topic Need very urgent help on complex problem! in Buying

Need very urgent help on complex problem!

mrdwee — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:31:13 GMT

Hi all,

I live in Australia and I have just bought an iPhone 3GS from the US as a gift for my dad. I paid $18 for shipping charges. The phone turned out to be faulty and didn't work so I contacted the seller asking for a refund....The seller said I can have a refund or a replacement. The problem is that due to new restrictions I cannot mail the item back but I must use a private courier (because of the lithium battery). It's going to cost me around $140 and I bought the phone for $200!

Is there ANYTHING I can do? How did the seller get to send the item in the first place? This is the first time I've done a refund and need help. Can the seller be liable for my charges to send back?

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

twyngwyn — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:43:05 GMT

Can't you remove the battery?

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

foxette-in-sox — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:44:31 GMT

remove the battery & post back-make sure you send international registered & post to the address that Paypal provide you with ie open a Paypal dispute for item not as described.

IF you were logged into ebay.com,you MAY be covered under their buyer protection.

The seller was able to post because the phone was coming INTO Australia-for whatever reason,it doesn't 'work' for items containing lithium batteries to be post OUT

The ONLY other option is to get on the phone to Paypal & also email them & hammer the point home that return postage is cost prohibitive-Paypal CAN make a discetionary/courtesy refund if they choose ie if you annoy the heck out of them LOL

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

mrdwee — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:58:24 GMT

Thank you for your reply Fox. That was handy.

If I remove the battery--doesn't that defeat the purpose of the device? iPhone = no battery = useless? Not sure if the seller would be too happy with it??? 😕

I've contacted the seller and told him about the issue of sending the item back.

I did buy the product via Paypal but not sure what the "buyer protection" is. I might have to call them up and explain my situation to them.

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

bsal6160 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:23:25 GMT

Why would you buy a phone from overseas? Just how did you plan to charge the phone ? The US use 110V whereas we in Australia use 240V.

Just cut your lose and go buy one from a reputable dealer here in au.

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

foxette-in-sox — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:24:36 GMT

JMO-again lol-but you've probably only got 2 options as I said-return to seller with no battery or ring Paypal & chuck a spit lol

Looking at your sellers feedback,there's no way in heck I would've bought from them-too many problems with phones PLUS being in US makes it well nigh on impossible to return.

Did seller offer replacement WITHOUT you returning phone?

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

patchoo78 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:11:31 GMT

A lot of the earlier iPhones have batteries that you can't remove and I'm pretty sure that the 3GS is one of them

It's Apple's way of selling you a newer version of the same phone each year...

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

crosbystills — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:16:28 GMT

The 3GS battery can be replaced and apparently is only worth about $10:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/300726952805?hlp=false#ht_2263wt_1012

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

mrdwee — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:07:07 GMT

The seller hasn't responded so I don't know if he'll offer me a replacement without returning the actual item. Does that even happen?

I've contacted paypal-- they have told me it's best to wait for a response from the seller. Although they have had this similar problem in the past, the paypal operator said I should be able to send the item because the battery cannot be removed (don't think this is right though). She said most times the seller will just replace the item or refund without the need to return the faulty item. We will just wait and see. Thank you all on your opinions and answers!

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

peternt2001 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:04:00 GMT

i know this doesnt help you in this situation, but, in the future i would definitely stick to buying any electronic goods from australian sellers.

there is too much that can go wrong with electronics and they are the more expensive purchases, and like you said if there is a problem the cost of returning them is very cost prohibitive

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

lyndal1838 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 13:13:18 GMT

The seller hasn't responded so I don't know if he'll offer me a replacement without returning the actual item. Does that even happen?

I've contacted paypal-- they have told me it's best to wait for a response from the seller. Although they have had this similar problem in the past, the paypal operator said I should be able to send the item because the battery cannot be removed (don't think this is right though). She said most times the seller will just replace the item or refund without the need to return the faulty item. We will just wait and see. Thank you all on your opinions and answers!

