Ebay shaft shorter than described

[sanjaygolf]

I recently purchased a shaft that ended up being shorter than the Seller said. He originally never listed a length and when I asked him whether it would play 43" in a Titleist 3w (it did have a titleist tip) he said "yup" and that it was originally from "TPI in Oceanside". I measured it and it's a 1/2" short. He also listed it as New but it definitely has bag wear on the shaft and the grip is worn.

That being said I'm not opposed to trying it shorter and it certainly wasnt priced as if it were new. I'm just wondering what my options are. The seller only has a (3) ratings so a neutral or negative feedback would be damning. Also, is it worth a negative? Is it wrong to contact him and ask for some reimbursement to make it square?

[gibbiesmalls]

On principle alone I'd demand he take the shaft back (at his expense), AND leave the negative feedback.

He misrepresented (I'll stop short of saying he lied) that it was new.He misrepresented the playing length (and or, failed to mention it's raw length).The sooner that seller learns his lesson (with the negative feedback, and expense of shipping label), the sooner we are all safe of his deceiving practices. Don't think about protecting his ratings, think about protecting others (possibly me) in the future. If he gets "away with it" this time, he will certainly do it again.

But then again, it's all up to you.

[DFS PFD]

While neither is a huge issue, it was misrepresented. If not addressed he will continue this path until someone else is sold an item with a more serious misrepresentation. I would return and leave neutral feedback.

[sanjaygolf]

I guess I'm trying to find a way to have my cake and eat it too. If the shorter length works out and I don't want to return the shaft do I still have any recourse? I certainly wouldn't ask to keep the shaft and get refunded fully but as you guys were saying I'd want the Seller to have some ramifications for incorrectly listing it. Is it unethical to ask for a discount in return for not returning it and leaving negative feedback?

[third-times-a-charm]

If you use it, you can't return it. In a thread about misrepresentation and doing what's right....

As for your second question, asking for a partial refund is not out of the question. I've had to do that with shaft sellers twice on ebay previously. It will cost approx $20-40 to get an extension installed by a local shop - so for them to refund that amount would be OK imo if you keep the shaft.

[ELL92399]

As far as I know, EBay isn’t a demo program where you can try it and then return it if you don’t like it. You either want it or you don’t. Since it was mis-represented, you should just return it, leave neutral or negative feedback and be done with it.

[ChitownM2]

Certainly reasonable to contact the seller and ask for some money back since it is not as represented. See what he responds with. I would not leave any feedback until the situation is resolved.

If he tells you to pound sand then I would leave negative feedback and/or file a paypal dispute to recoup some of the cost. When you do a paypal dispute you can choose the amount you are disputing so if you think it is reasonable to get $20 knocked off because that is the cost of getting it lengthened to what you were told it was then dispute $20, it doesn't have to be all or nothing.

 

[sanjaygolf]

 

Thanks, for the response. I'm gonna contact him to see if he's willing to refund a part of it. First, I'm gonna take it to my club builder though to see if it's been tipped anything excessive. I think that's a reasonable thing to do beforehand. I cant see any issue trying to determine if it's salvageable before I negotiate with the guy.

[Bigjim1022]

Have you actually put it into the head your wanting to use it in and measured? I ask because it may very well have played at 43” in the head he used. As for the bag wear, sellers need to be careful on that one.

Personally I’d stop short of saying he knowingly misrepresented the shaft, especially with only 3 ratings. He may be new at selling, golfing or both and I’d wager he’s not an expert on equipment like a lot of us here.

Just my $.02

[sanjaygolf]

Yea it has a Titleist tip and i have 3 titleist woods and also other titleist shafts that measure 43". He may not be an expert but I think asking the length is pretty fool proof. Also, the box he shipped it in is a Callaway Preowned box and had an old packing slip for a Toulon Putter. So, I definitely think he's got some idea about golf.

[straightshot7]

I think seller should list the "tip to grip" length.

And when you asked him, he should have replied with the tip to grip length.

The "does it play 43"?" can be pretty subjective. I've heard of guys measuring that differently.

[Bigjim1022]

So did you put it in the Titleist clubs and measure?

[Bigjim1022]

This was what I was trying to say, not everybody knows the “correct” way to measure club length and we’ve all seen clubs measure differently from head to head.

