Arrest Warrant for Chargeback

[Jomo1]

You reversed charges on the credit card after accepting the product.

...and the store owner accepted the money even though the equipment was not working 100%.

 

[Jomo1]

Based on the one side of the story we have, I'd agree, but I really don't believe we have enough information to do anything other than make a guess at this point.

I came to this website to get information about an incident that happened to me. If I am lying about anything or am not giving all the details, then I will not get the correct response from posters on this forum that I am looking for. Everything that I said and should have said is in my original post.
However, I do understand that you should be skeptical of what I said as it is only my side of the story.

 

[Jomo1]

I disagree - insofar as it depends on the credit card and the issuing company. It's entirely possible that the credit card issued a chargeback after having taken hardly a look at the matter. I don't think there is any risk to a small claims case by the seller against the buyer (well, except that the seller may lose). The credit card company is not the legal arbiter of the matter.

I agree that probably the credit card company failed to look closely into this matter. I told them that the seller refuses to repair the equipment a third time and they believed me. In theory, I could have been lying about that.

 

[Jomo1]

If you still have the item, you should return it for a refund. You should have asked for a refund after the second failed repair.

How could I ask the seller for a refund if he won't speak with me?

 

[quincy]

The unit cost me about $300 to repair so why did I get back $750 from the bank? For some ridiculous reason one can only chargeback the entire amount that was put on the card..

The chargeback was for $750 and you were able to get the equipment repaired for $300? So you owe the seller $450?

 

[LdiJ]

Two opportunities. A store technician “repaired” the stereo equipment a few days after purchase. The same problem occurred a few days after the initial repair. The equipment was returned to the store, where it stayed for two weeks - and when returned it still had problems.

At that point, the equipment should have been returned to the seller for a replacement or a refund (depending on the terms of sale).

There are legitimate legal avenues you can take when you are sold a defective product. With some luck, the seller and Jomo1 can find an avenue that avoids court.

And if the seller refuses to accept a return of the defective product and refund the OP's money? That does appear to be the case here since the owner of the company ghosted the OP. You cannot return a product unless the seller accepts the return. It also would be incredibly stupid to return a product if you were not immediately being given your money back.

 

[LdiJ]

The main reason why I asked for a chargeback is because of the distance between where I live and the location of the store.
My wife and I was going on vacation in Lancaster, PA and I noticed that a local store in Manheim (close to Lancaster) had the exact tape deck that I wanted. I purchased the unit while I was vacationing in Lancaster.
I live just south of Albany, NY and traveling just over 4 hours each way to keep bringing the equipment back was getting tiring, but I did it twice to allow the store owner to do the right thing.
The only reason I did not go back a third time was because I was not sure if the store owner was even willing to try to repair the unit a third time. Financially speaking, it was better for me to bring the unit to a local repair shop as each time I went to Manheim, PA it cost me about $100 and a whole day. Since the store owner was not even willing to call me back, I just thought, the heck with him and got back part of my money.
The unit cost me about $300 to repair so why did I get back $750 from the bank? For some ridiculous reason one can only chargeback the entire amount that was put on the card..

At this point I would sit back and wait and see what happens. While another posted suggested that you owe the seller 450.00 (I don't necessarily have a strong opinion either direction since you had to do quite a bit of traveling for the first two repair attempts.) I think that waiting to see what the store owner does from here might be wisest. Again, there is a significant distance between you and the seller and you can always offer a settlement later. If you do end up paying him the $450.00, do NOT do it by credit or debit card, or by cash. Provide him a check so that you have a paper trail.

 

[Zigner]

The main reason why I asked for a chargeback is because of the distance between where I live and the location of the store.

The distance was YOUR choice.

 

[adjusterjack]

The chargeback was for $750 and you were able to get the equipment repaired for $300? So you owe the seller $450?

Less the cost of two trips.

Provide him a check so that you have a paper trail.

Yes, but not a personal check. Send a cashier's check or money order so he doesn't have your account information.

The distance was YOUR choice.

Out of necessity.

How could I ask the seller for a refund if he won't speak with me?

You can't.

You did everything right and took appropriate action against someone who wronged you.

Unfortunately, as you can see, there are people here who enjoy picking apart posters. They can get very annoying. When you try to defend yourself they will just pile more. Best to just ignore them.

 

[Zigner]

Out of necessity.

Nope - out of convenience.

 

[quincy]

Less the cost of two trips.

Out of necessity.

You did everything right and took appropriate action against someone who wronged you.

The trips to and from the store may or may not be deductible from the cost of the product purchased. The extra cost to repair the product locally, however, should be deductible.

I disagree that Jomo1 “did everything right.” And I think ignoring advice that you might not like can be a mistake, especially when it is often that advice you most need to hear.

Jomo1 has options. One, he can pay the store owner the balance of what is owed on the equipment ($450) and include with this payment a copy of the repair bill showing the $300 spent to fix the equipment locally. Two, he can sue the store owner for $300 plus travel expenses (and he probably can expect a counter suit by the store owner, possibly for $750). Three, he can wait to be sued by the store owner (and respond with a counter suit).

Travel expenses, as a note, are rarely reimbursable.

All of those options are available BUT they may not all be viable options, depending on the conditions that governed the sale of the equipment. We know nothing about that, including whether the equipment was sold as used goods, refurbished goods, factory seconds, or new.

 

[Bali Hai Again]

The trips to and from the store may or may not be deductible from the cost of the product purchased. The extra cost to repair the product locally, however, should be deductible.

I disagree that Jomo1 “did everything right.” And I think ignoring advice that you might not like can be a mistake, especially when it is often that advice you most need to hear.

Jomo1 has options. One, he can pay the store owner the balance of what is owed on the equipment ($450) and include with this payment a copy of the repair bill showing the $300 spent to fix the equipment locally. Two, he can sue the store owner for $300 plus travel expenses (and he probably can expect a counter suit by the store owner, possibly for $750). Three, he can wait to be sued by the store owner (and respond with a counter suit).

Travel expenses, as a note, are rarely reimbursable.

All of those options are available BUT they may not all be viable options, depending on the conditions that governed the sale of the equipment. We know nothing about that, including whether the equipment was sold as used goods, refurbished goods, factory seconds, or new.

OP said the item was a $2250 “tape deck” bought in Amish country.

 

[quincy]

OP said the item was a $2250 “tape deck” bought in Amish country.

Where did he say that? If it wasn’t in this thread or on this forum, it is not relevant to the discussion here.

 

[Bali Hai Again]

Where did he say that? If it wasn’t in this thread or on this forum, it is not relevant to the discussion here.

$750 back to CC was 1/3rd total cost.
Lancaster, PA = Amish country.

 

[quincy]

$750 back to CC was 1/3rd total cost.
Lancaster, PA = Amish country.

Ah. Math. My old friend.