- Report: #520096
Complaint Review: Rabindranath Darling - Seattle Internet
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PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Updated:
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Author Not Confirmed
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Rabindranath Darling
Seattle, WA Internet, United States of America
Phone:
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http://www.historiccamera.com/cgi-bin/addressbook/pm.cgi?action=display&login=streamline68
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Rabindranath Darling streamline6868 CAVEAT EMPTOR eBay seller streamline6868 should be blacklisted Seattle, Internet
Well this is another eBay disappointment. I bought a Used MacBook on eBay from user streamline6868 on September 23, 2009. The auction title stated the laptop condition as "PERFECT". The auction description was extremely detailed as follows:
Condition:
Over the last 4-5 years I have purchased and sold hundreds (if not thousands) of laptop computers (most of these transactions occurred on the internet and/or eBay in particular). During this time, I have come to understand the importance/necessity of accurately conveying the external/physical condition of each machine I am selling. This is especially true when selling a laptop on the internet and/or eBay, as in my experience the information/description and/or photographs utilized for the majority of laptops sold online/on eBay, are either grossly inadequate and/or shockingly inaccurate/deceptive, and therefore fall well short of providing the prospective buyer, an accurate portrayal of the true condition of the laptop being sold. In an effort/attempt to avoid this common pitfall, I have split/divided the laptop into 4 sections/sub-divisions. Which I believe/hope aids/assists the potential bidder, by providing this crucial information in a clearer & more accurate manner, I hope you agree:
Top of the machine/back of display/lid: Absolute perfection; showing no scratches, dents, dings, gouges, or flaws of any variety.
Bottom case/pan [includes; front, back, and both sides (ports, optical drive slot/door, lid latch/release, etc.)]: The bottom of the machine is an absolute vision of beauty; showing no scratching, dents, dings, gouges, or blemishes of any kind whatsoever.
Trackpad/palmrest/upper case [includes; keyboard, usually on/off/power button + sometimes other button(s)]: Absolutely magnificent; not a trace of any wear/rub marks, scratches, dents, dings, cracks, discoloration, fading, gouges, or any other type of damage whatsoever.
Screen/LCD/display: The LCD/screen/display is absolutely perfect; not a single dead or stuck pixel, no keyboard marks, or any other imperfections of any nature.
Overall/summary: This machine is absolute perfection in every respect.
**********************************************************
This is all well and good and I'm thinking I'll receive what is advertised. So, I close the auction and leave on vacation ( I have it shipped to the vacation location in VA ) No problem I'll be there a week and a half. WRONG!! enter first issue:
" My husband is ill and there will be a few days delay..."( this is a business not a random eBay seller from home ). 6 days later the laptop is still not shipped and and I am about to leave VA for the GA coast. I email my time concerns and in a return email am assured ,"it was shipped this afternoon and we will get you a tracking # later today." 24 hours pass, no tracking info so I email yet again and receive a tracking #, not a correct one mind you but a number. After a trip to the post office, the postmaster was able to transpose the 3rd and 4th digit to discover a correct number and was also able to discover that the package had not been shipped the previous day but only a few hours ago. ERROR #1: Never lie to me when I can verify the lie.
I finally receive the package. I have yet to open the laptop and I notice small scratches on the top. Now I'm not overly anal about scratches but the auction description did state, "Top of the machine/back of display/lid: Absolute perfection; showing no scratches, dents, dings, gouges, or flaws of any variety." at this point I am suspect. Upon opening the lid I notice a rash on the side of the monitor and keyboard marks on the screen. Not bad but certainly not "PERFECT" as promised/purchased ;-)
Now for the the piece de resistance the track pad and mouse button. Both clearly worn, over worn, there's even a divot in the middle of the track pad. Clicking the button is intermittent if it is not clicked dead center. Again, here is his auction description: "Trackpad/palmrest/upper case [includes; keyboard, usually on/off/power button + sometimes other button(s)]: Absolutely magnificent; not a trace of any wear/rub marks, scratches, dents, dings, cracks, discoloration, fading, gouges, or any other type of damage whatsoever."
I will admit my first mistake was not packing it all up and returning it (at my expense mind you). But I didn't and here's my logic. The laptop did function flawlessly with the exception of the main way of interfacing with the machine (trackpad). So, I spend $30 for a new trackpad and button, I'm irritated but not a deal breaker at this point or so I thought. As for the cosmetic issues, I can live with even though I feel duped. I feel duped because it is impossible to be so meticulous describing an item and be so inaccurate with out it being on purpose.
