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my fault or awkward seller?

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After some advice please people!!

I was looking for a laptop charger and came across one on Amazon marketplace and Ebay. I dismissed getting one from EBay as i read a lot of them were chinese imports that blew your laptop! These were selling for about £9.99.

So, i opted for the one from Amazon which i purchased at £16.99.

When it arrived, i plugged it in to the mains and the laptop and the house electric tripped! I gave it a second try and the charger made a "pfffft" sound and then i could smell smoke!!

I didn't want to have a 3rd try so i loaned a mates charger and found the laptop started to charge and fortunately still worked.


I contacted the seller hoping to get an exchange or refund - this is where things get sticky:
Dear xxxxx,

I recently purchased an item from you via Amazon and find the item is faulty.

The first time i plugged the charger into my laptop it tripped the house electric. I tried it a second time and the charger made a loud bang and you could smell burning coming from the charger.

Fortunately, i have loaned a charger from a colleague and the laptop is undamaged.

However, i would like to return the item for a replacement/refund.

My order number was: xxxxxxxxx

Regards

their reply:
Hi

Sorry to hear of the problem, could you tell me the full make and model of your laptop please ?
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Regards,


i replied with the full laptop specs and received this back:
Hi,

Unfortunately based on the unit required you have ordered the wrong charger for the xxxxxxx

Output Current: 4.7A
Output Voltage: DC19V
Power: 90W
Pin 5.5 x 2.5


The specifications above are for your required adapter.

Unfortunately the problem with ordering only with the part number is that you run the risk of getting the wrong charger for your laptop as many different makes and models of laptop use the same part number but they are not the same voltage, Connecting pin, and wattage.

You have to match all these items first (Each usually have their own part code).

We do have the correct charger for your xxxx on this page...

They very kindly send a link to another of their products where i can purchase another charger. However, no mention of that refund/replacement.

I replied:
Hi xxxx,

I did a search on Amazon for my part number and as you are aware your store listing states:

NEW REPLACEMENT LAPTOP AC ADAPTER CHARGER 65W 19V 3.42A 5.5 x 2.5 FOR....

and then lists my part number. That led me to believe i had ordered the correct charger.

All that aside, i almost frazzled my laptop, i have a charger that is no good, i am out of pocket £16.99 and i am still without a charger.

I would still like a replacement charger or refund.

Regards

and they replied:
Hi

I'm sorry but this classed as customer damage and a refund / exchange is not possible as you have ordered the wrong charger for your laptop. I realise this is easy to do as there are many combinations of part number.

The correct charger that meets all the requirements for your xxxx can be found on this page...

So, they are happy for me to purchase another item from them, but are refusing to help with the original purchase stating it is my fault i purchased the wrong one.

My problem with this is, when i originally made the purchase, i looked at the back of my charger and typed the information into the Amazon search. It brought up a few different sellers/chargers, one of which was where i eventually purchased it from.

My part number is:

0335a1965

and this is the link i clicked on:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PACKARD-BELL-LC-ADT01-003-PA-1650-02-PA-1700-02/dp/B002NPVEHS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1277186931&sr=8-7

as you can see the title states that is compatible with my laptop.

If you've stuck with me through that, then am i or the seller in the wrong and where do i go from here!

Ta!

Comments

  • unholyangel
    unholyangel Posts: 16,866 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 22 June 2010 at 7:43AM
    Have you tried looking at Amazons help pages? I found this paragraph there:
    [FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]If your seller refuses to give you a refund despite your attempts to resolve the issue amicably, you may be eligible for protection under the A-to-z Safe Buying Guarantee. You'll need to wait 30 days, but no longer than 90 days after the transaction if you want to submit a claim.

    Also, is the seller located in the UK or another country?

    Also, i'm no electrician but wouldnt the charger frying indicate a problem with the charger? Search google for wrong laptop charger fried and the results all seem to say it affected their laptop and NOT the charger?

