Ohio Chatter

Selling stuff second-hand

Serious Business
O-Trap Chief Shenanigans Officer
18,909 posts 140 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Mar 30, 2020 9:53 PM

I'm new to selling stuff on FB Marketplace, and I recently put an old laptop up.  This thing was old.  Bought it in 2012, which I told him.

However, when I bought it, it was top of the line.  Dedicated graphics.  8GB of RAM.  i7 Quad-Core processor.

I since added RAM and bulked up the HDDs.  Has 16GB of RAM and 2.5TB of hard drive space.

I said nothing deceptive in the listing, had the specs up on the screen when he came to pick it up, and I told him explicitly that I bought it in 2012.

He's latching onto the fact that I said it did everything I asked it to when I used it and that the WiFi driver is depricated to the degree that Intel no longer offers it (though WiFi still works).

I would block the guy and be done with it, but he knows my address.  He lives an hour away, but it was a few hundred bucks.  I'd hate for this guy to come to my house unannounced and scare my wife or daughter.

Should I be giving it back?  I was not dishonest or deceptive in any way, but the guy obviously got the wrong idea about the device.

Do I give this guy his money back?  Would you?

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 117 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Mar 30, 2020 10:25 PM

Doesn't really sound like this problem is worth $200.  But I think this is how some people try to negotiate after-the-fact - you won't sell it to me for $150, but if I bitch and complain later you might give me as much as $100 back just to go away.   I'd probably just take it back.  No negotiating - if he asks for $50 "and we'll call it even" tell him GFY.

A few years ago, I sold my car that was over 10 years old.  I debated selling myself vs. trade-in, and in the end I [theoretically] took $1000 less than market on the trade in.  There would have been other hassles involved in selling it myself, but the big one was "AS IS" doesn't do a lot of good when they have your address.

$100-$200 is nothing to sneeze at, especially if you feel you're being ripped off.  But dealing with the low-lifes who end-up threatening and harassing you over it just isn't worth it.
Spock Senior Member
5,271 posts 9 reps Joined Jul 2013
Mon, Mar 30, 2020 10:33 PM

Idiot should have known what he was buying.
iclfan2 Reppin' the 330/216/843
9,465 posts 100 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Mar 30, 2020 10:56 PM

I’d refund the money if he didn’t screw it up. I really try to not meet people at my home also when my wife sells stuff on fbook marketplace, unless it’s really large. Too many freaks 
O-Trap Chief Shenanigans Officer
18,909 posts 140 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Mar 30, 2020 11:17 PM
posted by iclfan2

I’d refund the money if he didn’t screw it up. I really try to not meet people at my home also when my wife sells stuff on fbook marketplace, unless it’s really large. Too many freaks 

Agreed.  Normally, I wouldn't.  Were it not for the whole shelter-in-place thing, I would have met him somewhere.

I can't say whether or not he did anything to it.  I was REALLY trying to be as open as possible, short of leading with the downsides.

If you're buying a laptop that was purchased in 2012, would you honestly be upset that a driver is depricated?  Moreover, would you honestly think it can still do whatever you want?

I'd really rather not have a confrontation with this schmuck, but I'm a little pissed.  Really wish I'd been able to meet at a different location.
gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 117 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Mar 30, 2020 11:49 PM
posted by O-Trap

If you're buying a laptop that was purchased in 2012, would you honestly be upset that a driver is depricated? 

I have a laptop from, 2010, that works pretty good once you do a little trick to get it to power on.  But I couldn't get Windows 10 to run for more than a few hours at a time - driver issues.  But it still runs Windows 7 quite well.

Other than I don't know how your laptop works so well.  I use mine every day, and almost every laptop I've had has keys that quit working after 2-3 years.  Some of that is probably lack of maintenance, but after 3 years it's usually worth the upgrade.
O-Trap Chief Shenanigans Officer
18,909 posts 140 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Mar 30, 2020 11:54 PM
posted by gut

I have a laptop from, 2010, that works pretty good once you do a little trick to get it to power on.  But I couldn't get Windows 10 to run for more than a few hours at a time - driver issues.  But it still runs Windows 7 quite well.

Other than I don't know how your laptop works so well.  I use mine every day, and almost every laptop I've had has keys that quit working after 2-3 years.  Some of that is probably lack of maintenance, but after 3 years it's usually worth the upgrade.

Biggest reason is that when I use it at home, it's plugged into a monitor, mouse, and keyboard.  So the actual laptop screen, keys, and TouchPad have had little use.

