I recently got this S3610 Hoover powermax off of ebay for $50.00 plus shipping of course ($68.21). More then the stupid vacuum was worth. It was the most nasty disgusting thing Iv'e ever attempted to clean. It had a 1/2 inch thick layers of cat piss, funk, thick sticky, smelly gunk and hair chunks on the inside of the power head!! It needed to be chiseled off with a flat head screwdriver. It was animal urine or something. Really foul nasty ammonia smelling (overpowering really) atrocious smell. I am thoroughly and utterly grossed out. What do you do in situations like this? It was also missing the support bag collar that holds the bag in place. It was never mentioned in the description of course. Has anyone else run into this? Plus what do you leave as seller feedback. He was less then honest with this? I sent him a message asking him if it was in a home with a cat. I have certainly learned my lesson about purchasing old vacuums. I do not ever want to deal with that again!!
UGGHHHH Ebay purchase
- Thread starter cara
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vac-o-matic
Well-known member
Ebay questions...
Cara, sorry to hear about your gross purchase. Some questions I ask a seller are 1)any strange motor sounds when running or winding down after turning off? 2)are there any bad/offensive smells to the machine, whether running or not? 3)if it is a canister with a woven hose, I ask if there is as much suction at the end of the hose as opposed to the machine opening? 4)any tape on the cord or plug, if the cord is not visible in the listing.There could be more questions to ask, depending on the pics shown and description. You should go through ebay and file a complaint, depending on how the vacuum was represented in the listing. It's quite apparent it's not fit to use, and that is not a happy purchaser. Also beware of vintage NOS items as far as bad smells, a lot of items could be from a leaky basement or building with a leaky roof, and that smell is very hard to get out. Hope this helps with any future ebaying! I personally have made several ebay buys over the last twelve years or so, and haven't been burned when I have asked some of the above questions.
Cara, sorry to hear about your gross purchase. Some questions I ask a seller are 1)any strange motor sounds when running or winding down after turning off? 2)are there any bad/offensive smells to the machine, whether running or not? 3)if it is a canister with a woven hose, I ask if there is as much suction at the end of the hose as opposed to the machine opening? 4)any tape on the cord or plug, if the cord is not visible in the listing.There could be more questions to ask, depending on the pics shown and description. You should go through ebay and file a complaint, depending on how the vacuum was represented in the listing. It's quite apparent it's not fit to use, and that is not a happy purchaser. Also beware of vintage NOS items as far as bad smells, a lot of items could be from a leaky basement or building with a leaky roof, and that smell is very hard to get out. Hope this helps with any future ebaying! I personally have made several ebay buys over the last twelve years or so, and haven't been burned when I have asked some of the above questions.
vacuumlover
Well-known member
Cara
Hm, i don't really know what to say.
I mean when i get vintage vacs i expect them to be dirty etc. Although the thing about the fill tube I would probably contact the seller about if it wasn't listed in the description.
Depending if there was anything else missing or anything more dramatic i would ask for either a partial refund or full refund. Just to cover the costs of spares/repairs.
Hm, i don't really know what to say.
I mean when i get vintage vacs i expect them to be dirty etc. Although the thing about the fill tube I would probably contact the seller about if it wasn't listed in the description.
Depending if there was anything else missing or anything more dramatic i would ask for either a partial refund or full refund. Just to cover the costs of spares/repairs.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
Well, what do you expect? This is what happens when you buy vintage vacuum cleaners, they are USED, they will be filthy and have marks on, because they are years old and the general consumer doesn't care about taking care of their vacuums.
Unfortunately, this is what you have to put up with as a collector, it is not fun when you have to clean them up when they are truly disgusting, but they often come up real nice.
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Alex.
Unfortunately, this is what you have to put up with as a collector, it is not fun when you have to clean them up when they are truly disgusting, but they often come up real nice.
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Alex.
vacuumlover
Well-known member
@AlexHoover94
Well said
Well said
sebo_fan
Well-known member
No, Alex not all second hand buys are dirty/unclean.
Its a real pity that this happens - you're not the first that this has happened to, Cara - it can happen. But don't feel swayed to never buy second hand again.
Do you have a copy of the actual listing that you purchased the vacuum from?
Its all in the description. If the seller has falsely listed this vacuum as "good condition" and "clean" then these are things that can be argued. In any regard, EBAY & PP are good to buyers WHEN situations like this occur with second hand purchases.
NOT all second hand vacuums are left in such a dirty state. Some owners do clean or restore as much as they can before they list a vacuum cleaner for sale, or any appliance.
Its a real pity that this happens - you're not the first that this has happened to, Cara - it can happen. But don't feel swayed to never buy second hand again.
Do you have a copy of the actual listing that you purchased the vacuum from?
Its all in the description. If the seller has falsely listed this vacuum as "good condition" and "clean" then these are things that can be argued. In any regard, EBAY & PP are good to buyers WHEN situations like this occur with second hand purchases.
