Repeated Faulty Items on eBay

[aphirst]

I got my current DS Lite from the eBay user xinxin19977188. The first one I got was faulty (after a month or so, the inside of the upper screen mysteriously chipped itself), so I sent it back. To China, mind, so I was ~£13 out of pocket. Fair enough, I thought, since it's still cheaper than getting a new one in the UK (ridiculous prices, quite frankly).

After a 3-4 week wait (it has to get all the way there, then all the way back), I got the replacement. Noticed after a week or so that the touchscreen was faulty (impossible to calibrate the lower-left corner). Sent it back, cost another ~£13.

After 3-4 weeks, I got the next replacement. Yesterday. Nothing wrong with either of the screens... but it doesn't charge. Tested it with various chargers/batteries, and tested the battery in another DS, and it's clear that this console is at fault.

I don't want to have to send it back again. I've already paid ~£70 for the console, and ~£25 for shipping it back. I shouldn't have to keep forking out, when it isn't my fault that it's faulty.

To make things more frustrating, the listing has disappeared due to it being over 90 days old. Does anyone know what I should do in this situation? I just want to get what I've actually already paid for: a working Nintendo DS Lite.

 

[Slyakin]

...

Just buy a new one and stop the hassle?

 

[aphirst]

...

Just buy a new one and stop the hassle?

I've already paid for a DS Lite, to this seller. I shouldn't have to pay again - it's not like I can afford to keep throwing away £70-£100...

 

[tk_saturn]

I got my current DS Lite from the eBay user xinxin19977188. The first one I got was faulty (after a month or so, the inside of the upper screen mysteriously chipped itself), so I sent it back. To China, mind, so I was ~£13 out of pocket. Fair enough, I thought, since it's still cheaper than getting a new one in the UK (ridiculous prices, quite frankly).

...

I don't want to have to send it back again. I've already paid ~£70 for the console, and ~£25 for shipping it back. I shouldn't have to keep forking out, when it isn't my fault that it's faulty.

It's worked out cheaper has it? HMV were doing DS Lites £75 instore for quite a while, Toys R US want £80 for one. That's a genuinely new console with a 1 year warrenty, and you can take it back to the shop if it doesn't work. You also get a UK charger. Always shop around, DS consoles are often cheap as they change colours. Most importantly, you don't have to wait 3-4 weeks.

What can you do? nothing except leave negative feedback. Theres a limit on how you long you have to make a PayPal claim.

People are mad to buy high value items from China, many are fake or refurbished. Nintendo doesn't even sell DS Lites in China, iQue does and these are branded iQue on both the device and when it starts up. So you have to question where they are getting their stock from.

Sorry to be harsh, but it's the truth.

 

[aphirst]

I suppose I haven't helped myself in that I've wanted to buy online, and I've wanted specifically either a Red/Black or Blue/Black model. I am aware of the fact that the majority of them are refurbished.

 

[tk_saturn]

If you are on a budget, your best choice is normally to check out sites like http://www.hotukdeals.com/ and http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=36 When there's a store selling DS Lite's, DSi's or DSi XL's on the cheap; someone will normally post it there.

 

[Schizoanalysis]

Good lesson to stay away from refurbs.

You never really know what you are getting -- and the cases are 3rd party.

 

[aphirst]

Good lesson to stay away from refurbs.

You never really know what you are getting -- and the cases are 3rd party.

As valid a lesson as this may be, it would be much more useful to know what I might be able to do about my current situation...

 

[Schizoanalysis]

I meant a good lesson for those reading this!

As for the stuation... beyond selling it or trading it in -- you either have to risk sending it back, or just give up and buy a new one.

The Chinese seller may have disappeared already. I would imagine that he also does not want to deal with this time and time again.

 

[giratina16]

Leave bad feedback, report the seller for selling faulty items and contact eBay about a refund.

 

[aphirst]

Leave bad feedback, report the seller for selling faulty items and contact eBay about a refund.

I don't think I'm able to leave -ve feedback now, since it's >90 days since payment. Also, most of the eBay online system rejects my item ID because it's >90 days old.

I'll look into phoning eBay when I'm free on Saturday, to speak to a real human being...

 

[m3rox]

Leave bad feedback, report the seller for selling faulty items and contact eBay about a refund.

I don't think I'm able to leave -ve feedback now, since it's >90 days since payment. Also, most of the eBay online system rejects my item ID because it's >90 days old.

I'll look into phoning eBay when I'm free on Saturday, to speak to a real human being...

I don't know how it works where you are, but here in the U.S. you can leave feedback the same day.

 

[tk_saturn]

I'll look into phoning eBay when I'm free on Saturday, to speak to a real human being...

...in India.

 

[Law]

If you did it via credit card (through paypal or not) you should be able to charge back

paypal will get pissy at you and lock your account, but no smart person keeps money in a paypal account anyway.

seriously this is a lesson more than anything: don't buy anything online unless it's with a credit card.

 

[Slyakin]

All I can say is try to find a website like Amazon that is more trusted than eBay.

I'm not experienced in eBay stuff, so...

 

[Hop2089]

Good lesson to stay away from refurbs.

You never really know what you are getting -- and the cases are 3rd party.

Depends on where it's being refurbished, I would stay clear of China when it comes to game systems, I prefer the USA for refurbished systems however if you can get a reliable Japanese or European seller who offers a good price try them as well. I bought a refurbished PSP-3000 from a seller in California and it came in the original box with everything inside which was all 1st party and not even a scratch was on it either (it did have one nearly unnoticeable smudge on it though).

 

[Paka]

You have my sympathy... I've almost never had any problems with eBay (been using it since '04), but had a real bad one recently. Decided to get a new Kodak, and went with a seller who had 99.7% feedback and sold tons; refurbished, but I didn't mind as long as it worked ok. Usually, my advice to people is reading f/b comments carefully; but, doesn't always work out unfortunately. Some time after I ordered and paid, got a message from them that they "couldn't get pink" despite having 16+ auctions running that I saw for the same camera. I took them up on their offer of a red replacement, which eventually arrived-- DOA. They said they thought I might have received a bad battery and said they'd contact Kodak for me. Checked my e-mail later, and they did-- got an e-mail from Kodak; they wrote in my name and lied about the issue, said there was no battery at all! After telling them the truth, got the runaround, and after much hassle finally was able to send it back for a refund.

... In my f/b I commented that it "went like the car lot scene in National Lampoon's Vacation"

But overall my experiences with eBay are very positive, and I get the best deals there.

 

[VmprHntrD]

I've personally haven't had an issue buying crap from ebay in the 14 years I've had an account, but I also refuse to ever buy from the asian region of the world as it's a hotbed of piracy and shittily manufactured knockoffs and halfass refurb/repair jobs.

I know policy at ebay a bit, and you can still report it potentially if you call them and get a native english speaker (if you get india, ask for a reroute to the states or the uk branch.) Tell them what you paid, user name of the con man idiot seller, how much you've been burned on mail backs and the decreasing quality of the items on each replacement. If they can work it still since it's beyond 90days, they'll setup a complaint and give the dude a week to credit you back on his own. If they fail to I know ebay has the power to give you their money, and then bill the son of a bitch themselves, and if he don't fork over he's banned.

 

[tk_saturn]

14 Years?

The founder of eBay has only had an ebay account for 14 years, 3 Months...

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...tab=AllFeedback

Ironically he only has a feedback of 88...

 

[VmprHntrD]

Hmm guess I'm off by a year, says 13yrs 3mo on my account. I was off a bit June 9 1997l Either way, old account, and obviously I don't use it too regularly if I'm at 201, at least it's 100%.

I'm under tanooki-suit there.