Once I return from vacation ( that is return to civilization ) I head down to the Apple Store Laptop in hand. I Ask them to install a new hard drive ( a 320Gig from the 160Gig it shipped with), replace the memory (1Gig to 4Gigs *this made a GREAT difference) and get me a quote to replace the trackpad and mouse button.
I return to Apple at the end of the day to recieve mixed news. the drive and memory were a relatively cheap upgrade however, the trackpad assembly and button would be $224.06 to repair. I get home ready to install the OS on my new drive (I declined Apple Because I wanted to 'do-it-myself') to find out the OS CD's streamline6868 shipped with my laptop are not for my laptop but rather a PowerPC and are useless to me and this machine. Auction stated:
"- Complete set of original system install/restore discs/software (Please note: Although a clean install of Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard has just been loaded onto this MacBooks hard drive, the original system install/restore discs [which are included in this auction] contain Mac OS 10.4 Tiger)"
I return to Apple and they gladly transfer the data for me from the old drive and ask me what "moron" ( their words not mine ) sold me this computer. I told them a seller on eBay but the seller stated in the auction," I am an Apple computer dealer (as well as being an Apple Certified Technician)." Apple wanted Mr. Darling's information to verify this but you know how far that went. The effort made me feel better though.
With this all digested, I sent an email to the seller:
Dear streamline6868,
"...I have come to understand the importance/necessity of accurately conveying the external/physical condition of each machine I am selling."
your auction also stated:
Trackpad/palmrest/upper case ... Absolutely magnificent; not a trace of any wear/rub marks, scratches, dents, dings, cracks, discoloration, fading, gouges, or any other type of damage whatsoever.
Screen/LCD/display: The LCD/screen/display is absolutely perfect; not a single dead or stuck pixel, no keyboard marks...
- Complete set of original system install/restore discs/software... the original system install/restore discs [which are included in this auction] contain Mac OS 10.4 Tiger)
1) trackpad worn BADLY button clicks only in center, Apple quotes $224.06 to replace both
2) Screen has keyboard marks on it and rash marks on the top LH corner
3) These OS 10.4 CD's are for a PowerPC NOT Intel Mac and are unusable for this Intel MacBook.
Please explain these gross discrepancies to me. I purchased a 'PERFECT' Mac
I waited 3 days and no response. So I left negative feedback ( Description inaccurate, NO RESPONSE,6 dys before ship,Apple chgd $220 to repair ) and then filed a dispute requesting 50% of the cost of the repair be refunded ( I felt this was overly fair )
Mr. Darling responded to my feedback with this," Moron did'nt rprt prblm 2 me, Pd Apple 2 repr, whn it would hve bn dne @ $0 chrg" Now I may be a moron for not returning this overtly misrepresented item in the first place but why would he "backhandedly" offer to repair something that was to have been in "PERFECT' condition in the first place and certainly not dysfunctional due to excessive wear.
After the dispute came down to a decision they ( eBay ) offered a refund AFTER I returned the laptop and AFTER the seller deemed the dispute valid. After all the compounded lies I figured I was better off dropping the issue and sucking it up. I thought my conditions were MORE than fair and why should I be further inconvenienced returning, waiting, possible being screwed further, but it didn't go down that way.
All of streamline6868 's auctions state conditions in a detailed report, my point to writing this caveat is for future buyers to be aware that even after specific descriptions of condition in the auction this is not what I received from eBay seller streamline6868
Condition:
Over the last 4-5 years I have purchased and sold hundreds (if not thousands) of laptop computers (most of these transactions occurred on the internet and/or eBay in particular). During this time, I have come to understand the importance/necessity of accurately conveying the external/physical condition of each machine I am selling. This is especially true when selling a laptop on the internet and/or eBay, as in my experience the information/description and/or photographs utilized for the majority of laptops sold online/on eBay, are either grossly inadequate and/or shockingly inaccurate/deceptive, and therefore fall well short of providing the prospective buyer, an accurate portrayal of the true condition of the laptop being sold. In an effort/attempt to avoid this common pitfall, I have split/divided the laptop into 4 sections/sub-divisions. Which I believe/hope aids/assists the potential bidder, by providing this crucial information in a clearer & more accurate manner, I hope you agree:
Top of the machine/back of display/lid: Absolute perfection; showing no scratches, dents, dings, gouges, or flaws of any variety.
Bottom case/pan [includes; front, back, and both sides (ports, optical drive slot/door, lid latch/release, etc.)]: The bottom of the machine is an absolute vision of beauty; showing no scratching, dents, dings, gouges, or blemishes of any kind whatsoever.
