Good Will or Get Stuffed?

I sold a Sigma 50 1.4 to some guy last week, face to face meeting , tested it ,handed over the money to me £220, everyone happy

5 days later he rings me up saying its broken (Because there are 4 specks of dust inside), I said "I hadn't noticed it but dust inside lenses are a fact of life, it happens"
I said its not broken, he's had it 5 days and he inspected it before he bought it.

I hadn't noticed any dust before I sold it, but his attitude was basically I knew it was 'Broken' and I've been dishonest knowingly selling a broken ( 4 Dust speckled) lens.

Is 5 Days a little to long for me to exercise good will?.. I feel his attitude was down right insulting so I'm thinking yes.. stuff him.


what's your thoughts?

I would probably just send him some links to online articles that will inform about the dust: it's not going to affect his photos in any way. All used lenses have a least a few specks of dust in them, unless they are almost new. The lens is not "broken." For all you know he scratched the lens while cleaning it and is hoping that you won't notice when you take it back.

Phrasikleia wrote in post #14495513
I would probably just send him some links to online articles that will inform about the dust: it's not going to affect his photos in any way. All used lenses have a least a few specks of dust in them, unless they are almost new. The lens is not "broken." For all you know he scratched the lens while cleaning it and is hoping that you won't notice when you take it back.

This is my thinking

5 days , Anything could happen, the lens is over 12 months old.

dust is very common. If he's complaining about dust specs, I'de point him to articles about dust. Even L glass can get dust. You dont owe him anything, and it's definitely not broken. It's like someone buying a car, then noticing the underside of the car has mud....

+1 to what these guys are saying. Did you give him a warranty? If not, I would think that all things bought from Craigslist or any type of listing or however you sold it, to be sold "as-is." He may see the dust, but it wont show up in the pics. SO I vote "Get Stuffed," but in a polite way.

Sacadelic wrote in post #14495536
+1 to what these guys are saying. Did you give him a warranty? If not, I would think that all things bought from Craigslist or any type of listing or however you sold it, to be sold "as-is." He may see the dust, but it wont show up in the pics. SO I vote "Get Stuffed," but in a polite way.

Well Sigma has 3 years warranty , I was going to pass him in the Amazon receipt when I got hold of it.

I was trying to explain that he wont see it but he was kept saying .."You knew , you knew you were selling a broken lens"

I ended up hanging up on him as he was driving me insane..

Tell him to take a hike.

With Craigslist you get to see and test things before buying. Unless you wouldn't let him see the lens or test it there on the spot. I doubt you did that; and if you did, I doubt he would have purchased. If he was fine then with the lens, then he should be fine now with the lens. For all you know he used it in the dustiest possible conditions and so maybe it is his fault the dust is there.

When I buy off Craigslist I check the item for what I consider problems, I expect others to do so to. I do not sell things without disclosing any problems I know about, but I buy with the thought that they are hiding something so it is my job to check for problems. All sales are final.

Do what you feel is right. Unless they are being extremely rude I doubt I would tell someone to go get stuffed. I think that I would I try to be polite.

He inspected the lens before he bought it from you. It was his job to discover the dust specks at that time. If he didn't notice it then, then it's his problem. He had a chance to look the lens over - if he didn't do a thorough, perfect job of inspecting the lens at that time, that's his fault.
Tell him that I said this!

Caveat Emptor

Tom Reichner wrote in post #14496681
He inspected the lens before he bought it from you. It was his job to discover the dust specks at that time. If he didn't notice it then, then it's his problem. He had a chance to look the lens over - if he didn't do a thorough, perfect job of inspecting the lens at that time, that's his fault.
Tell him that I said this!

Exactly! He is probably just trying to get some money back. I would just tell him to hit the road.

5 days of ownership could have been the following -

day 1 accidently dropped into water

days 2 to 4 sitting in rice drying lens out

day 5 complaining to seller and trying to get his money back

After five days.... He can get stuffed.

Five days, five minutes, it shouldn't make any difference in my opinion.
You met with him, he tested it, from there it was his decision to purchase or not.
He chose to purchase, even IF it had dust in it when he bought it, you have given open diclosure and allowed him to test it before money changed hands.

Sounds like a case of buyers' remorse to me.
It's his problem now, or you could always offer to buy it back for 50 less.

unistudent1962 wrote in post #14498871
Sounds like a case of buyers' remorse to me.
It's his problem now, or you could always offer to buy it back for 50 less.

My thoughts exactly. What proof has he got that the dust was there when you sold it and he's not responsible for the dust. Buy it back off him as you know it's a good lens and then put it up for sale on the forum. Full disclosure is best, but if he's inspected it and OK'd it, he has no comeback.