Need Help!!!

[isabelladangelo]

If you are reading this, please respond! I need as many opinions as possible.

Basically, this is what's going on. The gorgeous cot I bought needs a LOT of work. I bought it for $127 plus another $23 for shipping. The wood part of the cot is perfectly fine. It's fine as a bench or table. The cot part needs to have new materials, new webbing, and new nails with bolts to hold it to the woodwork. It hasn't been used in 20+ years I found out after asking the seller why one of the nails popped out with only some weight on it.

Although in the description she says that it can be used as an occasional bed; it obviously can't in the condition it's in. The amount of materials alone to fix it is about $40. Which, I told her. Let's not even mention time!

She says she will only refund $25 because "$40 is a bit much". Yet, to me at least, she lied about the condiction of the cot. There is no way I would have bid as much as I did knowing what I know now.
The auction is up at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7377689046&sspagename=ADME%3AL%3ARTQ%3AUS%3A1&rd=1

The first time I asked for a partial refund, she responded thusly:
saw part of your question about the cabinetta, but lost the message somewhere in computer space.perhaps my son in law responded for me. please resend message or advise if problem. thanks,jayne

I resent her an email requesting a partial refund. This is her reply:
HI,SON IN LAW IN MARINES PROBABLY WHY HE HASNT RESPONDED FOR ME. THIS IS FIRST TIME PROBLEM WITH ITEMS SOLD HAS OCCURRED. SOOOO SORRY. I BOUGHT ITEM ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO,USED IT ONLY AS A SIDE TABLE AND PROBABLY OPENED IT A TOTAL OF 3 TIMES PRIOR TO SALE PHOTOS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEND IT BACK? OR WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER A FAIR AMOUNT TO CREDIT BACK. PLEASE ADVISE, DONT WANT YOU TO BE UNHAPPY WITH THE SALE. JAYNE

I do NOT want to send it back because the woodwork and the idea of a collapsable cot is just too cool...even if it does need work. I said $40 would be fair due to the need for supplies (webbing and burlap and nails ain't cheap!). Her reply:
HI SIS, I THINK $40 IS A LITTLE TOO MUCH. ICOULD HAVE SOLD IT AT A GARAGE SALE FOR $100. HOW ABOUT A COMPROMISE OF $25? MY DAUGHTER MET HIM IN JAPAN,NOW STATIONED IN CAMP LEJEUNE,NC,BUT HE WILL BE GOING TO IRAN IN MAY. HES BEEN IN FOR A WHILE AND SEEMS TO BE HAPPY IN THE MARINES. I HAVE OTHER ANTIQUES AND WILL BE PUTTING THEM ON EBAY SOON. WATCH FOR THEM. ARE YOU SURE YOU DONT WANT TO SEND IT BACK?JAYNE

There is no WAY she could have gotten $100 at a garage sale for this. The second anyone sat down on it, the fabric would have snapped! I hate to sound so mean but really!

So what do y'all think I should do? how should I reply this time? Any ideas?

Comments

[elanurel.livejournal.com]

It's worth a shot to see what recourse you have through Ebay. (I think things are sold "as is" and buyers accept the risk for their purchases but I couldn't say that with any amount of certainty.) She seemed more keen on spouting excuses, though, than any solutions. Why did you need a rundown of her family as a means of explaining why there were problems?