NOT all second hand vacuums are left in such a dirty state. Some owners do clean or restore as much as they can before they list a vacuum cleaner for sale, or any appliance.
human
Well-known member
I have to agree with some of the others. If you truly feel the seller misrepresented the item, contact him first and ask him to make it right. I have found that most sellers are willing to work with you as long as you are courteous and maintain reasonable expectations. But if you can't reach an accord, don't hesitate to bring eBay Buyer Protection into the discussion.
I bought a Kirby G5 on eBay about a month ago and the seller was very up front about its condition, even to the point of alerting me to a problem he hadn't noticed at the time he put up the listing. He sent me photos and I correctly diagnosed the problem. After a little bit of negotiating, he agreed to give me a partial refund, almost sufficient to cover the cost of the replacement part, for which I gave him positive feedback and noted his willingness to do the right thing after the sale had closed. Even though the machine was far from perfect, I've been able to fix the most significant issues and I'm happy with my purchase.
Thankfully, there were no foul odors. If I ever buy another vacuum online, I'll definitely ask about that.
I bought a Kirby G5 on eBay about a month ago and the seller was very up front about its condition, even to the point of alerting me to a problem he hadn't noticed at the time he put up the listing. He sent me photos and I correctly diagnosed the problem. After a little bit of negotiating, he agreed to give me a partial refund, almost sufficient to cover the cost of the replacement part, for which I gave him positive feedback and noted his willingness to do the right thing after the sale had closed. Even though the machine was far from perfect, I've been able to fix the most significant issues and I'm happy with my purchase.
Thankfully, there were no foul odors. If I ever buy another vacuum online, I'll definitely ask about that.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
Sebofan, if you take apart ANY second hand vacuum it will be dirty inside, it would need an overall service.
second hand does not really constitute for being used a few times. I have dealt with so many second hand vacuums in my time and every single one of them were dirty!
second hand does not really constitute for being used a few times. I have dealt with so many second hand vacuums in my time and every single one of them were dirty!
vacuumlover
Well-known member
I've gotten some vacs that were dirty.
Some were immaculate, and some were disgusting. I mean, one should never send a vacuum with a dirty bag, etc!
Some people take care of their things, as we know. Others do not care. I'm lucky that I NEVER have gotten "visitors" etc in a used vacuum. Some have arrived in perfect condition.
You just never know.
John
Some were immaculate, and some were disgusting. I mean, one should never send a vacuum with a dirty bag, etc!
Some people take care of their things, as we know. Others do not care. I'm lucky that I NEVER have gotten "visitors" etc in a used vacuum. Some have arrived in perfect condition.
You just never know.
John
File a claim with eBay against the seller, as you obviously received an item that was not as described. I would demand a full refund; don't accept an offer if they ask you to return it. Taking pictures of the damage will help. It's very easy to escalate the claim to an eBay representative, which almost consistently results in action in the buyer's favor. I'm not sure if you will get the shipping costs back, but it is very likely you will get back the purchase price.
And by the way, you should not have to expect that kind of filth coming from a used vacuum online. Some people are honest, others are not, but it is certainly not the norm to have this happen. Thrift stores yes, but eBay no. People try to keep the seller approval percentage rate high.
And by the way, you should not have to expect that kind of filth coming from a used vacuum online. Some people are honest, others are not, but it is certainly not the norm to have this happen. Thrift stores yes, but eBay no. People try to keep the seller approval percentage rate high.
sebo_fan
Well-known member
Alex - respectfully I have been buying off auction sites and second hand sites well before you were born. Ebay came to the UK in 1999, which would have put you as being 5 years old.
"Second hand does not really constitute for being used a few times."
Oh yes, it does. You forget there is something called "in context" where auction sites are concerned.
Not all second hand vacuums or appliances have been chucked around a home and abused. Maybe the ones you've bought have. The majority of mine haven't but then I've often checked the listing throughly online as well as communicated heavily with the seller before considering.
Let me give you a classic example. From collecting vacuums and buying from previous online sites like PRELOVED.COM before Gumtree ever existed, I used to collect a few Moulinex vacuums when I started out.. hardly any bags existed for most of the models unless I shopped purely at Argos or online.
When spare machines came onto EBay, they were hardly abused, and not all that dirty to the point it had me retching.
Very little to do other than to clean off the external bodies, maybe repair a broken pedal on a Wessel Werk style floor tool and at worst, declogging a vacuum whose bag had burst and rescuing and bringing back the motor to a newer, cleaner state.
Emma, yes there is a difference to being fully restored and second hand. It is never easy buying anything off an auction site, let alone "sold as seen" style with Argos.
But there is also something called "refurbished," too. That term in my opinion has become badly abused and used.
