Customer rejects custom made parts?

[Boosted LS1]

On the basis I didn't contact him for 9 days by which time the parts were manufactured and ready for posting. Customer says he'll reject them if I post them even though I'd arranged a courier. Eventually customer says he doesn't want the parts and suggests I also keep the money paid to as it's a small amount to him and my business clearly needs it. What a dhead!

So what would you do?

[papa3]

Did you take a deposit or have a formal contract with him?

[Boosted LS1]

Ebay advert that advised him to contact me for postage and delivery options. He asked about postage costs, I replied £20. He didn't ask about delivery times but could have easily contacted me if he wanted to. Instead he went straight to paypal and filed a complaint which I won. he subsequently said this in an email:



I suggest you keep both crank and money, your business evidently needs all the cash it can get.

I took payment in full.

Edited by Boosted LS1 on Wednesday 24th May 23:57

[papa3]

No brainier. Keep the money and block him on EBay/email.

World is full of cocks, if you were out of pocket it might be worth a fight but its certainly not worth getting wound up over this one.

How "Custom" are the parts? Re list them and spend the £££ on something frivolous..

[InitialDave]

If you can't get a refund, why would you not want to have the item(s)?

What an odd chap.

[Boosted LS1]

papa3 said:

No brainier. Keep the money and block him on EBay/email.

World is full of cocks, if you were out of pocket it might be worth a fight but its certainly not worth getting wound up over this one.

How "Custom" are the parts? Re list them and spend the £££ on something frivolous..

Thanks for your reply. It was a one off custom made crankshaft.

[Boosted LS1]

The guy's definately a nut job. It's easy to ask me when the part will be ready etc. He messed me about with paypal and also gave me negative feedback with ebay, thus ruining my 100% record. I'm trying to correct that.

Given his comments about the crank and money, where do I stand with such an idiot?

[Wacky Racer]

If he has paid you with Paypal he could initiate a chargeback in a few weeks time claiming you never sent the part.

If he does, good luck with that one.

Keep all correspondence just in case.

[Boosted LS1]

Wacky Racer said:

If he has paid you with Paypal he could initiate a chargeback in a few weeks time claiming you never sent the part.

If he does, good luck with that one.

Keep all correspondence just in case.

He lost that one because the parts are custom made according to paypal. I'm more curious as to whether I owe him anything given his condecending comments.

Edited by Boosted LS1 on Thursday 25th May 00:19

[mikeveal]

Customer has instructed you in writing to keep the money and not to send the parts.
What do you think happens next?

[Boosted LS1]

^ That's the bit I'm pondering about. To me, it looks like he's shot himself in the foot. I can't envisage him winning a county court claim given his statement. Thanks for the replies.

[andburg]

If anyone could feasibly use the crank, could you auction it off for a charity as an order cancelled post production?

[Boosted LS1]

He's very odd, unpleasant to.

The crank's an unmachined casting. I make them from time to time as they're used to stroke a rover to 5.5 litres. They sell slowly so it'll sell eventually.

[CubanPete]

Keep the part, keep the money. Don't over analyse.

He's probably changed his mind with his plan rather than it being a contact issue and probably does have plenty of money. It may not have been meant in a condescending way, but accepting he changed his mind.

[KarlMac]

Boosted LS1 said:

He's very odd, unpleasant to.

The crank's an unmachined casting. I make them from time to time as they're used to stroke a rover to 5.5 litres. They sell slowly so it'll sell eventually.

Put it in your front room to remind you of this absolute joker.

We all meet odd balls like this. You're best having as little to do with him as possible.

[budgie smuggler]

As above, keep both the part and cash. Next time you sell one drop them a courtesy message on ebay informing them of the timescale that way they don't have a leg to stand on if they subsequently complain.

[Wacky Racer]

He sounds a right crank..

What kind of money is involved? (Just curious)

If you would rather not say, that's fine.

[Boosted LS1]

^ £400 for the crank casting and £20 postage via courier.

[ModernAndy]

If he paid using Paypal but with the money originating from a credit card he could then initiate a chargeback where Paypal need to provide evidence to the bank that the buyer received the goods. Regardless of who is in the right, I would be wary of this coming about.

[Durzel]

Is getting a chargeback that trivial? Last time I did it was against a company who was basically trading insolvent, and even then I had to fill out a massive form and provide documentary evidence of my attempts to contact them, etc. If it hadn't been several hundred quid I quite honestly wouldn't have bothered.