    Either the charger is faulty or they have sold you the wrong charger.
    Found this also: [/SIZE][/FONT]For questions regarding products, order delivery, or returns, please contact ExpressPro Customer Service:
    Contact this seller Phone:01642 675860

    Although i find it interesting that if you google the phone number, it apparently belongs to memory4less also :o the mind boggles
    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
  • Ivrytwr3
    Ivrytwr3 Posts: 6,299 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    seller is based in the UK.

    I've never made a claim through Amazon or through EBay, so i am unsure if it would be correct to do so ie have i made a mistake in purchasing the wrong charger or has the seller listed the item incorrectly as been compatible with my laptop?

    I don't want to start a claim if i am being a biff!
  • unholyangel
    unholyangel Posts: 16,866 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Ivrytwr3 wrote: »
    seller is based in the UK.

    I've never made a claim through Amazon or through EBay, so i am unsure if it would be correct to do so ie have i made a mistake in purchasing the wrong charger or has the seller listed the item incorrectly as been compatible with my laptop?

    I don't want to start a claim if i am being a biff!

    Have they since told you its NOT compatible? Try and get them to answer that exact question.

    If they say it is, tell them the charger is obviously faulty and you're requesting a replacement (which they should do under SOGA at no cost to yourself) - your rights can be different for second hand goods but i cant see anywhere in the listing that says so.

    What type of laptop do you have? (make and model)
    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
  • Judas
    Judas Posts: 325 Forumite
    DSR - if it is within 7 days you can return it regardless if they allow.

    Learn a lesson; the internet is full of chinese knock offs for such items; avoid and pay the extra for a genuine part which will work.
  • Ivrytwr3
    Ivrytwr3 Posts: 6,299 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    i'm just out of the seven day period and also i thought i was buying a genuine item. Hence why i avoided EBay and went with Amazon.
  • bap98189
    bap98189 Posts: 3,801 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Ivrytwr3 wrote: »
    I was looking for a laptop charger and came across one on Amazon marketplace and Ebay. I dismissed getting one from EBay as i read a lot of them were chinese imports that blew your laptop! These were selling for about £9.99.

    If you are purchasing from Amazon themselves, this is probably good advice, but if it's from the marketplace, I'm afraid people are selling all the same cheap tat on there that is to be found on Ebay.
  • unholyangel
    unholyangel Posts: 16,866 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    bap98189 wrote: »
    If you are purchasing from Amazon themselves, this is probably good advice, but if it's from the marketplace, I'm afraid people are selling all the same cheap tat on there that is to be found on Ebay.

    The same trader that he bought from on Amazon does actually trade on Ebay ;) oh the wonders of internet research :D
    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
  • Judas
    Judas Posts: 325 Forumite
    Unfortunately if you are out of the DSR 7 days I think you will struggle to do anything unless you can prove that it was misdescribed rather than you ordering something and making an assumption.

    You could use the amazon rules though if possible as these are often stacked in the buyers favour.

    Unfortunately these sort of sellers are infamous for preying on naive buyers who make fair assumptions based on what is written and find out they have ordered the wrong thing.
  • adam.mt
    adam.mt Posts: 381 Forumite
    Judas wrote: »
    DSR - if it is within 7 days you can return it regardless if they allow.

    Learn a lesson; the internet is full of chinese knock offs for such items; avoid and pay the extra for a genuine part which will work.

    :( Not if you've bought the wrong thing and then broken it!
  • adam.mt
    adam.mt Posts: 381 Forumite
    What is your laptop model?

    If it's specifically mentioned in the description/title for the charger on the Amazon page you ordered from then it's the sellers fault and you should send him a copy of the page (or link) mentioning such.

    The sellers point that part number's aren't necessary unique is true, so his replies (that you've posted) seem reasonable. You just need to get back to him now and make it clear that you ordered based on the description/title saying it was the right part (if indeed that's the case).

    If you do that then I'm sure he'll be reasonable and give you a refund. If not, then report him to Amazon for falsely advertising the product.
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