For parts or not working: Most of the items I sell are 'For parts or not working'. This is because I'm not an expert on the items I sell so I can't guarantee they're in 100% working condition. Most buyers on eBay are reasonable and understand that an item that's listed as 'Used' may still have flaws or defects that keep it from being 100% functional. Unfortunately there are some buyers who will ask for partial refunds or full refunds if an item is listed as 'Used' and one small feature or function isn't perfect. I will usually lean towards listing an item as 'For parts or not working' rather than 'Used' in most cases even if certain features or functions appear to be in working order.
Items are As Is: I don't fix up or clean up the majority of the items I sell but sell them 'as found' and 'as is'. Many people tell me "If you just spent an hour and cleaned it up you could get more money for it." And I agree with them. I could get more money for it, but 'time is money' and at my hourly rate the price would go up accordingly so in many cases its better for the buyer that I sell items 'as found' and 'as is'.
I'm not an expert on the items I sell: I know very little about most of the items I sell so most of them are being sold as untested and in many cases 'For parts or not working'. If you see an item you're interested in there's a good chance that you know more about it than I do. In most cases it won't do any good to ask me questions about an item so you're better off googling the model number to get the answers you need.
Item condition: Since I'm not an expert on most of the items I sell I might not notice if something is missing, damaged or broken simply because I'm not familiar with the item. Its up to the buyer to look at the pics to see if anything is missing, damaged or broken. I keep my descriptions of each item short and don't have time to mention every little detail of each individual item. Its up to the buyer to look at the pics to see if anything is missing, damaged, broken, chipped, scratched, cracked, shattered, dented, dinged, rusted, dusty, ripped, torn, stained, etc.
Testing items: Most of the items I sell are untested. Generally I don't test items before I sell them. Many perspective buyers write me long emails with long lists of things they want me to do to test an item. This is a waste of their time. The good news is that because I'm selling an item as untested there's a very good chance that you'll get it cheaper than if I did extensive testing and sold it as fully functional. If you want me to test something real simple and it takes me less than a minute I may be willing to do it. Just don't waste your time sending me a long list of things you want me to do because it won't be done.
Items are as pictured: A lot of the items I sell are dusty, dirty, oily, sticky, greasy, rusty, etc. I don't clean any of these items before shipping so you'll receive them exactly like you see them in the pics. Some of the items I sell have odors, I buy stuff out of old houses and in old dusty dirty garages. If you're concerned about odors feel free to ask. I sell too many items to describe each item down to the finest, smallest detail so if it seems like I've overlooked something it isn't intentional. If you're interested in an item I'm selling please remember that you probably know more about it than me so take a good look at the pics to see exactly what you'll be getting.
Buyer is responsible for cleaning items: The items I sell are 'as is'. This means if the item is dirty in the pics then it will be dirty when it lands on your doorstep. You will be responsible for cleaning the item.
eBay's definition of used and my definition of used: - Here's eBay's definition of used - "An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections." Some buyers have pointed out to me that in eBay's definition of used it says the item is "fully operational and functions as intended" and have insisted that because I listed an item as "Used" it must be free of any imperfections and work perfectly. In eBay's definition of used it also says "See the seller's listing for full details and description of any imperfections." So when I list an item as "Used" it's important that you read my description and what I say about the item. You also need to look at the pictures to see any imperfections. Disclaimer: Many items may have flaws or defects that keep them from being "fully operational" and "functioning as intended" but I will still list them as "Used".
Shipping: I mostly offer flat shipping rates or in some cases free shipping. I may choose to remove parts or pieces of an item to make it more compact for shipping purposes. For instance if I'm shipping a tool with a long handle I will usually remove the handle to make it fit in a more compact box. You will get all the parts and pieces you paid for but sometimes a lot of money can be saved by making an item more compact to fit in a smaller box. If I'm shipping electronics sometimes I'll unplug the power cord so I can wrap the item with bubble wrap without smashing the end of the cord. When shipping large over sized items I may send two separate packages rather than one huge package to avoid oversize shipping charges. I always try to make the best decisions possible to get the item to you without damage while keeping the shipping within budget or close to it.
