Gearbest should be banned - AGAIN

Wallyt99 on 10/01/2018 - 20:09
Last edited 15/01/2018 - 19:42

Edit - updated thread title - appropriate given additional complaints raised in this thread.

Hi All,

Just felt it worthy of sharing my Gearbest experience. I ordered a phone on 3 December. I had noted the concerns raised here about shipping - however in the shipping options on the site, and had ordered a Xiomi phone that arrived in about 2 weeks previously.

When checking out this time - there were a number of options. There was express option for about $10 - quoted as 5-10 days - as well as standard options for registered and unregistered post from China - there was another option as registered airmail from the Singapore Warehouse - which was quoted as 5-12 days. I selected that option as 2 days did not matter to me. I was however quite particular about the time as I wanted to have the phone for my wife prior to Christmas.

Actually it took them about 12 days to actually ship the item. I complained a number of times before Christmas… their response was to say that the shipping time I selected was 10-25 days (which it was not at checkout), and to 'just keep waiting'. Its now the 10th of January and I still have not received the phone.

Early in January I raised a paypal dispute on this transaction. The tracking information shows it was 'despatched to overseas country' by 'registered airmail' on the 13th of December… but has never been received by AusPost. Interestingly - depending on the tracker I use - some say it came from Singapore - others say Hong Kong. I am sorry - but what airplane on EARTH takes a month to get from Hong Kong or Singapore to Australia?

At the present stage - paypal are still 'reviewing' my claim - so I am still out of pocket - and my wife is still dealing with her old phone which desperately needs replacement. I'm really annoyed because I am unsure if I should buy a new phone, or what if anything is happening.

TLDR: This company is the worst company I have ever dealt with in my entire life. Never - Ever - Ever - EVER buy anything from them.

Electrical & Electronics

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Comments

  • Savas on 10/01/2018 - 20:12
    +29

    you must be new, give them at least 8 weeks.

    • Wallyt99 on 10/01/2018 - 20:12

      As if I should give them 8 weeks when they quoted 5-12 days!

      • WTF on 10/01/2018 - 20:20
        +9

        They NEVER deliver on time. Did you not read the prior posts? There is no point paying extra esp around xmas - it will be snail mail irrespective.

        Beware that sometime (?often) Aus post screws up as well.

        Dont worry the phone will most likely arrive in about 3 months.

        Sorry cant be more helpful.

      • [Deactivated] on 10/01/2018 - 20:25
        +28

        5-12 CHINESE days… Different to Western days…

        • Kangal on 10/01/2018 - 21:21
          +7

          ^This guy gets it….. gets it late, crushed, and half-missing like the rest of us

        • Oz8argain on 11/01/2018 - 14:41

          yep, go on GearBest and buy a Lunar calendar or something

        • avgbowlofpho on 11/01/2018 - 22:32
          +1

          @Oz8argain:

          Time will end before your lunar calendar actually arrives

  • KaTst3R on 10/01/2018 - 20:33
    +3

    The issue is everyone bought a shit load of stuff from online retailers prior to Xmas and the volume of parcels must be overwhelming. This can often lead to significant delays over the holiday season. Like my stuff I bought from Gearbest (early Nov) with upgraded shipping only arrived this week.

    It is not just Gearbest, all chinese sites like Banggood, Aliexpress etc all have this issue.

    • scrimshaw on 10/01/2018 - 22:23
      +6

      I think mine has just gone missing in the mail. I paid a few dollars extra for Australia Registered Post (Xiaomi BT Speaker worth $30 AUD) and 55 days have elapsed

      shipped by DPEX which I believe is TOLL Global.
      https://i.imgur.com/i60O7ue.png

      Probably sucked into the Chullora Black Hole, orbitting a massive clump of unsent parcels the size of pluto and having enough gravity of it's own it continues to trap more parcels that pass by it.

      55 days. Think I'll get my parcel?

      • KaTst3R on 10/01/2018 - 22:38

        More than 1 month in Sydney, small chance it could have been delivered to the wrong address. But I also expect a large backlog so it could come in anytime these days. Maybe you could contact DPEX or log a dispute. If they agree to refund, then good. If the item comes in next month, profit.

