eBuyer Refusing to Refund for Lost Parcel Advice

AlexG35

Hi guys,

I've seen that a large number of people have had trouble with eBuyer giving refunds for parcels lost by the courier. After a 2-week-long argument with them for my parcel being lost by Yodel (top tip: If you have the choice to, DO NOT use Yodel), I finally got them to crack and give me my money back. So I thought it would be sensible to let you guys know what I did to make them crack.

Tl;dr, eBuyer broke the Consumer Rights Act 2015 not once but twice, threatened to sue. No refund. Told them that they're breaking their own Consumer Terms and Conditions (Article 5.1), and they give in.

Brief bit of background info: Ordered a brand new graphics card for my PC on the 12th March. Expected delivery date: 19th March. Dispatch email received, delivery date now 13th. Went home (currently a uni student on a placement year) on 30th March, no graphics card. Notified eBuyer ASAP but responded on 1st April as they don't work on weekends. Yodel tracker says the parcel has been in local depot since March 13th. Go there, no parcel.

So, using eBuyer's eNote system, complaint sent out. Response was that Yodel have confirmed the parcel was lost by them, but eBuyer claim they weren't responsible for a refund as I notified them after their 14-day 'grace' period which begins on the estimated delivery date. But the time between the original delivery date and the date of their first response was 13 days. eBuyer error number 1.

As I was within 30 days of ordering, I requested a refund under the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) 2015. eBuyer refused. eBuyer error number 2.

I state that the retailer are responsible for the parcel until it is delivered (in line with CRA), so I am owed a refund. eBuyer refused. eBuyer error number 3.

eBuyer claim that the delivery date was the 13th March. Now as the parcel arrived at the delivery office on the 13th, meeting that delivery date was highly unlikely. eBuyer error number 4.

Disappointed and angry, I threaten a chargeback through my bank, and if this is unsuccessful, take eBuyer to court for breaching CRA. No response for 5 days. eBuyer not giving a refund.

I outline what eBuyer have done in one paragraph (the above errors). I also outline that eBuyer are breaking their own Terms and Conditions under Article 5.1: "the consumer has a legal right to cancel an Order which begins on the date of Payment Confirmation and ends 14 days following the day after you receive the product.". Product never received, I'm still in that window.

And finally eBuyer crack. Refund secured. :beer:

I must admit, even though Abbie (the customer support representative) was friendly during the conversation, her comment admitting they will issue a refund had a very reluctant tone to it. "On this occasion we are going to refund you your money." and "Please be advised that this is a good will gesture, and going forward we will need to be notified within 7 days to pursue and investigate." definitely left that on a sour note. I would argue the sudden change from 14 days to 7 for the investigation notification period, but I won't need to use this as I won't be using eBuyer again any time soon.

Congrats if you made it to the end :T

Alex

unholyangel

Not that it matters but technically that term of theirs isn't a term of theirs at all - its a right consumers have under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation & Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.


I hope you told them (after getting the refund of course) that going forward, you would be purchasing only from reputable businesses that respect the rule of law and so will not be ordering from them again.

Angus_Og

Ebuyer are on my list of companies to avoid, I found them difficult to deal with.

Play before it became Rakuten were another.

Carrot007

Angus_Og wrote: »

Play before it became Rakuten were another.

Really? Rakuten are on my naughty list. The original play was great. however I believe there was a second owner in the middle (but still calling it play before Rakuten bought it).

DoaM

I agree - I never had problems with Play in the past. (Not that I ordered from them a lot). Ebuyer used to be OK too ... 10+ years ago - wouldn't touch them with a barge pole now.

marlot

I'm another person who used eBuyer in the past but would never give them a penny again.

bris

I have used them all, they are all the same, good at taking the money, not good when a problem occurs.


Bottom line is for the latest tech at the best prices you roll the dice.

mattyprice4004

Another thumbs down for ebuyer - they really are the pits.

TrickyDicky101

DoaM wrote: »

I agree - I never had problems with Play in the past. (Not that I ordered from them a lot). Ebuyer used to be OK too ... 10+ years ago - wouldn't touch them with a barge pole now.

Yes I found this too - bought some stuff from them back in 2007 I think and they were OK. Bought something that was faulty (from the start) a few years after that and had a heck of a problem getting them to refund (which they did in the end).

I refuse to buy from them now.

DoaM

The other common "trick" Ebuyer do is to give reduced refunds for faulty goods after, say, 12 months (which they're legally entitled to do) and then they send the goods back to the manufacturer for a replacement - i.e. they use the warranty rather than letting the consumer use the warranty. (In situations where the consumer contacts Ebuyer first rather than trying the manufacturer directly).