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I've just bought a fork from a seller on ebay. The ebay account is that of a Local Bike Shop and the fork was sold as "New Other".
Originally the seller wanted a daft amount for the fork and I pointed out it made sense to buy it elsewhere for similar money or slightly more but where I'd get a warranty. Their reply was that since the fork is new and they are a dealer of the brand the fork will be sold with full warranty and backup.
I ended up winning the auction for the same money I originally offered the seller which I believed to be reasonable considering similar items in online stores (half what they were asking). I think this pissed them off and they haven't replied to any of my messages since. My point of view is they over valued the fork and it's not any worry of mine if they didn't get what they hoped for it.
The fork arrived fine but with some small tears to the decals and no receipt of any kind. I was going to remove the decals anyway so can look past that but have emailed the shop several times to ask for proof of purchase in order to be able to claim any future warranty work in the future. Does that seem reasonable?
Without any proof of purchase I've no hope of a warranty. I realise it is dodgy ground expecting a warranty from an ebay purchase but it is more that the seller is a LBS and indicated in emails before the end of the auction that it would be sold with a warranty. I kind of viewed it as a bonus but factored in a bit to the bidding.
The LBS is quite small with a minimal online presence so I don't have much hope of getting in touch with them should a warranty issue arise. Even more so since they don't return my emails. I am guessing they are just pissed off to not get what they hope for for the fork. It is easy to be fobbed off on the phone too.
Anyway, long story short... Would a warranty be worthless anyway as it was an ebay sale? Should I just forget about the whole thing? Should a I push for proof of purchase from the shop as warranty and backup was promised before the auction? Just give then neutral/ negative feedback on ebay as they've had a month to reply?
I'm inclined to just let it go but on the other hand any work required on the fork could be costly and I bid on it under the impression it would be covered under a warranty of which there isn't really one without any form of proof of purchase 😕
What do you reckon?
Does Ebay not provide you with proof of purchase?
The OP needs an editor.
Just ring the shop, tell them if they don't give you a receipt, not a print off of the eBay receipt, in x days, you will open a dispute and they can have the forks back.
raise a dispute. goods not a described. Threat of getting the fork for free will make them jump.
Does Ebay not provide you with proof of purchase?
I'm not sure that TF Tuned would be especially helpful with a receipt printed off the ebay site and a Lefty dumped in front of them.
Just ring the shop, tell them if they don't give you a receipt, not a print off of the eBay receipt, in x days, you will open a dispute and they can have the forks back.
I don't want to give the forks back as it was still a reasonably good deal. They must know this too so would presumably just ask for a return and refund if push came to shove. I can't have it both ways I guess so they can just ignore the receipt issue knowing full well I want to keep the fork for the decent price... 😕
What started off as a genuine question to try and get everything I thought I was bidding for is starting to sound like a typical STW moon on a stick thread 😳
[i]I'm not sure that TF Tuned would be especially helpful with a receipt printed off the ebay site and a Lefty dumped in front of them.[/i]
why not ask them?
why not ask them?
Careful. Logic like that could have negated this whole thread.
How many people must have tried the "yeah this is honestly a new fork guv I just happened to buy it on ebay" routine to get free servicing.
I guess it couldn't hurt asking but they are local and have been very helpful in the past and I wouldn't want to be known as a scrounger trying it on for future servicing
Their policy is:
TF Tuned carry out work under warranty on Cannondale suspension received from and sold by authorised UK Cannondale dealers with proof of purchase and valid only for the original owner and within the limited warranty period. The forks must not present a lack of maintenance, have been disassembled, or have any kind of damage related to the abnormal use of the product.
you're right Jamie.
Sorry everyone, as you were.
Your warranty would go through the person who sold you the fork, then these guys
CANNONDALE UK
Cycling Sports Group
Vantage Way, The Fulcrum, Poole, Dorset, bh12 4Nu
tel: +44 (0)1202 732288
fax: +44 (0)1202 723366
sales@cyclingsportsgroup.co.uk
I think if you sent it to TF with proof of purchase they would ask you for a credit card number to pay for it.
If they are really causing you issues give the importer a call, not everyone is supposed to be selling stuff on ebay instead of their shops.
Careful. Logic like that could have negated this whole thread.
Hence why... 😳
What started off as a genuine question to try and get everything I thought I was bidding for is starting to sound like a typical STW [s]moon on a stick[/s] thread
I honestly have no idea what your even asking any more...
If you dont feel confident, why not raise a dispute- point to the damaged decals as a get-out and order from somewhere proper.
A seller could claim that you bought the goods at an online auction therefore no warranty offered etc in the future.
Personally if your worried by their communication skills now I'd just send them back and buy elsewhere.
Anyway, long story short...
I disagree.
I can't quite see why you bought these forks, since others were available from real online shops at similar money and none of the risk.
