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Advice: Sold a working board and its reported not to work

Forum Games General : Games General Discussions - Advice: Sold a working board and its reported not to work

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Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Hello all. I sold someone a working Galaga PCB. I know it was working when
it left, I took it out of my dedicated Galaga cocktail. I left it running
for 24 hrs before I sent it out. The buyer has notified me that the board
does not work. What's the fairest way to handle this? I don't want to
leave the buyer high and dry. Too many times I've bought "tested, working"
boards that didn't work. In many (most) cases, I believe the seller
deliberately ripped me off. I don't want him to feel that way. On the
other hand, I don't want to eat the $175 myself for a board that I know was
working. Any advice on how to handle this?

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Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

I wouldn't eat the $175 without getting the board back first. Then you can
make a more educated decision on whether it's something that could have been
caused during shipping, or an 'End User' error (more likely in my opinion).
Even this step is going to be a 'generous' offer is the board was sold
'as-is'. If it was sold with a 30 day warranty or something, which I think
you've offered me before, then I think it's kind of the cost of doing
business (that is the cost to repair the board). There are any number of
things he could have done wrong to cause the board not to work on his end.
Was the buyer installing this in a known good cabinet, etc...? Do you know
what his knowledge level is? Some of those type of questions would also
help determine how much burden you should accept.

"Chuk" <chuk@ourcade.com> wrote in message
news:0ECde.2$Vs1.0@fe16.usenetserver.com...
> Hello all. I sold someone a working Galaga PCB. I know it was working
> when it left, I took it out of my dedicated Galaga cocktail. I left it
> running for 24 hrs before I sent it out. The buyer has notified me that
> the board does not work. What's the fairest way to handle this? I don't
> want to leave the buyer high and dry. Too many times I've bought "tested,
> working" boards that didn't work. In many (most) cases, I believe the
> seller deliberately ripped me off. I don't want him to feel that way. On
> the other hand, I don't want to eat the $175 myself for a board that I
> know was working. Any advice on how to handle this?
>
>

Reply to larryc

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

I should have added that you should make it clear to the buyer that once you
get the board back, if you can fairly say it was caused by him (blown caps,
fried ROM's etc..) then his refund is limited to the purchase price minus
the repair costs (again a VERY generous offer).

"Chuk" <chuk@ourcade.com> wrote in message
news:0ECde.2$Vs1.0@fe16.usenetserver.com...
> Hello all. I sold someone a working Galaga PCB. I know it was working
> when it left, I took it out of my dedicated Galaga cocktail. I left it
> running for 24 hrs before I sent it out. The buyer has notified me that
> the board does not work. What's the fairest way to handle this? I don't
> want to leave the buyer high and dry. Too many times I've bought "tested,
> working" boards that didn't work. In many (most) cases, I believe the
> seller deliberately ripped me off. I don't want him to feel that way. On
> the other hand, I don't want to eat the $175 myself for a board that I
> know was working. Any advice on how to handle this?
>
>

Reply to larryc

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

thats when its tuff. esp with boardsets like space invaders, galaga,
gorf.
the og power supplies are so touchy in those cabs.
maybe the buyers wire harness or power supply is funky?
socketed chips are very "touchy" too.
even the slightest uplift or shift in the ic as its within its socket,
can throw off the whole program.

i would have the buyer send you the boards so you can inspect them to
see if they work in your cabinet and make sure they pay return shipping
as well. you test them and make your own honest judgement call if they
dont work now. if you know that they honestly left your hands working
100%, then you should not be reliable unless you offered a warranty.
once again you dont know what happened on the buyers end and sometimes
people can be shady unfortunately. (i.e. they know they made a mistake
and installed it wrong or with a "unknown" power supply or set up rig
but they want to make you pay for it).
be carefull...

or, both of you could be honest and something really did happen within
minutes of the game running or in shipping or????

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

I didn't offer a warranty with it. He said he is a hobbyist and
doesn't know much about these things, which was a tad disconcerning. I
understand that he is building a cocktail cab and he said that he put a
known good board in it and it worked, and that mine didn't.

