Status: active
Reporter: Bam

---

This trade was Joe's Shadowrun (SNES) and Mario Land 2 (GB) in return for $27 via Paypal.

I tested the games when they arrived (using a reliable SNES and Super Game Boy) and immediately ran into problems. Mario Land 2's battery seems to be dead, since save files would be gone when I'd turn the system on to load them. Shadowrun was pretty difficult to get working when I initially tested it, requiring quite a few attempts before I could start playing it (so many attempts that I was almost convinced it had bitten the dust). From there I created a new save file after playing the game for a few minutes and reset the system once that was done. Resetting the system just gave me another black/blank screen, and getting it working again took even longer than it did the first time (I also tested a few other SNES carts for comparison during this second set of attempts as well, with each working on the first attempts). When I did finally get the game to work again, the cartridge's save files were gone, which led me to assume that it's battery was dead as well.

I let Joe know about the problems shortly after the testing, and offered to bring them to a local retro-oriented store to see how much the repairs would cost unless he preferred that I just send them back. In his response Joe asked me to get the estimates, but then admitted that he hadn't tested the games before to sending them. I was finally able to bring the games by the store roughly a couple of weeks later on March 12th (other commitments and bad weather kept me from making it there sooner), and found out that repairing them wouldn't really be worth having it done. While Mario Land 2 only needed a new battery, I would have needed to find one myself and bring it by. Shadowrun was a bit trickier though, due to the problems I had just getting it working. These problems could have been what erased the files, and not a dead battery like I originally suspected. I sent Joe a message letting him know about this later that same day.

When Joe responded (on the 13th) he told me that he was (understandably) disappointed that it took me so long to get back to him, and that he would respond more after giving it some thought. Four days later (on the 17th) I sent Joe a short friendly reminder about our trade since he hadn't gotten back to me. Two days after that (on the 19th) I sent Joe another message asking him to get in touch with me by the next day (the 20th, which was a full week since his last message to me), or I would be forced to leave him BTR to try and resolve things. It is now the 22nd, and from what I can tell he has made no effort to get in touch with me yet.

In order to take this BTR down, I would like to receive a refund for the $27 I sent, plus the actual shipping costs of having these games sent back (if he wants them back). For the record as well, I wanted to mention that I don't really believe that Joe intentionally sent me non-functional games. We all make mistakes from time to time, and I figure this was more of an 'oops' moment than anything. I can also understand why he would be disappointed that it took so long for me to get back to him, since it did take me longer than expected. I did take the time to explain why it took so long though, and politely reminded him that I shouldn't have really needed to take the time to check into repairs in the first place. At this point all I really want is for Joe to get in touch with me to work things out, since I'd have no problems with taking this BTR down once things are taken care of.

Edit #1 - Response to Joe's response from March 28, 2012 at 9:41am (NDT); I have messaged Bam, and have offered $27 for a refund to ship back the games- no more, no less. I lost money in shipping, too, and I feel this is fair, especially with the lack of communication on Bam's part as well up until recently. This trade took as long as it did to get to this point because of both parties.

I just wanted to respond that this trade would have been completed back on February 23rd if the games had arrived in proper working order. As noted above as well, the delay (or 'lack of communication') on my behalf was due to me not being able to get the repair estimates sooner than I was able to, because of other priorities also noted above. I am in communication with Joe to hopefully get this put behind us sooner than later.

---

Response from Accused "Bad Trader": (28-Mar-2012)
I have messaged Bam, and have offered $27 for a refund to ship back the games- no more, no less. I lost money in shipping, too, and I feel this is fair, especially with the lack of communication on Bam's part as well up until recently. This trade took as long as it did to get to this point because of both parties.