Spent $200 on a so-called professional anvil from an online auction site

I won a bid for a "vintage farrier anvil" on some auction site last month, paid $200 plus shipping. Got it in and it was a cast iron POS with a cheap paint job hiding a bunch of cracks. Lost the money cause the seller ghosted me. Anyone else get burned buying tools sight unseen online?

2 comments

2 Comments

anthony_wells15h ago

Ended up getting my money back by filing a chargeback with my credit card company.

angelab6215h ago

Eight years ago I had a chargeback denied because the merchant (a small business) provided proof of delivery to my address even though the item was a counterfeit. I got stuck with the charge AND the bank closed my account for "too many disputes" even though it was my first one. Chargebacks are most definitely not a magic bullet and they can backfire really hard on your banking history. Plus the merchant has to pay a fee (usually $25-$100) even if they win, so it hurts small sellers way more than it hurts you. I honestly think filing one should be a last resort after you've actually tried talking to the seller first.