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

"Chuk" <overchuk@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1115095579.349234.262220@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> I didn't offer a warranty with it. He said he is a hobbyist and
> doesn't know much about these things, which was a tad disconcerning. I
> understand that he is building a cocktail cab and he said that he put a
> known good board in it and it worked, and that mine didn't.
>

I hope you marked your board so that you get yours back...

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

if your giving the guy the benefit of the doubt. take the board back and see
what is wrong with it. have him pay shipping your way and you pay it back
his way.
fix the problem for him. but let him know that you are doing him a big
favor. and that not all sellers he will deal with will do this for him.
also let him know that this is a one time fix only. and he's on his know
after, if more problems a rise.

I have had this happen to me also, as a buyer. bought a board as working
100% from a reputable seller. only to get the board semi-working.
I just ate it personally and didn't ask for a refund. I figured the guy knew
of the problem, so way ask. it definitely was no fault of mine. I have a
black widow and space duel boards that work fine it the same cab. but his
board would not.
so it was definitely a problem with his board.

Troy,

Chuk <chuk@ourcade.com> wrote in message
news:0ECde.2$Vs1.0@fe16.usenetserver.com...
> Hello all. I sold someone a working Galaga PCB. I know it was working
when
> it left, I took it out of my dedicated Galaga cocktail. I left it running
> for 24 hrs before I sent it out. The buyer has notified me that the board
> does not work. What's the fairest way to handle this? I don't want to
> leave the buyer high and dry. Too many times I've bought "tested,
working"
> boards that didn't work. In many (most) cases, I believe the seller
> deliberately ripped me off. I don't want him to feel that way. On the
> other hand, I don't want to eat the $175 myself for a board that I know
was
> working. Any advice on how to handle this?
>
>
>

Reply to Troy

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

I know how you feel... as was the case with that X-men V. SF, whenever
something I sell shows up non-working, I feel really badly and try to
help as much as I can... but in the end, as-is means as-is.

Good luck,
Rob

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Sounds like Chuk is one of the good guys - to be concerned about an as is
sale is a rare thing here; to do something about it even rarer.

--
Art
"Chuk" <chuk@ourcade.com> wrote in message
news:0ECde.2$Vs1.0@fe16.usenetserver.com...
> Hello all. I sold someone a working Galaga PCB. I know it was working
> when it left, I took it out of my dedicated Galaga cocktail. I left it
> running for 24 hrs before I sent it out. The buyer has notified me that
> the board does not work. What's the fairest way to handle this? I don't
> want to leave the buyer high and dry. Too many times I've bought "tested,
> working" boards that didn't work. In many (most) cases, I believe the
> seller deliberately ripped me off. I don't want him to feel that way. On
> the other hand, I don't want to eat the $175 myself for a board that I
> know was working. Any advice on how to handle this?
>
>

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

The fact that he has access to another working Galaga board but limited
knowledge is a flag. I agree with the question about marking your
board....he might be sending you his original non-working board and
keeping yours. Can you identify your board? You might advise him to
be sure he sends the correct board because you have identifying marks
(bluff) on the board you sent and see what he says.....I applaud your
concern and commitment to the deal. Garry

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

I have thought about marking boards before selling. What is the most
easy/common way to do this?

-- Han

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Use an engraver to scribe your initials in multiple places on the
board. A sharp object will work in a pinch.

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

"Han Kouh" <hankouh@att.net> wrote in message
news:1115131457.329890.26690@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I have thought about marking boards before selling. What is the most
> easy/common way to do this?
>
> -- Han
>

You could really just scratch a number/letter/symbol anywhere, but I'm sure
someone here will have a better idea.

Dane.

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Galaga can be plugged in backwards IIRC with no ill effects. There aren't
even pads where the power inputs would be if you reverse the connector. The
only other thing to kill it would be a power supply putting out too much,
but then it seems it would kill the other board too.

Perhaps too little power, and the other board can run with it but not yours?

"Rob Carroll" <spy.hunter@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:52Dde.5809$k01.5744@trnddc03...
the thing could have been mishandled in
> shipping, the guy could have plugged it in backwards,

Reply to Anonymous

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