Saddle buying WWYD?

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glamourpuss

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I've been looking for a Tekna dressage saddle for a while & spotted what I needed on EBay. It's listing said it was 1 year old, in excellent used condition. With several pics (front, side & girth straps)
I submitted a best offer, which was accepted.
The saddle came this week. It is in great condition.....BUT the knee/thigh blocks are missing. This is really disappointing.
I've emailed the seller & she said she would look for them but I haven't heard anything else from her.
I've found replacements but they would be £30
Now my problem is surely the fact these were missing should've been put on the listing, no?

So I think my options are:
1) open a 'not as described' case & ask for a partial refund of £30 to replace the missing blocks.
2) open a 'not as described' case & return the saddle for a full refund.
3) chalk it up but leave negative/neutral feedback for seller.

So WWYD?
 
I would contact the seller one last time and say you will have to open a case if she doesn't send the blocks - that's assuming they were mentioned or in the pictures in the advert! If not you don't have a case, it cant be not as described if it's not in the description.

Not worth losing the saddle over £30 if you been looking for one for a while
 
As above, check the pictures/listing to see if they are there. Do they come with a new saddle? Or an additional extra? If they are not listed in the auction or pics you might need to just buy them. If they are, then do option 1.
 
You're being unreasonable. It's not a new saddle it's a second hand one. Unless the blocks were shown in the pics or mentioned as being included then you shouldn't have expected to get them. The seller is obviously going to present their item in the best light not put negative points down in the listing. If you specifically wanted the blocks to come with the saddle you should have asked if they were included. Would Wintec or Thorowgood blocks fit? I've seen those for sale for a lot less than 30 pounds on ebay before.
 
A new one of this saddle would have the blocks, they have been removed from this saddle.
I just think it is wrong to describe the saddle in 'excellent used condition' when part of it is missing!! There is one thing putting what you are selling in a good light completely another to deceive a buyer by not stating the blocks (which come as standard) are missing.
One of the reasons I wanted this model of saddle is because of the blocks on it.
You wouldn't buy a bike & then not be annoyed if when it turned up it didn't have any pedals.
I will contact the seller one last time. If no joy I'm going to go for partial refund, with a view to returning the saddle if the seller would rather.
 
...why should they be included in the listing? They are a standard part of the saddle.
Why describe a saddle in 'excellent' condition knowing that an integral part of it is missing?
If this saddle had turned up with a huge scratch down it that hadn't been mentioned in the listing would that be ok?
 
I don't think you will get a partial refund through Ebay. Return for full refund or keep. They don't as far as I am aware support partial refunds, it's down to the goodwill of the seller. I assume it was a good price? If so it may be better to learn from experience and just buy the blocks.
 
You'll be cutting your nose off to spite your face if you return this saddle. You could wait a long while before another good one turns up. It's worth trying to get the seller to refund you the cost of the the blocks, if it all hassles you so much, but if they refuse, then just suck it up.

Did you see/ask for see a full set of photos of the saddle prior to purchase? If the blocks were clearly missing, and you didn't question this, then tbh I'd put it down to experience, and buy the blocks elsewhere.
 
Not everybody considers the blocks essential. After all, quite a few are removable and I always take them off as I hate riding with them.

I took a dressage saddle to a local saddler to sell for me a few months ago and did not even remember it should have blocks! I finally found where I had stashed them and sent them on.

If the blocks do not appear in the pictures, the seller was not trying to deceive you. If they were there, tell them your feedback will be negative unless they are supplied or paid for by her. Nobody wants a negative review.
 
I don't even see how OP has grounds to return it. sShe bought a saddle of a particular brand, in good condition and that is what she has received. Can hardly claim "item not as described" on it. It's not like it was missing something vital like a tree or girth straps or was damaged. It's missing a non-essential removable extra part that's all. Thanks for reminding me why I don't sell online any more OP.
 
Sugar_and_Spice said:
she didn't deceive you. you didn't ask. she didn't lie.
Click to expand...
Are you joking? This model of saddle is supposed to have knee/thigh blocks, So it's perfectly fine to sell a saddle that is supposed to have something without it as in 'excellent condition', & not put in the listing it is missing.
So is it ok for me to sell a scratched saddle & not mention the scratches unless asked? What if I sell a saddle with a snapped girth strap, not mention it unless asked?
I'm appalled that people wouldn't be totally honest when selling things...why try to rip people off? I couldn't live with myself!

eBay will offer the partial refund if they rule in my favour. I have nothing to lose by trying, maybe next time the seller will be more honest in their descriptions.
 
