[Nodnarb]

Ok, well for once the winning bidder was a real person and not a scammer from Nigeria! Big change for me!

But anyways, after the iPod sold (5th generation video), I plugged it into iTunes, restored (and coincidentally there was a new software update too, just released a few weeks ago). So I restored, updated the software, unplugged the iPod and then clicked "English" on the language selection menu. This took me to the home screen, so I shut off the iPod and flipped on the hold switch. Packed it up and shipped it out.

Then I got this email from the buyer saying:

I am going to try and take the Ipod to a apple store because it takes about 15min for it to turn on. It will not turn off and it will not connect to a computer.

I just got back from the apple store and they did a test on it. They said they could not fix it. The guy said that he did a test on it and said that the hard drive test did just fine, but it takes a really long time for it to start up and he could not get it to connect to a computer or shut down. So how do you want to take care of this returning situation. Will you be giving me the refund through paypal? and i can just send the ipod back to the return address?

This was a few days ago, and now the iPod is en route to me. I'm at a loss to what could have happened to the iPod, aside from damage during shipping? (and if that's the case, is there any chance of getting help from UPS???)

My question is, there isn't any difference between the Mac/PC iPods nowadays right? Like if I restored the iPod from my mac, and he plugged it into his PC, it should have just worked like a brand new iPod, right?

I'd feel a little more confident if it was just the guy who couldn't get it to work, but since he said he took it to an Apple store, I'm a little worried. Any ideas on what the hell happened?

[Wiskedjak]

Could possibly be caused by the software update. It wouldn't be the first time that an update hosed an iPod. Could also be something he did on his end as well, though. The reality is that you don't know. Did you run it much after the update (ie: can you say with certainty that it was working properly after the update?)?

Did he pay via PayPal? Ultimately, he bought it. Once it left your hands in the condition you claimed it to be in, your responsibility has ended. If he payed with PayPal, they offer a dispute resolution service which he should go through. This service generally favours the seller, but you may be asked to prove that the iPod was working when it left your hands.

[Nodnarb]

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak 

Did you run it much after the update (ie: can you say with certainty that it was working properly after the update?)?

No. I was just wiping all my music and stuff off and the update happened to be included in the package. I literally selected english as the language and saw the main menu, turned it off, then packed it up. Stupid move on my end.

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak 

Did he pay via PayPal? Ultimately, he bought it. Once it left your hands in the condition you claimed it to be in, your responsibility has ended. If he payed with PayPal, they offer a dispute resolution service which he should go through. This service generally favours the seller, but you may be asked to prove that the iPod was working when it left your hands.

Damn. Wish I had thought off that before I agreed to a return. Either way though, for my above reason I wouldn't feel right sticking this guy with a brick iPod for $150+. I'm also curious why PayPal would favor me in the issue, because I know that if I bought an iPod from somebody and paid $157 and got a brick, one way or another I would get my money back.

So you think the update was the culprit? I wonder why the Apple Genius couldn't do anything with it then, or at least realize it was the update (the update is relatively new I believe, within a month or so).

When I get the iPod back in a couple of days, how am I supposed to restore it if it refuses to connect to iTunes? A few years back they used to have the "iPod Restore Utility," but I'm think that's just been absorbed into iTunes, right? So without iTunes, am I pretty much screwed (and out $150?)?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak 

Did he pay via PayPal? Ultimately, he bought it. Once it left your hands in the condition you claimed it to be in, your responsibility has ended. If he payed with PayPal, they offer a dispute resolution service which he should go through. This service generally favours the seller, but you may be asked to prove that the iPod was working when it left your hands.

That's a bit naive, HOW do you prove that it left your hand in perfect condition ?
And if dispute resolution generally favors the seller, how can you avoid people selling bricked stuff on eBay ?

IMO, the best thing is to make a shipping insurance mandatory for your buyer. That way, if something happens between you sending it off and him receiving it, the insurance will cover it.

-t

[imitchellg5]

I have never heard of an iPod taking 15 minutes to start up. It sounds a bit phony to me.

[atomheartmother]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

That's a bit naive, HOW do you prove that it left your hand in perfect condition ?
And if dispute resolution generally favors the seller, how can you avoid people selling bricked stuff on eBay ?