        • whatisk on 11/01/2018 - 16:00

          Had orders the same status for over a month - clearing in Sydney.
          They started being delivered this week but still have the same tracking info on the website.
          One of the packages also had an Aus Post sticker on it saying 'Untracked'. If that's the case why pay extra for tracking!?

        • scrimshaw on 11/01/2018 - 17:16

          whatisk : when did you order yours? mine was made on Nov 15, it still hasn't turned up or made any progress.

      • Forfiet on 11/01/2018 - 01:02

        I thought DPEX went to Australia priority line, so it passed to Auspost?
        Edit: Does tracking no. start with a CA?
        Edit2: Like other people have said….Xmas backlog is still being cleared, I've been receiving a lot of early December stuff just recently….
        Edit3: Seen your tracking imgur on the gearbest thread on whirlpool :P Hey rummy!

      • sdeals on 13/01/2018 - 10:36

        I ordered the same speaker from Gearbest at the same time, I also paid extra for what was meant to be faster postage and the speaker still hasn't arrived.

      • scrimshaw on 23/01/2018 - 01:50

        Update: Item never arrived, but I opened a dispute on PP and I got a full refund. response time was around 24 hrs from time of opening a PP dispute. I'm quite surprised they didn't make a fuss about it.

  • burningrage on 10/01/2018 - 20:38
    +1

    Let it be a lesson whenever you purchase from this company and its counterpart, LightontheBox, be prepared to be wait for a very long time regardless of whatever shipping option you choose.

    I ordered a memory card from Lightonthebox early Dec, it only arrived today.

    For Gearbest, I ordered 2 Powerbanks. The first one arrived 2 mths later but the second one, surprisingly, arrived in 1-2 weeks. I wrote somewhere in Ozbargain about this.

    Having said that, both of them DID deliver their goods. It's not like its lost in transit or something… so far.

    • [Deactivated] on 11/01/2018 - 01:07
      +2

      Light in the box is a competitor of Gearbest not counterpart.

      • samcro on 11/01/2018 - 21:34

        Do you know what counterpart means??

        • [Deactivated] on 11/01/2018 - 21:37

          Yes,
          Difference between gb and lightinthebox is that you don't get spammed :)

  • Brucet on 10/01/2018 - 20:42

    During christmas time parcels comes from oversea always slowly move around in Australia post .( also Auspost may screws up as well. ).
    Good luck.

  • Brucet on 10/01/2018 - 20:44

    I had order 2 xiaomi securities camera in early december from Gear Best and they arrived within 12 days.

  • Wallyt99 on 10/01/2018 - 21:06
    -6

    Why on earth would a company consider it even mildly ok that a phone take anything more than 2 weeks to arrive? The phone will be obsolete IF it ever arrives.

    I do wonder whether they even stock the items. Perhaps its a deliberate ploy -

    1. provide fake tracking numbers
    2. Invest customer funds (in crypto?) for a month.
    3. Purchase item and despach
    4. ????
    5. Profit.

    In that way they never have money tied up in inventory and always have good cashflow (albeit with someone else cash).

    • Kangal on 10/01/2018 - 21:33
      +4

      I've ordered things from last-week November and they only arrived first-week January.
      IT TOOK THEM A YEAR TO SEND IT !!!1!!!!

      I still have around 5 packages, ordered in first-week December, that I'm still waiting on.
      Same problems with Alibaba, Banggood, Zapals, eBay, etc etc. My Amazon US shipment from second-week December actually took 5 business days.

      The first big problem is they have an inefficient processing system. If you order something on Monday morning, they probably don't get the order sorted until Thursday afternoon. The second problem is the slow shipping. Regular shipping from Hong Kong takes about 5 business days, but the slow/cheap shipping they offer takes about 10 business days. The third problem is Australia Post. They process the international slow items as "Low Priority" so it gets delayed extra couple business days. Overall, you would get items arriving "as fast as" 12 actual days or as slow as 26 actual days.

      A rule of thumb is that I wait 20 days, then raise a query.
      If it arrives in that time, I vent my frustration, then close the dispute. If it doesn't arrive, well then PayPal.

      • Baghern on 10/01/2018 - 21:40
        +1

        Amazon years back use to be 1-2months, now they have a constant shipping, its faster.

        Same with UK a 5 years back

        Expecting anything to arrive on time during Christmas is a dreaming.

