My problem with eBay and who knows a good Alternative Site to eBay for Cheap Chinese Products

Bigsta on 11/04/2017 - 15:49

Hi all,

I have been buying crap off ebay for geez 10 years plus and usually its been alright but my latest experience has left a very sour taste in my mouth.

I recently went against my better judgement and brought a new office chair for $160 from an Australian seller which although i did not expect a herman miller i did expect a new product similar in quality to officeworks to last a year or so, what i got was a second hand broken POS which was completely different to the description, the seat base, arms, gas strut and leg support were all broken or defective. off the subject but the leg support even if it was in working order could not support its own weight let alone someones legs so they must do this purely for the pictures on ebay. Pretty sure this was a returned faulty product being resold.

Anyway this seller had the ebay 30 day price guarantee and at first ebay was ok after the seller did not respond to my messages or theirs apparently, they then advised me to return it and I would be reimbursed for the freight. I had some difficulty doing this at first as it was a bulky item and i was busy, ended up taking more then the time they had given me to return the item which was never very clear and they could see from the consignment note that it was in transport and would be delivered the next business day which was 1 day over their "deadline" they had apparently allotted me to return it even though i was still within the 30 days guarantee they spruke.

Went backwards and forwards arguing with them and tried to inform them of Australian consumer law and they were basically supporting fraud as this seller sells allot on ebay but in the end they will not refund me and im out my original purchase plus $50 for a courier to return it to Melbourne from Sydney, i have contacted my bank and may get the money back from them and think i should actually contact the police because its basically fraud??? but anyway i am really pissed at ebay and dont want to deal with them anymore.

This brings me to my current issue, i did like buying cheap electronics from china off them but if i dont want to use ebay, what other sites are there that are similar with some degree of security?

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Comments

  • fvalemus on 11/04/2017 - 15:51
    +13

    Ali Express

    • Bigsta on 11/04/2017 - 15:53

      are they good for 1 of something though? I thought it was all bulk buy type of things?

      • dylanando on 11/04/2017 - 15:54
        +7

        Aliexpress is just like ebay. Alibaba is the one you might be thinking of.

        • Bigsta on 11/04/2017 - 16:06

          AHhh yeah i think i was, cheers ill check it out.

        • dylanando on 11/04/2017 - 16:07
          +3

          @Bigsta: good luck, you'll be buying all sorts of random junk :P

        • Bigsta on 11/04/2017 - 16:19

          @dylanando:

          Lol thats a tomorrow problem

        • kmwa on 12/04/2017 - 17:38

          Actually, Aliexpress is superior to ebay.
          It's easier to search for items and find ones which have sold in quantity and have a large number of customer reviews. So you have a fair understanding of the product and any issues before you buy it.
          Aliexpress has a very effective dispute system, I've used it several times, but most of my transactions have been trouble-free.
          Prices are usually very competitive.
          And delivery from China is usually free, due to the postage deal between Australia Post and China.
          Delivery can be 3 to 8 weeks, so this is one area where ebay scores, if you need something urgently from an Aussie supplier.

      • PVA on 11/04/2017 - 22:14

        aliexpress is for single items, alibaba is bulk stuff.

        search properly though not all sellers are good, prob more traps than ebay.

        Ihave bought a heap from aliexpress, clothes are tricky to get the right size.

    • EightImmortals on 11/04/2017 - 18:09

      Yep been using aliexpress lately as well. No probs so far and seeing as how most ebay stuff seems to come from China anyway (regardless of location stated)then not much to lose.

  • stargalaxy on 11/04/2017 - 16:16
    +4

    I use Aliexpress as well, good thing is you need to confirm you get your goods before the seller get paid, so if you are not happy, you can complain loudly.

  • ronnknee on 11/04/2017 - 16:21

    Did you open a dispute case on eBay?

    • Bigsta on 11/04/2017 - 20:30

      yeah but because i took more then 10 days to send the item back they reckon the case is closed and thats that. Really rude and no respect for Australian law. I kept asking them to provide details or refer me to a manager in Australia and they refused, I am very sure the way they have acted is illegal.

  • holdenmg on 11/04/2017 - 16:48

    The Terms of the eBay_Money_Back_Guarantee as far as Timelines are at:

    http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/policies/money-back-guarantee.…

  • hasselbladsnapper on 11/04/2017 - 17:18
    +4

    AliExpress, have ordered many things, circa 250, and had only about 4/5 problems. Just submit a refund notice and that is what will happen in most instances. Just be fair to the sellers and remember to confirm the order when delivered, indeed they do not get paid until you do that!. Much better than Ebay, as they have your money ..in the case of AliExpress they hold the money in an escrow account until you are happy with the outcome.

