Buyers Beware: Warning to Camera/Gimbal Purchasers!

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This is a friendly warning to those buying and selling Camera/Gimbals to/from second parties. Pack these cameras tightly with plenty of bubble wrap. If it can shake, it WILL break.
I recently bought a camera from an add on this site which states 'works like new', requested extra care in packing, the seller didn't listen, or worse. The camera arrived in two pieces with the ribbon cable
broken. Seller refused to make things right. I ended up spending over two hundred dollars getting it repaired. Required more that just the cable to get it working. So I'm not sure it actually did work before
shipping.

Finally, this seller still has the same camera posted on this forum. I'll not mention his name, but it is listed for 400 dollars. Not sure what's up with that, its been six weeks
since he took my money.

Buyer beware, not everyone on this forum is honest, unfortunately. I've reported to the website, yet the add still runs. PM me if you need further details before you make the same mistake.
Regards,
Alan
 
Posted in the classifieds area there are rules posted, in those rules you will see this warning. Phantom Pilots has not vetted any of the sellers here. PhantomPilots.com takes no responsibility on what is bought/sold on this forum. Caveat emptor.

Also, if you are shipping a delicate item be sure to insure the package. If your buying insist on insurance. Sometime the best packing job can be ruined in transit, buy insurance from the shipper. Be sure and read the policy too, I do not recommend UPS as their policy refunds the shipper, not you the buyer.

Size up the seller. Are they new with no post or very few? Thats a red flag. My suggestion is to only buy from established members.

Your case of it arriving in pieces makes me wonder if it was packed that way. It would be obvious by the condition of the package if it was damaged in transit. If you receive a damaged package and you are receiving it directly from the driver, open it in front of them so they can document the damage.

You may report the post by clicking the red exclamation point (!) or just PM me the details.
 
I did pay with paypal, I'm not aware of the option you mention. All I found was a process by which you file a grievance and they inform the seller. The entire process is just between buyer and seller. This seller never responded to that.
It's probably too late at this point, I've already paid to have it repaired. Way beyond a broken ribbon cable. I don't feel quite right holding paypal responsible, since they are the ones who made the 'mistake', but that's just me.
 
I chose not to escalate the claim, simply because I didn't see a clear way to prove who was right or wrong. It was my word against his. After reading more about the PayPal escalation process, I think I should have followed through. Since I sent the camera off for repair, I wasn't sure how to 'prove' it was damaged before arrival. It was a lesson learned for sure, in the future, I'll demand insurance, instead of request it, as well as demand that the seller agrees to accept a return if it arrives damaged. I made the assumption that people are generally good and want to do the right thing, and wouldn't want to soil their reputation over a 400 dollar camera. Too bad I was wrong.
 
EMCISME said:
I chose not to escalate the claim, simply because I didn't see a clear way to prove who was right or wrong. It was my word against his. After reading more about the PayPal escalation process, I think I should have followed through. Since I sent the camera off for repair, I wasn't sure how to 'prove' it was damaged before arrival. It was a lesson learned for sure, in the future, I'll demand insurance, instead of request it, as well as demand that the seller agrees to accept a return if it arrives damaged. I made the assumption that people are generally good and want to do the right thing, and wouldn't want to soil their reputation over a 400 dollar camera. Too bad I was wrong.


Escalate the claim!!!!!

what does it matter who is right vs who is wrong the truth is the truth if you opened that box and it really was broken you were wronged. doesn't matter if it was sent uninsured not your fault. get your money back especially if you had to spend another 200 ontop of the 400 you already spent :shock: that repair receipt is proof enough to get your money back!

unless of course the story isn't exactly correct... :?:

either way I love paypal I even call them, always have gotten my money back, if seller doesn't respond to a claim you automatically get your money back within claim period..

your story seems a bit off .. but non the less great rule of thumb by luvmytj look at post counts the higher the better, look also at previous post history, and trust your instinct. :idea:

good luck
 
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You should not of dropped the claim unless the seller got the item back and refunded you without paypal getting involved. There is not much you would of had to prove to PP other then that you did send the item back to the seller. and that the tracking showed they did receive it back. and 99% of the time paypal decided in the buyers favor unless the buyer dont want to send the item back and is trying to get a refund while also trying to keep the item which would not make any sence if the item is damaged in the first place.
 
The lesson to be learned. ...don't buy stuff from people you do not know and trust. I won't even buy off ebay unless they are established and have a good rating. People seem to make their crap better than it is most of the time in their description. I don't buy anything without solid recourse. Being a member of a forum don't mean squat. I have seen it happen to many times and heard the sad stories.
 
