Dissapointed buyer, item malfunctions experience?


I sold a nice CD player that functioned perfectly up to the time I shipped. Buyer plugs it in and only one channel works. Box looks like no mishandling occured during shipping.
I spoke to the buyer, ( really nice guy). I also felt really bad about the item not functioning properly. I was going to refund all ship cost and payment.

He actually wanted to keep the unit so we agreed to have the unit fixed at my cost and I pay for ship to and from authorized repair shop.

This is the first time I have had to pay to have anything fixed that I have sold. I have been lucky and should be grateful because every transaction is a gamble.

I am curious as to what others have done in this situation and what possible pitfalls might occur during the repair process.

What has been your experience and is there actually a set of rules we should follow when this happens?
thanks
Matt
shoe
I've had some problems like this, once an amplifier seemed to have a thermal issue, it would turn on initially, but once warmed up if it shut down, it would no longer turn on. I took it back and gave full refund.

Another time I sent a speaker to Canada and when it arrived it had a blown driver. After some communication, the buyer offered to split the cost of the driver. I agreed, but since I sold a $3,000 pair of Linn 5140's for $800, a VERY fair price especially when I sold them (two years ago) the extra couple hundred dollars meant I basically gave them to him. Had I know of the issue, I would have just donated them to good will.... would have been more productive for me, but in the end he got the speakers he wanted and I got, well not much but that's how it goes some times.

I once bought some speakers that were rated 9/10, but when they came they barely made 8, really a 7. The seller gave me cash back, to me that was fine.

I guess what I'm saying is it all comes down to the two involved in the deal and whow reasonable and flexible they are, and what you both can live with.
Sc53 - thanks for the honest post. Now I know to skip over anything you have for sale.
If a buyer sells at a considerable discount and it needs repaired the buyer should meet the seller half way on repairs or return the unit. The seller should also be the one who makes contact and is in charge of the repair so he knows exactly what was wrong and exactly what it takes to fix that specific problem.
I've made two sales where the items arrived in non-operational condition. One was shipping damage due to my poor packing; learned a valuable lesson there. The cause of the second's malfunction wasn't evident. Both items were returned for prompt refund. One buyer offered to have the item repaired but I felt it was much simpler to refund the money and end the transaction.
While I'm certainly no dealer, I stand behind the things I sell. It's how I want to be treated.
Unfortunately this could happen to anyone. Item works perfectly, packed and shipped, doesn't work on other end. Who knows what the package went through, even if there are no signs of damage. Good faith seller, good faith buyer. Good faith resolution should be achieved in a civil manner. First, seller should offer to accept return with other options such as repair up to buyer. Cost sharing should be negotiated as well. These are some of the drawbacks of avoiding retail prices. On a positive note, I think it works pretty well most of the time.
BTW: I don't cash check until I know item received by buyer and no problems.