Honestly, the thing still runs well, and if it weren't for the fact that the GPU doesn't render 4K, I'd just take it back and use the damn thing.
O-Trap Chief Shenanigans Officer
18,909 posts 140 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Apr 2, 2020 5:44 PM

Update: I didn't take it back.  Left him a message explaining why.  The listing was clear, the specs were on screen when he bought it, I told him when it was purchased, and I can't know if it would be coming back in the same shape it left in.

He got mad.  I blocked him.  Hopefully he doesn't show up at my door, but so far, we're good.
Spock Senior Member
5,271 posts 9 reps Joined Jul 2013
Tue, Apr 21, 2020 9:54 AM

I have made over $200 on craigslist since this lockdown.  nothing else to do
QuakerOats Senior Member
11,701 posts 66 reps Joined Nov 2009
Tue, Apr 21, 2020 10:26 AM
posted by O-Trap

Update: I didn't take it back.  Left him a message explaining why.  The listing was clear, the specs were on screen when he bought it, I told him when it was purchased, and I can't know if it would be coming back in the same shape it left in.

He got mad.  I blocked him.  Hopefully he doesn't show up at my door, but so far, we're good.

 

 

Use a portion of the sale proceeds to upgrade your PPE with a model that your wife is comfortable with --- 9mm  etc….
MontyBrunswick Senior Member
1,065 posts 17 reps Joined Mar 2015
Tue, Apr 21, 2020 11:22 AM
posted by Spock

I have made over $200 on craigslist since this lockdown.  nothing else to do

nothing else to do except finger the ground and sell shit on craigslist
O-Trap Chief Shenanigans Officer
18,909 posts 140 reps Joined Nov 2009
Tue, Apr 21, 2020 11:33 AM
posted by QuakerOats

 

Use a portion of the sale proceeds to upgrade your PPE with a model that your wife is comfortable with --- 9mm  etc….

The dogs are loud and don't care for strangers, and my wife gets along well enough with Mr. Mossberg.
Spock Senior Member
5,271 posts 9 reps Joined Jul 2013
Tue, Apr 21, 2020 12:11 PM
posted by MontyBrunswick

nothing else to do except finger the ground and sell shit on craigslist

pretty much....yea
thavoice Senior Member
15,437 posts 42 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Apr 22, 2020 9:04 AM
posted by O-Trap

I'm new to selling stuff on FB Marketplace, and I recently put an old laptop up.  This thing was old.  Bought it in 2012, which I told him.

However, when I bought it, it was top of the line.  Dedicated graphics.  8GB of RAM.  i7 Quad-Core processor.

I since added RAM and bulked up the HDDs.  Has 16GB of RAM and 2.5TB of hard drive space.

I said nothing deceptive in the listing, had the specs up on the screen when he came to pick it up, and I told him explicitly that I bought it in 2012.

He's latching onto the fact that I said it did everything I asked it to when I used it and that the WiFi driver is depricated to the degree that Intel no longer offers it (though WiFi still works).

I would block the guy and be done with it, but he knows my address.  He lives an hour away, but it was a few hundred bucks.  I'd hate for this guy to come to my house unannounced and scare my wife or daughter.

Should I be giving it back?  I was not dishonest or deceptive in any way, but the guy obviously got the wrong idea about the device.

Do I give this guy his money back?  Would you?

Give sportslady his money back.
O-Trap Chief Shenanigans Officer
18,909 posts 140 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Apr 22, 2020 1:19 PM

Oh, knock it off.

The guy never came back.  I thought he might have at one point.  Couldn't remember what his car looked like, and there was a car parked in front of our house for about 15 minutes, with a guy just sitting inside.  Looked similar to him from my front door.  Ended up just being someone coming to visit the neighbors.  Freaked me out a little bit, though.  I had my old ConneXion in-hand, and the dogs were in the front room, just in case.  Also had the Mossberg nearby, though I'd hope to never have to use that.
justincredible Honorable Admin
37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Apr 22, 2020 1:33 PM

Always meet somewhere else. Cincy PD allows you to meet in their parking lots, I believe. 
justincredible Honorable Admin
37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Apr 22, 2020 1:36 PM

That said, I've rarely sold something online that didn't involve the person coming to my house. I've never sold a computer or anything that could basically stop working by the time they got home.

Furniture, bobbleheads, shit like that that you can't really request to return once you accept it.
O-Trap Chief Shenanigans Officer
18,909 posts 140 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Apr 22, 2020 1:36 PM
posted by justincredible

Always meet somewhere else. Cincy PD allows you to meet in their parking lots, I believe. 

