Beware of Ebay seller [edited by Moderator]

[LuxBob]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

There used to be a program on British TV, was it called That's Life with Esther Rantzen? Each week they would take up a consumer complaint against an unscrupulous supplier. Usually the supplier was unscrupulous but after a while I began to cheer for them as the complainants were usualyl prime examples of fools who are soon parted from their money.

I am not saying that is the case here but I view every potential Ebay purchase with a jaundiced eye and a suspicious cynical attitude, I look at the sales record, the language used, the knowledge of the supplier. Probably half fail at this stage and after that I will ask questions.

[elmoslate]

Sorry to hear about your Ebay experience. I do alot of buying and selling there and, knock wood, haven't had any issues with things I've bought. Although I'm always accurate about the things I sell I take other sellers description with a grain of salt. I bought a Summicron before purchasing a M body (the deal was too good to pass up) and to make sure I didn't get a dud I bought a 4/3 adapter to try out on my E-P2 realizing the deadlines that are in place in the event I was mis-sold.

 

No criticism directed towards you, but Ebay is an effective medium as long as buyers and sellers stick to the conditions posted. As a seller, I wouldn't want someone on day-46 to contact me out of the blue to say there was something wrong with the item I sold. Most retail shops have a 30-day return policy (in the U.S. at least) so 45 days is ample time with which to test out gear.

 

In any case, good luck and hope things get resolved one way or another in your favor.

 

Cheers.

 

Paul

[cbretteville]

Adli,

Sorry to hear this, but sometimes we just luck out. I believe a lesson to take away from this is to email Leica and explain what you think is wrong with serial number X and see what they reply before you send the lens in or ask Knut at Interfoto to do it for you.

 

If you sent the lens in via Interfoto, I'm not surprised it took a while for your lens to get back to you.

 

I've just sent an E43 50 'lux to DAG for coding as Leica will not code it even if it is on the list of codeable lenses. Mine has a different bayonet than does the late E46 pre-ASP 50 'Lux so it isn't a simple exchange of the bayonet. Don does it by machining the part on my lens. He can also do a lot of other things that Leica will not/can not do. An email to him might be an idea. He also take a while to get things done as he is very busy, but the quality of his work makes the wait and the expense of shipping worth it.

 

Carl

[pgk]

this guy calls himself a dealerin photographic equipment, is selling defect lenses as mint and gets away with it.

I think that I am correct in saying that here in the UK a dealer has to be up front about being a 'dealer' and has to operate as such (cannot pretend to be a private seller). If your seller really was a dealer then I would assume that he would have had to have offered some form of warranty?

 

My own take on such situations is that as soon as I buy a used item I check it over - immediately - no exceptions. I have had to return two items to reputable dealers this year because of problems with them that only a really good scrutiny revealed - both took them back into stock with no quibbles whatsoever. On another item there was a minor problem which I discussed with the dealer in his shop and he agreed to pay for this to be rectified if I sent it off (it needed modification as well).

 

FWIW I would suggest that once the fault had been found, then at this point the 'dealer' should have been contacted and the responsibility for fixing the fault should have been resolved then - with reference to ebay or whatever if no resolution was sorted - before the repair was initiated. Sounds like you have found an expensive way of discovering that you have to be methodical over such purchases and cannot delay in dealing with any problems, whatever they are. All is not lost though because, as has been pointed out, other repairers may well be able to help by either using a secondhand part or by actually repairing the faulty part itself - something which Leica, I would suggest, are unlikely to do.

[plasticman]

I recently bought a mint lens from a very reputable dealer, and everything was perfect with it apart from the fact that it was out about maybe five to ten(!) centimeters at closest focus. I took it to a local dealer here, and for about 150 euros their mechanic CLA'ed the lens so that now it really IS perfect (and in many ways now my favorite lens - definitely on the M8).

 

I didn't trouble the original dealer with the issue, as I fully understood that he couldn't focus-test every lens he sells. I guess I could've returned the lens when I first saw the problem, but I preferred to keep it and fix it. Who knows, maybe he might have volunteered to pay for the fix if I'd discussed it with him, but I never did.