J.James said:
You should not of dropped the claim unless the seller got the item back and refunded you without paypal getting involved. There is not much you would of had to prove to PP other then that you did send the item back to the seller. and that the tracking showed they did receive it back. and 99% of the time paypal decided in the buyers favor unless the buyer dont want to send the item back and is trying to get a refund while also trying to keep the item which would not make any sence if the item is damaged in the first place.
PayPal seems to favor the buyer. I got involved I a claim against me as a seller. I sold an electronic circuit board which is a product I manufacture. I build and test every one personally. I suddenly get an email from PayPal that my account was negative! I looked at my account to discover this buyer made a claim that the board didn't work and wanted his money back. He never contacted me at all. I then contacted him trying to find what the problem was. He never responded I fought the claim by explaining my side to PayPal. A day or so later the board showed up in the mail. I tested it and it was fried. A common failure if installed carelessly. The first line in our instructions is we recommend this product be installed by a technician. I repaired to board and estimated my cost to repair was $70. I suggested PP refund all less the repair. They sided with the buyer who never once contacted me or explained what happened. So some idiot buys something he obviously knows nothing about and tries to install it without knowing how and is unable to follow instructions and it ends up being my fault?

Just remember, there's usually two sides to every story.

Geo
 
Very true, PayPal & Ebay always favor the buyer and typically screw the seller if there is an issue. Some sellers are just as bad though. I recently purchased an item that came DOA and the seller told me it was not their problem, fortunately I was refunded by PayPal and rightfully so after going through the process.
 
Ya i know pa Yet its very hard for a seller to get away with ripping some one off. and is the one thats taking the most risk esp if selling to some one they dont know or who has no real history.

I used to sell stuff on ebay till it was clear that its just to easy for any random person to just buy some thing and then even claim they never received the item even I sent it signature required and the person even signs for it. and paypal would give take the money with out the person ever responding or getting back to me or even saying any thing.

Luckily tho (knock on wood) I also make and sell a few products that happen to be tools and equipment used by glass blowers and jewelers and being they are things that are only used by serious professionals I have been very lucky not to get very many rip off artists buying any of the stuff i make and are people that are just looking for high quality tools that help them make there living and also all run there own businesses so they tend to be more honest then the general population.
 
File a item with PayPal

The CUSTOMER is ALWAYS RIGHT
If the seller claims it is like new(which means he only opened the box and nothing else) it SHOULDN'T arrive damaged you are not at fault
That means he sold you something that wasn't as decribed
I know as I do pc work and if the customer isn't happy I always work with them to make them happy and I have yet to have a unhappy customer

File a claim ASAP
 
All of your posts have been immensely educational. I wish I had done this immediately and I think I would have ended up in better shape. As it was, I was very anxious to get my bird up and flying again. Once it became clear that he not willing to make it right without getting third parties involved, I weighed the cost and time and decided I should be able to get it fix for under a hundred dollars IFF the ribbon cable simply broke in transit due to the camera head jarring loose. So I sent the camera to Hani (Hunch) to have it repaired. It was only then that I learned that it wasn't just the ribbon cable that was broke, and thus a bit more than two hundred dollars for the fix. At that point, it was too late to escalate, and likely it would
have been complicated by my having it repaired, ie I couldn't simply send it back. I did ask him to refund me 200 dollars to cover repairs, but he never responded.

It was a 220 dollar lesson in doing business on the internet. I've learned, and hopefully, others will learn from these postings.

Thanks to all!
 
EMCISME said:
All of your posts have been immensely educational. I wish I had done this immediately and I think I would have ended up in better shape. As it was, I was very anxious to get my bird up and flying again. Once it became clear that he not willing to make it right without getting third parties involved, I weighed the cost and time and decided I should be able to get it fix for under a hundred dollars IFF the ribbon cable simply broke in transit due to the camera head jarring loose. So I sent the camera to Hani (Hunch) to have it repaired. It was only then that I learned that it wasn't just the ribbon cable that was broke, and thus a bit more than two hundred dollars for the fix. At that point, it was too late to escalate, and likely it would
have been complicated by my having it repaired, ie I couldn't simply send it back. I did ask him to refund me 200 dollars to cover repairs, but he never responded.

It was a 220 dollar lesson in doing business on the internet. I've learned, and hopefully, others will learn from these postings.

Thanks to all!

Live and learn bud next time if a item arrives damaged file a claim with ebay or PayPal depending on how you got the item
 
Alan,

did you try to contact me for a refund or the original seller??
when reading your comment it kind of sounds like i did you wrong for not replying back but i think you are talking about the seller of the camera.

correct me if i'm wrong.

hani
 
Hani,
You did great this had NOTHING to do with your service. You save me! This was simply regarding a gimbal which was sold as working as was not. Sorry for the confusion and thanks for your service!
 
To reiterate further, if anyone needs their camera/Gimbal repaired. Hani UAV did a great job for me and I recommend them highly. He did in about two hours what I could not do in a week. If you crash and damage your gimbal, or simply have one damaged in shipment, give Hani UAV (Hunch) a call. He does great work and I highly recommend him.
 
I agree, Hani is the place to go. Very fast and very honest.
I sell rebuilt cameras on here. I always insure them whether asked to or not. It is a must do for any seller here or on EBay. Make sure it is packaged correctly. I even tape the gimbal guard on.
 
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