why do sellers do this? "Untested" just means broken/not working

[runawayabc123]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180720339379

Doesn't have the means to test....

But then has a second light gun game that is working....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/POLICE-TRAINER-GOOD-WORKING-GAME-BD-CPU-/180720339309

How does the work?  Or rather not work? 

This is why when you post "not tested" we all know it means not working.  Crap sellers. 

I know, I know... you guys keep telling me to not buy off of ebay. 

[BobA]

Untested means crap, broken, abused, incomplete and generally not wanted.   

[MonMotha]

What's funny is that sellers on Yahoo Auctions Japan will usually disclose every minor scuff and cosmetic blemish.  I bought some used parts for a Japanese arcade game once where the word used to describe the item condition translated as "painful".  They were certainly well used but still in better condition than most I see on public use machines in the USA.  On YAJ, "untested" really seems to mean just that; the sellers are more than willing to disclose known issues.  I'm not sure if it's cultural or just an ebay thing.

[BobA]

I think it is an ebay thing.  If it does not work just say untested and you may get a few dollars more. 

[brad808]

I sell some stuff untested mainly because i'm not always willing to spend the time hooking some stuff up or rewiring proprietary things to sell then for$10 or $20 because the time isn't always worth the return to mess with the stuff to see if it works properly

[Vigo]

I sell some stuff untested mainly because i'm not always willing to spend the time hooking some stuff up or rewiring proprietary things to sell then for$10 or $20 because the time isn't always worth the return to mess with the stuff to see if it works properly

  Also, you don't know who the buyer is, you might get someone who fries the board themself, then tries to pin it back on the seller. The seller is out the money and the board they get back is trashed. It's an additional insurance policy for the seller, even if it will probably not sell for as much being labeled as untested.

Not saying that this is the case with this dude, it seems odd his other stuff is tested but not this.

[fallacy]

he has 100% Positive feedback. That's the only thing that matters.

[runawayabc123]

he has 100% Positive feedback. That's the only thing that matters.

I disagree.  While I would be pissed if the untest item didn't work, that is NO reason to give negative feedback.  100% just means they didn't sell broken stuff as working.  Not untested stuff as truly untested.  Unless you searched their feedback and found untested auctions with feedback as worked. 

In the past, I have offered sellers $5 on top of the asking price to test the board for me.  Not a single one has EVER taken me up on the offer.  I either get "no" or no response. 

[DaveMMR]

This is not an "ebay thing". I've purchased stuff untested, as-is, etc. from other venues without problem. I have also sold stuff as untested because what I'm expecting to get for that item isn't worth hooking something up, etc. (basically what Brad808 said.) I expect buyers of these items to be fairly technically inclined and accept the risks. Likewise, I accept the risk when I buy untested items, because, being untested, it usually can be had cheaper.

[Gray_Area]

They didn't test it because they were too lazy/they didn't think the effort justified the return. In either case, and unless you know what the item is and it just so happens to be something they're clueless about, it's something you probably don't care about either.