 

The biggest problem in this case seems to be the amount of time it took for Leica to let you know they couldn't fix the lens. I think it's often a good idea to try and fix locally first - many lenses are probably better fixed by a local craftsman than by Solms.

[jaapv]

Adli, there is a very good chance that Will van Manen can adjust the lens for you. index.html

[adli]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Thanks Jaap. Do you have any experience with Will?

 

I have also been recomended DAG in the states.

[jaapv]

Yes- he has done a lot of work including some "impossible" lenses for me - Right now he is restoring a Reflex-Korelle. No spare parts for that one I would think

[tobey bilek]

I do not think most people sell junk on E Bay, but some things get through.

 

The original owner never noticed it was not focusing correctly, The seller on E Bay said it looks fine to him, but most would not test it. Some day I will sell my personal collection and the recipients will be rewarded. I would never pass off defective items. The problem is some sellers buy things for resale and 99% never test them. I would be the 1% that does.

 

Somehow the whole EBay business model is not to my likimg. There are ways to rip off honest sellers now by fake returns and PayPal gives you your money back. I would run a cash and carry model, probably no returns unless it was a well hidden defect or something broke in transit.

[earleygallery]

Aldi,

 

I also think that it is a little unfair to blame the seller - let's assume that he was not aware of the focus defect, and sold the item in good faith - I do tend to give people the benefit of doubt. You accepted the item in effect by not responding immediately you became aware of the issue - and clearly accepted it by taking the decision to send it for repair yourself.

 

There are systems in place to raise disputes etc through e bay but because of your own decisions you waived the right to those.

 

As others have said some of the indie repairers out there may very well be able to resolve the repair issue for you, in which case you're going to be better off (because it will cost you less than a Leica repair too!).

 

It's the people like you that harm eBay.

Ebay was a revolution in itself. Made me save about 50,000$ throughout the years and I sold for more then 200,000$

 

Scams? Only the Idiots get scammed. Please don't say I'm rude or anything since we both know that you can't get scammed on eBay if you follow the steps and pay with paypal. ebay offers great protections. You can also call the seller before paying just by asking eBay the private infos. There's a much, much slimmer chance to get scammed on ebay then on various FS forums that simply offer no protection at all.

 

The ones that get scammed are the ones that send checks, wire transfers, Western Union and such. They can only blame themselves. But unfortunately, there are always bleeding hearts that will blame ebay instead of themselves.

 

Wow! Such sweeping statements - how about if you pay for an item, as I did, and it doesn't arrive. You go through the correct channels and still end up £30 out of pocket because of the limit of compensation which paypal will offer?

 

Or, how about getting an item with obvious defects that weren't mentioned in the listing, which is also on a 'sold as seen' basis so you have no grounds to return or dispute?

 

Really, there are plenty of rouges out there happy to use e bay to scam people or off load stuff they know they'd find hard to sell in person.

[redbaron]

Are you able to sell the lens back to them? They missed the defect once, so they'll probably miss it again. Obviously you can't let them know who you are, but you must tell us the serial number.

 

My opinion is that if it's not fit for the purpose for which it was sold it should be replaced.

[wilfredo]

Thank you for sharing your experience. Many who see this thread will learn something about Ebay, Leica repair, and alternatives to Leica repairs and will hopefully avoid problems. IMHO that Ebay seller is a first class Jerk.

[adli]

Aldi,

 

There are systems in place to raise disputes etc through e bay but because of your own decisions you waived the right to those.

 

Yes I am aware of those systems, they have a time limit of 45 days. When I sent the lens off to Leica, I did not imagine they would sit on it for two month. I thought I would get a statement from Leica on potential repair cost after short time. My though was that a statement from Leica on the condition of the lens would have been a good return reason.

