Need some advice on purchase
 

First of all, I'm pretty new to working on bikes.

that said, I won this "group" on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123

I assumed it included everything in the pics except the bar cons which the seller noted. Now that the auction is over the seller is saying it does not include the brakes. Everythign else you see is included.

As you can see, I got it for 41 bucks, plus 20 shipping.

The seller is saying he made a mistake, and I can either take everything (minus the brakes and bar cons) for the price i won the auction for, or he'll refund my money and I'll get nothing.

This was going to be for my bianchi squadra frame i got last week, and this was going to be my first build. I figured this was a good deal, and if I wanted better components I could always upgrade later.

SO what would you guys do? Get my money back, or am I still getting a good deal for the wheels, derailers, casset, bottom bracket and crank at 61 bucks shipped?

btw, the derrailer is a suntour, not sure what model.

I cannot advise you about what the group minus the brakes is worth. Seems like you got a good deal though.

Nevertheless, if it was me, I would tell him to pony up everything in the picture or you will leave negative feedback. This is what feedback is for. Remember that sellers have a much greater interest in keeping their record clean than buyers do.

jim

it's funny (not really) because after i won the group and didnt see any mention of the brakes in his description, i looked at his feedback. about a year ago he got this negative:

Drove 200 miles- Seller Took a lot of parts off- wanted more moneybutler6 ( 330http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/i...Star_25x25.gif)
Mar-01-06 13:40

• Reply by parasailsam (Apr-19-06 11:10):
  
  Cant read didnt ask questions & then wants mutual retract of neg feed dont trust
  • Follow-up by butler6 (May-15-06 07:54):
    
    This Person Is a Antisocial Misfit, Does Not Know What Trust Means

sounds like he has a history of selling stuff, then taking parts of it away if he doesnt get what he wants for it.

that said I'm thinking i still might have gotten a good deal. Not sure though.

He also didn't mention the derailleurs or chain in the ad. Are you sure you are getting them? Aside from the questions of seller's integrity, it's pretty good stuff, though very mixed. Sprint was 2nd in line to Superbe. I'd say it is a good price. BTW, I'm still waiting to hear on the serial number of your Squadra.

I didnt even think about the chain, I just asked him if its included. He claims the derailleurs are included.

The Squadra should be here tomorrow and I'll be able to get a serial number.

$61 shipped is a good deal for the wheels, the rest is gravy.

However, let me make a predicition. The seller will post feedback after you so you can't leave a neutral without dealing with the fear of retaliation.

Customer satisfaction should be a priority when anyone sells anything, it just doesn't happen for some of the sellers on Ebay and elsewhere.

I just noticed that he mentions 7 speed stuff a couple of times, and then lists 8 gears on the cluster. Not that it would matter much to me, but I wonder which it is. :)

that's what I was hoping to hear. From other auctions I'd seen I thought the wheels alone should be worth that. I guess I'll just take everything regardless. I'm interested to see what he's going to say about the chain though.

As far as feedback, i'm sure you're right. 9 times out of 10 I don't get feedback until I leave it first, either as the seller or the buyer. I mentioned in a thread the other day that its the sellers responsibility to leave feedback as soon as an item is paid for. If the seller is confident of his customer service abilities and his product, he should have nothing to worry about.

Considering its pretty obvious this guy is a bit flaky, I'm sure I wont get any feedback from him until I leave it first, and if I leave anything other than positive I'll get a retaliation negative. Sucks but that's just the way it is.

One thing I've done in the past though, is leave the positive, then when they leave your positive, you can go back and leave a comment under your positive comment and try to tell the real story. It's not as good as leaving a negative or neutral, but at least it's something.

I would expect him to cut at least $10 off the price, based on his mistake. The fact that he specifically says the shifters aren't included legally infers that everything else is included.
If he won't give you some compensation for his mistake, institute a grievance. I suspect the seller is just disappointed that the bidding didn't go higher.
I had the same thing happen to me when I was buying a Wii for my son. The seller was disappointed that the bidding didn't go higher and alleged it was a mistake that she advertised that it included 3 games. I raised enough hell that she refunded me $100.
One of her arguments was that I should have known a Wii with 3 games was worth a lot more than $350. At the time, that bundle was going for over $500. Fortunately, the Ebay rules don't allow the sellers to determine what they are selling, after they have been paid.

You should get what is pictured and described. That's what you bid on. If it doesn't say the brakes aren't included but they're pictured then they're included. It's not your problem, its the sellers problem. You bid and won, you should get what you bid on. I'd file a complaint. But you got a good deal for what you're getting, however, a deal is a deal.

I heard back from the seller. Everything is included minus the bar ends (which was stated) and the brakes (Which was not stated). I told him I'd take it for the $61 since it seems like a good deal. Feedback might be a different story, although I'm sure he wont leave it until I do.

Overall I'm comfortable paying that price for those parts, so even though he wasnt exactly fair or made a mistake, I'm willing to pay it.

I was watching that auction, but decided the seller sounded like too much of a head ache. I figured there would be problems with the wheels or something like the rims turn out to be tubulars or whatever. I would say drop the deal just to avoid his head games, but it is still a good deal w/o the brakes. I'm sure it would have gone higher if the seller hadn't a been so vague...

I've learned to avoid these kinds of situations. I have learned that there are sellers who intentionally insert a disparity between what is pictured and what is listed. Sometimes even the condition pictured and what is described in writing will differ.

If this kind of situation comes from an experienced seller (feedback history), then it's a scam in waiting. From an inexperienced seller it could be another story; still, unlikely.

As I read this, the seller is clearly at fault, regardless of intent. Any fallback deals are suspicious as well. I would press for the full package. This seller (and others of the ilk) should pay for questionable behavior.

Sometimes the prospect of a "great" deal or buyer eagerness/greed clouds the mind.

I had a problem with a bike I bought awhile ago on ebay. After my bid won and PayPal was made I was contacted by the seller saying he was a bike shop selling the bike for a customer, and the customer was really disappointed in the winning bid.

I just remained firm: he offered it for sale to the public, I bid, I won and I paid, its now my bike. Any problem he has with his customer is not my problem. First he tried to get more money, then he tried to cancel the deal. After a week back and forth with possible solutions and me refusing to budge he informed me he was shipping the bike for the winning price.