Trackpad/palmrest/upper case [includes; keyboard, usually on/off/power button + sometimes other button(s)]: Absolutely magnificent; not a trace of any wear/rub marks, scratches, dents, dings, cracks, discoloration, fading, gouges, or any other type of damage whatsoever.
Screen/LCD/display: The LCD/screen/display is absolutely perfect; not a single dead or stuck pixel, no keyboard marks, or any other imperfections of any nature.
Overall/summary: This machine is absolute perfection in every respect.
**********************************************************
This is all well and good and I'm thinking I'll receive what is advertised. So, I close the auction and leave on vacation ( I have it shipped to the vacation location in VA ) No problem I'll be there a week and a half. WRONG!! enter first issue:
" My husband is ill and there will be a few days delay..."( this is a business not a random eBay seller from home ). 6 days later the laptop is still not shipped and and I am about to leave VA for the GA coast. I email my time concerns and in a return email am assured ,"it was shipped this afternoon and we will get you a tracking # later today." 24 hours pass, no tracking info so I email yet again and receive a tracking #, not a correct one mind you but a number. After a trip to the post office, the postmaster was able to transpose the 3rd and 4th digit to discover a correct number and was also able to discover that the package had not been shipped the previous day but only a few hours ago. ERROR #1: Never lie to me when I can verify the lie.
I finally receive the package. I have yet to open the laptop and I notice small scratches on the top. Now I'm not overly anal about scratches but the auction description did state, "Top of the machine/back of display/lid: Absolute perfection; showing no scratches, dents, dings, gouges, or flaws of any variety." at this point I am suspect. Upon opening the lid I notice a rash on the side of the monitor and keyboard marks on the screen. Not bad but certainly not "PERFECT" as promised/purchased ;-)
Now for the the piece de resistance the track pad and mouse button. Both clearly worn, over worn, there's even a divot in the middle of the track pad. Clicking the button is intermittent if it is not clicked dead center. Again, here is his auction description: "Trackpad/palmrest/upper case [includes; keyboard, usually on/off/power button + sometimes other button(s)]: Absolutely magnificent; not a trace of any wear/rub marks, scratches, dents, dings, cracks, discoloration, fading, gouges, or any other type of damage whatsoever."
I will admit my first mistake was not packing it all up and returning it (at my expense mind you). But I didn't and here's my logic. The laptop did function flawlessly with the exception of the main way of interfacing with the machine (trackpad). So, I spend $30 for a new trackpad and button, I'm irritated but not a deal breaker at this point or so I thought. As for the cosmetic issues, I can live with even though I feel duped. I feel duped because it is impossible to be so meticulous describing an item and be so inaccurate with out it being on purpose.
Once I return from vacation ( that is return to civilization ) I head down to the Apple Store Laptop in hand. I Ask them to install a new hard drive ( a 320Gig from the 160Gig it shipped with), replace the memory (1Gig to 4Gigs *this made a GREAT difference) and get me a quote to replace the trackpad and mouse button.
I return to Apple at the end of the day to recieve mixed news. the drive and memory were a relatively cheap upgrade however, the trackpad assembly and button would be $224.06 to repair. I get home ready to install the OS on my new drive (I declined Apple Because I wanted to 'do-it-myself') to find out the OS CD's streamline6868 shipped with my laptop are not for my laptop but rather a PowerPC and are useless to me and this machine. Auction stated:
"- Complete set of original system install/restore discs/software (Please note: Although a clean install of Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard has just been loaded onto this MacBooks hard drive, the original system install/restore discs [which are included in this auction] contain Mac OS 10.4 Tiger)"
I return to Apple and they gladly transfer the data for me from the old drive and ask me what "moron" ( their words not mine ) sold me this computer. I told them a seller on eBay but the seller stated in the auction," I am an Apple computer dealer (as well as being an Apple Certified Technician)." Apple wanted Mr. Darling's information to verify this but you know how far that went. The effort made me feel better though.
With this all digested, I sent an email to the seller:
Dear streamline6868,
"...I have come to understand the importance/necessity of accurately conveying the external/physical condition of each machine I am selling."
your auction also stated:
Trackpad/palmrest/upper case ... Absolutely magnificent; not a trace of any wear/rub marks, scratches, dents, dings, cracks, discoloration, fading, gouges, or any other type of damage whatsoever.
Screen/LCD/display: The LCD/screen/display is absolutely perfect; not a single dead or stuck pixel, no keyboard marks...
- Complete set of original system install/restore discs/software... the original system install/restore discs [which are included in this auction] contain Mac OS 10.4 Tiger)
1) trackpad worn BADLY button clicks only in center, Apple quotes $224.06 to replace both
2) Screen has keyboard marks on it and rash marks on the top LH corner
3) These OS 10.4 CD's are for a PowerPC NOT Intel Mac and are unusable for this Intel MacBook.
