Online store refusing to honour transaction

nightofjoy

I bought a t-shirt from an online store a while ago. I thought at the time or purchase that it was a UK company, because they're called Crede LDN (which I took to mean London) and everything in the store is priced in GBP.

After buying, I didn't get the usual confirmation message, and only after a little investigation revealed very little about the company did alarm bells start to ring.

I immediately contacted my bank, but I was told the transaction had already gone through. Not only that, but they had actually taken more money from my account than had been agreed on at the time of purchase... ie the cost of the product plus shipping. They took about £3 more than the on-screen transaction.

So after a few weeks of emailing them, I heard absolutely nothing. Then a while later, a package arrived with what looked like Chinese writing, which contained a pair of very poor quality fake RayBan copy sunglasses.

So not only were they not based in the UK, had taken extra money from me without permission (no disclaimers on the site about this) but they then sent the wrong product. And a fake product.

I emailed them (again) about this and they finally replied. They said they were sorry and due to the expense of returning the item would be too high - I should keep the sunglasses that I didn't order and they would refund £5. I explained this is completely unacceptable, but they said they wouldn't refund my money.

So I said, OK, so send me the right item, but they just keep repeating "Sorry - but we cannot refund your money"

They are ignoring the fact that I didn't order and do not want the fake sunglasses, and refusing to either send the correct product, or refund me. Blatantly.

Where do I go to complain about this? I've contacted RayBan and reported the fake goods (and provided the eastern shipping details from the packaging) and I've tried to go through Visa via my bank, citing the extra money they took from me, but I feel like there must be more I can do to get my money back.

Any advice? I know it was a little silly of my to order without fully investigating the company, so go easy on me...

Thx

foxtrotoscar_2

How did you pay? Speak to your bank/credit card/paypal and put in a claim for a refund.....or if cheap put it down as a learning experience and forget it?

nightofjoy

foxtrotoscar wrote: »

How did you pay? Speak to your bank/credit card/paypal and put in a claim for a refund.....or if cheap put it down as a learning experience and forget it?

Don't really want to write it off, as the brass neck on them is really p*ssing me off now...

Already going through the bank/visa about a refund, as I said above, but I thought there might have been some kind of online standards route I could try.... haven't been able to find the right place by googling....

peachyprice

nightofjoy wrote: »

Don't really want to write it off, as the brass neck on them is really p*ssing me off now...

Already going through the bank/visa about a refund, as I said above, but I thought there might have been some kind of online standards route I could try.... haven't been able to find the right place by googling....

There is no such protection when buying from China. Either continue to chase your bank or forget about it.

JJ_Egan

<Where do I go to complain about this?

Basically you go to China to complain or find the relevant China legislation / consumer protection if it exists ..

foxtrotoscar_2

nightofjoy wrote: »

Don't really want to write it off, as the brass neck on them is really p*ssing me off now...

Already going through the bank/visa about a refund, as I said above, but I thought there might have been some kind of online standards route I could try.... haven't been able to find the right place by googling....

Sue them in China...good luck with that.


The online standards you require is you do your own due diligence before ordering. i.e. you check the company out before giving them your money!

worried123

I cannot really offer any advice but good luck with this and i do feel for you - it isnt your fault - you havent been `silly` and these things unfortunately happen.

i have just been through something similar but my bank were very good and would not pay the company - barclaycard nor will they allow any more transactions from these people.

There really should be somewhere that people like us can complain and have these companies investigated. I wanted to know how i could go through trading standards but even that isn't a simple process.

I know how you feel - its absolutely infuriating and completely unjust.

I have just had to shell out £8 to return their unwanted and un ordered goods but thats life and i may have learned a lesson not to be so trusting....however, we should be able to trust people and it infuriates me that unscrupulous companies are allowed to continue trading and ripping people off.

I am sorry this has happened to you.

theonlywayisup

Where should "people like us" have to complain to when the buyer is in the UK and the seller is in China? How does that work.

It doesn't.

You therefore need to check sites out BEFORE you buy.

unholyangel

worried123 wrote: »

I cannot really offer any advice but good luck with this and i do feel for you - it isnt your fault - you havent been `silly` and these things unfortunately happen.

Who's fault is it then? Sorry, not meaning to get on at the OP, I do empathise but telling them it wasn't their fault might make them feel better but it isn't going to help them realise where they went wrong and how to avoid doing it again in the future. The site has a few typical "red flags" of a scam chinese site.

1. Bad english (although admittedly better than most!)
2. No UK phone number or address
3. Multiple currencies (and on shipping & returns, it only mentions a $ amount, no mention of GBP)
4. No terms & conditions
5. No mention of the statutory rights you have under UK law
6. Designer goods at a fraction of the price.
7. A rather shoddy website - you'd think if they could afford all those designer goods, they'd be able to afford a decent website.

ETA: None of the above are conclusive especially on their own. But if a few of those are present, theress a good chance you're going to get ripped off.

bris

There is a reason it's so cheap. when a price is to good to be true do the home work before buying.


You can also expect a customs bill through too.