topic Re: Return Request in Buying

Return Request

teenjar — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 12:04:54 GMT

Hi.
So I purchased a mobile phone on here and received it on Friday, only to find that I am unable to use it here.
The seller advertised it as being unlocked, but it is not.

On Saturday I issued a return request to the seller, but they have been sending me messages giving me possible solutions to solve the problem.
None of them have worked.

By my own research I discovered that the phone can't be unlocked.
So I told the seller straight out that I want to return the item and my money refunded.

They seem to be ignoring me.
Just want to know what is the next step in the process of trying to get my money back.
I can ask ebay to step in on the 1st of May.
As I have never had a problem with ebay, I just want to know what happens next.

Thanks.

Re: Return Request

phorum_junkie* — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 14:17:58 GMT

If it is a not as described dispute then it is better to open it through ebay and as the unit is not ft fr purpose the seller should have to pay for the return postage if they want it back. Open a dispute as soon as you are able and make it very clear to the seller that it is of no use and is not as advertised, even if you have already done this it is better to do it through the dispute. If the seller will not give you a return label or refund without return escalate the dispute so ebay will get involved.

Re: Return Request

horizon1907 — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 22:59:59 GMT

@teenjar wrote:
Hi.
So I purchased a mobile phone on here and received it on Friday, only to find that I am unable to use it here.
The seller advertised it as being unlocked, but it is not.

On Saturday I issued a return request to the seller, but they have been sending me messages giving me possible solutions to solve the problem.
None of them have worked.

By my own research I discovered that the phone can't be unlocked.
So I told the seller straight out that I want to return the item and my money refunded.

They seem to be ignoring me.
Just want to know what is the next step in the process of trying to get my money back.
I can ask ebay to step in on the 1st of May.
As I have never had a problem with ebay, I just want to know what happens next.

Thanks.

Do as phorum has suggested. Also, do not let them stall you. Can I ask, why did you purchase a Mobile Phone online. Go into a Shop and buy one. That way if you have any problems, you can take it back.

Re: Return Request

joethenuts — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 23:25:03 GMT

sorry horizon , its prob a seconhand phone thats why it was brought online, and your theory of why not buy from a shop ,well if everybody did that , where would you sell your goods mmmmm.

any way the op will be ok you shoukd get your money back no problems , buying a phone that you cant use reminded me a whille ago when i purchased a couple of 4 tier filing cabinets that had a lock , the only trouble was when i went to pick them up \. they were locked and a key was nowhere to be found , I just said to the lady can you see a problem here ,mmmmm she said oh my god ,how silly of me , anyway still havent heard from them ,

Re: Return Request

lyndal1838 — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 03:43:28 GMT

Joe, your theory is wrong.....the OP spent hundreds of $$$ on a new phone from a seller in Hong Kong with terrible feedback.

It is a recipe for disaster, not the least because the OP cannot send the phone back by ordinary mail. It will cost big $$$ to return it by specialist courier.

Re: Return Request

padi*0409 — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 04:37:38 GMT

It sounds as though the OP has opened an eBay MBG and is able to ask eBay to step in on 1st may, in which case if the OP wins the dispute then the seller will have to pay for the return postage.

If it's the Samsung then item location is given as Australia, so it'll be very interesting to see if the seller will take the phone back within Australia, or if eBay insists on an Aussie return address...............................if I was the buyer I'd try to insist that the seller pays the return shipping upfront, especially if it has to go back to Hong Kong by a specialist courier.

Re: Return Request

cherry*135 — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 09:13:39 GMT

@teenjar wrote:

They seem to be ignoring me.
Just want to know what is the next step in the process of trying to get my money back.
I can ask ebay to step in on the 1st of May.
As I have never had a problem with ebay, I just want to know what happens next.

The phone is clearly advertised as being unlocked. As it isn't unlocked, you need to progress with your eBay money back guarantee on 1 May.

You shouldn't have to pay for the return shipping if your claim for item not as described is accepted by eBay.

I don't think the sellers AU warranty meets eBay policy either.

Re: Return Request

teenjar — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 09:33:40 GMT

Thanks for all the info guys.
Much appreciated.
I will let you all know how I go later on.

Re: Return Request

teenjar — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:02:16 GMT

So the seller sent me a message outside of the return request, which seems pretty suss.
They want to know if it is ok for them to organize the item to be picked up and it will arrive a their service station in 1.5 weeks.
Where they can then organize a replacement or refund.
They are still keen on the replacement idea, even though I have made it pretty adamant that I want a refund.