On EBAY UK in the last couple of years a lot of sellers are jumping on the "refurbished" title where fitting a new filter does NOT constitute as being completely "refurbished."
The proper term of it means "making new" and where if the body of a vacuum or its external part may not affect performance, it will not be changed. Everything else is usually changed to maintain the original model's performance.
Bagintheback - sadly second hand vacuums means you get any condition. I've often seen great listings for SEBO and Miele vacs but then wondered why the listing information is suspect. You take your chances, but at least EBAY&PPal have buyer support; even if that POLICY alone can also be abused.
"Second hand does not really constitute for being used a few times."
Oh yes, it does. You forget there is something called "in context" where auction sites are concerned.
Not all second hand vacuums or appliances have been chucked around a home and abused. Maybe the ones you've bought have. The majority of mine haven't but then I've often checked the listing throughly online as well as communicated heavily with the seller before considering.
Let me give you a classic example. From collecting vacuums and buying from previous online sites like PRELOVED.COM before Gumtree ever existed, I used to collect a few Moulinex vacuums when I started out.. hardly any bags existed for most of the models unless I shopped purely at Argos or online.
When spare machines came onto EBay, they were hardly abused, and not all that dirty to the point it had me retching.
Very little to do other than to clean off the external bodies, maybe repair a broken pedal on a Wessel Werk style floor tool and at worst, declogging a vacuum whose bag had burst and rescuing and bringing back the motor to a newer, cleaner state.
Emma, yes there is a difference to being fully restored and second hand. It is never easy buying anything off an auction site, let alone "sold as seen" style with Argos.
But there is also something called "refurbished," too. That term in my opinion has become badly abused and used.
On EBAY UK in the last couple of years a lot of sellers are jumping on the "refurbished" title where fitting a new filter does NOT constitute as being completely "refurbished."
The proper term of it means "making new" and where if the body of a vacuum or its external part may not affect performance, it will not be changed. Everything else is usually changed to maintain the original model's performance.
Bagintheback - sadly second hand vacuums means you get any condition. I've often seen great listings for SEBO and Miele vacs but then wondered why the listing information is suspect. You take your chances, but at least EBAY&PPal have buyer support; even if that POLICY alone can also be abused.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
well I can tell you for the 50 something vacuums I have worked on, they have all been filthy and needed a tune up.
vacuumlover
Well-known member
I have also gotten Hoover cleaners
from ebay thaat were practically "just out of the box"!
I have spoken to sellers about poor circumstances PRIOR to leaving feedback. THAT usually gets action... refunds, etc.
It all depends.
from ebay thaat were practically "just out of the box"!
I have spoken to sellers about poor circumstances PRIOR to leaving feedback. THAT usually gets action... refunds, etc.
It all depends.
kirbysthebest
Well-known member
I have been very lucky
I do watch the pictures and have asked questions prior to bidding. The sellers are usually up front and accomodating.
The one and only machine that I purchased as a disaster I went into eyes wide open as it was posted as a salvage machine with a broken handle etc. With some TLC that machine re-awoke and is much more than I could ask for.
I love to do the open box, damaged goods auctions. I just received my new Panasonic MC-CG917 that the box was an open box, the box was pretty much destroyed, no instruction manual, but everything else was perfect and never been used, with three new bags all the attachments including the turbo tool. I didn't do badly on that one for $35.
The nice thing with some of the older, but name brand still being produced is you can usually still find parts to do repairs. Now long discontinued, company out of business vacs, that's when the scavenger hunt begins.
I am Still looking for the Connie to fill the empty space in my heart.
I do watch the pictures and have asked questions prior to bidding. The sellers are usually up front and accomodating.
The one and only machine that I purchased as a disaster I went into eyes wide open as it was posted as a salvage machine with a broken handle etc. With some TLC that machine re-awoke and is much more than I could ask for.
I love to do the open box, damaged goods auctions. I just received my new Panasonic MC-CG917 that the box was an open box, the box was pretty much destroyed, no instruction manual, but everything else was perfect and never been used, with three new bags all the attachments including the turbo tool. I didn't do badly on that one for $35.
The nice thing with some of the older, but name brand still being produced is you can usually still find parts to do repairs. Now long discontinued, company out of business vacs, that's when the scavenger hunt begins.
I am Still looking for the Connie to fill the empty space in my heart.
Thank you everyone! I have gotten her cleaned up, ordered a new support bag collar, ordered her a new lightbulb, polished her up. Oh and I added some fresh wave. It definitely cut back on the cat piss smell. Hopefully a little more airing out after her re birth will make her almost as good as new. Alexhoover94 you are a little harsh. I only get upset at people that are less then honest. He acted as if it just rolled out of the showroom! I fussed at the seller and told him that he should put it all out there, the good, bad and the ugly. Cat piss and all. I did not give him a neutral or negative rating.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
Sorry if I came across a bit harsh but when you buy second hand it is just the luck of the draw.
