Opinions Wanted: Which party should pay return shipping for misrepresented item?

[Mighty Mouse]

I'm negotiating return of a bow I purchased on the Rokslide classifieds and would like to hear opinions on reasonable expectations of the seller and buyer in this situation. The bow I received is 5# lower draw weight than advertised (confirmed by sticker label on the bow and checked with a bow scale) and has 0.5" longer draw mods than advertised. I could live with the draw mod discrepancy, but I'm not willing to accept the lower poundage limbs. The seller has offered to refund the purchase price but wants me to pay for return shipping. Am I being unreasonable to expect the seller to pay for return shipping since this is a clear case of an inaccurately described item, not a case of buyer's remorse or dispute over something subjective like cosmetic condition or fit?

 

[durangobrad]

I'm negotiating return of a bow I purchased on the Rokslide classifieds and would like to hear opinions on reasonable expectations of the seller and buyer in this situation. The bow I received is 5# lower draw weight than advertised (confirmed by sticker label on the bow and checked with a bow scale) and has 0.5" longer draw mods than advertised. I could live with the draw mod discrepancy, but I'm not willing to accept the lower poundage limbs. The seller has offered to refund the purchase price but wants me to pay for return shipping. Am I being unreasonable to expect the seller to pay for return shipping since this is a clear case of an inaccurately described item, not a case of buyer's remorse or dispute over something subjective like cosmetic condition or fit?

I believe the seller should pay for this since they innacuratly described the item.

Sent from my UMIDIGI X using Tapatalk

 

[Bubblehide]

Yep, the seller is fully responsible, ethically, morally and legally without question IMNSHO.

 

[spike camp]

If the situation is accurate as you described, 100% the sellers responsibility for the cost of return shipping.

 

[tdhanses]

100% the seller, and if they don’t let the mods know as we don’t need this crap on the forum and they can put the ban hammer down.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

100% the seller, and if they don’t let the mods know as we don’t need this crap on the forum and they can put the ban hammer down.

I hope to convince the seller to cover return shipping so we can settle the matter amicably in private. But if we can't, I will publicly post all details of the transaction documented with screenshots. Hopefully the responses to this thread will help convince the seller to take responsibility for his mistake and cover all costs.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

So all one needs to do, is go look at bows listed for sale to kind of figure this all out?
Definitely the seller should be paying the return shipping. Was it a simple mistake? Or a blatant attempt at misleading?

 

[Pigdog]

100% seller. Honest mistake, or intentional misrepresentation, or doesn’t matter. Seller should make it right. Being a member here and using the classifieds section is a privilege, not a right. Honest and accurate listings are key to keeping the classifieds viable.

 

[rodney482]

Put some twists in the cables.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

So all one needs to do, is go look at bows listed for sale to kind of figure this all out?

I was deliberately vague in my description of the bow, and I never replied in the for sale thread (PM'd the seller directly instead). You could come up with a list of suspects based on recent for sale posts, but I doubt you could identify the seller with certainty.

Was it a simple mistake? Or a blatant attempt at misleading?

I don't believe there was ill intent, just carelessness. The seller claims that his bow shop told him they measured the draw weight at 70# even though the sticker says 65#, which may have been true due to a slightly short cable, slightly long string, or inaccurate scale. My LCA scale read 64.9# after I tightened the limb bolts all the way down. The manufacturer's identification sticker says 65#, so the limbs are obviously designed to produce a peak weight of 65# not 70# as he advertised. He also claims that the bow shop installed the wrong draw mods, which may also be true, but I'm dealing with the seller not the shop he uses.

 

[rodney482]

I was deliberately vague in my description of the bow, and I never replied in the for sale thread (PM'd the seller directly instead). You could come up with a list of suspects based on recent for sale posts, but I doubt you could identify the seller with certainty.