Please explain these gross discrepancies to me. I purchased a 'PERFECT' Mac
I waited 3 days and no response. So I left negative feedback ( Description inaccurate, NO RESPONSE,6 dys before ship,Apple chgd $220 to repair ) and then filed a dispute requesting 50% of the cost of the repair be refunded ( I felt this was overly fair )
Mr. Darling responded to my feedback with this," Moron did'nt rprt prblm 2 me, Pd Apple 2 repr, whn it would hve bn dne @ $0 chrg" Now I may be a moron for not returning this overtly misrepresented item in the first place but why would he "backhandedly" offer to repair something that was to have been in "PERFECT' condition in the first place and certainly not dysfunctional due to excessive wear.
After the dispute came down to a decision they ( eBay ) offered a refund AFTER I returned the laptop and AFTER the seller deemed the dispute valid. After all the compounded lies I figured I was better off dropping the issue and sucking it up. I thought my conditions were MORE than fair and why should I be further inconvenienced returning, waiting, possible being screwed further, but it didn't go down that way.
All of streamline6868 's auctions state conditions in a detailed report, my point to writing this caveat is for future buyers to be aware that even after specific descriptions of condition in the auction this is not what I received from eBay seller streamline6868
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Streamline6868
Seattle,United States of America
Customer did not accept reasonable attempts to resolve his dissatisfaction & may actually be a ripoff artist himself
#2REBUTTAL Owner of company
Wed, February 24, 2010
Summary: Customer complains that laptop did not arrive to him in the condition which it was described in ebay listing, a claim that can not be verified due to the fact that the customer declined to return the laptop for a full refund (guaranteed by paypal). Furthermore, this customer may himself be a scam artist who claims that items he has purchased are not as described then tries to extract partial refunds from ebay sellers to compensate for his alleged inconvenience.
I will attempt to address the customers complaints in the order that he lists them in his report:
1) Complaint #1: The Customer sites the delay in shipment & a type error in tracking number that was sent to him & asserts that we are not a home business. My husband, Rabindranath Darling has a small thriving Apple computer repair & sales business in Seattle, WA which functions out of our home. He is essentially a one-man-show (besides part-time help from me with correspondences & preparation of ebay listings) with about half of his business coming from ebay sales & half from local sales (which, I might add are generated 100% by referral!). At the time that this customer won the ebay auction in question my husband had fallen extremely ill (which put him completely out of commission for almost three weeks). We have a 2 year old child & work from home with my husbands income being our sole income, and so one can imagine the stress that such an illness would cause our family. During my husbands illness, I tried my best to communicate with our ebay customers & to get items shipped (a task that I usually do not undertake) with a 2 year old child in tow. Shortly after this customer won this laptop on ebay, I emailed him to notify him that due to my husbands illness there had been a short delay (2 days) in my ability to get his item shipped to him but promised that the item would be shipped that afternoon (which it was). Unfortunately, I was unable to get back to my computer that evening to send this customer his tracking information, but did send it to him the next day. The customer then emailed informing us that the tracking number was not correct, after which I sent him the correct tracking number immediately with profuse apologies.
2) Complaint #2: The customer complains of some minor blemishes to the machine, that was described in the listing as absolutely perfect, and claims that the track pad did not function properly. The customer also claims that he contacted us and waited 6 days without response, then left negative feedback. THIS CLAIM IS A TOTAL BALD FACE LIE. When the customer complained to us, we immediately apologized profusely & offered him two choices to rectify the problem; A) That my husband would repair the machine (we offered to pay for S&H both directions) with a turn around time of 48 hours, or B) To return the laptop for a full refund of his original payment + return shipping. The customer declined both options and instead asked us to pay him $220 to have Apple repair the machine, which we were not willing to do.
After this interaction, the customer filed a PayPal dispute for the item, which was decided in his favor. However, when PayPal asked him to first return the laptop before issuing a refund (by the way paypals policy does not require the seller to pay to return shipping, as we had so generously offered originally), the customer refused, even though his refund would be guaranteed by PayPal. The customer insisted that the refund be issued prior to him returning the machine. I do not know of a business on the face of the earth who issues refunds before receiving a return.
In the end, although we initially may have made some errors regarding the condition of the laptop (claims that were never verified by us due to the fact that we never saw the laptop after it was shipped to the customer). We simply do not see how we could have handled the situation any more fairly. Finally, for all we know, the customers entire story is a ruse carefully designed to con us out of $220 or more, as the customer refused to return the laptop.
