The customer is always right?

[Phonesrfun]

Some people!

I think that many people enter a transaction thinking of the worst, and then wind up making it a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I am sorry to hear that you are going through so much grief with her.  Good luck with it.

[Dennis Markham]

Hopefully Greg, when PayPal sees that you offered her a full refund and she refuses it, they will close the dispute.  I have heard horror stories of PayPal siding with the buyer no matter what.  Hopefully they won't use your secondary source of funding to refund her money.

[HarrySmith]

Even better, hopefully what will happen is when she takes it to this "shop" to repair, they test it and show her it is working fine

[Sargeguy]

Even better, she will remember to take her medication.  Methinks the ringer is not the one with the "polarity issues".  I just want "Pinky" back, I'll hang her on the wall and sell the 356.

[guitar1580]

That's a sad situation for both parties.  I can tell from the emails that she just doesn't understand that a slight wiring change could be needed for different systems.  To her, its just "broke", and it's all your fault.  Some "shop" will probably soak her way too much $$ for reversing two wires.

I wonder if you ever tried talking to her on the phone.  If she felt totally clueless about the wiring, it would seem that she would find a more mechanically inclined friend who could have talked to you, looked at the wiring diagram, or follow your instructions to get it connected properly.

The paypal freeze is really unfortunate, when you gave her every option, wow.  Good luck.

Josh P

[Sargeguy]

At this point the last thing I want to do is give her my number!!!

Here is some more, when I explained my return policy in my first conversation with her:

BUYER-So I love this phone...just trying to convince myself to buy it!
Do you promise that when I plug it in to the wall, it absolutely works?
Also, would you consider $100?
Thanks!
Dawn

ME-Hello,
The phone works perfectly fine on my lines. In order to dial out you may need to have "dial pulse" enabled on your line. Also, if you use a VOIP service from your phone company, it may not dial out or ring, same with cable phone service. Worst case scenario it will work as a non-dialing, non-ringing extension. You may always return it for a full refund if it does not perform to your satisfaction. If it is defective I will refund your postage. I will sell it for $100.
Thanks 

BUYER-Hey-Thanks so much for the quick answer.
I don't know 90% of the words/conditions you just mentioned! lol
I just have a plain old phone line with the phone company. What will I need for that? What do you have?

ME-Plain old telephone service is what these old phones were designed for, so it should work fine.
Thanks

BUYER-Sold! Set me up, and I'll pay right away-thanks again

[AE_Collector]

BUYER - I have my own business and have never, ever made a transaction so difficult for someone.

NOT TRUE. Isn't she making this very transaction "so difficult"?

Terry

[Vern P]

True, I may have missed it, but on rotary phone, politry is not needed, as in early touch tone sets.

When I hear about stories like this, it makes for a better case of "works fine hear" but "sold AS IS" with NO return. Don't like it, you SOL.


Vern P

[marty]

Hi All;
IF, She Lives near You, Wouldn't be easier to go over and see If you can fix it... But, I suppect She lives in Another state.. So IS there another Person From This group, That could Go over and Help Clear up this AWLFUL Situation for You.. I'm Sure, I You can Share What city and State She lives in.. That there is Someone Who would be willing to Help... That way Both Sides would be a win - win... If Some lives near the City and State that you would share, They can contact you and You can contact Her... And get this Resolved...
THANK YOU Marty

[JorgeAmely]

Where is she from?

[Sargeguy]

Vern, I'm not exactly crackerjack with 500 wiring, all I know is that it worked when I plugged it in to my kitchen wall and was working and ringing when I unplugged it and shipped it out.   My "Don't fix what ain't broke" policy was in effect.  I'll never know what the problem is since she won't return the phone.  I got a couple operational  junker 554s that I could swap plastic on if I got the phone back and it wasn't working.  I'll be darned if I am going to pay for someone else to repair it, or ask another member of the forum fix it for free.  My well of patience ran dry when she filed the claim with no intention of returning the phone.  Worse case scenario I am out $100, it won't kill me.

Jorge, She's from  Holly Springs, Georgia, first name Dawn.  I would caution anyone from dealing with her, she is not rational.  

[Sargeguy]

Here is feedback I received from another customer whose D-1 and subset arrived today.

Sargeguy!  Just received my adorable phone!  Love it!  Love it!  Love it!  I've wanted a phone like this for soooo long.  A great birthday present for me.  A black metal phone stand I also ordered thru another seller arrived today too.  It looks stunning on the stand.  I feel like I'm back in the late 40's, early 50's.  Now to find a vintage telephone book from the same era.  Will you let me know if you come across one?  Good condition, reasonable price of course.  Or if you know of someone.  Thanks.  Again, very pleased with the phone.  It will be very well taken care of and passed on to my daughter, left in the family for years to come.
Rebecca

[JorgeAmely]

Sargeguy:

That's Ok, I won't be doing that house call for you. Just too far from the left coast.

[Sargeguy]

She dropped her claim!   .  I am opening a discount "fixer upper" section of my shop with As-Is bargains!

Here is her parting shot:

 

by S_________________ profile    shop    contact 

Hi-
I have declined your offer to return the phone but asked you to consider reimbursement for repairs.

Just because I didn't like either of your options does not mean that I am done.
I'll close the case b/c this is becoming a hassle, and I want to be done with it, but there are two sides to this transaction. You dictating how it will be handled is not exactly my idea of great customer service.

You obviously don't see any way that you could be wrong here, but no matter what I received an item that does not work and it should have. That's the bottom line.
14 February 2011 5:05pm EDT 

My response:

by sargeguy  profile    shop   

Hi,
I have a couple of eBay sellers waiting for payment, so as soon as you can close the dispute with PayPal I'd appreciate it.
Thanks

[guitar1580]

Glad to see that she dropped the case.

Maybe we can all learn a couple of things from this unfortunate experience.  First off, put something pink for sale, and you'll likely be dealing with a woman.

OK but seriously, when selling anything phone related, maybe we should all be sure to put in some type of disclosure in the description which briefly explains that the functionality of the phone may depend on the buyer's type of phone service, and that re-wiring of jacks, etc. may be needed, or to check with their local phone company, etc.   Disclose the issue and put the responsibility onto the buyer, the same way sellers of certain guns, radar detectors, etc, would have to do, by saying "check your local laws".

Josh P

Josh P