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Post by rst on May 31, 2016 3:26:42 GMT
I belong to a neighborhood website (NextDoor) which is much like Facebook, but it's strictly people in your neighborhood, and your profile shows where you live on a map. It's been fun, and I've used the site both to offload things I'm de-cluttering and to pick up free or cheap household items for my sons who are moving into their own apartments.
Recently a woman posted asking if anyone had a Belgian waffle iron to sell. She is new to this country and said that she had just had a waffle and loved it, so wants to be able to make them for her family. It just so happened that we have one that was only used 2 times before my DH was given a nicer one, so as our second-best waffle maker was no longer sparking joy for us, I was glad to sell it to her. It was $60 new, and I sold it for $15 -- clean and working well. We no longer had the manual, but directed her to the website where it was easily downloaded.
Two weeks later, she messages me: "FYI the timer on the waffle maker doesn't work. . . soooooo. . . ."
We honestly never knew it had a timer. We certainly never used that feature. When I looked at the online manual, it mentions if the timer stops working, remove the battery, clean the contacts, and replace with new battery. I sent her that info. She sent me a frowny face response. I sent a message saying "It sounds like you're not happy with the waffle iron? Have you been able to make waffles successfully? What are you wanting to do?" No response. But she gave me a bad seller score and a "thumbs down" on the exchange. Not really an issue, since I mostly just give stuff away, but sort of rude, in my opinion.
So, to my mind, I'm being generous in responding to her complaint. I'm open to refunding her money and taking it back (though I would prefer not to), and I'm also open to showing my neighbor how to make waffles if she's struggling with technique. DH says that it's the same rules as garage sales -- buyer beware, no backsies. It's not our problem if she's not happy with it. I see his point too. What do you think?
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Post by myshelly on May 31, 2016 3:36:41 GMT
That's the risk you take when you buy something second hand. It may or may not work. If you want the privilege of being able to return something, but it in a store.
I would not refund her money or have any further contact with her.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 19:29:34 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2016 3:37:56 GMT
I've never noticed NextDoor having a rating space. But I agree with your dh it is like a garage sale and I probably would stop offering things for sale through NextDoor and just donate it or have a yard sale. My guess is she doesn't understand the concept of a yard sale or buying a used appliance. I'd let it go.
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Post by grove420 on May 31, 2016 3:42:52 GMT
I'm sitting on the bench with your husband. If you used it only twice and it worked ok then, she probably decided she didn't want it and is using the timer as an excuse. You gave her a great deal; I would love to get an almost new waffle maker for $15!
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Post by myshelly on May 31, 2016 3:44:37 GMT
I once had a garage sale and a lady bought some clothes.
Apparently she went home and tried them on and they didn't fit. She came back and wanted to return them.
I told her "this isn't Macy's". And no, I did not give her the $$ back. Idiot.
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Post by originalvanillabean on May 31, 2016 3:45:57 GMT
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Post by pjaye on May 31, 2016 4:02:04 GMT
It's not our problem if she's not happy with it. I see his point too. What do you think? This. She knew it was second hand, she can't expect it to work like new - if she wanted a brand new one, then she had the option to buy one. If it stopped working totally just after she bought it, I'd probably refund, but it's working and she just needs to change the battery... not your problem any more. |
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Post by chaosisapony on May 31, 2016 4:07:09 GMT
Not your problem. I'm not familiar with the site, is there a way for you to respond to her review?
Hopefully she just doesn't understand the concept of buying a used item from a private party and isn't intentionally being rude.
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Post by Drew on May 31, 2016 4:09:38 GMT
Ok, you asked for perspectives, here's mine. You saw that a person wanted a waffle maker. You had one that was not in use. Why not just give it to her? What was 15 dollars gonna do for you?
I've never understood the haggling and drama that goes on within these sites.
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tracylynn
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,905 
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Post by tracylynn on May 31, 2016 4:14:37 GMT
Ok, you asked for perspectives, here's mine. You saw that a person wanted a waffle maker. You had one that was not in use. Why not just give it to her? What was 15 dollars gonna do for you? I've never understood the haggling and drama that goes on within these sites. Maybe it was going to put gas in her car, or get her some things for her sons moving out? If someone was looking to buy one and I had one that I wasn't using I'd throw a dollar value out there too. It sounds like a good deal. Twice used for $15 on a $60 item? The buyer could have gone and spent the original $60 instead. |
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on May 31, 2016 4:29:07 GMT
Do you want to have a positive relationship with your neighbor? Offer to stop by and see if you can help her with it or give her money back?