        For a 12 day delivery date, we have to remember Auspost 6days… so really you're expecting China to Aus 6 days, then Auspost 6 days

        • Forfiet on 11/01/2018 - 01:08

          And gearbest takes afew days to actually ship stuff ship usually….. so add ~3-5 days on that….

  • nocure on 10/01/2018 - 21:14
    +4

    Their delivery times have definitely improved, as have the quality of the rep's posts, of course around the Xmas period one could expect extra delays.

  • djkelly69 on 10/01/2018 - 21:38
    +2

    Wants phone prior to Christmas, but does not select $10 express shipping?? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    (Yes i read what it said the expected days were, but one is express and one is normal airmail…)

  • Wallyt99 on 10/01/2018 - 22:00
    -5

    I am now plotting my next move as Paypal are dragging their feet on this - despite it having passed even Gearbests estimation - credit card chargeback on the paypal transaction OR financial services ombudsman against Paypal.

    I am also thinking of raising a complaint with Chinese Authorities against Gearbest for misleading conduct (in Chinese)… As China actually introduced consumer protection laws a few years ago.

    • WTF on 11/01/2018 - 06:08
      +5

      Few things to note:

      1. Dont order expensive stuff from dogey sites.

      2. If you buy from overseas there is generally no consumer protection. You are always taking a calculated risk. Be prepared to accept some losses

      3. Never rely on international shipping to deliver stuff by a deadline. Multiply the expected delivery period by 2 or 3 times and ask yourself - would i still be happy if it arrives by the new date? If the answer is no then dont order.

      4. You get what you pay for.

    • jackspratt on 11/01/2018 - 13:02

      I imagine the Chinese consumer protection laws are to protect consumers in China. Do you really think the ACCC , or state Consumer protection bodies here, would become involved in a complaint from an overseas buyer about slow shipping times from an Oz based retailer?

      ps Unit 61398 has already logged your dissatisfaction.

  • hippyhippy on 10/01/2018 - 22:43

    Lol… Might want to take head of comments on deals if you have no experience with certain retailers. Any regular ozbargainer would have told you it will be at least 2 months.

  • Clear on 10/01/2018 - 22:43
    +11

    As a rep for a different Chinese store I could type up a page on exactly what happens in the background around November/December and why there are delays. I feel like it won't achieve anything, so I'll give a really cut down version (it's still long lol).

    Basically China's Black Friday is called Singles' Day on November 11 and it literally clogs up the entire postal system. It typically takes everything to go back to normal around late November. At the same time all the Christmas orders are coming in which results in the postal system being clogged up again. Now the processing centres, customs and even the postal carriers themselves have delays due to excess packages.

    So what do you do if you want something before Christmas from China? Don't order in December - simple. Order in November with Express Shipping, preferably a courier like DHL who have their own logistics compared to AusPost/EMS who often rely on the normal snail mail logistics.

  • Slippage on 11/01/2018 - 09:30
    +3

    You order from these sites because they are cheap, not for their customer service. If this is the worst you've ever dealt with, than I'd say you've had a good run.

  • Hoju on 11/01/2018 - 09:41

    I had a similar experience and posted a somewhat childish rant in the F36 furibee drone thread.

    Ordered 2 of them, one normal free shipping, one the most expensive express method.
    Ordered around 6 December I think, hoping to get the express in time for Christmas.

    My frustration was that the free shipping item was dispatched in 1 day.
    The express one took over a week to even leave China, which baffled and frustrated me

    Amazingly once it had departed properly, even with Christmas peak, it made it a day before Xmas.

    They notEd throughout, which I actually noticed when I next ordered, that shipping times do not include processing / pre-shipment times

    Gearbest was actually very helpful throughout - I actually received a refund of the express shipping cost, and a bonus 200 points to my gearbest account. The rep on oZbargain was very helpful and I was satisfied with the end result.

    The free shipping one arrived a few days ago, so took about a month.

    Incidentally I had a pairing issue with the remote and drone, and they also provided a refund for the cost of the drone. So really I can’t fault them.

    • sneakydean on 12/01/2018 - 15:53

      The express one took over a week to even leave China,

      My guess would be that whatever company they use for the express only comes by the warehouse once a week ?