    Just be aware that with the multi delivery systems the vendors use, delivery into Australia can be highly variable!. Can be 1 - 8 weeks depending on vendor, size of package & service paid for - extra or normal free delivery.

  • PissLUR on 11/04/2017 - 17:26
    +1

    where did you bring the office chair to?

    • Bigsta on 11/04/2017 - 20:31

      I sent it using startrak express for $48 or something, ebay provided the address to post back. Its in melbourne im in Sydney.

  • beaver2233 on 11/04/2017 - 17:33

    paid with PayPal? open a case with evidence of both the received item and damage/fault as well as the evidence you shipped it back to the seller's address. PayPal 90% of the time side with the buyer.

    • bburgess76 on 11/04/2017 - 17:51
      -2

      Exactly eBay side with buyer. Ali express on other hand sides with seller. As goods from China off Ali you got even less of a leg to stand on than eBay and alipay is nothing like paypal. If I was you stick with eBay. There is a reason eBay is a little more expensive than Ali for same goods cause it sides with buyer, sellers get screwed.

      • RockyRaccoon on 11/04/2017 - 18:31
        -1

        Frankly I think thats rubbish. Every time I have had an issue on Aliexpress they have sided with me. 9 issues in 2 years everyone sided with me, from no delivery within time frame, to faulty goods.

      • Diji1 on 11/04/2017 - 18:42

        So you haven't used Aliexpress before. Why are you making up garbage about it?

    • Bigsta on 11/04/2017 - 20:35

      I think once you open with ebay paypal wont talk to you, plus i doubt they will cover the extra $50 that ebay guaranteed they would.

      You know i am the victim of fraud here, if it was not for the pretty pictures, Australian based 2 year warranty and Ebay massive advertising of a 30 day money back guarantee i would not have taken the risk on such a purchase on ebay but i felt comfortable that ebay would honour their guarantee if the seller was dodge, i was wrong, im sure if i made a big deal and took it to the ACCC they would back down and honour their guarantee but they bank on people not spending the time on fighting it.

  • Baebs on 11/04/2017 - 18:31
    +1

    Avoid TinyDeal https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/300055

  • [Deactivated] on 11/04/2017 - 18:45
    +1

    Bangood?

  • ozfool on 11/04/2017 - 19:13
    +1

    Aliexpress, Banggood, DX.com, Gearbest. There is generally less 'security' or warranty help on these though.

  • [Deactivated] on 11/04/2017 - 21:53

    aliexpress all day everyday

  • Ryanek on 12/04/2017 - 08:41

    I've never had any problems with Everybuying

  • boccos on 12/04/2017 - 11:10

    I use AliExpress, Banggood.com, Made-In-China.com
    All are good if you use the system properly.
    1. Always confirm that you have received the goods by logging in to your account on their Website.
    2. Lodge a complaint immediately if there is a late delivery or non-delivery (very rare)
    3. Give feedback on the Supplier and on the item.
    Try to get the offers that have free delivery, and note that most deliveries are untracked. This means the you are at the mercy of Aust Post's poor current performance related to non-tracked deliveries.
    (One item sent (and confirmed actually sent and tracked as far as into Sydney), took 70+ days to arrive from Hong Kong. Getting AP to find it was like impossible "It is untracked" nothing we can do. Even a written complaint disappeared into the AP oblivion. Hope they get back to better international services soon.

  • cwongtech on 12/04/2017 - 13:09

    Aliexpress as others have said. I used ebay a lot as well. Aliexpress is usually cheaper with a higher cashback rate than ebay.
    I use aliexpress for things like screen protectors, usb cables and random things (metal collar stays).

    It's a whole new world! Also feedback from buyers can include photos of received goods (although some aren't that useful)

    For less standardized items, high value items, or branded products I would go back to ebay or check amazon as well.

    Still not comfortable yet to buy say a mavic pro off aliexpress.

    I prefer to buy local for peace of mind for warranty as well but only if theres not a large price gap between local vs grey import (they come from the same factories anyway.. Just paying different middlemen)

  • GangGang on 12/04/2017 - 21:27

    I've used Tinydeal numerous times and haven't had any problems.

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