Scammed in to ordering rubbish

DinosaurDennis

Hi all

Hoping you can help. I'm usually pretty savvy with websites etc but I ordered a Christmas present for my son over a week ago following an Instagram advert (hindsight red flag!). I checked out the website independently and it looked great - loads of great reviews, pictures looked amazing, implied it was a small good quality UK based business. Even signed it off with a couple of names and a photo suggesting it was a nice little family business.

Delivery was being very slow which I thought was odd and I checked tracking to see that it was still in transit... In China!

I then looked at trust pilot reviews for the company and they're littered with one star scathing reviews about cheap knock off products / slow delivery / no customer service / return requests being ignored.

The return policy is pay postage plus a % handling fee (again another hindsight red flag).

I paid by credit card.

I haven't got the item yet but clearly it will be overpriced and unreliable. It might not even make it here before Christmas! I don't want to pay return fees as it's clearly a con so I feel there must be a way to get my money back due to being misled, but I don't know how! I haven't contacted company yet but not optimistic based on the reviews!

It's only £20 I've lost but it feels wrong to let this company get away with it.

Many thanks 

user1977

What’s the website?

Aylesbury_Duck

I think you'll have to write it off.  If it doesn't arrive at all you may have a chargeback option with your card but other than that, you don't have another route.  Certainly don't send it back, you'll end up with neither product nor money.
 
You haven't been misled, unless the advert specifically says it doesn't come from China.  

eskbanker

DinosaurDennis said:

I checked out the website independently and it looked great - loads of great reviews, pictures looked amazing, implied it was a small good quality UK based business. Even signed it off with a couple of names and a photo suggesting it was a nice little family business.

You may have formed your own impressions from what you saw, but that's not the same as materially false information being published, so it sounds more like misbuying than misselling - at least it's only £20 so as learning lessons goes, it's not the most expensive, and next time I'm sure you'll read reviews before buying from sellers you've never heard of!

born_again

To echo the above & your sage words (hindsight red flag!)

Anything on social media, avoid using the link on via social media. have a search for retailer & fully view T/C & returns info 👍

DinosaurDennis

Thanks all. Definitely not planning on sending back - the maths doesn't add up! - although I might try and see if I can speak to them about thinking about a return as it might make charge back possible if I get no reply...

It's yourlittlescientist.com

The amount of times they say on their website their product is the best quality and will stand up to the test of little fingers ...

eskbanker

DinosaurDennis said:

I checked out the website independently and it looked great - loads of great reviews, pictures looked amazing, implied it was a small good quality UK based business

SECTION 18 - GOVERNING LAW
These Terms of Service and any separate agreements whereby we provide you Services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of United States.

https://www.yourlittlescientist.com/policies/terms-of-service

marcia_

 If you have not received it how do you know it's rubbish? I've ordered from china and received perfectly good items and other times tat. 

Bradden

Slightly off topic but Mark Rober has some interesting science projects.

https://www.crunchlabs.com/

born_again

eskbanker said:

DinosaurDennis said:

I checked out the website independently and it looked great - loads of great reviews, pictures looked amazing, implied it was a small good quality UK based business

SECTION 18 - GOVERNING LAW
These Terms of Service and any separate agreements whereby we provide you Services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of United States.

https://www.yourlittlescientist.com/policies/terms-of-service

As a platform Shopify really should be ensuring that anyone selling via their platform has to include proper contact details, such as phone number & a bricks & mortar address.

It is amazing that the number of recent posts of this type of issue are hosted on this platform, yet fail to have any proper contact details.

Ergates

Bradden said:

Slightly off topic but Mark Rober has some interesting science projects.

https://www.crunchlabs.com/

I don't know what the cost is, but a friend of ours gets those for one of his sons - they're good.