  • Paul4565 on 11/01/2018 - 11:45
    +1

    I guess I was lucky because I purchased a Xiaomi phone from Gearbest around mid November last year and selected the option of free express post and received it in 7 business days. Product is fantastic.
    I have since purchased other items from them on boxing day selecting free regular post with tracking and are still waiting there arrival.
    If they arrive within the month I would be satisfied.

  • woteva on 11/01/2018 - 13:11
    +3

    Your item from Gearbest will only arrive after you forget about it.

  • HeWhoKnows on 11/01/2018 - 13:32

    Like you I had bought stuff from Gearbest before that never arrived. Had to raise a claim via PayPal to get my money back. Have faith as PayPal will see the same tracking information as you do and should resolve in your favour.

  • O15 on 11/01/2018 - 13:44

    The Gearbest shipping situation is not ideal. Using DHL for their express shipping makes it even worse.
    I purchased two phones, at the end of last year, and selected the express shipping option. For whatever reason, the express shipping cost varied between the two orders, it was $10-$25 each. That's not the problem, however.
    The problem came when Gearbest contacted me telling me I could either pay an extra ~$30 for the express shipping or go with their standard, month-long shipping option. All this because DHL think I live in a rural area (I don't).

    In saying all that, I think it was a bit naive to order something from Gearbeast (or any similar store), so late in the Christmas period, and expect it to arrive on time.

  • Baniya on 11/01/2018 - 14:16

    Echo many of the comments written in this thread. I placed an order on GB in mid November and it arrived yesterday (8 weeks for delivery).

    Although it did arrive, the fact that I couldn’t track the item (it didn’t work), made me concerned about it. And when I contacted GB last week, they said it had already been delivered. They basically had no idea where the package was. I would therefore probably avoid GB in the future…

  • bradsmrbetty on 11/01/2018 - 14:38

    Kogan was the same. 1-3 business days turned into a month.

  • Troymouni on 11/01/2018 - 17:09

    Hey guys

    Pulled the trigger on two of the Mi 2 air purifiers, both items delivered fairly quickly but both are missing the powercords from the unit to the wall?

    At least i got the items delivered but not having the powercords is quite frustrating for both items as I cant use them.

    I have raised two tickets now with Gearbest, hopefully they will come back to me quickly with a resolution.

    Anyone else have such an experience? Is there a store rep on this forum I can contact?

    thanks so much.

    • Hoju on 12/01/2018 - 07:28

      store rep is called gearbest on Ozb
      Very helpful
      I'd be surprised if they didn't at least offer you a partial refund - can you source the cords locally and provide them with a cost so they have an idea of what sort of refund to provide?

  • WTF on 11/01/2018 - 23:56

    Many overseas sellers (esp ebay) will give you fake tracking numbers to make it look like it has been shipped grom australia when in fact it is arriving from some other country (usually china).

    • Clear on 12/01/2018 - 11:57
      -2

      Working out an eBay seller's location is incredibly easy. You look at their profile on the desktop site and it'll say their location regardless of where the item ships from.

      • Twilight on 12/01/2018 - 18:44
        -1

        You realize this is just a text field they can write anything in right?

  • Trader101 on 12/01/2018 - 11:17
    +1

    Ordered a few wrist band trackers. Paid for the fastest shipping. Over two months later, GearBest cancelled my order without asking. Ordered something else by normal shipping around the same time. Over two months later, they apologised for not having delivered it. I somehow doubt the issue is shipping volumes and more likely to be something like waiting for further discounts from their suppliers, prior to shipping, as models get superseded and so on. These companies can fill and complete delivery of items in exceptionally fast time when they want to do so, a good example being Amazon.

  • spy on 14/01/2018 - 11:14
    +1

    I am still waiting for my Mi Max 2 since 11/11. These guys are pathetic and there is minimal cooperation with my PayPal dispute. What's astounding is that I ordered two phones at the same time, and one arrived and the other didn't.

    • Wallyt99 on 15/01/2018 - 18:34

      Have you been paid out yet?

      • spy on 15/01/2018 - 18:37
        +1

        Nope, and I actually want the phone not the money.

        • Wallyt99 on 15/01/2018 - 23:16

          I want my money back now. IF I get the phone they can get the money - but its absolute BS them holdong my money roght now.

    • Meque on 15/01/2018 - 19:36
      +1

      Same here mate..waiting on mi max 2 purchased on 11.11. Had to open paypal dispute as i am still waiting on the phone.

