Ebay Advice?

Dave_Mc

Hi everyone,

I "won" a new old stock (described as "new") Fret King Blue Label Perception 4 bass on Ebay (sold by a shop). It didn't come with a gigbag, however as far as I'm aware it's meant to come with one. I contacted the shop and they're claiming that model doesn't come with one- however I emailed JHS the distributor (the Fret King website is down today for some reason, annoyingly) and they confirmed it should come with a gigbag.

I'm just wondering if you guys have any tips on how to deal with this, or what my options are? The listing didn't specifically say it came with a gigbag, but then again if you ask me if something is meant to come with a certain accessory the onus is on the seller to point out if it doesn't come with it (certainly if it's being sold by a shop and being described as "new"). I certainly assumed it would come with the gigbag when I bid on it (I have a couple of Fret King Blue Label guitars and they came with gigbags).

Ironically enough my house is coming down with guitar cases, but bass is another matter. And aside from anything else if I ever had to sell it, having the original gig bag would presumably help to sell it.

I had a cursory look on Ebay for the price of new Fretking gigbags and they seem to be going for ~£65 (plus postage)- so while it's not as important as the bass turning up broken in half or anything like that, it's not exactly to be sneezed at, either. Regarding the condition of the bass, it's more or less fine though the fretboard and frets could do with a bit of a polish and the neck plate has a few superficial scratches- though I do think it's probably new (or at least new old stock) ok, as it still has the plastic covering on the scratchplate. It also didn't come with the original Fret King box- not a major concern, obviously, but when it didn't come with the gigbag either it does make me wonder.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Dave

GIJoe

Show them the email saying it should come with one.

Request a refund for the cost of one.

If they are still being arses open a case and request a partial refund.

I find sellers are either really sorry and helpful or total dickheads who don't seem to care.

Ebay are pretty much always on the buyers side, so you should be alright.

Dave_Mc

Ah right, so you can do that? I forgot about the partial refund thing, I'd really prefer to do that because the bass is actually quite nice. Thanks for the help

Just to check, can you still do the partial refund thing if it was an auction? It wasn't Buy It Now, it was just a bog standard bidding auction.

GIJoe

Yeah no problems with it being an auction.

You usually end up alright - I once asked for £5 off a small item they gave me £10!

Similarly, I asked for £40 off once as the item was trashed but I still wanted it! - ebay ended up refunding me from their own pocket.

Finally, my dad purchased a small item (~£20) that was supposed to be mint but was a bit ruined.  He did not want it at all.

He sent it back - the seller refused to pay return postage (they do not have to under ebay rules but it's nice if it is their fault!).  After sending it back the seller claimed he never received it!  It was not sent with tracking as it was so small so ebay would not refund. Claimed on the royal fail but it was annoying!  

Dave_Mc

Thanks

I'll have a think about it to see what to do.

That sucks about the postage thing- they nearly got me on that before, too. I agree with you, if it's the seller's fault the seller should have to pay but I basically did nothing and eventually Ebay blinked first and paid for the return postage.

Venom

Sorry but if the ebay description does not mention a gig bag you do not have a leg to stand on in my opinion. You bid for the item as it is pictured and described, not on what you assume is going to come with it.

littlegreenman

From the FK website (fine here)



Included

http://fret-king.com/black-label/perception-bass-253.html

Can only find the Perception in the Black label range though.

Dave_Mc

^ Yeah, I think the blue label perception has been discontinued so that's why it's off the website. The guitarist magazine review of the blue label perception (which is still on the fretking site) said it came with a gigbag.

Venom said:

Sorry but if the ebay description does not mention a gig bag you do not have a leg to stand on in my opinion. You bid for the item as it is pictured and described, not on what you assume is going to come with it.

If it were a second-hand item sold by a private (not business) seller, I'd agree with you. New and sold by a shop, I think it's fair to assume it should come with what it's meant to come with (and if it doesn't that should be pointed out). Ebay states in its description that "New" means it should come in its original retail packaging etc., which (to me) means it should come with all the accessories a new item is meant to come with.

I appreciate your candour, though.

That being said, having thought about it a bit more, I think I'm probably just going to let it go. It's a nice bass which I got at a pretty good price (which is the main thing), and I'm not sure it's worth getting annoyed over it or having to fight to maybe get a paltry settlement in my favour (probably for a lot of bother on my part). I'll chalk it down to experience and double check things come with what I think they're meant to come with in the future. ) If no worse ever happens to me I'll consider myself lucky.

Thanks for your help everyone

GIJoe

Dave_Mc said:

That being said, having thought about it a bit more, I think I'm probably just going to let it go. It's a nice bass which I got at a pretty good price (which is the main thing), and I'm not sure it's worth getting annoyed over it or having to fight to maybe get a paltry settlement in my favour (probably for a lot of bother on my part). I'll chalk it down to experience and double check things come with what I think they're meant to come with in the future. ) If no worse ever happens to me I'll consider myself lucky.

Thanks for your help everyone

It's always worth fighting over!

Worst case - nothing.

Best case - Monies!

Dave_Mc

)

But seriously, yeah, I'm not sure it's worth it.