuesday as well.

the seller told me he shipped the lens and that his wife didn't get a tracking number she only got delivery confirmation. He sent me pics of the lens from his cellphone and the exif data showed they were taken right before he sent them to me so i was pretty confidant he had the lens in his possession.

The seller hasn't been avoiding me, he responds to all my emails except those where i ask for a tracking or confirmation number.

At this point im not confidant he sent the lens. So this morning i sent him an ultimatum to either send me proof he shipped the lens or refund the money.

So do i have any recourse through pay-pal to get my money back if he doesn't respond? I dont really care about the lens i sent, it was an older kit lens with no real value and he only knocked off a few bucks anyhow, i just want my money back.

IAmEliKatz

Nikon D5

01/20/2012 08:20:51 AM · #2

Pm sent

Message edited by author 2012-01-20 08:20:58.

01/20/2012 08:23:35 AM · #3

Sometimes pay pal will go a long way to help out, at least on ebay. They were quite helpful when I happened to contact them.
Given the sale was out of ebay, if I were you I would try and contact paypal directly. perhaps a phone call first and, if they agree that they might refund, a mail including copy of your messages and of the photos with the exif.

I am not sure in the US, but in most countries when sending a parcel with delivery confirmation the post office will give a receipt. You could ask him to show you that. But the fact he's playing the 'sent by my wife' card is not too promising.

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

01/20/2012 08:33:06 AM · #4

Originally posted by mcaldo:

yes in the US the post office will give a receipt, that's why i asked him for "proof" he sent the lens.

i do have an address in the US where i sent my lens to.

Kelli

Canon EOS-D60

01/20/2012 09:22:05 AM · #5

Originally posted by mike_311:

Originally posted by mcaldo:
Sometimes pay pal will go a long way to help out, at least on ebay. They were quite helpful when I happened to contact them.
Given the sale was out of ebay, if I were you I would try and contact paypal directly. perhaps a phone call first and, if they agree that they might refund, a mail including copy of your messages and of the photos with the exif.

I am not sure in the US, but in most countries when sending a parcel with delivery confirmation the post office will give a receipt. You could ask him to show you that. But the fact he's playing the 'sent by my wife' card is not too promising.

yes in the US the post office will give a receipt, that's why i asked him for "proof" he sent the lens.

i do have an address in the US where i sent my lens to.

You might still be screwed though. Go to your local post office and check and see if they delivered anything to your address with delivery confirmation. They'd have a record. I had something over the summer shipped by microsoft with delivery confirmation. Though I did have the tracking number, it never arrived. Yet the post office showed it as delivered. I got totally screwed on that one. No replacement, no refund. But just an FYI - with all the restructuring the USPS is doing, sorting warehouses are being shut down all over and things are getting held up and/or lost. Snaffles shipped something to me on January 3rd (from Canada though). I still haven't received it.

01/20/2012 09:25:53 AM · #6

lost in the mail is definitely a possibly. i have to go to post office to ship off the last lens i sold, so i'll ask them.

01/20/2012 09:30:36 AM · #7

Originally posted by mike_311:

[quote=mcaldo]

i do have an address in the US where i sent my lens to.

That's a good start. Does it look like a plausible one, a flat or an office, in googlemaps streetview?

01/20/2012 09:36:16 AM · #8

Originally posted by mcaldo:

Originally posted by mike_311:
[quote=mcaldo]

i do have an address in the US where i sent my lens to.

That's a good start. Does it look like a plausible one, a flat or an office, in googlemaps streetview?

its an apartment complex in VA, seems legit.

01/20/2012 09:39:35 AM · #9

Originally posted by Kelli:

Uhh, it's like in the UK then..
Once they left a missed delivery card, a wedding surprise present I think. Went to pick up the parcel and they told me "ohh, no, it was delivered".
Asked for the proof of signature. "Strange, it doesn't show on the system"
Asked for delivery time. "Uhh, strange, here it shows as delivered at 4.30am" (??!!??@@??)"
Complained to Royal Mail, got a carbon copy reply from somebody who evidently didn't even read my query.
Postman didn't say hello for 4 months after that, they took it on him apparently, for sure I have never seen my parcel.

But that's pretty extreme in any country, I hope. Perhaps it just got stuck somewhere and it's still on its way.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

01/20/2012 09:43:56 AM · #10

[quote=mike_311]

its an apartment complex in VA, seems legit. [/quote

Uhh, ok. Perhaps enquiring at the post office like you said it's your best bet, at this point.

goinskiing

Canon EOS-6D

01/20/2012 10:00:58 AM · #11

What lens were you trying to buy, just out of curiosity?

01/20/2012 10:13:06 AM · #12

the elusive Tamron 28-75/2.8 , i pm'd you before you sold yours, i tried to buy another that got damaged on shipment to me and i sent back and now this fiasco im going through...

Not sure i was meant to have this lens...

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

01/20/2012 02:26:51 PM · #13

It just got delivered. Lol.

But he didn't ship it last Friday like he said, he shipped it this past Wednesday...

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/20/2012 02:37:36 PM · #14

Well, I'm glad you got your lens. We're working to get reimbursed from insurance for the damaged one you returned :-(

R.