I agree. It's very much 'buyer beware' on eBay, she didn't deceive you. I'd just buy the blocks yourself- it would still work out much cheaper than buying brand new so you still got a bargain.
 
glamourpuss said:
So is it ok for me to sell a scratched saddle & not mention the scratches unless asked? What if I sell a saddle with a snapped girth strap, not mention it unless asked?
Click to expand...

Both these examples are of damage. What you are on about is a missing removable part (arguably non-essential, so not like pedals on a bike, more like the bottle holder). A bit like the girth/saddle flap protectors or the flash on a nose band. Sure they are a part you would expect to be with the saddle, but if not in the pics, then I would be annoyed that they weren't there, but also annoyed that I never asked.

If they were on the pics... then it is a whole other kettle of fish!
 
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I have contacted her & asked again for them, saying I do not consider the saddle to be in the excellent condition she has listed as they are missing.
I have told her I am happy to pay for the blocks & P&P.

They weren't mentioned in the listing & the photos don't show the area where they would sit either personally I think this has been done deliberately. I.e the girth straps are done very close up not the whole of the underneath of the flap shown

Ho hum I guess I'm alone in that I wouldn't deceive by omission.
 
If they werent shown on the pics then sadly I think its buyer beware as she isnt really misleading you although you'd expect them to be included. It is disappointing and really she should have said saddle blah blah, minus blocks. If the saddle is otherwise a good buy then I think I would just buy the blocks and put it down to experience that future buys will need seemingly silly questions to make sure you get all of it. However if you paid a fair price then I think I'd message her saying you are disappointed and would she come to some agreement re price as the blocks were missing. Good Luck
 
glamourpuss said:
Ho hum I guess I'm alone in that I wouldn't deceive by omission.
Click to expand...

No- your alone in thinking you were deliberately deceived.

If you had asked if it had them and told yes then I would agree with you

It's an option not a must have so if it was a must have for you then you should of asked.
 
One poster suggested threatening negative feedback - do NOT do this as it's against eBay rules and will at least see the seller able to get your feedback removed, at worst it could get you suspended if eBay are feeling that way out.

I would agree with the others that I would only expect to receive what I could see in the photos or what is mentioned in the description. The seller may have forgotten that the saddle ever came with blocks if she bought it second hand herself or removed them on day 1. It would have been nice if she'd said either way, but it also would've been wise for you to check.
 
I think it should have the blocks, if it didn't she should have said, but she may not have considered it.

If the saddle was a good price I would suck it up. If you paid full price or over for what it is I would appeal to her better nature. She may still find them.

Just because it's removable doesn't mean it shouldn't be there as it's part of the saddle.

I've got a turnout with detachable leg straps and detachable surcingles. Would it be ok to sell it without those things and not mention it? I think not.
 
I doubt she deliberately deceived you- she may not have thought they were consequential enough. If the blocks were the reason you wanted the saddle, then pen it down to experience that you didn't specifically ask about them.

Im guessing this saddle didn't cost the earth, so if you can't get a partial refund through ebay, I would just buy them myself. Im imagining the cost would still be less than buying this saddle new. I think you're being a little petulant wanting to return the saddle rather than just accept having to pay for the blocks yourself, especially if its taken you a while to find one.
 
I have asked on the eBay forums about this.

The consensus is I have a case against the seller. Unless specified in the description or clearly demonstrated in photos (which it wasn't) I had a right to expect the saddle to be the complete model including the blocks.
As it looks like no attempt as been done to show or state the saddle didn't have the blocks, I was correct in assuming the saddle would be complete.
Also she has used Excellent condition - this also suggests the item should be absolutely complete (as in how it would be bought from a shop) but with minimal wear.

eBay state:
If your item isn't new, you'll see a Condition description field. In the Condition description field, provide additional details about the item's condition, such as whether it has defects, missing parts, scratches, or other wear and tear.
(This listing doesn't have any of this)

The eBay forums think that the onus wasn't on me to check parts weren't missing but the seller should've been more thorough & complete in their description as per the EBay guidelines.
 
glamourpuss said:
Are you joking? This model of saddle is supposed to have knee/thigh blocks, So it's perfectly fine to sell a saddle that is supposed to have something without it as in 'excellent condition', & not put in the listing it is missing.
Click to expand...
I recently sold a T6 Robert Whitaker jumping saddle on ebay. I specifically mentioned it had the knee and thigh blocks, as as far as I'm concerned in a cheap second hand synthetic saddle its a bonus if they are there, not the other way round!
 
Unless you paid very close to the new price i wouldn't lodge an eBay complaint if I were in your position. £30 for some blocks is not a lot and if you look on eBay you could get the get Wintec blocks for a lot less.
 
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