Internet Feng Shui Bracelet Scam.

Delphinium_Blue

Hello forum members.  I am posting here about a bad experience I am having with a jewellery retailer on the Internet.  I now realise their practices are fraudulent.  Company is the Buddha Power Store buddhapowerstore.com.  Recently, my YouTube viewing was interrupted by an advertisement for their Feng Shui Wealth Bracelets promising huge gains in health and wealth to those who wear them.  At first, I was highly sceptical but curious.  I went to their website and saw they had many nice Chinese/ Tibetan Buddhist jewellery at, apparently, affordable prices.  This company claims to be based in USA but ships internationally.  Customers have to spend $60 for free international shipping, so I ordered a bracelet for myself and two others as Christmas gifts.  Confirmation of order was received 18/08/20, shipping could take up to 20 days to UK they said.  Since then, I have not got the three bracelets I ordered.  On 03/09/20, a small package came through my door, via Hermes, containing only one bracelet - not like any of the ones I ordered.  I have sent several emails about this and, basically, they say tracking information from Hermes shows my order was delivered and they have now closed my query.  (Have checked Hermes and it was my order delivered but, as I say the wrong item.). Buddha Power suggested I ask neighbours in case package is missing, which is no help.  I’ve emailed them again, last night, but no reply - they seem to have shut down on me.  Looks like I’ll never get the items I ordered and I’m now out of pocket.  The item sent is priced at £22.60 GBP but I spent £61.62 GBP.  I need my money back but reviews on Trustpilot show Buddha Power ignores requests for refunds.  They also don’t seem to want returns, suggesting customers gift unwanted items to friends!  Wish I’d used PayPal but paid with my Visa Debit Card.  Is it possible to make use of chargeback scheme?  Would be very grateful for advice, suggestions or comments from members.  Many thanks. 🙂

davidmcn

For starters, we mainly know about UK consumer rights around here, and you're asking about a retailer apparently based in Delaware, so your rights will be whatever Delaware state law says.

shaun_from_Africa

Delphinium_Blue said:

 Recently, my YouTube viewing was interrupted by an advertisement for their Feng Shui Wealth Bracelets promising huge gains in health and wealth to those who wear sell them.  

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Delphinium_Blue

Hello, thanks for your replies.  I tried contacting consumer services in Delaware by completing an online form with my complaint but it seems it isn’t possible to send from.  Seems they will only deal with issues from local people.  Apparently, they are also based in China.  Got this address from a review from an unhappy customer on Trustpilot:  Room 501 Xiandy Shidai, Zhihui Yuan, No 233 Zhou’s Road, Buji Town, Langong District, Shen Zhen, Guang Dong, China 518112.  There is also an address in Oregon USA.  Have had trouble before from sellers on eBay, claiming to be based in UK when really they are trading from China.  They always make themselves sound legitimate, claim high standards of customer service, and show pictures of goods quality, tempting goods.  What is actually supplied is cheap rubbish or the order never arrives.  Then the seller plays the game of denying all responsibility to the consumer.  Once they have your money, they are laughing at you.  Why this dishonesty?  Why do the lie, on so many levels, as Buddha Power Store does, when they could still sell their goods with an honest approach and good customer care?  Honestly, I bought the jewellery, not for belief in Feng Shui but because it looked like beautiful jewellery.  Why they can’t just sell these things for what they are, I don’t know.  They seem to take a delight in taking advantage of the vulnerable.  Forum users will think I’m foolish, looking at my post, and move on - but this retailer has stolen money from me and that is not acceptable.

Delphinium_Blue

The company gives their address in Delaware on their website.  I only saw the address for returned items from a review on Trustpilot.  Anyone using their website would think they were a legitimate US company.  They may say all three bracelets were in the package but what if I can prove they were not there?  I have just sent them a photo of the item I received and a screenshot of the list of items in my order for contrast.  They are the dishonest ones, not me.  We have a right to expect the goods and services we pay for.  What happened to the principal that the customer is always right? It is pointless running a business by treating customers as “mugs” whatever is being sold. They have taken my money (and other people’s) and not delivered as promised.  They rely on people giving up and assuming they’ve lost their money out of embarrassment and shame.  I may have lost out but I’m not prepared to let this go just yet.  They should not be allowed to trade and be banned from Internet and social media. 

photome

how can how can you prove they were not in the package?  I suspect they are dishonest but many of these Chinese companies don’t much care about consumer rights especially as you are in the UK. 

[Deleted User]

Due diligence should be exercised when buying from Asian markets, or any outside of UK purchasing laws etc. because you'll likely not be covered in the way you'd like.

I buy, often, (2 transactions yesterday) from such places and go into it with eyes wide open and haven't ever had a bad experience.

The USA is linked to a lot of the Asian companies and stocks sometimes held there, shipping costs are always mentioned, taxation rarely, and that can present with unexpected charges. 

Due diligence always ..... 

As for those bracelets, i hope you just liked their appearance because thinking that a bracelet could bring/improve wealth is madness.
There's only 1 way to get wealthy and that's to work all the hours god gives and not fritter it away on cr*p.

IvanOpinion

Surely if they offer "huge gains in health and wealth to those who wear them" then all you have to do is wear the one you have and you will get the money back for the other two?

soolin

Yet another dodgy purchase from social media , I still think we almost need a sticky thread as we are getting these threads now several times a month. Here’s Nother one from Facebook yesterday

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6187880/paypal-payers-protection-may-have-no-value#latest

I have no useful suggestions for the OP, although in this Instance at least OP knew it was a non UK company before they paid so any problems would need to be sorted out with that country or State’s laws, not the Uk.  

Op just one thing though, the declared value would always be lower than your payment so that your import duty and ta es would be lower. Anything bought from outside the EU (currently) over £15 attracts taxes, Vat, duty etc in various forms plus a handling fee. You may still get an invoice for payment due to HMRC , although Hermes tend to do it before delivery not afterwards so they may have mistakenly overlooked it this time. 

ElefantEd

Not having feng shui bracelets is exactly as effective as having feng shui bracelets in terms of generating wealth. So you have suffered no quantifiable loss.
In fact, if this experience makes you less likely to waste your money on pseudo-scientific rubbish in the future, they may even have done you a favour.

soolin

ElefantEd said:

Not having feng shui bracelets is exactly as effective as having feng shui bracelets in terms of generating wealth. So you have suffered no quantifiable loss.
In fact, if this experience makes you less likely to waste your money on pseudo-scientific rubbish in the future, they may even have done you a favour.

In fairness they did generate wealth- to the seller!
OP, it is fairly common knowledge that all these dodgy items are sourced from the Far East and if you buy direct you cna get one for around £3 including delivery costs, here is just one site:

https://www.aliexpress.com/af/feng-shui-bracelets-.html?d=y&origin=n&SearchText=feng+shui+bracelets+&catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20200908011339

Or even buy from someone who has already imported them:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Feng-Shui-Black-Obsidian-Bead-Bracelet-Attract-Wealth-amp-Good-Luck-Bangle-/373172322440?hash=item56e2cdc088:g:TBgAAOSwZrhe3zgy&nma=true&si=4%2BOpgiYBF3ERZ6oIseQibUINQM0%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

£2.99 including postage with delivery estimated in approx 4 working days