Have a missed an episode?
My original post is a bit vague in that the seller originally wanted more for the fork than the cheapest online store, which of course makes no sense compared to the established/ non-ebay stores. In the end the fork sold for 2/3 the price of the cheapest online store (or half of what they were asking) which I could live with. I considered it a good deal even if a warranty weren't included as I acknowledged it as a bit of a risk when buying. I am happy enough but just wondering if the promise of the warranty as well is worth pursuing or just forgetting about? I didn't honestly intend to make the question as daft as it sounds!
I don't want to give the forks back as it was still a reasonably good deal. They must know this too so would presumably just ask for a return and refund if push came to shove. I can't have it both ways I guess so they can just ignore the receipt issue knowing full well I want to keep the fork for the decent price...
Even if you raise a claim and it doesn't have the desired effect of jolting them into action you can just close it at any point.
You only have limited time to raise a claim (45 days i think)so don't think about it too long. Likewise you only have limited time to leave feedback and i think if you raise a claim you are blocked from leaving negative feedback so do it in the right order.
Needless to say if you tamper with the forks eg remove the damaged decals ebay will throw the case out.
Shirley if you have a warranty issue you can send it back to them. Just see how it goes. They may be fine.
Should have bought fox OP.
This looks like a lot of fuss for half a fork.
They may provide the warranty if (when?) it goes wrong. Until then, they are just guilty of not answering an email or two.
Without any proof of purchase I've no hope of a warranty.
Does the ebay/paypal transaction not count as proof of purchase?
Did you save all correspondence with the seller?
If he sent you a message telling you that the forks would come with warranty cover then surely that is sufficient evidence?
Push comes to shove these's always:
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&
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Paypal receipt will count as proof of purchase, if they don't follow up should you need warranty work, then a quick call to trading standards in their area should see things put right.
I realise I didn't go about asking the question very well in this thread...
As I mentioned before, the seller's BIN was equivalent to a new item from an authorised dealer. As part of the usual haggling I suggested to him that a fork without a warranty is essentially second hand and therefore not worth so many pennies and it made no sense to buy his fork over one the same price from Qwerty cycles for example. His reply was that it would come with full warranty and backup as he is a dealer.
... but I've just had a reply from the seller since the end of the auction:
"The warranty you mention in the mail was not queried as to how long that would be you assumed, incorrectly this would be full. Nor did I say I was a cannondale dealer just a dealer".
Ambiguous at best! Just glad I didn't pay more for it. The fork was still a good deal as a second hand fork but the seller was nevertheless misleading (and his message the quote was from was generally very rude!)
So no point in chasing up a warranty as he isn't in any position to give one.
Same price as from a proper shop, and it's got no warranty and peeling decals?
Return it.
"The warranty you mention in the mail was not queried as to how long that would be you assumed, incorrectly this would be full. Nor did I say I was a cannondale dealer just a dealer".
If for nothing else, then this attitude deserves the shop being named and shamed here!
Same price as from a proper shop, and it's got no warranty and peeling decals?Return it.
It was a decent price for even a second hand fork in the end Jamie so I'll not get a better deal if I return it. The original asking price of the seller that was the same as the established shops but that wasn't what I paid by the time the auction ran its course.
Of course the warranty on top would have been a sweeter deal and it's just annoying the seller (who happens to run a small bike shop based in Sale) was somewhat misleading when trying to get his full asking price for the fork.
Just leave appropriate negative feed back and move on. I assume he won't have 100% rating anyway with an attitude like that but at least it will help warn other potential customers.
Is this an oem fork, removed from a bike? Or a boxed one for retail sale?
Presumably a Lefty.
If it's been removed from a bike, and they aren't a dealer, then I suspect there won't be any manufacturer warranty anyway, but whether or not they are a dealer is irrelevant to the. Issue of the shop providing a warranty. He is still in a position to warranty it if wanted, it's the same situation as any company (merlin et al) grey market parts. If there's an issue, they will stand the cost of repairs themselves.
I got some DT forks from a legit bike shop selling on ebay a few years back. Had an issue with them near the end of the warranty which was fixed by TF Tuned using the ebay receipt as that's all I had. 🙂
not everyone is supposed to be selling stuff on ebay instead of their shops
manufacturers can't tell people where to sell their items or for how much after they agree to supply them.
to the OP I would return the forks under distance selling laws buy a different set
Apparently price fixing is not allowed in uk , just no one has told the bike trade.
You don't see shops selling specialized bikes on eBay ( officially ) in the uk
If your at all worried just open a dispute and get a refund
Really not sure why Jamie is giving the OP such a hard time. 😕
Personally I think the seller is out of order but I'd wait and see if any warranty work actually needs doing before getting too worked up about it.
There are no bikeshops in Sale? Used to be a Raleigh/low end one till recently