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99 Cent Special!

Started by HarrySmith, June 13, 2018, 09:45:14 PM

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HarrySmith

I recently spotted an auction on eBay with a few items starting at 99 cents. I threw in the first bid as a lark thinking the "modern" black desk phone would be ok in my collection. I won! With $12.00 shipping it was $12.99 total. It included an ITT 2831FM muti line office phone with a nice amphenol cord, a PhoneMate answering machine complete with transformer, handset, a super long messy handset cord & even a tape in it. 2 Black ITT handsets for the desk phone. A Green WE handset with a switchboard plug and a metal thing I think is from inside a handset. I thought about putting this in the bad packing award section because the seller apparently did not even read my shipping instruction. Everything was thrown loosely into the bottom of the box, nothing was wrapped at all and a few broken pieces of flat Styrofoam thrown on top. As soon as I picked up the box I cringed. Everything was moving around & rattling. The cover for the desk phone was loose but appeared ok, no cracks or breaks! Upon closer inspection I realized both the mounting posts were broken off. One is still screwed to the bracket but the other is gone. I may be able to glue the broken one back on & find something for the other side. The bottom is pretty ratty but I can clean it up & replace the feet. I sent a message & some pictures to the seller so I will see what he has to say. Pictures attached,
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

HarrySmith

A few more pictures including a couple of the metal piece I think is for a handset.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

Jim Stettler

You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

FABphones

99c AND packed? Ye gads. Miffed he was, miffed!
;)
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

twocvbloke

Not often can you get a bargain like that, just goes to show it pays to be quick off the draw...  ;D

Key2871

That metal piece is from a payphone handset.
Did you get what you paid for? Or did you do OK.
That 2831 has seen better days, but it could clean up pretty good. Too bad about the mount, I've used super glue gel before and had good results. In fact that's all I use anymore for what ever I need glue for.
I saw that auction, and figured it would go much higher than that.
Guess I was wrong. But at the same time, it maybe you got a deal.
KEN

poplar1

2831FM is WE/AT&T Technologies. Rather late (295° day of 1987).
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

HarrySmith

#7
The desk phone was the piece I wanted. It looks like I should be able to clean it up & glue it.
I got a refund from the seller with this message:

Well let s see the items sold for 99 cents and the $12.99 paid for shipping didn t even cover my shipping cost but since you are asking for me to give even more to my loss I will just refund your money because eBay really gives us no choice and some buyers still ask for more....


- davisfamily7

This was my responce:

I realize this wa a losing deal for you. A little more effort in packing and we would not be having this conversation. Better luck next time.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

FABphones

#8
Fast result. Did you get the shipping price back too? Agree they certainly should have packed better but if you got a full refund, that was good of the seller not to drag it out and argue. They should have just accepted that particular auction didn't work out for them, they did themselves no favours by throwing it in the box. Their small loss turned into a bigger loss.

A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

HarrySmith

Quote from: FabPhones on June 14, 2018, 07:36:13 AM
Fast result. Did you get the shipping price back too? Agree they certainly should have packed better but if you got a full refund, that was good of the seller not to drag it out and argue. They should have just accepted that particular auction didn't work out for them, they did themselves no favours by throwing it in the box. Their small loss turned into a bigger loss.



Yes, I got a full refund including the shipping. That makes me 2 for 2. The last item I bought, the Galion, arrived damaged and I got a full refund on that one too.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

RB

Yeah, a little forethought in the packing, makes all the difference.
I too, once won a great auction, got the package quickly, and found that the packing was...nothing,
and the handsets had broken out pieces of the outer cover.
Had a time re gluing all the pieces back together.
but it worked.
I want to take a min to rant about our wonderful post office practices.
You are all aware of the phrase "If it fits...it ships".
well, They started a huge problem for businesses.
I work for a security company. We sell video recording gear.
We ship everything...
When we get warranty returns, there is seldom enough packing, to protect the item.
These idiots from the PO, have convinced people, that they don't NEED to add any packing material...
"It fit in the box, so I shipped it. That's what they told me".
Much of the products get damaged or destroyed in shipping.
If I could get a dime for every box shipped with HUAD packaging, I would not have to work.
In case you wonder of my word HUAD, it means Head up *** disease.
And it runs rampant.
Sorry for the rant, but ???

FABphones

Thanks for the HUAD explanation. I'll remember that one.
I can think of many other situations to use the term.  ;)

Seriously though, overall from what I read here I think your sellers have a better attitude to many that I have dealt with in the UK. For example, 'here's a partial refund - keep the item'. Cripes, good luck with that one in the UK.

I've had whinging from sellers just for asking for an extra photo. I was told by another that they refused to sell to me when I asked ONE question (I was deemed too picky), and have received complaints from sellers because they didn't charge enough postage (have had several of those).

One seller recently even cancelled my purchase - they complained from the very beginning that they should have charged more to ship as they 'had no bubble wrap to pack the phone'. I had already paid inc the £10 shipping as per the listing, but a week later when they (eventually) got to the post office (or so they said) they discovered it was an £2.95 extra and the purchase was cancelled. Their reason - 'broken'. It took three weeks for me to receive the refund.

Another was swearing at me in their messages for making a (jolly decent) 'make offer'. They eventually put it in auction and sold the phone for less than my offer.   ...Karma!

Sorry to hijack the thread HS. I think this is a delicate subject for many of us and deserves a thread all of it's own. But hey, let's not be negative. Lot's of good sellers out there too.  US!  ;D
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

Key2871

So you're out nothing , except some glue and time.
Yes they knew they lost money, but I have done it before too selling on the bay. Just not that bad. I still packed everything as well as I could.

KEN

HarrySmith

Yeah, that is the hazard of selling. I too have had to issue a refund before. Part of doing business.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"