topic Re: Item not as described. Help Please in Buying

Item not as described. Help Please

gympiegold — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 23:30:13 GMT

I recently purchased a safe from a well known Australian retailer on Ebay. 98.7% Feedback

Before purchasing I asked the question 'Can this safe be easily bolted to the floor. Their reply came back "We have confirmed with a specialist who has advised it can be safely bolted to the ground."

After unpacking it I could not see any way of attaching to the floor. This morning I phoned the distributor in USA and was told that it is a 'stand alone' safe only and can not be bolted down. The safe is of no use to me now.

Is this an item 'Not as Described' ?

Under the MBG will I have to pay the return freight cost? It weighs 38kg. Cost me $40 for delivery. The closest store to me is approx. 140klms away so ths is not a convenient option. Their returns policy states 30 day money back, buyer pays return postage.

This is my first return so am not sure exactly what to do.

TIA

Susan

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

harley_babes_hoard — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 23:39:26 GMT

Well that figures. Shocking feedback for a company like that but did you read the returns and refunds page. It tells you what to do. There is no need to open a case unless they don't refund it.

As you can't get to a store ask them if they can provide a label to send it back to them.

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

black*poppy — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 23:46:29 GMT

If you open a return case under MBG, the seller must pay the return postage costs. Their return policy is really only applicable to change of mind returns on the ebay platform.

Ask the company to send you a label. If they won't, get it in writing the exact amount that they are willing to refund you for the return freight. Wading out of my depth here a bit but I know some bigger companies have their own agreements with AP / freight companies so you might not be able to get the freight as cheap as they did, so I would get a couple of quotes.

Unless you get the exact amount agreed you won't be able to make ebay refund the return postage cost.

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

gympiegold — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 00:16:00 GMT

Thanks for your replies.

I have messaged the supplier asking for instructions on how to return it for a full refund plus postage costs.

I'll wait to see how they intend handling this.

Susan

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

phorum_junkie* — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 00:25:29 GMT

How could you not hear alarm bells with dreadful feedback like that? I can understand a newbie thinking below 99.5% for a high volume seller is OK but you are not exactly new!

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

gympiegold — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 00:34:43 GMT

No I am not new and their feedback score is shocking but they answered all my questions satisfactorily.

The safe was delivered on time. Communication was excellent. There is nothing wrong with the safe except for the fact that it can not be bolted down.

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

*tippy*toes* — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 00:49:18 GMT

Do you have a Bunnings anywhere near you? I got my safe from there and the rough outer dimensions are H 30cm D 33cm W 40cm. It cost around what you paid and it does have a hole in the bottom to bolt it to the floor. From memory it's not a firesafe one, so if that part of it is an essential requirement for you, then this one would be no good.

I don't know the ins and outs of safes, but I would imagine that firesafe ones wouldn't have the hole in the bottom because it would break the fire seal. The heat could seap through the hole destroying what's inside.

As you have a message from them saying that it can be bolted to the floor, and it turns out it doesn't, I'd be going for not described. You have written evidence stating it will do what you want it to do and it doesn't, so keep that message as proof. Give them the option to sort it out first and if they don't, open a dispute. I'm not sure by looking at their feedback whether you'll have much luck getting a reply from them. That seems to be a major reason for the amount of negative feedback they have.

They really need to find a new specialist!!!

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

gympiegold — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 01:04:16 GMT

They really need to find a new specialist!!!

We do have Bunnings but they don't have anything suitable. It has to be firesafe as well as bolt down. They do exist. (Thought that was what I was buying)

I have kept all previous correspondence and am just waiting on a reply to my message before I proceed further.

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

*tippy*toes* — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 02:02:17 GMT

The firesafe ones at Bunnings were far too small for my requirements, which is why I opted for the other one. Good luck getting an answer from the seller! I hope you get it all sorted without too much fuss.

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

joethenuts — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 03:19:45 GMT

hope everything goes good for you , now i dont know how much you paid as you have not mentioned it, but unless you pay a decent amount and cant be lifted by 1 person then there a waste of money , as home safes are everywhere now, and thiefs can cart them out just like the old vcrs once they see a safe they know there is a great chance there is something good inside and bang , a small crow bar and off they go. and the first place they look in the wardrobe or in the linen closet. but everyone to themselves.

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

collect247 — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 03:38:50 GMT

Wardrobe or closet?

Mine's in a hole in the floor which is boxed up and welded to the bottom of the hole and covered with a fake floor and carpet on top of that,with a heavy tall boy over that.

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

joethenuts — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 04:10:37 GMT

love it as maxwell smart would say the old fake floor and the safe trick

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

black*poppy — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 09:38:27 GMT

Make sure you do the return through the MBG system by opening a return case, or eBay won't be able to help you if they don't do what they promise. They don't have a very good track record after all.

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

gympiegold — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:53:41 GMT

Do I need to open a return case?

The seller has replied to my message with 3 options for return.

a. Return to nearest local Store ....No too far

b. Take to Post Office ....No too heavy

c. They can pick up the item at my address and then once received by the postal service they process a refund (this doesn't sound right to me)

I have told them Option C but they haven't got back to me as yet.

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

*tippy*toes* — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 12:24:12 GMT

@gympiegold wrote:
Do I need to open a return case?

The seller has replied to my message with 3 options for return.

a. Return to nearest local Store ....No too far
b. Take to Post Office ....No too heavy
c. They can pick up the item at my address and then once received by the postal service they process a refund (this doesn't sound right to me)

I have told them Option C but they haven't got back to me as yet.

Open a dispute. There's no guarantee that they will refund once it's back in their possession. Even if they do, it could take ages. Maybe they are true to their word, but if they're not, I'm not sure there is much you can do once you've sent it back. Hopefully someone else comes along with some more suggestions.

Why would THEY pick up the item then hand it to the postal service? If they picked it up, wouldn't they just take it back to the store/warehouse?

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

lyndal1838 — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 19:54:28 GMT

Tippy, it sounds to me as though the seller may have some sort of AP account whereby the items are picked up from their premises and delivered to the postal service....perhaps e-parcel or the like.

The person who picks it up does not deliver it direct to the addressee, but to a parcel depot or wherever it goes to be accepted into the system.

Re: Item not as described. Help Please

*tippy*toes* — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 02:09:34 GMT

Ahhh, ok. That makes sense.