IMO, the best thing is to make a shipping insurance mandatory for your buyer. That way, if something happens between you sending it off and him receiving it, the insurance will cover it.

-t

Paypal doesn't usually side with the seller; actually, the opposite is generally true. Paypal usually sides with the buyer, especially if the seller fails to jump through all of Paypal's Seller Protection Policy hoops.

Anyway, in my opinion, this person is pulling the old switcheroo on you. Did you write down your iPod's serial number? Do you have pictures of it?

What is the buyer's feedback like?

Finally, do NOT refund the money until you receive the iPod, verify that it is yours (that the serial numbers match), and that it is indeed broken.

Anyway, you might as well go through the whole refund process. If you don't, he'll/she'll just open a dispute with Paypal, which they'll invariably win. That is if they are smart.

[Big Mac]

You should NOT have flipped the hold button. It may have drained the battery.

[Nodnarb]

Originally Posted by atomheartmother 

Anyway, in my opinion, this person is pulling the old switcheroo on you. Did you write down your iPod's serial number? Do you have pictures of it?

What is the buyer's feedback like?

Finally, do NOT refund the money until you receive the iPod, verify that it is yours (that the serial numbers match), and that it is indeed broken.

Anyway, you might as well go through the whole refund process. If you don't, he'll/she'll just open a dispute with Paypal, which they'll invariably win. That is if they are smart.

I was concerned about that as well. His feedback is 100% positive, with only 12, however mine is only 9 with 100% so I can't complain about that. He seems like a pretty legit guy from the email corresepondence, but who knows, it's still possible he could be a smooth-talking scam artist (although usually I'm pretty good about feeling that out).

I didn't take down the serial number. That was another dumb move on my part. I will, however, be able to tell if it was mine, because the back is scuffed up in such a way that I'll know if it's mine or not. I don't think he'd be able to replicate the whole thing... and yes pictures, but not great quality (taken with my iPhone).

The iPod is coming tomorrow, so after I check it out and if everything seems legit I'll refund him his full money. And then try everything I can to get the iPod up and running again.

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

You should NOT have flipped the hold button. It may have drained the battery.

Hmm... I didn't think about that, but it doesn't seem too likely, as I'm sure I've had the hold switch on my iPod for more than a few days at a time in the past. And no damage done.

[atomheartmother]

Originally Posted by Nodnarb 

I was concerned about that as well. His feedback is 100% positive, with only 12, however mine is only 9 with 100% so I can't complain about that. He seems like a pretty legit guy from the email corresepondence, but who knows, it's still possible he could be a smooth-talking scam artist (although usually I'm pretty good about feeling that out).

I didn't take down the serial number. That was another dumb move on my part. I will, however, be able to tell if it was mine, because the back is scuffed up in such a way that I'll know if it's mine or not. I don't think he'd be able to replicate the whole thing... and yes pictures, but not great quality (taken with my iPhone).

The iPod is coming tomorrow, so after I check it out and if everything seems legit I'll refund him his full money. And then try everything I can to get the iPod up and running again.



Hmm... I didn't think about that, but it doesn't seem too likely, as I'm sure I've had the hold switch on my iPod for more than a few days at a time in the past. And no damage done.

The problem is that failure to have a particular scuff pattern is not sufficient evidence for Paypal that the iPod is not yours. So when the buyer inevitably files a chargeback if you don't refund, you're going to be out of luck if it does turn out to be a dead unit that he switched with yours.

[Nodnarb]

Well, it was my iPod, and I have NO idea what happened to it. I don't know what my options are from here... all of the symptoms he described are correct:

won't connect to iTunes (for a refresh/restore)
takes forever to turn on
once it is on, it freezes, and then restarts it self
it continues this pattern until the battery dies, or if it's plugged in (seemingly) forever

Any tips? He said he already took it to an Apple Store and they couldn't help. What should I do?

[DigitalEl]

He said he already took it to an Apple Store and they couldn't help. What should I do?

Take it to another Apple store. Plead ignorance and see if a different "genius" has a solution for you?

[swiz]

My 80g iPod classic did this a short while ago. I just did some searching around ipodlounge.com and found some "key combos" and may have lucked out but somehow I got it to resurrect itself and its been fine ever since.