I am thinking that I should organize postage to their aussie return address, and they can refund me the postage cost too.
That way I can keep track of things.

Re: Return Request

padi*0409 — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:20:03 GMT

I also think you would be better to wait until they make that offer in the MBG process and not through a message outside the MBG, you could be left high and dry if things go pear-shaped.

I'd email them back and ask them to put that offer into the MBG, it sounds to me as if they're stalling and trying to get around the system.

Other members may possibly have a better idea on this one than I do, the problem is that the MBG is a new process and is certainly not an easy one to deal with, anecdotally even the eBay CS reps are not certain of the processess involved.

Re: Return Request

darry71 — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:37:34 GMT

The first thing you should do is leave negative feedback. Future customers of this seller need to know what they are doing.

Re: Return Request

padi*0409 — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:57:26 GMT

@darry71 wrote:
The first thing you should do is leave negative feedback. Future customers of this seller need to know what they are doing.

No darry not until the dispute process is done and dusted, otherwise the seller will get their backs up and be as awkward as they possibly can be.....................

Re: Return Request

lyndal1838 — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 13:04:49 GMT

It is the seller's choice whether to refund or replace....you cannot insist on a refund.

By the same token I would ask the seller to keep the offer within the dispute system and let the seller pay for the return postage.

Re: Return Request

teenjar — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 13:05:10 GMT

I just told the seller to keep all conversation within the request.

I again reiterated the point that I want a refund not a replacement.

Also mentioned the shipping time, no way would it take 1.5 weeks from point a to point b within Australia, even with Australia post.

It's obvious they want to send it back to HK.

But I made a point out of them having an office here, seeing as the item was listed as being in Australia.

I'll keep you guys updated when I know more.

Re: Return Request

lyndal1838 — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 13:11:20 GMT

If the seller is arranging a courier to pick it up it could well take a week or more to go from one side of Australia to the other.....it must go by road, not airmail.

Again...you cannot insist on a refund if the seller chooses to replace.

Re: Return Request

darry71 — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 22:23:19 GMT

You are right. In this case the seller is ignoring the buyer, so they will probably get their refund through Ebay or Paypal. If it is only a cheap item I leave feedback first. This is not the case here, as the item is expensive. From my experience some sellers in Hong Kong and China are purposely dumping dodgy products here, that they know full well are functioning as they describe them. Don't under estimate the power of feedback. It is the fastest way to get rid of these dodgy sellers.

Re: Return Request

padi*0409 — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 01:18:54 GMT

@darry71 wrote:
You are right. In this case the seller is ignoring the buyer, so they will probably get their refund through Ebay or Paypal. If it is only a cheap item I leave feedback first. This is not the case here, as the item is expensive. From my experience some sellers in Hong Kong and China are purposely dumping dodgy products here, that they know full well are functioning as they describe them. Don't under estimate the power of feedback. It is the fastest way to get rid of these dodgy sellers.

Unfortunately darry that doesn't always work, a lot of sellers appear to be "protected" from eBay restricting them or shutting them down (unless they be small to medium sellers, in which case a few defects or neuts/negs is more than enough)

If you look at the feedback of Chinese sellers for example with huge amounts of negs (and revised feedback - read negs for those) they are still operating with impunity. There is also an Aussie machinery seller who's well-known to the regular boardies as being a very dodgy seller who's still selling after many many years of complaints, and who's feedback rivals some of the worst Chinese sellers.

These sellers are also very adept at using stalling tactics to run the buyer past the 60 day feedback limit, so that even totalling the negs and revised feedback doesn't give a true picture of the seller's performance at all.

Re: Return Request

darry71 — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 23:59:30 GMT

Here is one I have just left feedback for. I brought a usb cable for my samsung galaxy that does not work at all. Here is the back and forth emails. They are dangling the refund like a carrot if I revise my feedback.

Re: Return Request

padi*0409 — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 10:11:51 GMT

Most experienced boardies here advise not to deal with high-volume sellers that have less than a 99.5% rating on feedback, this one of yours that has 99.1% with over 1100 neutrals, 845 negs and 242 revisions (so you can read over 1100 negs to begin with) should have rung alarm bells in the first place.

Have they actually refunded you yet? I'll guarantee if you revise before the refund you'll get nothing back from them.

TBH I would only buy a usb cable for a phone from a phone shop, ok you may pay a few dollars more but at least you'll know you'll have a cable that works and that will not damage your phone.

Re: Return Request

bakeandfry — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 10:12:15 GMT

Darry, why would you buy a $1 charger cable from china?
Then ask the seller to refund the whopping $1?