      • spy on 16/01/2018 - 01:21

        Pathetic eh?

  • pat0809 on 14/01/2018 - 14:04

    am I the only one who has never had an issue with Gearbest's shipping? I usually pay extra for faster shipping but even when I don't, everything I have bought has arrived within 4 weeks. I even bought one of those Xiaomi IP cameras in early December and it arrived before Christmas.

    • tonyjzx on 16/01/2018 - 18:52

      I have never had an issue with them either but i've been getting stuff from alixpress and dx for years.

      OP is obviosuly a noob. Dec 3 is not an unusual lenght of time. I've done similar to OP and still havent received my phone yet.

  • Goraka on 15/01/2018 - 19:38

    i have made 2 ordered from them and didn't recive any of em yet!! 1st order was 4th of December

  • whooah1979 on 16/01/2018 - 01:34
    -1

    we ordered three low value items from gearbest in 2017. one item each month leading up to xmas. all items were delivered about 15 business day after order date.

    we're happy with gearbest's service and would vote no to a ban.

  • Wallyt99 on 16/01/2018 - 09:05

    Lol… They have a good RATING - read the last 20 reviews on product review.com.

    • whooah1979 on 16/01/2018 - 16:03

      read the last 20 reviews on product review.com.

      20 fb is a very small portion to use as a customer service performance indicator. but if we were to use a small portion like that then those 20 fb from productreview.com.au can be negated by the last 20 from https://www.resellerratings.com/store/gearbest.

      • Wallyt99 on 24/01/2018 - 21:20

        Reseller ratings easier to sockpuppet.

  • Twilight on 16/01/2018 - 11:05
    +1

    Maybe we can just have a warning flag for these sites like aliexpress,dx,dhgate,banggood,zappals?

    "Experienced shoppers only, abandon all hope of shipping times, ye who enter here"

    Seriously, if you don't understand bargain basement priced chinese websites are in no way similar to buying from a retailer in this country and they're not the friendly, walled gardens of amazon or ebay, then please stay off them. Pay slightly more to buy elsewhere.

    Here's a good litmus test: Do you know how Spring Festival affects trade in china?

    If not, don't buy from anything from any of the sites on pandacheck. You're just lining yourself up to be the next "oh em gee, the shipping times is false and the vendor is unresponsive" thread.

  • rowdy on 16/01/2018 - 12:37

    Very good experience for me.

    Ordered a https://www.gearbest.com/tablet-pcs/pp_641529.html?wid=21

    last Tuesday and arrived today ie 7 days with priority shipping.

    Product all ok so far, very impressed with everything….

  • [Deactivated] on 17/01/2018 - 07:56

    Please Ozbargin,

    I agree, Gearbest should be banned - again!

    Do not pay for DHL Express, as you wont get the item any quicker IMO.
    I have had nothing but trouble with the 4 orders i have placed with Gearbest,
    ill be closing my Gearbest account, if and when the 4th item arrives after waiting now for 3 weeks (paid DHL Express).

    Take a look at the latest reviews on Product Review
    https://www.productreview.com.au/p/gearbest.html

    Maybe they are getting a too big and way under staffed, nowdays.

    • whooah1979 on 17/01/2018 - 09:18

      waiting now for 3 weeks (paid DHL Express).

      What does the online tracking state?

  • echocae on 20/01/2018 - 13:03

    If you have a registered post article, you can Trace it on your local Post Office as they have the tracking system more comprehensive than 17track or other webste. but word of warning Local Post Office may refuse to do a tracing for you.

    I also ordered a phone from gearbest according to the website they shipped on 27 of November, and I choose the BE Post, according to the website is 10-20days… it never arrive on December at all,

    on 5th of JAN 18 I went to my local LPO and request a Tracing, and they did for me, and Voila My order was in sydney and a week later around 11th of JAN 18, I went to post office again to do trace again and now is in Perth, and I recieve the item the next day (12th of JAN 18)

    • spy on 23/01/2018 - 00:23

      That's amazing! Might do the same. Mine is Singapore Post Registered. I rang them and minimal cooperation unfortunately as they said they can't track it.
      What's disappointing is that even though it was registered, the one phone I did received, they just left in the mailbox. No signature no nothing.

