Subject: Re: [OM] OT: How much should I refund this eBay buyer?
>A refund minus all the shipping charges would be appropriate. It's
>certainly not your responsibility that he couldn't wait for the camera to
>arrive, or that he found an alternative.
>
> John Hermanson
> Camtech Photo Services, Inc.
> 21 South Lane, Huntington, NY 11743
> 631-424-2121 | omtech@xxxxxxxxx
> www.zuiko.com
> Factory Trained OM Service since 1977
> __________________________________
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gary Teller" <gmteller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 7:25 PM
> Subject: [OM] OT: How much should I refund this eBay buyer?
>
>
>> I'd appreciate hearing/reading some opinions on whether or not you think
>> my
>> proposed refund offer is fair. Here's the basic facts. Let me state at
>> the beginning that all correspondence has been friendly or civil-no anger
>> or threats. Nor has feedback been left by either of us.
>>
>> 6/11/05 Auction for Olympus 35 RC and Vivitar 100 flash ended with
>> winning
>> bidder in France. Auction was clearly marked AS IS and not subject to my
>> return policy. Sold AS IS because of disclosed scratches on
>> lens. Otherwise in excellent working condition.
>>
>> 6/12/05 I sent an invoice to the winner
>>
>> 6/13/05 Received notice of payment from PayPal
>>
>> 6/13/05 Received an e mail from winner telling me payment made and that
>> he
>> is leaving France at the end of the week and would appreciate my sending
>> camera asap.
>>
>> 6/13/05 Shipped camera and flash via insured Airmail Parcel Post. Terms
>> of
>> auction say foreign shipments go either by Air Letter Post without
>> insurance or Air Parcel Post with insurance. Buyer chose the Parcel Post
>> option. I e mailed buyer same day notifying that shipment made and that
>> US
>> Postal Service estimates transit time of 4-10 days.
>>
>> 6/21/05 Received e email from buyer asking for tracking number and
>> telling
>> me he leaves for Venezuela in three days and wants to be sure he will
>> have
>> the camera before then. I replied same day and told him tracking numbers
>> are not issued for this type of shipment. I also noted that the cost for
>> sending a traceable package is prohibitive for most buyers.
>>
>> 7/24/05 Received the following e mail from buyer:
>>
>> I am back from Venezuela.....without the camera. It
>> arrived after my departure. At my return, I went to
>> the post office and they said the camera was back to
>> the sender in USA, so to you.
>>
>> Given that I have found an alternative to be able to
>> take pictures in Venezuela, I do not need the Olympus
>> anymore as you can imagine. So I do not want you to
>> send it again to me, I would prefer you to pay me back
>> the amount I paid to you in June.
>>
>> Sorry for this but the shipment has been too long.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your understanding and for the
>> confirmation you agree.
>>
>> 7/24/05 I sent the following reply:
>>
>> I'm sorry to learn the camera did not arrive before your departure to
>> Venezuela. As I mentioned in a previous e mail, the U.S. Postal Service
>> does not guarantee a specific transit time for packages mailed to other
>> countries. It is unfortunate that I was not made aware of your pending
>> departure until after you won the auction.
>>
>> I am puzzled why your Postal Service returned the package. Do you not
>> have
>> in France a provision to have the postal authorities hold your mail until
>> your return?
>>
>> As of today, July 25, the camera has not yet been returned to me. As you
>> know from the terms of the auction, the camera was sold "AS IS" and not
>> subject to my normal return policy. However, I will offer you some form
>> of
>> refund adjustment. But, I would like to receive and inspect the camera
>> before advising you of my refund offer.
>>
>> I hope this meets with your approval for the time being. I will notify
>> you
>> immediately upon my receipt of the camera.
>>
>> After 7/24 we exchanged a short series of e mails the gist of which was
>> my
>> telling the buyer that the camera has not yet been received and the buyer
>> telling me his post office advised him the camera was returned by surface
>> mail.
>>
>> Today, 8/26/05, the camera finally came home. Everything looks ok-I
>> don't
>> think the package was ever opened by Customs/Postal folks there or
>> here. The buyer paid $51.00 plus $22.60 postage/insurance for a total of
>> $73.60. My eBay and PayPal fees totalled $5.55. I didn't have to pay
>> return postage.
>>
>> Given that this was an AS IS sale and the fact that I wasn't made aware
>> upfront that there was a time limit for the buyer to receive the package,
>> my inclination is to subtract the fees and postage/insurance from the
>> total
>> amount the buyer paid and offer him a refund of $45.45.
>>
>> So what do y'all think? Am I being fair and reasonable? Sorry for the
>> long winded post.
>>
>> Gary
>>
>>
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