If you don't care.
Consider the subject closed.
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NoWomanNoCry
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,856
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Post by NoWomanNoCry on May 31, 2016 6:46:46 GMT
I'm with your DH on this. It also seems like she wasn't really wanting to communicate with you about what she wanted done in this situation seeing as she ignored your last message.
I'd move on.
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Post by gar on May 31, 2016 7:22:18 GMT
She seems to think it's Ebay unfortunately  It's a little awkward being a neighbourhood thing but you've already messaged her a couple of times being helpful so I think that's sufficient on your part. |
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on May 31, 2016 11:03:30 GMT
That's the risk you take when you buy something second hand. It may or may not work. If you want the privilege of being able to return something, but it in a store. I would not refund her money or have any further contact with her. This. Paying $60 in a retail store buys you the privilege of being able to return it if you are not satisfied. Paying $15 to get an item second hand buys you the privilege of not having to buy the item for $60. |
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anniebygaslight
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Jun 28, 2014 14:08:19 GMT
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Post by anniebygaslight on May 31, 2016 13:44:40 GMT
That's the risk you take when you buy something second hand. It may or may not work. If you want the privilege of being able to return something, but it in a store. I would not refund her money or have any further contact with her.  |
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Post by rst on May 31, 2016 15:21:25 GMT
The $15 is not a big deal. I did contemplate giving it to her for free, and that might have been the better choice. On the other hand, I could have sold it at a garage sale or given it to a friend or family member, or donated it to a charity that would have given me a tax write off. So when someone solicits an object and offers to pay, it seems reasonable to put a price on it -- and a low one at that. I'm not looking for a new best friend or anything, but I like to be cordial with my neighbors. I would have been happy to invite her over to show her a couple of good recipes, our technique for filling to get the perfect shape but not overfilled, etc. To my mind, the neighborhood venue allows an element of safety and personal interaction as well as more of an on-going relationship that isn't there with a garage sale, so I'm willing to be more gracious than "garage sale rules". The rate the interaction feature is a pilot thing being trialed in our group. I'm not thrilled with it, but some people like it. I'm letting it go -- it's possible that she doesn't get the whole concept of the neighborhood site or the unwritten rules of suburban-second-hand sales. I think what irks me is that I thought I was being nice (I did clean the thing to be absolutely immaculate) and I didn't get appreciative, neutral or even no response. I got frowny faces for me efforts  |
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Post by scrapmaven on May 31, 2016 17:13:36 GMT
You're doing the right thing by letting it go. She probably doesn't understand the concept of buying used stuff and that's her problem. You could offer to give her a refund, but honestly, she will likely be a problem neighbor no matter what you do. Avoid her from now on.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 19:29:34 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2016 18:42:25 GMT
I've avoided our 'hood's page honestly. I am on our HOA board and it always amazes me the things that residents will complain about, but are unwilling to step up and do. The worst offenders are prior members of the Board who didn't accomplish what they wanted while they were on the Board (video cameras at each entrance for example) and continuously bring it up even though it was researched with local law enforcement and cost was prohibitive even then. (Each house pays a whole $245 a year!)
NextDoor just seems for us to be a place they can complain and do nothing! So I've totally stayed off of it!
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Post by rst on May 31, 2016 19:08:46 GMT
Our ND page is generally pretty heavily moderated, but it's a positive place and I've enjoyed it for the most part. We have a big re-zoning issue with potential for some high density housing replacing much-loved local business zone, so the energy and outrage tends to be focused on developers and not on being mean to one another ; )
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RosieKat
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Post by RosieKat on Jun 1, 2016 14:03:03 GMT
I don't disagree with how you're handling it. However, you say she is new to this country - any possibility she comes from a place where haggling is the norm, even after the sale? Some cultures definitely do this more than ours!
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scrappert
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Jul 11, 2014 21:20:09 GMT
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Post by scrappert on Jun 1, 2016 14:10:14 GMT
I agree with your DH, I would not give money back. As far as you were aware, it works good before you sold it. If she wants all "used" items to be perfect, she needs to buy them at full price and not expect perfection for a re-sale item.
It sucks that it is someone in the neighborhood, but I would not sell (or give) to that person again.
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It's a little awkward being a neighbourhood thing but you've already messaged her a couple of times being helpful so I think that's sufficient on your part.
