Good eBay experience

I mentioned in an earlier post that I fitted a Powerlet-type power outlet to the Bonnie.

The first thing to say is that this type of connector is way better than the usual cigar-lighter type. It's much more robust, with proper brass contacts, and it fits positively with a nice meaty 'click'. It can handle a lot more power than a cigar-lighter type, and is unlikely to be dislodged by vibration or a clumsy knock. So I set about getting an adapter to allow me to use my devices with the new power socket. The idea is that the only connector exposed to the weather will be this one. I wanted a lead which will go up into the tank bag, where I can make the other connections in a dry and protected area.

The connectors from Powerlet themselves are hugely expensive - probably brilliant quality, but unaffordable for me at the moment. But the beauty of this connector is that it is made to an international standard, so there should be many suppliers who can deliver the goods. I went to eBay and located what I wanted - a Powerlet plug with a split lead to two cigar-lighter sockets. That should take care of the satnav and the phone. The adapter was described as being 37 cm in length, and this sounded ideal for reaching into the tank bag without a lot of wasted cable, so I Bought It Now for the princely sum of £8.95.

It was delivered in a couple of days, looked good and well-made, and both sockets worked - always as well to check, in my experience. I gave the seller some positive feedback. But when I mounted it on the bike ...



... I realised that the leads weren't long enough. The leads were more like 12 cm than 37, and while this wouldn't stop me using them, it was not what I had ordered. More in hope than expectation, I emailed the seller to explain the mistake and asking for the 37 cm leads that I had paid for. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much of a response. These are hardly expensive items, and at this end of the scale, eBay sellers are rarely too concerned about customer satisfaction.

I was pleased to get a very polite email by return, apologising for the error and explaining the mix-up. The seller promised me a new set with the proper 37 cm leads, and said that I could keep the others in case they came in useful. This morning, they arrived - postage free and of the correct length. They work fine, and are the ideal length for what I need.



So, a very satisfactory outcome. Reasonable prices, quick delivery, good communications and a desire to keep customers happy - what more could you wish for? I wrote to thank him and mentioned the blog, and in reply he wrote

We try to cater to the biking community, so if there is anything you, or you fellow readers need, please let me know.

So a big thank-you and highest recommendation to James at qualityparts09. He's got 99.9% positive feedback over nearly 6000 transactions, so others must feel the same way. I've had a poke around his eBay store, and it's a boy's paradise, really. I'd certainly deal with the guy again on the basis of my experience.