Hello everyone,
I want to share a frustrating experience I had with a portable power station I purchased from a seller on eBay in December 2023. I didn't use the product until March 2024 when I went on a camping trip, only to discover that it was faulty and wouldn't switch on.
Naturally, I reached out to eBay for help, but since it was past their 30-day return window, they told me they couldn't assist and referred me to the seller directly, citing Australian Consumer Law which provides a 1-year warranty. I contacted the seller, and they asked me to return the product at my own expense, and they'd send a replacement. To add insult to injury, they expected me to pay for the postage of the replacement as well.
I refused to pay for the postage, so I decided to visit their factory in person, only to find out that it wasn't actually the seller but a processing center for multiple sellers, including this seller. I returned the item in person, so the seller has the power station, but they still refused to issue me a refund and insisted on sending another power station. I declined their offer because I couldn't trust the quality of the replacement.
eBay remained unhelpful throughout this ordeal.
EBAY kept directing me to the ACCC, who then referred me to Fair Trading. Despite providing all the necessary details and filling out forms, Fair Trading couldn't reach the seller as they didn't respond. My only option now is to escalate this to NCAT, but even that may not be effective if the seller remains unresponsive.
What's even more frustrating is eBay's stance on this. They say they'll contact the seller but refuse to give me any assurance or information about whether I can get my money back. When I asked for clarification, they cited "privacy reasons" and ended the chat without resolving my issue.
It's not just about the $350 I spent, but the principle. eBay needs to do better in protecting its buyers. If a seller refuses to honor the warranty or fails to provide proper support, eBay should hold them accountable by fining them, suspending their platform access, and refunding the buyer. This would restore confidence in purchasing through eBay.
I want to make sure other buyers are aware of these practices and don't fall victim to shady sellers who disregard Australian Consumer Law. Please be cautious and share your experiences so we can push for better safeguards on eBay.
Amazon returns policy is top notch, if something is not working, they will accepted, easy!!!
Thanks for reading.
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