Trying to return item

dibs1975

We bought our daughter a doll for christmas online but when it arrived it was not the one we ordered. We have emailed the company but they are only offerring a 20% doscount and keep the item. Which is no good as it was our daughter who picked the doll and will be very disappointed in getting the wrong one. I know buying online gives more roghts and have did some searching for the right words to use in requesting to send it back for a refund. The sale of goods act or the consumer rights paragraph. Thank you in advamce if anyone who replies with help

eskbanker

First things first, who is the retailer, and in particular are they based in the UK, and therefore within the scope of UK consumer rights legislation?

Ergates

Sounds like a Chinese drop shipper - the offer a discount to keep the item is a stock response from them.

singhini

@dibs1975
as mentioned by eskbanker, are they based in the UK?

Hopefully its not a scam, but there are alot of online scams where the sellers are based abroad and what they send is of poor quality or just not the correct item and when you contact them they just say keep the item and we will refund you x%

However it can be worse than just sending you the wrong item/poor quality item.  Sometimes they also skim your details (they have your bank account/credit card details and the know your name and address ------> because they sent you the item and you contacted them for a refund, they can be confident your details are correct) -----> months later money starts being charged to your credit card. 

If you get a chance listen to "Scam Secrets" on BBC Sounds (the episode is called "The Great Knitted Cardigan Scam"

Hopefully ive blown this way out of proportion but be very careful when online. 

dibs1975

Thanks retialer is babeside, just looked on website and its american but think the company is based in china.

fwor

Their website says that the Governing Law is that of Hong Kong. Their returns policy (in common with a lot of other "direct from China" suppliers) requires that you return the product via tracked delivery to somewhere miles away (in this case Ontario in California). 

This seems to be a common tactic, because the requirement for tracking generally makes a return impractically costly. Note that (anecdotally) if you try to use a non-tracked service, they will never accept that they received the item back.

singhini

@fwor
your correct 👍
(this is mentioned in the BBC Sounds Podcast) 

powerful_Rogue

dibs1975 said:

We bought our daughter a doll for christmas online but when it arrived it was not the one we ordered. We have emailed the company but they are only offerring a 20% doscount and keep the item. Which is no good as it was our daughter who picked the doll and will be very disappointed in getting the wrong one. I know buying online gives more roghts and have did some searching for the right words to use in requesting to send it back for a refund. The sale of goods act or the consumer rights paragraph. Thank you in advamce if anyone who replies with help

Sales of Goods Act won't apply as that is for business purchases only.

Sadly from what you have purchased it seems like you eill have no joy. If you contact them a few times, they may up the % refund, however it's unlikely you will see a full refund.

soolin

This is the third thread in about a week about a Far East company, usually these dodgy ads are picked up on social medial like Facebook.

As has been suggested, if they are offering 20% back, take it and hope they pay it as promised, that’s probably the best you’ll get.

&ord future reference, and for newbies reading this, beware of social media adverts, check out the website carefully , do they have a proper geographic address in the UK showing, do they have a compliant return policy listed. If in doubt or if unsure how to spot these dodgy companies, walk away. 

born_again

Can only echo the above.
But this site is one of the better ones.

Contact us, Is fully clear on their Hong Kong address.
Shipping policy is again very clear they are not UK based by delivery timescales.