If the listing says it won't work on your configuration why did you buy it?

[Dreamstalker]

I sold a PCIe graphics card on Amazon, tested and working on an XP system. This model was an early release, but besides requiring a separate power connector worked fine as long as you were running WinXP. It had compatibility issues with Vista (basically wasn't detected at all unless you're willing to do the research required to make it work) which was also outlined in the listing.

Guy buys it, I get an email a week later saying that he couldn't get it to work on a Vista system...the card was released prior to Vista, so what's likely happening is a Windows-based compatibility issue. I might have been willing to walk him through the hoops required to get it to work, but I realized that no way could I hold his hand if it required reflashing the card's bios so I accept a return. It wasn't that big of a sale and he didn't seem too interested in looking anything up online.

Got it back today. He reused the Priority FRB and sent it Parcel Post; box looked like it had been kicked around. The card was intact in a single layer of thin bubble wrap, nestled in a loose pile of packing peanuts that were sticking to me and everything else (what happened to the antistatic bag I shipped it in?).

I'm going to test it first before refunding; I know it worked when I sent it out. If it doesn't even work on my XP test rig, something happened and it wasn't on my end.

[underemployeed]

Because he figured with enough prayer and proper application of FM, (f#$king magic) it would just work. However, he did not use enough FM on the first test and the amount he had left over certainly wasn't enough to try again so he should just have went for broke on the first time.

OR the simple answer is in my signature, or he is as clueless as you suggest and read it but figured that since vista is latest greatestit just will work and um, why not get windows 7 I mean really! The only reason I bought a computer with vista was I got to ditch it to go to 7 few months later. HATE vista.

[Dreamstalker]

OR the simple answer is in my signature, or he is as clueless as you suggest and read it but figured that since vista is latest greatest it just will work

That was probably it. He knew enough to identify the OS and motherboard (it sounded like a prebuilt-specific board) and tell me that he wasn't getting any actual error messages, Vista just didn't see it. This card has Vista drivers available, but he downloaded the wrong ones and probably didn't actually install them. And/or his power supply just wasn't sturdy enough.

The borderline-smugness in the email was just...ugh "I don't care about XP It should work with VISTAwhinerantgarblegrr". I was far more civil than I needed to be in that exchange.

[Ironclad Alibi]

I'm going to test it first before refunding; I know it worked when I sent it out. If it doesn't even work on my XP test rig, something happened and it wasn't on my end.

Did the card pass the test?

[Dreamstalker]

Astonishingly, yes (I did have to pray for a bit, but XP saw it).

So I know it works in my test configuration (also an Asus board)...with the required VGA/DVI adapter that was included (baggie was unopened, wonder what he thought it was?)

The card only has DVI outputs, so without the adapter you can't connect a monitor...the jacks both look okay, I wonder if he tried to jam a VGA plug in there?

What I also discovered is that in addition to a full refund, Amazon suggests "good faith reparations" above and beyond the original transaction amount if I hadn't refunded voluntarily, they would have forced the issue (but if the card didn't work I would have fought it).

[bsaana]

I think he is lucky to even get a refund with the condition the item was returned in. And screw the crap about reparations.

[casey13]

You don't have to pay extra, right? After all, he's the idiot who can't read the system requirements.

[Hyndis]

Happens all the time.

People buy DDR3 desktop memory for their DDR1 laptop, call up, furious that it won't fit. Err...no shit? Its not compatible. It won't even physically fit into the socket!

Why'd you buy it then?

Also, no refunds.





(Yes, we have a no refund policy just due to people doing this. If you bought the wrong thing for your computer, too bad, so sad. Its not our fault you didn't do your homework. Talk to the retailer, they might give you a refund...for a 15% restocking fee. If they're in a good mood. If you're going to throw down $400 on something it would be a smart move to make sure its the right product before buying it.)

[bsaana]

I just remembered I helped someone avoid something horrid like that Hyndis.

Going through training at a call center, 1 of the group was wanting to get a pc built but did not know much about it. The guy helping look for the parts also didn't know much about it. They had a mobo for AMD with an Intel processor picked out, DDR ram when it needed DDR2, and then an AGP graphics card when they needed PCIE...... Good thing they never got close to buying it though.

[Dreamstalker]

You don't have to pay extra, right? After all, he's the idiot who can't read the system requirements.

Nope, I don't and I didn't. They suggest refunding return shipping...how can I do that if I have no idea what he paid? (I'm surprised I wasn't socked with extra postage on receipt due to his reusing the Priority box)

The specs even said "needs included adapter to work with VGA output". If I decide to relist this thing, I'm going to see if there are any 'as-is' loopholes in the returns wording that I can take advantage of.

[unperson]

The card only has DVI outputs, so without the adapter you can't connect a monitor...

?

I have a several monitors with DVI-in...

[bsaana]

?

I have a several monitors with DVI-in...

There are quite a few monitors that still only have a VGA input. You have to have an adapter for those to connect to a DVI output on a video card. There are even people that continue to use old CRT monitors and will until they completely die.

[Ironclad Alibi]

There are even people that continue to use old CRT monitors and will until they completely die.

I'm one of those people. My CRT and I are in this together until one of us cashes out. It's only 12½ years old. (I'm hoping the CRT will go first.)

[Dreamstalker]

The early generation of PCIe cards used the DVI-VGA adapters, as monitors with DVI inputs weren't as common, and a lot of current cards still include them. The manufacturer doesn't know what type of monitor the user has.

Unfortunately, as with ebay, Amazon doesn't let sellers refuse returns. I think that electronics should be subject to a restocking fee at the least with the buyer being out of luck if there's a reasonable suspicion that they damaged it.

[bsaana]

I'm one of those people. My CRT and I are in this together until one of us cashes out. It's only 12½ years old. (I'm hoping the CRT will go first.)

If my wife and I hadn't moved so many times in the past, and if we still had more room I would still have a couple of CRTs around. At least with it lasting so long you missed out on $600 19" LCDs that weren't even widescreen.