  • jeff1969 on 22/01/2018 - 19:04
    +2

    we are also on the list of people who learnt about gearbests lack of any sort of sense of whats right…. im sure we would still be waiting for my wives phone if i hadnt taken action. they never answered any of her messages or emails and havent to this day,, but they replied to me after i bombed every post they made on facebook with a reply saying they were scammers and you wont see your goods or money if you buy from them… got a refund in 3 days..

    • spy on 23/01/2018 - 00:22
      +1

      Might need to do the same. I'm getting no bite from them, not even on PayPal

      • echocae on 23/01/2018 - 16:26

        have you go to post office and ask them politely to track the registered..they can track it…

        • spy on 24/01/2018 - 17:00

          I've been told mine is untraceable on the system and presumed lost. Given its been over 11 weeks, I'm almost definitely not receiving it.

        • spy on 24/01/2018 - 18:35

          And thanks for chasing up for me. Really appreciate your help :)

        • Wallyt99 on 24/01/2018 - 21:17

          @spy: its possible that the item may one day arrive. Back in April I ordered a reversing camera off Aliexpress. The item never arrived. I eventually got a refund from Aliexpress. I shit you not - the camera arrived last week. Nearly a year late.

          I dont need it now as I already bought a replacement - but mind boggling slowness.

        • spy on 24/01/2018 - 21:30

          @Wallyt99: wow

      • Wallyt99 on 24/01/2018 - 14:32

        I just got a refund through paypal after threatening paypal with the falinancial services ombudsman. Not sure what I will do if the phone actually arrives. I will probably ask them to send me a return package. I wouldnt mind the phone (if it actually arrives) however I don't want to give them a cent after all the anguisg caused.

        • spy on 24/01/2018 - 18:38

          Interesting how phones from this $161.11 MiMax 2 went "missing"..

        • Wallyt99 on 24/01/2018 - 21:18

          @spy: not sure I get your inference….

  • Killabee on 22/02/2018 - 00:01
    -1

    Do not under any circumstances buy from Gearbest. Many people will have different experiences using Gearbest, some good, but the majority very bad and never have I ever heard of their service being exceptional.

    I recently ordered through Gearbest because I came across this post and other comments that spoke of improvements in the shipping service for Gearbest. I took a punt and decided to order from Gearbest in the hope that maybe their service had improved and the Gearbest rep on this forum could be trusted. I was wrong!

    I ordered a phone on February 7th 2018 and paid the premium for the DHL Express service from the HK warehouse, the item was in stock, over 500 pieces and dispatch was 1-2 business days as confirmed by customer service. I received a tracking number on the 12th February however the order was not passed onto DHL and dispatched. Many forums and hundreds of reviews I have read talk of Gearbest providing tracking but not passing on the item to the delivery company. What baffled me was that I also ordered a phone case the same day and had it sent via regular slow postage and it was dispatched immediately.

    I have contacted Gearbest many times but they replied once and said wait another 1-2 business days for dispatch, since then they have ignored my correspondence. I have now waited a total of 10 business days for dispatch and received no reply from customer service despite attempts to contact them well before the Lunar New Year and today since they resumed business. It has felt like a lifetime of waiting given it's actually been 14 days since payment and still no movement.

    By the way the live chat and phone is only for presale service not after sale service or complaints, it is never available and customer service will take 2 days to reply at best via email or the ticket system and will then ignore you when they have no way to resolve your issue. There is also no 'Complaint Escalation Process' despite them having steps shown in their terms and conditions on how to submit a formal complaint. It advises customers to submit a ticket in the 'submit a formal complaint section' which actually does not exist.

    When I read hundreds of reviews online that the Australia Priority shipping line was a hoax and that Gearbest takes weeks to pass on orders to the shipping companies I should have trusted the reviews, not the Gearbest Store Rep on OzBargain. This is the first time I have ever been let down by an OzBargain recommendation and I think it's important every other Australian shopper should know this. OzBargain is genuine and trusted, Gearbest is not and should not be promoted on this trusted site. Don't use these guys just to save money, it's not worth the stress, time and effort you will go through.

    I'm sure the GearBest Store Rep actually has some power to make something happen and try and restore my faith in Gearbest by getting my order dispatched today but I feel i'm only gonna wait longer and get skunked and so many more people will and already have been. You might get lucky, but in my opinion it's not worth the trouble trying. Paypal dispute and getting my money back is sounding like the best option.