[TheMagicStinger]

Return it. Be done with the situation.

[swgolf12]

When you asked if it played 43" you made a mistake as there are many ways to measure a club, and unless someone has a mitchell/etc the way they measure it can vary. You should have asked the seller for the tip to butt length of the shaft, then compared that to the length of the shafts you have for your 3 Titleist 3 woods. The property thing to do here is send back for a refund and that is the end.

[driveandputtmachine]

As I don't play titleist, does every titleist three wood have the same measurements? I know they have used the same adapter for awhile, but Let's say you put it in a 913 vs. a TS 3 or something, would the playing lengths be the same? Not saying they are off by 1/2, but between differences in head shapes and how he measured it, it may play 43" to him.

I have been a stickler for having tip to top of grip measurements ever since I sold a set of old iron shafts to a friend of a friend. They came to me in stock lengths. He had the same brand irons and I asked him what his iron shaft lengths were, he said he didn't want to pull and check I sent him a text with the order info in a picture and the lengths of the three iron 7 iron and PW. I asked if they were what he needed and he said yes. He had his buddy give me the 100 bucks in cash and I gave the shafts to him.

Three days later I get a call that all of his iron lengths are wrong and he wants his money back. I told him I offered to measure every iron shaft, and even sent him the lengths of the 3,7, and PW and he said that it was what he needed. I told him no problem just to give the shafts to my buddy and I would give him the 100 back. He said that was outrageous, he wanted to keep the shafts and have me give him all the money so he could go and get the lengths fixed.

Needless to say we had only played golf together 4 or 5 times before this, and have not played since it happened. My actual friend said he was staying out of it even though he saw all the texts from me, we were at my neighborhood pool while I was texting the other guy.

[sanjaygolf]

I have a TS3, 915F, and 913Fd. If there's a difference it's millimeters. Also, I have a stock diamana shaft and Rombax direct from Titleist, which both play to standard. The Ebay shaft is exactly 1/2" shorter than those. And the shaft is definitely not brand new. Im more than inclined to give someone the benefit of the doubt but this isn't even close.

 

So should I contact him directly for the refund or go through Ebay/PayPal? And should I still leave neutral or negative feedback?

[third-times-a-charm]

Always go through the ebay messenger app OR start a case with ebay for a partial refund

[sanjaygolf]

So update on the predicament. I went through ebay for the return and shipped it back to the seller but now he's claiming he hasnt received it even though tracking shows it was delivered to his home. Ebay is taking his side and is not issuing me a refund, so I have no shaft and no money. Hope to file an appeal, anything I should add to best try to get my money back?

[tomuch23]

Ouch, that hurts.

[ChitownM2]

He's saying he never received the package or saying the package was empty?

Can't believe eBay is denying you a refund with a tracking number showing confirmed delivery but I guess you should call your own credit card company and file a dispute.

 

[sanjaygolf]

Hes saying he never got the package. Tracking clearly lists it as delivered at his address. Not sure what more I can do. My PayPal is funded through my bank account so I dont think I can do anything with my credit card company.

[ChitownM2]

Yeah that sucks. Too little too late, but don't ever use PayPal through your back account and don't keep a balance with them. Always pay with a CC and transfer any incoming funds out immediately.

[sanjaygolf]

Update: I filed an appeal and showed that the shaft was clearly delivered at the listed address and they finally came to their senses and provided my refund back. And lo and behold the seller has the shaft, which he claims was not delivered, is listed for sale again. This whole experience has truly left a sour taste in my mouth

[Valtiel]

Yuck, sounds like the guy decided to try to screw you on that one. Lesson learned about how to ask for length measurements though. I would never trust someone to know what length a shaft would play as in a head, even if they had the head in question.

[ChitownM2]

Glad to hear it worked out OP. Couple good lessons learned and no harm done

[grm24]

Glad you got your money back. You should now share the name of the Ebay seller so that other WRX members can avoid/ignore/block him. Posting his Ebay seller name will be protecting the field so to speak.

[Colej]

Just thinking out loud but isn’t what he did fraud?

[sanjaygolf]

His Ebay name is brajac-37

[KC13]

100% was and completely bull crap! If I was eBay, i'd ban him but they wont, cause they want money. This world today is backwards sometimes....

 

KC