I had a DeWalt drill set that had two batteries and the batteries did not hold a charge. My other power tools aren’t DeWalt so instead of buying new batteries I figured I would sell it off to someone who may already have some, or let them pick new ones up. The add states exactly this: “While the tools themselves and the charger work just fine, the batteries themselves are dead so you will need to replace them. If m including the two dead ones just in case you want to do something with them. The set works great and the only reason I’m just not buying new batteries and continuing to use it is so that I can have commonality of batteries with my other tools.”

I got a huge amount of responses mostly from non English speakers. One of them came and bought it but we had trouble communicating during the transaction. He was definitely using a translation app to communicate before we met up. He spoke a tiny bit of English and I speak a little Spanish. I showed him all of the tools in the bag and demonstrated that they operated (one of the batteries holds a very faint charge very briefly). Then he said “No problem?” and I thought he was asking me if we were all set. I said “no problem” and he paid me.

I just got a message from him saying “The batteries won’t charge. You said there were no problems?”

How would you handle this? Refund him, or tell him he should have translated the add?

I would take them back and make sure next time they understand they are shit batteries, even before a meet up

His lack of english is not your problem.

Refer buyer to originally posted ad and in Russian and/or Farsi, tell them to pull their head out of their backside.

Get them back and give the guy a full refund. When you list it next time don't include the dead batteries.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P220forever,

Caveat emptor.

quote:

Originally posted by creslin:
His lack of english is not your problem.

Exactly my take. You listed what worked and what did not, it is his problem now. Maybe he will make more of an effort to learn English. It may sound harsh but my mothers side of the family is from Mexico and I would tell them the same thing myself. I do not see a need to cater to people who do not wish to assimilate.

quote:

Originally posted by creslin:
His lack of english is not your problem.

I'm in this camp. "Las baterías no funcionan. Esto fue claramente indicado en el anuncio desde el principio."

Se vende tal cual (Sold as is).

For everyone saying he should know English better and that’s not my problem, I don’t disagree. My holdup’s are that I guess I could have made it more clear in the add the batteries were dead, or just not included the batteries at all. Also, when he asked “No problem?” I could have done more to reiterate. Those are the only areas I feel responsible for in this setup.

Your ad reads more like a stuffy British author than a guy selling old tools.

Stuffy British authors are not buying old tools. The response you received was from the people who ARE buying old tools. (They look at pictures)

Give the guy his money back. Toss the batteries.

quote:

Originally posted by dwd1985:
I could have done more to reiterate.

You can always do more to explain an item's condition and there will always be that one clown who acts surprised. Some people don't read, some people try to act stupid as a bargaining tactic. You're not running a business, it's up to you how far you want to go to make it right to the guy, but whatever you could've done to reiterate the batteries were dead, he could've known that had he paid any attention to the ad in the first place.

quote:

Originally posted by ridgerat:
The response you received was from the people who ARE buying old tools. (They look at pictures)

Give the guy his money back. Toss the batteries.

I'm sorry, but that's nonsense. He doesn't owe him shit just because the guy didn't read the ad and looked at the pictures. That's on the buyer, not the seller.

He wants you to refund his money AND let him keep the tools. Will bet you he understood you perfectly the first time around.

Marketplace has devolved into a lot of scammers.

Sorry if I'm cynical but I've watched this turn from a fun local yard sale like site into just another Craigslist scammy place.

I would simply send a screenshot of the original ad with the relevant bit circled or highlighted.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
He wants you to refund his money AND let him keep the tools. Will bet you he understood you perfectly the first time around.

OP, good on you for your concern. But, I agree with PASig and would not be the least bit surprised if this guy wants you to give him a refund while he keeps the tools.

Last summer I bought a recliner off FB Marketplace from a guy who was downsizing. When I showed up with cash in hand to complete the purchase, he said he was stunned. I asked why.

He told me I was the first person who: (i) didn't try to scam him; (ii) didn't show up and pretend they'd "accidentally" brought 25% less cash than they'd agreed to pay; or, (iii) ghosted him after pleading with him to hold an item for them.

I decided to send him a screenshot of the ad with highlights in the areas that said the batteries were dead, but also told him that if he brings the tool set back to me, I will give him back his cash. I will make it more clear in the next ad. This way he isn’t going to scam me, but also my conscience can be clear.

quote:

Originally posted by dwd1985:
but also my conscience can be clear.

Everything else aside, that is the best course of action.

quote:

Originally posted by dwd1985:
I decided to send him a screenshot of the ad with highlights in the areas that said the batteries were dead, but also told him that if he brings the tool set back to me, I will give him back his cash. I will make it more clear in the next ad. This way he isn’t going to scam me, but also my conscience can be clear.

Absolutely absurd.
How are you going to make it more clear than "the batteries themselves are dead so you will need to replace them".
That's explicitly clear IMO.

quote:

How are you going to make it more clear than

Buyer couldn't read Ingles

I think it's most likely an honest mistake on his part... he's not trying to scam you. It won't hurt you to refund him and you shouldn't have a hard time selling them again. I agree on tossing the batteries or translating the ad to spanish. It's all about how bad you want to get rid of them.