A problem with a substantial purchase! What's a Knifer to do.

[gsmith7158]

Some of you may remember my interest in this item chronicled in the following thread.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=54287
Well I did buy it and was out of town when it was delivered on Nov.8th. I didn't get back home until Nov.17th. As I opened the package everything was looking great until I came to the knife that reportedly had never been unwrapped. Well there it was ,cracks on both sides of the pearl handles.. I reported this immediately to the seller and he is irate and has accused me of all manner of unscrupulous and foul behavior and has vowed not to accept the return. It was 9 days between delivery and return notice so I do feel bad about that, but it was not something that could be avoided. I offered to accept a partial refund of $300 and keep the good items but I've recieved no more contact from him since his initial tirade.
So here's what I've got. An old Case box in very good condition, One mint 8360sc and one 8360sc with cracked pearl handles which decreases its value enormously. I would truly love to keep the box and the mint knife and return the knife with the cracked scales, but that may not be an option. It looks like my decision is going to be either get my $625 back and return the knives or keep the knives and take an immediate devaluation of about $300
I don't know what to do!

[XX Case XX]

That's a tough one. Tricky. Here's my 2 cents:

1. Contact eBay and report the issue. Your saving grace is that eBay almost always sides with the buyer. Return it, get your funds back.
2. Keep what you want and sell the other knife for what you can and recoup some of your money. You won't get it all but some of it.

Either way there's going to be a loss of some sorts, so the question now becomes, for you, which is the lesser of the two evils?

___________
Mike

Late Entry: Greg, I just looked at the original description. By his own admission, he states he never unwrapped the other knife so how would he know the condition? I have no doubt you'll win this if choose to return it.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

I agree with Mike. The first thing I would do is contact ebay and tell them the situation. It's not ideal to have to resort to that, but unfortunately it becomes necessary sometimes.

[Quick Steel]

Ditto the preceding posts. Very unlikely the seller was unaware of the knife's condition.

[just bob]

Ebay guarantees you will get the item you bid on described. Even if the seller does not offer returns. I went through this too. The seller describes these as being in mint condition and they are not. Open up a claim against the seller for - item not as described. Include good pictures of the item and state you have contacted the seller and tried to resolve the issue and have not been able to do so. Also state you are willing to accept a partial adjustment. I think you have 14 days to do this. Ebay will let you and the seller try and work things out. If the seller doesn't respond or If you're unable to do so they will make a decision. In most cases they rule in favor of the buyer because they want the buyer to be happy with the item.

[#goldpan]

What everyone has already said Greg!

[jerryd6818]

All the above.

[btrwtr]

The seller talked the talk and is now falling short on the walk "IF THESE TWO ARENT MINT THERE IS NO SUCH THING". Contact eBay and return it for a refund. Your money can certainly be better spent elsewhere.

[bestgear]

I feel your pain Greg....you want to keep the pristine one and box yet return the one with the cracks and recoup some of your investment. If it were me, I'd keep the pristine one and box in my collection, turn the one with cracks into an EDC and leave negative feedback for the seller and be done with it. Life is too short to have a conflict like this hanging over your head. Chalk it up to the price of an education.

[gino]

One of the many reasons I can’t stand and don’t use Flea bay
I would return both and get my money back

[Dinadan]

Wow, Greg, that is a bummer! I agree with Mike in the first reply. Your problem does highlight a problem with some Ebay knives. I looked at the Ebay listing, and the photos were not good at all. I do not like to buy a knife (unless it is dirt cheap) without seeing good photos, and this case (pun intended) reinforces my feeling.

[just bob]

I agree about the pics. That is a strong selling point. Sellers that do not offer returns should also raise red flags. Doesn't mean there is a problem - just means look closer.

[gsmith7158]

Thanks guys for all the suggestions! I initiated the return process immediately after I found the cracks so I don't think there will be a problem with getting my money back. I really wanted the knives and box though so i hate to let them go but when I looked at this guys other listings today and noticed a 14 day return policy on his other listings I thought to myself this guy new about the cracks all along and that's why there was a no return policy on these. Just another crook trying to steal our money. Here are his accusations tome which I also reread today and I believe i Will just ship them back and have my money returned.
greg if there is something wrong with the knives then why in the world would you hold them for fourteen days and then want to return makes no sense just like the representative said. the knives are mint you must have just realized you need the money for something else and want it back. I have told them I not going to accept them back ' but they will probally refund you. but you know as well as I its not because of the knives. ther is another reason you have found something else you want or something because there is nothing wrong with the knives or ther wasn't when I sent them. you should not do people this way its not right . its obvious if ther was something wrong you would have wanted to send them back right after you looked at them

[philco]

Greg I do believe I'd get back with the seller and explain that your work situation keeps you away from home for long periods of time and that you can't check your shipments until you get back home to do so. Get that on record so that if the time lapse between his shipping the knives and your registering your dissatisfaction becomes an issue you'll have already explained the reason for the delay.