    Order number W1802072245594209

    • Wallyt99 on 22/02/2018 - 07:38
      +1

      I never actually received the phone I ordered on 2 December. I had to file a paypal dispute and threaten paypal will the financial services ombudsman to get a refund. They didnt take the money from GB though. It took over 2 months.

      I tried to lodge a trace enquiry with Singpost and they refused saying that there was already an enquiry raised by the sender. I asked for information on it and they refused.

      I asked if it was send by air or ground and they said 'by air - but it might transit through another country first and that country or yours might change the tracking number.'

      Honestly I believe that GB are not incompetent but fraudulent. Singpost seem to be supporting this fraud through the provision of 'self provided' tracking numbers.

      I too ordered phone cases which arrived no problem. It's funny how it's always the mobile phones that never arrive.

    • Killabee on 27/02/2018 - 18:47
      +1

      UPDATE SOLVED: In case anyone read the massive post of mine and wondered how things turned out well I finally made some progress. I've been reading a lot of forums about gearbest fraud and came across a post where a guy had threatened gearbest that he would issue a fraudulent transaction claim with paypal for a refund if the item was not sent. Gearbest almost immediately after receiving this message sent the item out!

      Personally I grew so tired of their crafty lies and mixed responses that I didn't care if the item was sent anymore I just wanted my money back. So I contacted Gearbest and sent a message along the same lines as the other guy and just like him I almost immediately received a shipping notification, the item had been dispatched! What was really interesting was that it was midnight in Australia when I contacted them!

      Paypal sellers can be have their accounts removed if there are too many fraudulent reports placed against them. I can only gather given the hundreds of complaints on forums about Gearbest that they are not in the good books with Paypal and take Paypal threats a little more seriously than general customer complaints.

      My advice… throw some heat at their ass! Otherwise you will spend weeks getting no where, not to mention the very high chance of not getting anything at all.

      • Wallyt99 on 01/03/2018 - 18:39

        I went to PayPal and had to threaten PayPal with the Financial Services Ombudsman to get a refund. Never got the product. PayPal (not GB) covered the refund.

  • thom on 01/03/2018 - 17:17
    +3

    The majority of Chinese online shopping sites seem to have the same structure, messaging systems and canned responses from customer service staff.

    They provide an estimate of 2 weeks, but also clarify that it may take up to 6-8 weeks. Given the large volumes on these sites I assume that they make a large amount of money in interest before issuing refunds for the customers who remember to claim before the CC/PP deadline.

    Customer support seem to automatically close tickets without ever providing a resolution. Then they have the audacity to inform you that the deadline for making a claim has passed (when there are numerous tickets raised before the deadline) and refuse to provide any compensation.

    The tracking numbers typically show the items arriving in Australia, then nothing. I'm unsure if they are stopped by customs for being incorrectly labelled / perceived as being counterfeit or simply lost by AusPost (who are just as bad as the chinese shopping sites).

    AusPost take no responsibility for large amount of packages that never get delivered. The posties on bikes rarely leave the parcel pickup cards or even try to deliver parcels. I found out (from the delivery centre) that they don't have to even attempt to deliver for a number of reasons. So I'm unsure if parcels are arriving at the post office / delivery centre, and have no way to follow up.

    IMHO these sites (GearBest, BangGood, DressLily, RoseGal, etc.) are well structured scams making obscene profit from interest free loans (~8 weeks before refunding to PayPal or CC companies).

  • Joyoz on 18/11/2018 - 02:55

    Just wasted 20 minutes waiting for a rep. It wouldn't accept my email domain for their chat. I explained that to let them know so they could fix it if happened with other customers. I explain my enquiry and the poor response I got back. Wasted 40 minutes of my life dealing with 2 terrible reps. If this is what their customer service is like. I don't trust buying a phone from them.
    The rep on this page I messaged and their prices they advertised on the site was coming up a different tally for me on their site. They stated in their post it was inclusive of postage and charging me postage as well. They upgraded their post but ignored my messages. I think I will give them a miss. I don't want to order a phone and have to wait months or get an empty box as someone people have said on the gearbest subreddit. I have ordered an item from gearbest before and it came broken so little apprehensive spending $300 on a phone for it to be defective and deal with their customer service again.

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