Auction Quandry....?

[icehockeyboy]

I bought a watch at an online auction, assuming that it actually worked, despite the 'sold as seen, no returns' etc printed.

To my great disappointment, despite trying a new battery, it's dead as a dodo.

My question is do I have any kind of comeback despite the warnings, possibly through the 'distance selling rule' of which I'm quite ignorant about.

Help please!

[struth]

if it was sold spares repairs or states not working etc then no unless it was in different condition to pics and description. Stating sold as seen then you may have. worth a try maybe

[walpurgis]

I reckon you've got two chances. Slim and none! ;)

[rdpx]

If the seller is registered as a business seller then you can send it back within two weeks for full refund though you still have to pay return postage.

[icehockeyboy]

If the seller is registered as a business seller then you can send it back within two weeks for full refund though you still have to pay return postage.

It was bought from a large auctioneers about 8 miles from where I live, I do t know if they are categorised as a business seller or not.

However, even given the cost of a service, of which that seems to be all that it is need of according to my local Goldsmiths shop, it would still represent phenomenal value compared to how much it was retail.

[icehockeyboy]

If the seller is registered as a business seller then you can send it back within two weeks for full refund though you still have to pay return postage.

It was bought from a large auctioneers about 8 miles from where I live, I don't know if they are categorised as a business seller or not.

However, even given the cost of a service, at £330, of which that seems to be all that it is need of according to my local Goldsmiths shop, it would still represent phenomenal value compared to how much it was retail, so I think I will go down that road.

Thanks for your replies.

[Audio Advent]

Real auction houses are "sold as seen" completely and utterly (I'm pretty sure), even being online the onus is still on you to travel to the auction house to inspect the goods to your satisfaction - the online bit is only to aid the bidding.

Auction houses are such old institutions that they have their own laws separate from consumer regulations so absolutely no distance selling regs apply.


Just for people reading this who might not realise, ebay is nothing to do with auctions or auction law despite the price discovery convention they've adopted from the auction model. Ebay is all about sales contracts drawn up with individuals (ebay have no say in reality) but ebay enforces their own non-legally binding rules to use their service else you'll get your account shut. The exception being of course if the individual entity you are forming a contract with is a commerce (then consumer regs apply..) .

IMHO..