 

But yes, I have learned to test every item carefully myself, because there are sellers who sells junk as "mint" condition. And, as o posed to your opinion, I actually think that when an item is listed ad "mint" it should be in a very good condition. Rating on items should actually mean someting.

 

Anyway, I will send the lens to Will as Jaap suggested, and hopefully it will be fixed.

 

Btw, I have bought several other items on ebay before. All of them except one have been in the described condition, and for the one not, there were no problems with return.

[earleygallery]

Definately some sellers will try to offload faulty goods as I mentioned above. I think the biggest error you made was in not responding to the seller first, and giving them the opportunity to reslove the problem.

 

I bought my M2 from an e bay seller, also described in good order etc., but when it arrived I immediately found that the shutter was defective. Anyone who knows Leica's would have spotted it by the sound of the shutter.

 

I was straight onto the seller and the was resolved very amicably.

 

If I sold something which I thought to be in good order and had a complaint a couple of months later I'm not sure I'd respond favourably either. It's possible the seller knew he was selling a pup, and it's unfortunate for you, but I think you just need to put it down to experience and use the e bay facilities if you buy from that channel and have any problems again.

[earleygallery]

The customer is always right, but I can decide who my customers are!

[PBatemanJ]

I had similar experience at eBay but I was a seller.

I checked the lens using my 5D to make sure lens is OK (I sold Canon lens, in my case) before packing. It was sold with 7 days return option. Buyer has 100% positive feedback.

After a month later, buyer contacted me that lens was defective. He said it was a gift to her daughter and he could not find out immediately after he received lens.

I sent photos I took with EXIF data showing the lens has no problem on my 5D the day before I sent lens to him. Of course It is possible that lens became defective during shipping so I agreed to accept return the lens even after more than one month later.

When I received the lens, I checked the lens and it was broken. It was very dirty with finger prints, missing original front lens cap (he sent with third party cap), and packing was very bad. I should not accept return the lens after one month later.

I am not sure what actually happened to the lens, but I did suspect he or his daughter misuse the lens. Who knows.

 

There is a such buyer in eBay, too.

[Doc Henry]

I am very saddened by the problems of Adli.

It is an argument over buying with someone you can see and know.

I've never bought anything on eBay because I'm afraid to have unpleasant surprises.

All my cameras and lens were purchased from my Leica dealer who also provides after sales service, if i have problem.

But it's true that it's a little more expensive ,but i am reassured and "quiet" !

I'm not saying this , because I might do even more trouble to Adli, but i am sincere and i apologize for my frankness.

Henry

[NB23]

If I sold something and the buyer would come back, 46 days later, and tell me he wants a refund cause he's the customer and he's always right, I'd probably laugh at him

[k-hawinkler]

About 2 weeks ago I bought on Ebay a lens advertised as: "Leica M 50mm f2 Summicron Chrome Rigid Lens Mint". The lens was made in 1956 and appears pretty much as advertised but has tremendous front focus wide open, about 10cm at 2m distance. If I compensate for that I can get a sharp image wide open. When stopping down images look okay as well.

 

So, today I contacted the seller and let him know the situation. He responded to my email within the hour, offered either a full refund or have the lens checked at his expense. As I like the lens and would like to keep it, I will send it to DAG tomorrow and hopefully he can restore it to focus correctly. So far the seller has acted in good faith and has given me no reason not to trust him. I'll take it from there.

 

When I bought the lens I was prepared to deal with any deficiencies if necessary at my expense. The world isn't just black and white and requires some give and take to make it all work, realistically. Frankly, I am amazed that one can buy half a century old lenses and get them to work at all on the latest digital Leica M cameras (I am aware that's not by accident but by design, okay).

 

I hope the OP finds a way to deal with his situation and to get great enjoyment out of his lens after the, no doubt, temporary disappointment.

 

Best regards, K-H.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[Craftsman]

If I sold something and the buyer would come back, 46 days later, and tell me he wants a refund cause he's the customer and he's always right, I'd probably laugh at him

 

That's because your such a warm and wonderful person. Always right to a fault and have a great sence of humor.