item from ebay stinks

Posted 13th Mar 2023

i received a electronic item today but it absolutely reeks of stale smoke, the packaging was sealed but the box and actual item reeks of smoke, i messaged the seller and they admitted they also thought the box smelt but they do not smoke , but said no refunds as i opened it

i presume as they have admitted in a ebay message i would win a not as described case ?
what’s the best way to word a case to ebay , thanks

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MonkeyMan90
14th Mar
A smoker will never understand how bad it smells to a non smoker lol. I'd dispute it.
northeastkev
14th Mar
This. Slightly off topic but I hate getting in the lift at work when smokers who have been out for a cigarette break then come back in and get in at the same time. Nausea inducing. Absolutely disgusting.
yorkie12
14th Mar
Some plastics smell of smoke , a famous type is Black Bin Liners.
booboy2
14th Mar
That's very true.

On a sidenote my electric toothbrush from oral b, when in sunshine smells very odd, like old socks...I assume it's the oils warming up?
deanos Author
17th Mar
So after being out the box a few days in the garage the smell has faded , thanks for the help folks
stearn
14th Mar
I give a former neighbours computer an 'MOT' every couple of years. She smokes and the computer absolutely stinks to the point of making my eyes water and throat feel raspy. I used to do this around Christmas when family could drop it off, but have moved it to Summer so it doesn't have to come into the house immediately.

I open it up outside and give the inside a cursory clean to remove the worst of the brown gunk that builds up - dust mixes with the tar and forms a sticky layer - on the case and drives. After a day or two of venting I then dismantle the machine and clean the cables and fans. It runs quieter and cooler but there is no way of removing the smell completely. A tumble drier sheet by the inlet fan masks the smell for a while allowing me to check everything over before packing it back up.
PS5
13th Mar
What sort of item is it? Value etc?
I wouldn't usually condone this sort of thing but if the seller knew it stunk and didn't mention it then he should accept the return.
You would win a return for almost any reason, e.g. If you said it wasn't functioning correctly.. You can then return and he will be obliged to return.
I suspect you would automatically get a return for saying significantly not as described as not like a new item in any case.
deanos Author
13th Mar
cheers , it’s a computer worth £350, private seller (edited)
HappyShopper
14th Mar
Wouldn't be surprised if the fan has sucked up cigarette smoke and, as a result, the inside of the PC is now stained with yellow (nicotine) gunk.
deanos Author
14th Mar
it’s brand new
fiestasteve44
14th Mar
Open a return not as described.
You will get a free return label and buyer will be forced to refund.
They can then take it up with eBay if they like but you won’t hear anything again.
lumsdot
14th Mar
If it smells bad, but was not listed as smelling bad in the advert, then it’s not as described
EndlessWaves
14th Mar
Only if it was listed as smelling good, or if there were claims made as to it's suitability for a certain use where the small would matter (e.g. it was described as a home PC).
IAmATeaf
14th Mar
Years ago I purchased a 2nd Asus router which absolutely reeked, messaged the seller and he admitted he smoked but didn’t realise it was that bad. I left the thing unboxed but powered in the garage after cleaning it for something like a month before I actually decided it could enter the house
jameshothothot
14th Mar
Leave it outside or ventilated area a bit. I got a subwoofer from gumtree and stank of smoke but it soon goes away.
PaulandPam
14th Mar
Put it in the garage and place a fan blowing fresh air onto it, after a few days it'll smell like outside air.
GoodAsGold
14th Mar
It all sounds very strange as the smoke would have to be pretty bad to go right through the packaging on a brand new item. Unless it was resealed I wonder if it was stock recovered from a fire or something? (edited)
deanos Author
14th Mar
It does seem.strange , the box had the original Acer branded tape, and the pc was inside a plastic bag , the box ,and pc all smell of stale smoke
lumsdot
14th Mar
computers have fans so suck in air, and dust collects inside them and sticks to the fan, plus they blow air out.

best way to get rid of smell is to take it apart and clean it . motherboard may be covered in tar
lumsdot
14th Mar
but only a professional could really clean it properly, best you can do is to get rid of any collected dust
dave_gr
17th Mar
Take up smoking, you'll become oblivious to it!
deanos Author
14th Mar
Think I will stick in the garage for a few days out of the box see if the smell goes, I got it for a very good price but if the smell won't go I will put in a claim , thanks folks
bob-mk2
14th Mar
As it was a good deal, it's worth trying for a handful of days. Sunlight can help as it can heat up the plastic and that helps release the smoke.

You'll either find that it starts to smell okay within a couple of days or that the smell is permanent.
ryankall
15th Mar
Fabreeze