Had it not been for the whole "shelter-in-place" thing, I would have.  Anytime my wife has sold stuff like that, that's what she's done.  Meet in a central location with people around.
Zunardo Senior Member
815 posts 15 reps Joined Nov 2010
Wed, Apr 22, 2020 1:51 PM
posted by O-Trap

I said nothing deceptive in the listing, had the specs up on the screen when he came to pick it up, and I told him explicitly that I bought it in 2012.

He's latching onto the fact that I said it did everything I asked it to when I used it and that the WiFi driver is depricated to the degree that Intel no longer offers it (though WiFi still works).

 

I'm not clear on what the problem was.  Did the laptop not work after he got it home?  No Internet connection?  Was it working when he came to your house and took it for a spin?  Did you make clear you were selling it as is, or did you give some kind of verbal guarantee about what it could still do now, and then it didn't perform?

If it was "as is", I'da told him no.  Then again, I've never bought or sold a used laptop.  I've only bought non-electronic things on Craigslist and FB yard sales.  I remember buying a nice used drum throne off Craigslist from a guy in Upper Arlington.  He invited me into his very nice house and in the basement to check it out first.  It was perfect, a good price, and I was happy.  But I was surprised he didn't suggest meeting at a neutral site.  I dunno, maybe I should said neutral, he could have been a serial killer and then I'd be a part of his new basement floor.
Spock Senior Member
5,271 posts 9 reps Joined Jul 2013
Wed, Apr 22, 2020 2:34 PM
posted by Zunardo

I'm not clear on what the problem was.  Did the laptop not work after he got it home?  No Internet connection?  Was it working when he came to your house and took it for a spin?  Did you make clear you were selling it as is, or did you give some kind of verbal guarantee about what it could still do now, and then it didn't perform?

If it was "as is", I'da told him no.  Then again, I've never bought or sold a used laptop.  I've only bought non-electronic things on Craigslist and FB yard sales.  I remember buying a nice used drum throne off Craigslist from a guy in Upper Arlington.  He invited me into his very nice house and in the basement to check it out first.  It was perfect, a good price, and I was happy.  But I was surprised he didn't suggest meeting at a neutral site.  I dunno, maybe I should said neutral, he could have been a serial killer and then I'd be a part of his new basement floor.

Older operating systems cant maintain updates with newer routers (to much compatibility and people wouldnt be forced to buy new ones)

So basically the computer cant be used to access the interwebs
O-Trap Chief Shenanigans Officer
18,909 posts 140 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Apr 22, 2020 2:35 PM
posted by Zunardo

I'm not clear on what the problem was.  Did the laptop not work after he got it home?  No Internet connection?  Was it working when he came to your house and took it for a spin?  Did you make clear you were selling it as is, or did you give some kind of verbal guarantee about what it could still do now, and then it didn't perform?

If it was "as is", I'da told him no.  Then again, I've never bought or sold a used laptop.  I've only bought non-electronic things on Craigslist and FB yard sales.  I remember buying a nice used drum throne off Craigslist from a guy in Upper Arlington.  He invited me into his very nice house and in the basement to check it out first.  It was perfect, a good price, and I was happy.  But I was surprised he didn't suggest meeting at a neutral site.  I dunno, maybe I should said neutral, he could have been a serial killer and then I'd be a part of his new basement floor.

The problem, as he tells it, is that it won't do any high-spec or HD gaming (it will still game on SD), and the Intel driver for the wifi chip is deprecated, so you can't download it from Intel anymore (though you can still find it hosted elsewhere by third parties).

The wifi still works.  The machine still works.  Hell, it works better than it did when I bought it, since I doubled the RAM.  The screen, keypad, and touchpad have gotten very little wear, as I spent most of the time with it plugged into a hub with an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse.  But it's still 8-9 years old, so it does have limits (won't do anything on 4K, for example, though that's not what his issue was).  I said it was an i7 quad-core processor with hyperthreading from 2012.

Bottom line was this:  I told him how old it was.  I had it on, connected to the Internet, on my front porch when he arrived to pick it up (I was talking to him through the glass door ... distancing).  I had the specs (processor model, RAM, drive space, graphics) all up on the screen for him to see when he got there.  He took it home and got pissed because he tried to play a game on it, and it wouldn't run that particular game (which I never played and made no claims that it could play) with the specs he wanted.  Because I told him it had always done anything I needed it to do, and because the wifi driver wouldn't install (despite the wifi still working), he wanted a refund.

I'd made no guarantees other than the fact that it still worked, connected to the Internet, and had always done anything I'd needed it to do.

 

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