Going to avoid ordering stuff shipped from China- a mini (not Mavic) rant

[vindibona1]

I've decided that unless absolutely necessary for an uncessary purchase I'm not ordering anything shipped or sold directly out of China. I've had two recent experience, both not wonderful...

Today I just received a Pulse/Oximeter that I had ordered- AND CANCELLED IN MARCH! A day after ordering they sent an email that it wouldnt' be available for shipping for at least a month. So I sent them a cancellation immediately. No response. Second request days later. No response. Third request... crickets and a call to PayPal for dispute. Over a week goes believe it or not PayPal said they couldn't intervene. Mercifully PayPal is a flow-through to my bank's credit card. The bank refunded my money. Yet, here the thing arrived today (and it was junk compared to the other one I bought in the US btw).

Fast forward to May. I ordered my first drone from Banggood on May 20 and received it 3 weeks 18 days later. Their stated policy reads that they will accept returns of defective merchandise within 7 days of receipt. Well, I got a defective one and emailed them the next day. No response. Two days later 2nd quest and finally a response a day later. Without going into excrutiating detail, they did a rope-a-dope with back and forth emails, like dealing with the Three Stooges as if they didn't read my emails (which were attached in series with each communication). After 10 cycles of email, I contacted PayPal and finally got a reply that said they would accept the return if *I* paid for the return shipping ($55- and their return said they'd cover it) and would refund the money one they receive it and inspect it. Again, I called my bank, gave them the cycle of emails and they credited my account. I'm waiting to see if Banggood responds to that and have to wait 35 days before I can pitch the thing in the trash.

I've come to the conclusion that the cultural mindset in China is different. Just too much game playing- even fraud that would never be tolerated of US companies. Sometimes stuff is available from China cheaper than purchased from a US distributor, but for the most part, at least for me, it's not worth the aggrevation on all levels. YMMV

 

[THE CYBORG]

My only grievance with buying from China is the shipping times, I am sure a man with a hand cart has the job of getting the goods from the store to the ship that can eventually deliver them to the destination port but sometimes they must use a rowing boat not a container ship.

 

[vindibona1]

My only grievance with buying from China is the shipping times, I am sure a man with a hand cart has the job of getting the goods from the store to the ship that can eventually deliver them to the destination port but sometimes they must use a rowing boat not a container ship.

I've had some successful purchases from China in the past. And I recognize that COVID has had some impact on shipping and perhaps manning offices in China as well as it has here (in the US). It's just that the last 3 out of 5 purchases were trouble. I forgot, and forgot to mention that I'd ordered a flashlight in April that was supposed to be here by May 29th... Well we're in July and still no arrival in the US. So last week I had file yet another dispute. That one was resolved quickly with a refund. One other issue I had a few years back, I ordered a guitar that was supposed to be cherry red but when it came it was a dark burgundy color. Fortunately I liked that color as well, but wasn't what I ordered and was happy with a $25 refund. It coulda been worse.

What sent me over the edge was Banggood, having purchased from them in good faith, only to have them play stupid for 3 weeks and 20 emails before they even acknlowedged a refund on a product defective out of the box (and documented), still trying to stick me with return shipping- with refund pending only AFTER they received the defective drone (and who knows when that would be???). No thanks. No more.

 

[Johnmcl7]

To be fair there's a lot of different Chinese companies and I'm sure you' could find plenty businesses in the US that would similarly muck you about, I know I've certainly found plenty in my time in the UK.

I do completely agree with you on Banggood and wouldn't touch them with a bargepole. I ordered a Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 which is an 8in Android tablet that seemed well suited to the Mavic but it's not available officially here so you have to get a grey import. I made sure the tablet was in stock when I ordered and waited the 28 day delivery after which there was no sign of the tablet even though its status was dispatched. I contacted Banggood and the tablet hadn't been in stock and still wasn't available (even thought their site claimed they had hundreds in stock ready to order at that point) so they gave me two options, wait a month when stock might arrive then another month for delivery (which would be three months after the original order and not even guaranteed) or they could give me credit towards another item on the site. I made it clear I was expecting a full refund and they eventually relented.

I ordered the tablet from another site that confirmed they had it in stock then it turned out they didn't have it in stock and some of the same nonsense again.

I was fed up and managed to get a great deal on a Samsung tablet which arrived next day and worked perfectly since.

That said I've used a few other Chinese companies who have been good deal with and no problem with getting the items and on the odd occasion the goods were faulty, I had no problems getting it sorted. I bought a cheap bike light/torch and it lasted about half an hour before failing which was annoying because I thought it's not worth sending back if I have to pay the cost so thought I'd have to take it on the chin. I contacted the seller who apologised and offered me a refund plus didn't want the item sent back either.

UK-wise for some balance one that comes to mind is a blooming strimmer, I was after a particular model since most of them just seemed rubbish but it was out of stock everywhere. Finally found a place selling it who marked it as dispatched but there was no sign of it some two weeks later, I contacted them and they admitted they didn't have any stock but would have it shortly. They'd marked it as dispatched to cheat the Amazon system but I didn't have any options so waited a week but no stock but they'd definitely get it this time etc. I meant to just get a refund and get shot of these timewasters but it was over the summer and forgot about it then three months later the strimmer did actually turn up. At least the strimmer was worth the hassle with a decent amount of power and the reeling system worked unlike any of the others I'd been using.

