eBay buyer claims lens has fungus!

[Shane C. Collins]

So I recently sold a Canon 514XL Super 8 camera on eBay. 15 days later the buyer sends a message saying the camera lens is full of fungus. I thoroughly expected the camera and lens and did not see or detect fungus. I'm including a photo here. I told him the camera has a no return policy and photos from the original listing verify the condition of the lens. He responded back saying it's full of fungus and not usable so he wants a full refund. I responded a second time asking for a photo to show where this fungus shows up. How would the rest of you handle this situation? I feel he's just pulling my leg and decided he doesn't want the camera any longer. He also claims my photo below is not close enough to the lens to detect fungus.

[Melvin England]

I would point out to him, diplomatically, that super 8 is your specialist hobby and that you know what you are talking about. Explain the lengths to which you checked all aspects of the camera, including the lens, and there is no fungus whatsoever on it (even explain how it couldn't have developed between leaving you and arriving with them). In this way, they hopefully would get the message that you actually DO know what you are talking about and that the camera wasn't from some sort of house clearance or garage sale or just another item amongst the other non cine items you may or may not also list on Ebay.
I would either directly ask for evidence of fungus, as you have done, or, if they want a refund, to send it back to you at their expense, and only then once you have received it, inspect it, then give the refund. That should call their bluff. As has been mentioned elsewhere on this forum, people send things back and it is not the original item and you endure the biggest insult of having paid for the return postage.

In that way you keep the ball in your court. You have also refrained from calling them a liar, which they probably are but have saved yourself from any potential libel claim.

[Bill Phelps]

Good advice Melvin....you nailed it.

[Maurice Leakey]

.....I feel he's just pulling my leg and decided he doesn't want the camera any longer....

Shane
Regarding your quote above, it certainly seems possible.
However, there have been many instances lately where eBay has believed a buyer and has issued a refund.
Some sellers have said that they will no longer sell on eBay.
I wish you luck.


Maurice

[Tom Photiou]

What i did once was to contact ebay yourself with live chat to explain that you think your being conned by a seller, make sure you have your item number ready so they can see your original listing, (copy it and paste it into your live chat), this way they will see your problem. Get on it asap before he raises a case in which ebay will likely force a refund. This is what i did when a idiot tried it on with me, fortunately, it was a long time ago and was a one off.

[Shane C. Collins]

Thanks everyone for all the advice!

[Alan Rik]

Having dealt with Ebay I can say that most likely you will have to take the camera back. As I was told by Ebay once, if the buyer is not telling the truth than you will get your item back and can resell it. Thats what I had to do with a returned projector where the buyer, an ex forum member here, reported to Ebay that the item was faulty. Turned out he was lying and just had buyers remorse. I lost out on shipping both ways unfortunately. Only thing you can do is block the bidder from your future auctions.

[Ozzie Williams]

Because it is so emotionally draining dealing with the occasional unhappy ebay customer, I personally tend to just right off the cost and refund and block the buyer from future sales (if the price is fairly low) and move on. I know it can hurt, but on a lens fungus issue you can't win. The buyer's assertion alone will be sufficient for ebay to refund them on an "item not as described claim", and without your permission.

The real issue for me is how you move forward selling on ebay, given people do have different expectations of what descriptions like "good" ect mean, and sadly there are a minority of buyers that will take advantage of the lack of seller protections. What I find works for me is:

1. I offer a no quibble refund on return. You get extra sales, you can ask a little more, and you avoid people inventing faults to return items.
2. I don't want customers that have unrealistic expections about 50 year old technology. Almost all equipment of this age with lens I describe as for spares and repairs only, but charge what I want anyway. This slows down the sales a little, but filters out the one or two that really are not being fair about buying old tech, even when a description is 100% accurate (I mean you simply cannot have a complicated peice of 50 year old tech that does not have some shortcomming somewhere).
3, Whatever the rights or wrongs of any case, presume ebay is not on your side as a seller, and try not to get emotionally involved. That costs more in the end.

[Lee Mannering]

Probably better to have it back but always keep your pictures safe in case you need further use. Beloved Wife had a buyer message 10 months on saying a film was not delivered so pulled the photo file, receipt and obtained a delivery photo from the courier. The effort it takes to use the services of T Hee Bay are now huge in order to maintain sanity and calm.

Shame. My 1970's Canon Sound 514 XL got dropped on the beach and washed with sea water. After taking care of that back then I'm still able to use it and zero lens fogging. Lucky.

[Shane C. Collins]

So far the buyer has not messaged back after I asked for photo proof for lens fungus. This may have stopped him in his tracks. I've decided to "ride" this one out until I either hear back from him or eBay. Again thanks everyone for all the great suggestions and tips!

[Melvin England]

Keep us all posted on this one Shane, please. I, for one, am curious to know what the eventual outcome will be.

[David Roberts]

Shane, if it took 15 days for the buyer to decide there is fungus in the lens,then I dont see he has a case. Why didnt he contact you when first receiving it.Also,your picture is very clear and the lens looks very clean.

[Shane C. Collins]

I agree David! Why did it take him so long to reach out?

[Shane C. Collins]

I will let everyone know how this all pans out in the end!

[Mark Mander]

Unfortunately a buyers market but will be interesting to hear where it goes, fingers crossed Shane, Mark