You obviously spoke to an American at paypal. They just have no idea of the Australia Post rules....there is no way you can send an item with a lithium battery whether it can be removed or not.

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

lyndal1838 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 13:19:37 GMT

I have just reread the OP and would be interested to know what courier company is prepared to carry a phone with battery. Is the phone going by surface mail?

The "no lithium batteries" rule applies to all air freight, not just Australia Post items.

You can send phones by road within Australia, so assume they can also be sent by surface mail overseas.

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

phorum_junkie* — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 20:44:54 GMT

Apparently couriers can send them but they have to be specially, individually packaged in some sort of container which is why it is so expensive.

If other countries were more on the ball this wouldn't happen, in the UK you can send a mobile phone anywhere in the world except Australia lol.

This is not a new thing, it has been this way for a few years now, the restriction used to be that you could post items with lithium batteries as long as the batteries were removed from the device and there were no more than X in the parcel (can't remember how many, about 5 I think).

IMO it is complete overkill, every passenger plane has hundreds of mobile phones, laptops, tablets and sundry other equipment being carried by the passengers so how a few mobile phones in the hold are going to cause problems I have no idea!

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

2106greencat — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 23:52:08 GMT

The battery won't be integral to testing the phone (unless of course it is the battery that is faulty) I would explain to seller you are returning without battery, they can send replacement (exact same phone) without battery.

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

digital*ghost — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:00:04 GMT

IMO it is complete overkill, every passenger plane has hundreds of mobile phones, laptops, tablets and sundry other equipment being carried by the passengers so how a few mobile phones in the hold are going to cause problems I have no idea!

I wondered about that, too - that is, why can a passenger take a mobile phone on board but there can't be one in the cargo hold. After looking up the risks of lithium batteries, I can understand it. There are a number of dangers, particularly if they get hot, which they probably would in the cargo hold as opposed to the cooler conditions where the passengers are.

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

cuddles_01au — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:00:09 GMT

how is it if I buy a mobile from say a company interstate it arrives usually within 48hrs Im in Tassie and have bought a few phones this year for family from large dept store that has online options and they have always arrived within 48hrs of placing order

I mean I know the battery issue with AP often wondered about this

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

2106greencat — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:04:32 GMT

Hi cuddles - The seller does not need to fill out any form stating what the item is unless they register the parcel - when you send international you have to name the item for customs. As for phones on planes etc, they can be sent, but in a special compartment that is presurised like the cabin, which is where the expense comes from

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

cuddles_01au — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:06:15 GMT

Hi 😛 okay well that makes sense 🙂

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

phorum_junkie* — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 02:02:41 GMT

DG there is a much higher chance of the batteries being frozen than overheated in the cargo hold. In fact if an airline is transporting animals they have to specially heat the compartment they are in so they don't expire of hypothermia.

As far as I know Australia is the only country that has this restriction, if it was a real danger I doubt if any airline or government would risk fires or explosions costing millions of dollars and loss of life.

There must be many cargo planes arriving from Asia packed to the hilt with items containing lithium batteries, how many explosions have we heard about?

Re: Need very urgent help on complex problem!

lyndal1838 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 02:32:20 GMT

how is it if I buy a mobile from say a company interstate it arrives usually within 48hrs Im in Tassie and have bought a few phones this year for family from large dept store that has online options and they have always arrived within 48hrs of placing order

I mean I know the battery issue with AP often wondered about this

A lot of courier companies have an overnight road service for the delivery of items that cannot travel by air.

Australian Air Express has an overnight road service between capital cities (on the east coast, not sure what the timeframe is for WA) and it is used extensively by mobile phone dealers.

The trucks arrive here in Sydney very early in the morning, in time for the local delivery drivers to take them on board for delivery that day.

So yes, overnight delivery of mobile phones from interstate is not only possible, but done every day of the week.