Avoid buying from Chinese sellers selling in Australia at any cost (very dodgy)

[astronaut_77]

My experience with Chinese sellers in Australia is very bad, especially when it's a high value item. This seller  listed a Xiaomi 14 Pro phone and in the description says that it has eSIM, when I received it, I found out that it doesn't have an eSIM, contacted him, he argued that the eSIM only work in Europe, although that it's not true (as per Xiaomi customer service themselves as Pro version is only for Chinese market and there is no eSIM in China), yet the seller still blame me for not contacting him first asking about eSIM!!! Told him that item description says it has eSIM, as well as he is selling in AU! He asked me to return it but not to say that the reason for the return is that I changed my mind, took him so long arguing about the return and asking me to return it using the cheapest way possible, although the item is sold for $1519.62, as well as to add a coverage value of $300 (of course if something happened to the phone on its way back it will be on me, and he is in the clear), then finally after the phone was received, he is still stalling to refund me, and eBay is stalling too, telling me that the refund approval needs to be handled by a secondary team that handles high value items, I bought the phone on the 24th/July, received on the 3rd/Aug, I requested the return then next day 4th/Aug after inquiring about the eSIM. And from the 4th/Aug till the 16th/Aug (the date I actually returned it via AusPost) the seller was arguing about the return cost and every step of the way when I contacted him, he was asking me to change my negative feedback, I was actually willing to change it if he was genuinely willing to help and refund me smoothly, but he didn't. Now he received the phone since 29th/Aug and today is 2nd/Sep, yet he hasn't refund me as kind of payback for not changing my feedback. And even when I asked him why the refund wasn't processed yet, and in order to stall, he asked me if the phone has any collision (his own word) instead of inspecting it (although I packed it and protected it very well)
So please avoid buying from any Chines seller sells in Australia. THEY WILL SCAM AND MANUPULATE YOU

Now after this terrible experience with this seller and eBay customer service, I will NEVER EVER buy any item over $30 from eBay again.

I tried Amazon in the last 2 month for about 9 items, and they were very good in everything, delivery time and item description and customer service, I will switch to Amazon for sure.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

**nothing to see here**

(I should not have made this post)

[astronaut_77]

You are right, I should've do more homework and checking the phone model, regardless what the seller says in the item description, but I did open a refund claim/dispute after I found out that the seller is going back and forth, which upset the seller, because he obviously didn't want me to say that the item is not as described, he wanted to look like it's my fault of ordering a wrong item, blaming me for not messaging him first before I buy, I told him "why I message you when you clearly saying in the item description that it has an eSIM, as well as you sell in AU", but eBay put the case on hold for 5 days, and when I contacted them after 5 days, they said that they will need to put the case on hold again for another 3 days and give the seller time, instead of taking an action and force the seller to either send me the return shipping cost or sort out a return label.

Then after the seller finally sent me the money, the parcel took too long in Chinees customs, and when was received finally, I asked eBay to refund me or ask the seller to refund me, they said they will have to pass the case to a secondary team for high value items, which will take 2-3 days, but even after 3 days, I had to contact them again, they asked me to provide a copy of the return receipt, which I did, then again they said no no, we will need a proof of delivery instead of a receipt, I told them it's an express post, it requires a signature on delivery by default, they said that they will pass the case to the secondary team AGAIN for the second time as it's a high value item.

I was tight on time because I used AfterPay, and AfterPay put the next payment on hold, but told me that if the refund won't be processed before the 3rd payment, I will need to pay 2 payments together.

My whole frustration was that I will still need to pay 3 installments for an item that I have returned, as well as I paid for another Xiaomi phone from a local merchant (different model that has eSIM).

That was almost a total of $2300

[astronaut_77]

Because I found out that after I bought the phone unfortunately, I trusted the item description, and when I asked the seller where is the eSIM settings, he pointed me to the Network settings, which I didn't find any eSIM settings, then messaged him, he changed his answer and said that the eSIM is only working in Europe, not in Australia (which is wrong as well).

This is when I contacted Xiaomi customer service and asked them, not before.

[astronaut_77]

Sorry about that, I was typing on my phone, and you are right, the moderators have removed the seller ID.

[astronaut_77]

Sorry, I didn't tell the whole story, eBay and the seller kept going back and forth for a long time, it's not only about the wait time from when the item was delivered, it's as well about when I was advised then they changed that few times.

