Seller won't reply to Warranty Query/Claim

[fat232dog]

Hi All. What do you do?? I have emailed the seller 4 times about an item that has broken down and is repairable under warranty. Not one reply (even though they are always quick to reply when they want to be paid). There website has no phone number. Ebay have advised that they are a PArtner Seller and therefore, only a Supervisor can handle it. 3 Days later, the supervisor advises that they have had no reply either. Can't they just telephone them? Warning to all, these guys are Bad Ebayers. 

Am I allowed to disclose whom they are on these boards??

[countessalmirena]

Even though this is an old thread, let me suggest something for your future purchases, hermits_and_nomads.

I know your item had the Item location specified as New South Wales, Australia.

I know that the listing referred to a manufacturer's warranty.

However, had you clicked onto the seller's feedback score (a clickable link leading you to the seller's feedback profile page), you'd have seen that the seller was located in China (Member since: 29-Jun-09 in China).

Have you ever heard of the brand (IPOWER)? I haven't. I googled and found that it's probably a series, not a brand, and that the actual manufacturer is Beijing EPsolar Technology Co., Ltd. Does that give you confidence that it's an item made with materials fit for purpose? Does that give you confidence that it's an electrical item meeting Australian standards?

Did the seller have an ABN?

Who are VMInnovations, who apparently are responsible for 1 year of the 2-year warranty?

And finally, be aware of the issue of the enforceability of a warranty when you buy from an overseas seller. Your chances of having such a warranty honoured are best expressed by the word "Buckley's". Check https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/products-and-services/business-practices/parallel-imports, and https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/products-and-services/online-shopping/buying-from-an-overseas-seller..., to be aware of some of the pitfalls.

Basically speaking, you should thank God that you haven't burned down your house, or lost your life or the lives of others dear to you. In comparison with those outcomes, burning out a fridge is put into perspective.

If this item is only three months old - that is, if you only purchased it three months ago - you can still raise a claim through PayPal. This would be on the basis of the item not meeting Australian EMC Standards, being made of materials that are not fit for the purpose, and being faulty on arrival. Explain that the listing stated item was in Australia and that on that basis you should not have to return the item to China. Get on the phone to PayPal and explain the situation calmly and politely.

Call PayPal Customer Service

1800 073 263 (toll free)
+61 2 8223 9500

Go to this page (https://www.paypal.com/au/smarthelp/contact-us) for your one-off passcode.
[You'll be asked to enter this unique code on the phone.)

Customer Service hours

6am to 10pm AEST Monday to Friday
8am to 7pm AEST Saturday and Sunday

You may be able to ask the PayPal CS rep to open and complete the claim for you while you're on the phone. Otherwise, you'll need to do this yourself.

If no luck through PayPal (having given them all the information necessary in a polite and well-structured way), then open a dispute via the Financial Services Ombudsman.

Or you can contact your bank and try to initiate a chargeback on the basis of the item not meeting Australian Standards and arriving in faulty condition, being made of materials not fit for purpose, and the seller having falsely claimed it was being sent from Australia while you later discovered they were actually in China.

IN FUTURE

Don't buy from Chinese eBay sellers when it comes to electrical goods. You are risking more than you know by trying to save a few dollars. Buy an authorised brand meeting Australian Standards, from an authorised Australian business, with an enforceable warranty under Australian consumer law. Don't forget that no insurance company is going to help if they know that damage was caused by you using an item that doesn't meet Australian Standards. It isn't worth it.

[liyuchou]

Unfortunately eBay is a place where doggy sellers can hide and get away without any penalty. The seller I bought artificial grass claimed they are Australian own so they offer 5 years warranty. The grass I got lasted only 10 months. I have tried to contact them numerous of times to learn eBay warranty worth nothing. I will go Amazon now

[*tippy*toes*]

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@liyuchou wrote:
Unfortunately eBay is a place where doggy sellers can hide and get away without any penalty. The seller I bought artificial grass claimed they are Australian own so they offer 5 years warranty. The grass I got lasted only 10 months. I have tried to contact them numerous of times to learn eBay warranty worth nothing. I will go Amazon now

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Oh, if I had a dollar for every time someone said "I will go to Amazon", I'd be a very rich person. Seriously, no one cares if you go to Amazon, least of all eBay. Good luck with that.

I will say though, that I hope the Amazon discussion forums don't have people dredging up dead threads. Maybe their admin lock threads after a certain amount of time. Unlike here, where people, like yourself, can dig up dead threads and bump them back to the top.

Edit: Warranties on Amazon hold about as much water as warranties on eBay. Absolute zero if you choose to buy from Chinese sellers.  Or most sellers for that matter, on either site. My fake grass is still going strong 10 years later. I guess it pays to check who you are buying from.

If you want a valid warranty, buy locally. It's not hard.

[drdoug30]

WoW this thread is old, but this type of seller is why you pay by Paypal and then via a credit card in Paypal. They both allow chargebacks within 180 days. Although with Paypal you need to raise a claim via Ebay first and Ebay do not have an online claim for warranty claim issues. Just start an issue for say non delivery and fill in that the items are faulty and seller ignores you. Then if Ebay say outside the time limit (even though they are refusing to uphold your rights as a consumer) you use that refusal to start the Paypal claim, if Paypal reject you raise the claim for chargeback with your credit card supplier and if they will get you a refund.