[kootenay joe]

Greg he is accusing you of doing certain things but with zero information on which to base his accusations. A person with integrity would enquire about the circumstances of the delay but would not make baseless accusations. This seller is a person lacking in integrity. The hallmark of such a person is to always blame the other and never demonstrate any personal accountability.
I would not want to own a knife that was his.
kj

[RobesonsRme.com]

I assume there was no physical damage whatsoever to the package when it arrived at your location.

If I was you, I'd keep the good knife and box and use the other as trade material or sell it outright.

You're going to end up with more money in the good items than you'd like, but where in the world will you ever find another knife and box like that?

And never buy from him again.

Charlie

[espn77]

I agree, I'd keep it. Just me.

[gsmith7158]

Greg I do believe I'd get back with the seller and explain that your work situation keeps you away from home for long periods of time and that you can't check your shipments until you get back home to do so. Get that on record so that if the time lapse between his shipping the knives and your registering your dissatisfaction becomes an issue you'll have already explained the reason for the delay.

Phil I sent him an email after I received that message explaining my schedule and offered to take a partial refund, but haven't heard from him since.

[just bob]

It sure looks like the seller knew about the damaged knife or else he would have had them both unwrapped and showcasing them to get the max bids. Funny the one still wrapped was bad and the one opened was good. Too convenient to be likely. Looks like a staged situation.

[RalphAlsip]

This seller is a person lacking in integrity.

I tend to have the same intuition about the seller's integrity as others have mentioned. There will be no doubt about it, however, if the knives get returned and relisted without disclosing the damage.

[americanedgetech]

Listing a knife for sale without EVER opening it is similar to buying an item from a street vendor at Christmas time, and giving it as a gift without verifying it is not a brick in a box.

That makes zero sense to me but your seller could be sincere so I wouldn't light the torches until you see how he handles the refund (partial)./

You all know the drill. If you go to the well once a year, what are the chances that you will be taken advantage of but when you deal with dozens/hundreds of transactions a year... The chances of disappointment go way up.
You received two out of three great items so I'd be patient, and chalk up the loss as part of doing business. It happens...

[peanut740]

Send them back and move on.There are more knives to be had.

[Railsplitter]

It sure looks like the seller knew about the damaged knife or else he would have had them both unwrapped and showcasing them to get the max bids. Funny the one still wrapped was bad and the one opened was good. Too convenient to be likely. Looks like a staged situation.

I think you hit the nail on the head, Bob.

[knifeaholic]

Wow Greg I certainly FEEL you pain, this is one of the worst types of Ebay experiences. I recently had the same thing happen buying a mint CASE XX green bone muskrat on Ebay. The seller's description did not mention cracks. I emailed and asked him just to be certain. So I paid almost 500 and then when I get the knife...rivet crack.

Seller was a real #$%hole...dug his heels in and insisted that there was no crack when he shipped the knife. On and on and back and forth.

I learned two very stunning things....

Number one is that Ebay in some cases WILL side with the seller and refuse a return/refund.

Number two is that Ebay will also REMOVE negative feedback in some instances, as they did with this seller and the (richly deserved) negative feedback that I left him.

I was surprised about both of the above.

On these two knives, I bid pretty high on them the first time they were out, but the reserve was not met. The seller has rocks in his head to not unwrap the second knife but still guarantee no cracks. But I bid on that basis myself, because what else can you do, if you want the knives?

[americanedgetech]

Greg, I just googled "Mother of Pearl crack restoration", and several companies came up.
I know it does not fix the issue but if you do keep the knife there may be options to make it esthetically "whole" again.

https://www.google.com/search?client=op ... CizoL2t5B0

My sister had some ivory repair work done several years ago, and you can not tell where the repairs were.
Perhaps MOP restoration is similar?