I recently sold someone an item on an online garage sale website and they are claiming it doesn't work, the item was in it's original packaging and I explained exatly how I came to get it, am I under an obligation to refund the person?

It's just a cell phone SIM card sold for like $15... I don't have a car and took public transport to meet him (actually he didn't show up the first time we agreed to meet so I've spent about $8 to meet up with him) anyway I'm just fed up with this person and sent him $10 in the mail which I think is fair considering my travel costs. He says he didn't get it and wants a new letter sent with $15 exactly or he's calling the cops.

I was willing to do a partial refund but my understanding was I was under no obligation to do so and since he says my letter was not received where can we go from here?

p.s. if anyone wants to move this to another category feel free, I had no idea where to post it.

Don't let the person intimidate you!
I don't know the rules or laws but it seems like this person is trying to get more compensation than what he is deserved.

Oh I know, my only concern is I didn't send this letter registered. I feel the $10 refund was fair. I did explain that I agreed to meet where he chose and it was on the other side of the city.

But the more he continues sending emails the more I wonder if I have any obligation at all.

First of all anyone sending cash in the mail deserves to lose it.

But any such sale is considered an as-is sale. Tell him to call the cops, they won't pay any attention to a case this small.

Hi Scottgem, true... I realized later I guess I should have just paid and got a money order but I really felt at the time that I was simply doing him a favor by doing a refund of any kind. I always heard via word of mouth that all sales are final on these sites and didn't think twice about it.

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Originally Posted by ScottGem

First of all anyone sending cash in the mail deserves to lose it.

But any such sale is considered an as-is sale. Tell him to go ahead and call the cops, they won't pay any attention to a case this small.

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Hi Scott, one more question maybe you can help with, if he continues calling/emailing saying he never got my letter can I file a complaint for harrasement? Or would it be best to just ignore him and not get any police involvement?

Ok, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, are you crazy? You went to meet someone to sell them something over the internet,

And I thought sim cards were customer specific but that is a issue for the electronics forum.

In any add, you either accept refunds or you don't. I sell a lot of things, and normally sell "as is" or I require them to pay insurance on shipping,
And you always do so with a receipt, money order or a bank check.
Heck I would not even send cash to my mom in the mail

Some things I do for my online selling, I use a address at a mailbox store, no way to trace me to my home

I would just ignore him. Use an answering machine to screen calls.

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Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

you went to meet someone to sell them something over the internet?

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Hello Padre:

Nope, it was WORSE than that. She took public transportation to meet someone to GIVE them BACK their money AFTER she sold them something over the internet...

Lowtax, I'm NOT putting you down for that. It shows that your ethics are in order, and your heart is in the RIGHT place - even though your brain wasn't.

The others are right. Ignore him. You have caller ID, and you don't have to open his mail.

excon

Thanks, and I never did give my address to this guy. I just wanted it over and done with and the person was really nice so I sent back my "profit" on the deal (the price he game me less my travel costs to meet him) stating over and over that to my knowledge "all sales are final" on the online selling site though that's just word of mouth from other users and I can't find any page of rules to back this up.

Yes sending cash in the mail was a dumb move but I said I would do this and he made no objection and I scanned a copy of my letter and the envelope and emailed it to him.

I guess I'll just see if he will confirm receipt of the letter, maybe it's just delayed in the mail, and consider the matter done with and stop taking the calls.

Also excon... I'm a guy..

Thanks for all the help and ill be more careful in similar situations in the future.

No problem..

Anyway a few days later when I told him no lawyer would take a case for $15 he confirmed receipt of my letter.

Next time I just won't offer any refunds at all.