Question about selling problem - buyer not happy

[philv]

I have sold a couple of valves.
I bought them from a good trusted source on the forums, measured and tested for low noise.

I tested them myself in my amp before tucking them away for a month or so.

I then change direction and sell them, post them well packaged.

Buyer has contacted me saying -

"They are not working properly
I think they are too old
One of them is not working at all
Can i send them back ?"

This is a bit odd.
Opinions please?

[Firebottle]

Tell him 'they were working in my equipment, send them back and I will retry them. If they work you pay postage. If they don't I will refund you'

[willbewill]

Hope you can identify them as the ones you sent, could be the old switcheroo?

[philv]

Thanks for the replies.
I have suggest first of all they try cleaning their sockets and pins.

I imagine it pretty unlikely one valve just stops working with no sign and
at the same time the other stops working properly (whatever that means).

[CageyH]

They could have been damaged by the gentle treatment they in our fabulous postal services.

[thommy]

FWIW since 2001 I've sent almost 7000 packages through Royal Mail bog-standard services. I only had an issue on two occasions and both times ultimately it turned out to be a problem buyer.

Ask the buyer to return them so that you can test them yourself, given that you know they were working last time you checked them and to show you are acting in good faith. If they get returned to be test you know the buyer is acting in good faith even if it's just a case of not installing them correctly in their sockets. There is a slight possibility that a switcheroo has occurred but people like that tend to go for switches they can repeat over and over again, the chances of someone having a pair of identical damaged vintage tubes to switch for yours is very slim.

[Lawrence001]

Any news? Was it a buyer on the forum or eBay?

[Mr.Ian]

The statement that they are too old sounds somewhat naive to me. My best guess is that buyer has changed their mind or is trying a switch. If you have sold somewhere that reputation is important like on a hifi forum i would refund after safe return. Elsewhere i would stick to my guns tested before posting nothing wrong with them. Maybe offer a return along the lines alan suggests or with independent testing

[struth]

Tell him 'they were working in my equipment, send them back and I will retry them. If they work you pay postage. If they don't I will refund you'

this...

[philv]

I asked for more info and what he was using them in.

Too old, one not working properly, one not at all.
Non sensical.

He hasn't replied.
But has been on those forums.

I suspect either he doesn't know what he's doing or buyer's remorse.

[Haselsh1]

Slightly similar, years ago I sold a Pentax 67 camera via ebay to a guy in France. Two weeks after sending it I received a message telling me that the camera was smashed beyond recognition and he wanted his money back. I told him to return the camera to me and then, after I'd had a look at it, I would give him a full refund. A few days later I received positive feedback with no mention ever again.

I can only guess that he wanted the camera and the money.