I don't believe there was ill intent, just carelessness. The seller claims that his bow shop told him they measured the draw weight at 70# even though the sticker says 65#, which may have been true due to a slightly short cable, slightly long string, or inaccurate scale. My LCA scale read 64.9# after I tightened the limb bolts all the way down. The manufacturer's identification sticker says 65#, so the limbs are obviously designed to produce a peak weight of 65# not 70# as he advertised. He also claims that the bow shop installed the wrong draw mods, which may also be true, but I'm dealing with the seller not the shop he uses.

he should pay return shipping

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

I still think he should pay return shipping. Who paid for shipping the first time?

sounds like you were aware there could possibly have been an issue. Trust was given by you to him. That sticker, Would have been enough for me to know I might be getting a 65# vs 70#.
Hopefully you guys come to an agreement and it was a simple mistake on the seller’s part.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I still think he should pay return shipping. Who paid for shipping the first time?

sounds like you were aware there could possibly have been an issue. Trust was given by you to him. That sticker, Would have been enough for me to know I might be getting a 65# vs 70#.
Hopefully you guys come to an agreement and it was a simple mistake on the seller’s part.

Seller paid for initial shipping.

I had no reason to doubt the seller's advertised draw weight and length prior to making the purchase. I could have, and now know that I should have, asked for photos of the identification sticker and draw mod labels. It was only upon receiving the bow that I saw that the sticker and the draw mod labels didn't match what was advertised. When I asked him about these discrepancies, the seller then told me that his shop had measured the draw weight at 70# (which I couldn't replicate with my scale) and had apparently installed the wrong mods.

 

[JeffRaines]

Seller needs to step up. He sold you a 65lb bow he claimed to be 70lb. "Because my shop said it drew back that weight" is no excuse. It says 65 on the tag - thats what it gets listed as.

Thats like selling a 7 mag and receiving a 280ai. "The guy at the shop said it'll shoot the same velocity!"

edit - This is why I always recommend using PayPals regular "pay for goods" service when you're buying something. Either way you're paying the fee, might as well get some coverage if a deal goes south and the seller doesn't want to cooperate(not saying thats 100% the case here, just a good practice generally).

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Did you guys negotiate shipping? Did he have it listed as he’d pay shipping? Then you got him to change?
He should still offer to pay return shipping, but I’m trying to look at this from both sides.
I once sold a gun and the guy got remorse. I are shipping both ways. I could have said, screw it, you got what you asked for, but customer service is important to me. Even though it wasn’t a business deal and it wasn’t my fault.
Good luck. Hopefully it’s resolved.

 

[Rob5589]

Seller should pay

 

[Mighty Mouse]

edit - This is why I always recommend using PayPals regular "pay for goods" service when you're buying something. Either way you're paying the fee, might as well get some coverage if a deal goes south and the seller doesn't want to cooperate(not saying thats 100% the case here, just a good practice generally).

Agreed. I used PayPal Goods & Services for this purchase, so I do have a recourse if we can't come to an agreement. I'd prefer to resolve this without having to file a claim with PayPal, but that option is available.

Did you guys negotiate shipping? Did he have it listed as he’d pay shipping? Then you got him to change?
He should still offer to pay return shipping, but I’m trying to look at this from both sides.
I once sold a gun and the guy got remorse. I are shipping both ways. I could have said, screw it, you got what you asked for, but customer service is important to me. Even though it wasn’t a business deal and it wasn’t my fault.
Good luck. Hopefully it’s resolved.

The for sale post listed a "to your door" (i.e., seller pays shipping) price and asked for the buyer to cover the 3% PayPal fee if using Goods & Services, which I did. I appreciate your questions and have tried to analyze this situation from all angles. If I were in the seller's position, I would feel obligated to issue a full refund and cover return shipping costs since the buyer was not at fault in the transaction.

 

[spike camp]

I believe that if you file a PP claim, win, and get reimbursed...you’d be responsible for the shipping costs.

 

[stonewall]

i think if poundage issue was disclosed it's on you; if not, seller

 

[Trial153]

If the isuses are a desl breaker and it was how you described i say it on the seller.

I would also look for a way to make it work for both parties, sounds like you want the bow...it generlly isnt hard get anther 5 pound out of set of limbs with a bit of tuning