Update your address: It's important that you update your address in the eBay system before making a purchase. Many times someone will make a purchase and then email me and say they just moved and could I ship it to a different address (one that's not in the eBay system). The answer is No. I won't ship it to a different address. The reason is that I'm not covered under eBay seller protection if I do (even if you email me and ask me to do it). If you email me and ask me to ship it to a different address then I'm going to cancel the transaction. If you want to repurchase it then you'll need to agree to the cancellation and change your address in the eBay system. Then I'll relist the item and you'll have the option of repurchasing it. This is a pain so it's better if you update your address before making the purchase to avoid all of this.
Items over $500: All items that sell for more than $500.00 will require a signature confirmation upon delivery. If you purchase an item for over $500.00 its important that you pay close attention to the tracking number so that you'll know when its going to arrive so that you can sign for it. If for any reason you're not there to sign for it and it gets sent back to me then you'll be responsible for paying for shipping both ways plus a 10% restocking fee because of the inconvenience it causes. So if you purchase an item for $550.00 and it costs me $25.00 to ship it and it gets sent back to me you'll be responsible for paying shipping both ways ($50.00) plus a 10% restocking fee of the total price including shipping ($55.00). In this case when I get the item back you'll get a refund of $445.00. So your mistake would cost you $105.00. Pay close attention to the tracking number so costly mistakes don't happen. If it gets sent back to me I won't resend it to you but will relist it and sell it to someone else.
Free Shipping: Occasionally I offer free shipping. Its amazing to me that when I offer free shipping on an item that people email me and ask me if I'm sure I can ship the item for free. I think that they believe that I get free shipping from the shipping company. Let me clear this up: I pay for the shipping even if the item says Free Shipping. This simply means its free to the buyer. Its not free to me. So any emails asking me how I can ship it for free will be ignored. Its also amazing to me that when I offer free shipping that people will still email me and ask how much it is to ship it to them. These emails will also be ignored. I'm not going to take the time to do shipping quotes or disclose how much free shipping will cost me when I'm not charging for it. When I offer free shipping I'm going to ship the item as economically as possible. Any request for expedited shipping will void the free shipping and the buyer will pay for 100% of the shipping charges at that point.
Shipping Requests: If you have a special shipping request make sure you tell me before you pay for it or right after you pay for it. Don't wait too long because sometimes I will pack the item immediately after its paid for. If you request double boxing or two inches of packing between boxes or additional bubble wrap and packing paper that add to the size of the package and expense of what I've estimated you will need to be prepared to pay extra. Extra size plus extra weight equals extra cost. If you have requests that require extra time to package then you will need to be prepared to pay extra. Some of the requests I've gotten in the past have made the cost of shipping and materials go $25.00 or more over and beyond what I've estimated and I can't absorb those extra costs. If you want me to send you a tea cup in a piano box I will as long as you're willing to pay for the additional size, weight, material and time. If I send the package my way there is no additional cost to you. If you request that I send it your way you will need to pay for all additional costs (including shipping fees, time (my time is estimated at $60.00 per hour) and materials (bubble wrap, packing peanuts, paper, cardboard, etc.) over and above the flat rate cost that I'm charging.
Shipping and Handling Time: I make every effort to ship your item as quickly as possible after receiving cleared payment. In most cases I offer one Business day Handling time. This means that if you purchase an item on Tuesday morning, I'll try to get the label printed and tracking info uploaded by Wednesday evening at the latest. When I say Business day, this means Monday - Friday. Many times I use Fed Ex and UPS and nothing ships out on Saturday and Sunday. When I say Handling time, this means I've printed the label and uploaded the tracking number onto the eBay website. This does not mean I've dropped off the package at the shipping company. The reason I mention this is because some buyers will see the tracking number uploaded and email me and ask why there's no shipping info on the shipping company's site. If eBay emails you a Fed Ex tracking number on a Friday (late at night) chances are you won't see any tracking info uploaded on the Fed Ex (or the eBay) site until late Monday night or Tuesday morning. Most experienced eBayer's know this but I wanted to explain this for those of you that don't so you don't feel the need to email me and ask what's going on. Shipping items in a timely manner is a high priority for me but occasionally I'm out of town for a day or two and can't get things out as quickly as I'd like to. In some cases it may take up to 2-3 business days to ship your item.