 

[THE CYBORG]

I had never used Banggood until last week, ordered a hand held gimbal made for the camera off my Xiaomi Mi 4k, now you have me worried
I have bought from Fast Tech lots of times, although slow I never had a problem with the goods.

 

[vindibona1]

To be fair there's a lot of different Chinese companies and I'm sure you' could find plenty businesses in the US that would similarly muck you about, I know I've certainly found plenty in my time in the UK.

The US is different than many countries. Of course the US has it's issues, but not so much in this type of commerce. There are many different governmental laws and agencies to prevent such occurrances. I can't speak for folks like you in other countries who order goods from the US. For mail order goods my preference is usually Amazon. I have a Prime membership so I get free shipping, often overnight or even same day. They offer free returns, usually where I don't have to even re-pack the product. When I drop off the product at a UPS store 5 minutes away I get refunded minutes after UPS scans it in.

And while I recognize the time zone differences making email turn-around often 24 hours, what made me mad was that almost every response from them was as if they didn't read my previous reply and response to their emails. What's worse is that they ignored their own return policy and demanded I pay the return shipping ($55 usd). Here is the pertainent part of their printed and pubished return policy copied from their website. I don't know how much clearer it could be...

"7 Days DOA Product Guarantee
If one or more of the items you received are damaged, different or not working, you will be protected by this guarantee.
Below please find its procedure:
1.Within 7 days of receiving the product, contact us with a photo or video showing the issue and whether you want a refund or replacement;
2.We will review your claim and contact you if we need more information
3.If approved, we will arrange a refund or a replacement of the defective product, and you may be asked to return it. We will be responsible for paying the return shipping fees."


One more thing... Earlier in this thread I mentioned the Pulse/Oximeter that I had cancelled and they ignored the cancellation, noting that it came months and received 2 days ago... It doesn't work. At least that battle for a refund had already been done.

 

[vindibona1]

I had never used Banggood until last week, ordered a hand held gimbal made for the camera off my Xiaomi Mi 4k, now you have me worried
I have bought from Fast Tech lots of times, although slow I never had a problem with the goods.

You should be ok unless it doesn't work and you have to return it. And if you do, hopefully you'll have a much better experience than I had with them. I believe they shipped me the drone in good faith but where they fell woefully short is in making good on their own stated return policy.

 

[Johnmcl7]

The US is different than many countries. Of course the US has it's issues, but not so much in this type of commerce. There are many different governmental laws and agencies to prevent such occurrances. I can't speak for folks like you in other countries who order goods from the US. For mail order goods my preference is usually Amazon. I have a Prime membership so I get free shipping, often overnight or even same day. They offer free returns, usually where I don't have to even re-pack the product. When I drop off the product at a UPS store 5 minutes away I get refunded minutes after UPS scans it in.

And while I recognize the time zone differences making email turn-around often 24 hours, what made me mad was that almost every response from them was as if they didn't read my previous reply and response to their emails. What's worse is that they ignored their own return policy and demanded I pay the return shipping ($55 usd). Here is the pertainent part of their printed and pubished return policy copied from their website. I don't know how much clearer it could be...

"7 Days DOA Product Guarantee
If one or more of the items you received are damaged, different or not working, you will be protected by this guarantee.
Below please find its procedure:
1.Within 7 days of receiving the product, contact us with a photo or video showing the issue and whether you want a refund or replacement;
2.We will review your claim and contact you if we need more information
3.If approved, we will arrange a refund or a replacement of the defective product, and you may be asked to return it. We will be responsible for paying the return shipping fees."


One more thing... Earlier in this thread I mentioned the Pulse/Oximeter that I had cancelled and they ignored the cancellation, noting that it came months and received 2 days ago... It doesn't work. At least that battle for a refund had already been done.

The UK have very strict rules for trading and Amazon UK are extremely good to deal with it however that doesn't stop some companies flouting the rules and offering atrocious service.

 

[THE CYBORG]

You should be ok unless it doesn't work and you have to return it. And if you do, hopefully you'll have a much better experience than I had with them. I believe they shipped me the drone in good faith but where they fell woefully short is in making good on their own stated return policy.

Yey my hand held gimbal for the camera off my Xiaomi Mi 4k drone arrived today, ordered less than a month ago so that's incredibly fast from China
Quick charge up & all is well.
I am so pleased I didn't sell the Xiaomi because I now have a 4k camera on a gimbal for £14 & still have a drone that will fly in stupidly strong winds, only thing wrong with the drone is it ca be temperamental if it wants to take off, I get can not take off move to another place so I move 6” to a foot and all is well.

But back on topic – I will order from China again

 

[vindibona1]

Yey my hand held gimbal for the camera off my Xiaomi Mi 4k drone arrived today, ordered less than a month ago so that's incredibly fast from China
Quick charge up & all is well.
I am so pleased I didn't sell the Xiaomi because I now have a 4k camera on a gimbal for £14 & still have a drone that will fly in stupidly strong winds, only thing wrong with the drone is it ca be temperamental if it wants to take off, I get can not take off move to another place so I move 6” to a foot and all is well.

But back on topic – I will order from China again

Glad it worked out for you.