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Am I being scammed?

Bacong

Bacong

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Mar 7, 2009
2,622
1,143
Westland, Michigan
I sold someone my copy of 10.5 on Amazon, and shipped it out to him. I get an email from this person stating that he wants his money back because I sent 10.5.4 when I listed it under 10.5.6. Obviously I didn't pay attention to that minor detail, but this guy did. He says that a 10.5.4 disc won't work on his mac pro. I can't think of a reason that would be true.

Here's some of his email:

I have a Mac Pro that requires a 10.5.6 installer. My newer version of the Mac Pro will only work with 10.5.6 installer and NOT 10.5.4 and a update as verified with Apple, but the truth of the matter is that I order 10.5.6 install disk and obviously that is not what I received. I appreciated the link to the update and all your help thus far, but that not what I ordered. I have 10.5.2 and 10.5.4 and unfortunately lost my 10.5.6 install disk for my Mac Pro.
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Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
Bacong said:
He says that a 10.5.4 disc won't work on his mac pro. I can't think of a reason that would be true.
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It could easily be true. If his Mac Pro model was released with 10.5.6 then earlier versions won't have the drivers for the hardware in that model. Apple does this all the time.
 
robbieduncan said:
It could easily be true. If his Mac Pro model was released with 10.5.6 then earlier versions won't have the drivers for the hardware in that model. Apple does this all the time.
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Why would he be buying Leopard from me? Wouldn't Apple send him a replacement disc?
 
I dunno, it just doesn't make sense to me. How can my Powerbook G4 from 2003 have the drivers for the software but a new mac pro won't? is 10.5.4 really that different from 10.5.6?
 
Bacong said:
Why would he be buying Leopard from me? Wouldn't Apple send him a replacement disc?
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Who knows. Perhaps he has lost the DVD that came with the machine. Apple would, most likely, supply a replacement DVD but he may not know that. Either way you falsely advertised a product and he is calling you out on that. It's not a minor thing as 10.5.6 will install on Macs that 10.5.4 won't. Apple do not ship hardware drivers in OSX for hardware that they are not yet selling. It's that simple.

northernbaldy said:
nice avatar, do you use that on SELOC ;)
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Yes. With the same username...
 
Bacong said:
Obviously I didn't pay attention to that minor detail, but this guy did. He says that a 10.5.4 disc won't work on his mac pro. I can't think of a reason that would be true.
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Of course it can be true. The oldest version a mac can run is the version it shipped with. So if his MacPro came with 10.5.6 the 10.5.4 you sold him won't work. I think because you didn't pay attention to the details you need to refund him his money. You didn't sell him what you advertised.
 
Bacong said:
Why would he be buying Leopard from me? Wouldn't Apple send him a replacement disc?
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Maybe his warranty is either expired, or Apple is unwilling to replace a software disc.

Bacong said:
I dunno, it just doesn't make sense to me. How can my Powerbook G4 from 2003 have the drivers for the software but a new mac pro won't? is 10.5.4 really that different from 10.5.6?
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Because drivers are part of the operating system, not the hardware. Whichever OS was out when your Powerbook came out started including the drivers for your hardware ever since then. There was no way for them to even know about Intel machines back then. Only when the new Mac Pro was announced (around when 10.5.5 was out), could they add support.
 
Yeah, I get that now. I didn't think it was that big of an issue. It's not like I did it on purpose.

Thanks though, guys.
 
Bacong said:
Yeah, I get that now. I didn't think it was that big of an issue. It's not like I did it on purpose.
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Well no offense (and probably not for a lot money) but it is a big deal to him. He spent money on a specific product, but he got something else instead and that doesn't work either. It doesn't matter if the action was willful. The buyer is out of the money and nothing to show for it (other then OSX discs that he cannot use)
 
Bacong said:
Yeah, I get that now. I didn't think it was that big of an issue. It's not like I did it on purpose.

Thanks though, guys.
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Assuming you refund his money I would expect him to return the DVD to you (although at your cost). At least that way you can re-list it (correctly this time).
 
maflynn said:
Well no offense (and probably not for a lot money) but it is a big deal to him. He spent money on a specific product, but he got something else instead and that doesn't work either. It doesn't matter if the action was willful. The buyer is out of the money and nothing to show for it (other then OSX discs that he cannot use)
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Yeah -- like I said, I thought the disc would work on pretty much any mac (meeting requirements). I was wrong. I've already sent him a new email. I was just wary of how easily it is to be scammed with software on amazon.
 
Bacong said:
Yeah -- like I said, I thought the disc would work on pretty much any mac (meeting requirements). I was wrong. I've already sent him a new email. I was just wary of how easily it is to be scammed with software on amazon.
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Understood and I wasn't tying to sound too harsh. I was just putting myself in his shoes :)
 
Wait, did you send him a retail copy of 10.5 or the grey disks that came with your computer. The grey disks are model specific. And yes, a retail disk version released before a particular model will not be compatable with those released after.

That having been said:
1) that third number DOES make a difference.
2) man up and refund his money - send it with a postage paid return envelope and hope is as honorable as you are trying to be
 
eawmp1 said:
Wait, did you send him a retail copy of 10.5 or the grey disks that came with your computer. The grey disks are model specific. And yes, a retail disk version released before a particular model will not be compatable with tose released after.

That having been said:
1) that third number DOES make a difference.
2) man up and refund his money - send it with a postage paid return envelope and hope is as honorable as you are trying to be
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I sent him a retail disc. I may not be as knowledgeable about these discs as I thought, but I wouldn't send someone a retail disc :)
 
I see you've already received lots of answers to your question and the point is now moot, but for the sake of completeness. According to EveryMac.com the last 2 Mac Pro models released on March 3, 2009:

Mac Pro "Quad Core" 2.66 (2009/Nehalem) 2.66 GHz Q. Core Xeon W3520
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.26 (2009/Nehalem) 2.26 GHz Q. Core Xeon E5520 x2

The release OS was, OS X 10.5.6 (9G3553)

These Mac Pros would therefore require OS X 10.5.6 or newer to operate.
 
"I didn't think it was that big of an issue. It's not like I did it on purpose."

Whether you made the error "on purpose" or not, it was STILL an error.

The buyer did not know it was an error. HE based his decision to buy on what [he believed to be correct] information provided by YOU.

When he discovered the error - and discovered he had purchased a product that was unusable to him - he asked for a refund. Very reasonable.

In my opinion, if he is willing to return the DVD to you, you should offer a refund.

Tell him you will give him a full refund - AFTER he returns the original DVD to you, in good condition.

Simple as that.
 
Fishrrman said:
"I didn't think it was that big of an issue. It's not like I did it on purpose."

Whether you made the error "on purpose" or not, it was STILL an error.

The buyer did not know it was an error. HE based his decision to buy on what [he believed to be correct] information provided by YOU.

When he discovered the error - and discovered he had purchased a product that was unusable to him - he asked for a refund. Very reasonable.

In my opinion, if he is willing to return the DVD to you, you should offer a refund.

Tell him you will give him a full refund - AFTER he returns the original DVD to you, in good condition.

Simple as that.
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I agree. Even if you made a mistake, there is no need for you to place yourself at his mercy to get your disk back. Since it was your mistake, I suggest you pay for return shipping. Offer to include $5 toward the return shipping in the refund amount once you receive the disk.
 
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