When the seller argued that the phone has an eSIM and I realized that it's not going anywhere, I opened a refund claim/dispute which upset the seller, because he obviously didn't want me to say that the item is not as described, he wanted to look like it's my fault of ordering, blaming me for not messaging him first before I buy, I told him "why I message you when you clearly saying in the item description that it has an eSIM, as well as you sell in AU", but eBay put the case on hold for 5 days, and when I contacted them after 5 days, they said that they will need to put the case on hold again for another 3 days and give the seller time, instead of taking an action and force the seller to either send me the return shipping cost or sort out a return label.

Then after the seller finally sent me the money, the parcel took too long in Chinees customs, and when was received finally, I asked eBay to refund me or ask the seller to refund me, they said they will have to pass the case to a secondary team for high value items, which will take 2-3 days, but even after 3 days, I had to contact them again, they asked me to provide a copy of the return receipt, which I did, then again they said no no, we will need a proof of delivery instead of a receipt, I told them it's an express post, it requires a signature on delivery by default, they said that they will pass the case to the secondary team AGAIN for the second time as it's a high value item.

I was tight on time because I used AfterPay, and AfterPay put the next payment on hold, but told me that if the refund won't be processed before the 3rd payment, I will need to pay 2 payments together.

My whole frustration was that I will still need to pay 3 installments for an item that I have returned, as well as I paid for another Xiaomi phone from a local merchant (different model that has eSIM).

That was almost a total of $2300

[springyzone]

What a nightmare.

Keep on it till you get that refund. I guess I don't need to tell you that though!

The main thing to learn from this whole experience is don't buy expensive stuff on ebay and never, never, electronic items from China, no matter how good the ads might look.

It is just far too hard if things go wrong and you have purchased from overseas.

Plus if you're buying from some random seller in China, the odds are you won't be getting the real deal.

There are some things that are just better bought from a local store. It might be a bit dearer but you get  a proper warranty.

[springyzone]

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@astronaut_77 wrote:

Because I found out that after I bought the phone unfortunately, I trusted the item description, and when I asked the seller where is the eSIM settings, he pointed me to the Network settings, which I didn't find any eSIM settings, then messaged him, he changed his answer and said that the eSIM is only working in Europe, not in Australia (which is wrong as well).

This is when I contacted Xiaomi customer service and asked them, not before.

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Unfortunately, that is exactly what you can't afford to do on ebay.

Ebay is made up of thousands of random sellers, some good, some bad.

I have learnt that before buying, it is a good idea to do a bit of a check on the seller.

I do it by clicking on the seller's name and feedback score.

That should take you to a section where you can click on the 'about' tab and see where the seller is located. Just because something is listed as being in Australia, it doesn't mean it is or that the seller is.

Then I check the feedbck. Keep clicking till you can see all the feedback, not just the last 6 or so. Read the negatives and neutrals.

It will give you a sense of whether there is a pattern of problems.

Personally, I tend to try to buy from sellers in Australia with a reasonable feedback score. It doesn't have to be 100% as some buyers give unfair negs.

But always take the time to check it all out before you buy so you can get a sense of whether this seller is one of the reliable ones or not.

[greywolf271]

I'm an electronics engineer and buy all my goods from china as far as possible. You seem to be a one off experience. I have never had any problems with the sellers I associate with. 

Rule one, communicating with a non english speaking seller - take time to ask the right questions.

[sandypebbles]

Obviously you have not read the many hundreds of complaints on here from buyers who choose to buy knock offs from dodgy sellers in China and then get up in arms how the thing did not work/damaged whatever/no warranty etc etc etc 

You might be happy to risk damage to your property or putting others at risk or worse and that is on you

Being an  electronics engineer you ought to know better

And would be well aware of the consequences of buying unbranded knocks offs not up to Australian safety standards from unauthorised sellers especially in China 

[sugar249]

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@sandypebbles wrote:

Obviously you have not read the many hundreds of complaints on here from buyers who choose to buy knock offs from dodgy sellers in China and then get up in arms how the thing did not work/damaged whatever/no warranty etc etc etc 

You might be happy to risk damage to your property or putting others at risk or worse and that is on you

Being an  electronics engineer you ought to know better

And would be well aware of the consequences of buying unbranded knocks offs not up to Australian safety standards from unauthorised sellers especially in China 

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My concern is that they are putting it in customers premises, or an employers establishment.   The engineer may be aware of the potential dangers and happy to take the risk,  but do the poor people they are inflicting this stuff on because they call themselves an electronics engineer.  And the insurance impacts of using this rubbish.