Why sell on AA

[Parabellum]

There are few local sites here I have been using (lespac & kijiji) and one thing I hate the most is that we agree on a price and then the buyer comes to my house, takes my time and THEN try to negociate even more. I find this particulary rude.

[427]

I should start posting records as I have far to many because I can't stop buying them. I have great resorces here in the bay area and just can't pass on titels I already have if their nice.

Same with heavy items like amps that I will not ship.

[Maks]

I haven't had any horribly bad experiences, a few years ago I listed a really nice rack that I had owned for over a decade. Perfect condition, photos showed details of the condition and everything. I had all the metal parts separated into their own bags so that nothing would get damaged. Guy sends his nephew to pick it up, he doesn't take any care transporting it and all the shelves end up with scratches and gouges. The guy blames me for the problem and wanted his money back. Really unfortunate as it was a great rack with actual real, solid wood, not some cheap particle board Ikea junk.

[jdandy]

I had an experience with an eBay purchase of a Hickok 800 tube tester a few years ago. The photos in the eBay ad looked good and the seller said the Hickok 800 was his dad's tester from the days when he had a radio and TV repair service. The tube tester was describe to be in working condition. I was the high bidder and won the auction for $325.00 if I remember right plus $45.00 shipping. The Hickok 800 arrived about a week later. When I unpacked it I found many things wrong with it that did not appear in the photos, things like cracked tube sockets, several of the adjustment pots had flat spots in their adjustment range where the control failed to function properly. This included the potentiometer that zeroed the conductance meter. The short story is the test was not in working order. I was disappointed by my thought at the time was to find a service center and have the Hickok 800 totally refurbished so I did not argue or contest the purchase with the seller.

I searched and found cTech, a respected tube seller and electronics repair facility that refurbishes Hickok testers. They charge $75.00 to do a thorough inspection and provide a list of what needs to be repaired, with the inspection fee waived if I have the work done. It cost $50.00 to ship the Hickok tester to them, so I am now into the tester $415.00. After it arrived at cTech and was inspected I received an email with the list of parts the Hickok 800 tube tester needed plus the labor charge if I wished to have the work completed, $375.00 plus return shipping. That ended my enthusiasm for refurbishing the old Hickok tube tester. I replied that I did not want to put that much more money into the tester so cTech emailed me a bill for the $75.00 inspection charge and $50.00 return shipping. Not really wanting this dilapidated worn out tube tester back I called cTech and asked if they would waive the $75.00 inspection fee if I let them have the tester for spare parts. They agreed. So in the end I was out a total of $415.00 and had absolutely nothing to show for the expense except frustration. In retrospect I should have contested the purchase through PayPal as an item not being as described and got a full refund but the idea of trying to refurbish the old tester captured my imagination until the repairs estimate rolled in. Live and learn.