Shipping Damage: Many of the items I sell have damaged areas before I ship them. Please make note of these by looking closely at the pictures in advance so you can see if any additional damage is done during shipping. Occasionally items get damaged no matter how well they're packed. If an item arrives damaged make sure you compare it to the pictures on the posting before contacting me to see if the damage was already there or if additional damage was done during shipping. If you contact me to tell me an item is damaged I will request that you send at least 4 pictures. One wide shot showing the entire item with the damaged area and three close ups at different angles. If the box was damaged take a picture of it before you open it and save all packing materials. The shipping company may request to see the packaging if we need to file a claim.
Returns: 14 days money back. Buyer pays return shipping. The item must be returned in the exact same condition as it was when it was shipped. Occasionally a buyer will contact me and say they received the item and want to keep it but there's one little thing they didn't notice or some small detail they're unhappy with and would I give them a partial refund. The answer is No. I don't give partial refunds. If you're unhappy with the item for any reason you need to send it back. If an item is sent back it will be looked over with a fine tooth comb (inside and out) to make sure everything is exactly like it was when it was sent. If anything is missing or different from when I originally sent it then a refund will not be issued. If an item is sent back it needs to be packaged carefully so that no shipping damage occurs on return shipping. If an item is received back to me with shipping damage then a refund will not be issued and the buyer who shipped it will need to deal with trying to get a refund from the shipping company. If a buyer sends an item back then its highly recommended that the buyer insure the item for its full value.
Feedback: I always leave you feedback after feedback is left.
Payments: Paypal only. I will very rarely ever accept another form of payment. If you want to pay with another method make sure you check with me in advance of placing a bid. I've found that Paypal is the most convenient way to get paid for items that sell on eBay. If you win an auction and then ask me to accept a form of payment other than Paypal I reserve the right to cancel the transaction. Always check beforehand. In some cases, I may make an exception.
Communication: I prefer to communicate through eBay's message system rather than through personal emails, texts or phone calls. This is so that eBay will have access to our interaction if necessary. This is for your benefit and mine. I will very rarely ever respond to a request to call. If you send me your phone number make sure you give me a good reason to call. I've had people in the past request that I call them only so that they could give me a low ball offer over the phone and this type of thing is a waste of my time and theirs. All requests asking me to call without stating a specific good reason will be ignored.
Low ball offers: Will be ignored. Don't expect any response at all. If a request is ignored but yet the eBay member persists then that member will be classified as a problem buyer.
Problem Buyers: Most buyers on eBay are Top Notch (around 97.25%). However, as all of us who sell on eBay regularly know, there is always a problem buyer that will pop up from time to time. Once I get the feeling that I'm dealing with a problem buyer then that buyer will be added to my buyer block list. Problem buyers commonly like to send lots of emails and need the seller to hold their hand through the transaction...Before, During and After. I don't have time to hold anyone's hand. I don't need to sell anything badly enough to deal with a high maintenance problem buyer. One thing that's very common with a problem buyer is that I know I can always count on a partial refund request. Problem buyers are always looking for a hidden defect or a way to negotiate unfairly in their favor. Note to all Problem Buyers: Looking forward to adding you to my Buyer Block List soon.
Why the really long disclaimer? This is so I can answer questions in advance of getting emails sent to me that should never have been sent in the first place. Many people send emails and ask questions that are already answered in the posting. Other people like to ask questions that are already answered in this disclaimer. One of the common emails I get is "Could you send me the tracking number?" So let me answer this for all prospective buyers right now. I always upload tracking info onto the eBay website after I print the shipping label. If I print the label on the eBay website then eBay does it automatically. eBay will send you an email after the tracking number is uploaded so there's no need to ask me to "Please send you the tracking number". It will automatically be done for you by eBay. Sometimes the eBay system has a delay in sending emails so check the eBay website to see if its there first before asking me to send you the tracking number. If a couple of days goes by and its still not on the eBay website then feel free to email me and ask if I "could send you the tracking number".....and then I'll be glad to assuming I've already printed the label.
Will this disclaimer get longer in the future? Yes. Soon it will be the length of a short eBook. The reason is that people constantly surprise me by asking questions I didn't expect or anticipate. To avoid having them asked in the future I want to answer them in advance for all prospective buyers. I don't have any problem with legitimate questions being asked and sometimes people ask very good questions. I welcome legitimate questions and look forward to answering them as long as I haven't already answered them in this disclaimer.