Bought items from a dodgy website pretending to be in the UK...

Emmia

pinkshoes said:

Emmia said:

pinkshoes said:

Serama24 said:

Woodstok2000 said:

This is likely to be an expensive lesson unfortunately, sorry. Returning things to China is expensive and they often do not arrive. Sending a tracked package with £300 insurance may be an option if you can swallow the transport costs.

You can try a chargeback via your bank but they will most likely not be interested as chargeback doesn't apply until youve returned the items ( catch 22!).

If you cant get anywhere with the bank, I would suggest taking the 50% discount and take it as a lesson learned.

 I suspected so. I'm wondering whether they'll even refund the 50% to be honest... Is there anything I can do if they refuse this / don't respond?
Thank you for your help.

If the website linked earlier is correct (https://deluxeskin.uk/) then as they do list a UK address and are quite clearly therefore claiming they are a UK business, then you should be covered by UK consumer rights.

You are therefore entitled to return the purchase to their UK address for a full refund (you might have to pay return postage). Tell them in writing that you are cancelling under distance selling regulations. If they ask you to return to an address in China (likely as the UK address might not even be theirs) then contact your card provider and see if they can help. There is indeed a Sun Street in London but I'm not sure the postcode is quite right. Most masquerading websites don't give a UK address which means they can easily say they are not a UK website (as having .uk at the end does not mean the business is in the UK).


If it's another website and no UK address is given, then you will be bound by the laws of that company. 

I think the problem is going to be enforcing this. The website might have a UK address, but it's at best a mailbox.

Woodstok2000 said:

pinkshoes said:

Serama24 said:

Woodstok2000 said:

This is likely to be an expensive lesson unfortunately, sorry. Returning things to China is expensive and they often do not arrive. Sending a tracked package with £300 insurance may be an option if you can swallow the transport costs.

You can try a chargeback via your bank but they will most likely not be interested as chargeback doesn't apply until youve returned the items ( catch 22!).

If you cant get anywhere with the bank, I would suggest taking the 50% discount and take it as a lesson learned.

 I suspected so. I'm wondering whether they'll even refund the 50% to be honest... Is there anything I can do if they refuse this / don't respond?
Thank you for your help.

If the website linked earlier is correct (https://deluxeskin.uk/) then as they do list a UK address and are quite clearly therefore claiming they are a UK business, then you should be covered by UK consumer rights.

You are therefore entitled to return the purchase to their UK address for a full refund (you might have to pay return postage). Tell them in writing that you are cancelling under distance selling regulations. If they ask you to return to an address in China (likely as the UK address might not even be theirs) then contact your card provider and see if they can help. There is indeed a Sun Street in London but I'm not sure the postcode is quite right. Most masquerading websites don't give a UK address which means they can easily say they are not a UK website (as having .uk at the end does not mean the business is in the UK).


If it's another website and no UK address is given, then you will be bound by the laws of that company. 

I wouldn't bother trying this. Returning the goods to the UK address will mean you end up with no refund and no goods. This is a Chinese company so will not take any notice of UK laws or consumer rules. Your best bet is to keep pushing your bank - highlighting the terms on the website which are unfair/against UK law as a backup to your chargeback claim.

When buying online, people look for a UK address and phone number to try and verify they are buying from a UK company.

So at first glace, it does indeed have a UK address that exists, and there is a phone number (albeit not English, but at first glance people might not know what country codes are) thus portraying to be a UK company.

On this basis then the card company should be liable for refunding BUT the OP will need to prove that they're trying to get them to return it to a different country, hence my suggestion to ask for a return under distance selling.

They're hardly going to provide an address in the UK if they don't have one. The card provider might insist on the items being returned before a refund though, so if this is the case then returning them to the provided UK address is fair. 

It might be a Chinese company but they are clearly trying to pretend to be English (unlike other Chinese sellers) by giving a fake UK address, so the card company cannot turn round and say that the OP has bought from China not the UK. 

This is all lovely, but practically I think they'll struggle to get a refund even if they return to the business address.

powerful_Rogue

pinkshoes said:

Emmia said:

pinkshoes said:

Serama24 said:

Woodstok2000 said:

This is likely to be an expensive lesson unfortunately, sorry. Returning things to China is expensive and they often do not arrive. Sending a tracked package with £300 insurance may be an option if you can swallow the transport costs.

You can try a chargeback via your bank but they will most likely not be interested as chargeback doesn't apply until youve returned the items ( catch 22!).

If you cant get anywhere with the bank, I would suggest taking the 50% discount and take it as a lesson learned.

 I suspected so. I'm wondering whether they'll even refund the 50% to be honest... Is there anything I can do if they refuse this / don't respond?
Thank you for your help.

If the website linked earlier is correct (https://deluxeskin.uk/) then as they do list a UK address and are quite clearly therefore claiming they are a UK business, then you should be covered by UK consumer rights.

You are therefore entitled to return the purchase to their UK address for a full refund (you might have to pay return postage). Tell them in writing that you are cancelling under distance selling regulations. If they ask you to return to an address in China (likely as the UK address might not even be theirs) then contact your card provider and see if they can help. There is indeed a Sun Street in London but I'm not sure the postcode is quite right. Most masquerading websites don't give a UK address which means they can easily say they are not a UK website (as having .uk at the end does not mean the business is in the UK).


If it's another website and no UK address is given, then you will be bound by the laws of that company. 

I think the problem is going to be enforcing this. The website might have a UK address, but it's at best a mailbox.

Woodstok2000 said:

pinkshoes said:

Serama24 said:

Woodstok2000 said:

This is likely to be an expensive lesson unfortunately, sorry. Returning things to China is expensive and they often do not arrive. Sending a tracked package with £300 insurance may be an option if you can swallow the transport costs.

You can try a chargeback via your bank but they will most likely not be interested as chargeback doesn't apply until youve returned the items ( catch 22!).

If you cant get anywhere with the bank, I would suggest taking the 50% discount and take it as a lesson learned.

 I suspected so. I'm wondering whether they'll even refund the 50% to be honest... Is there anything I can do if they refuse this / don't respond?
Thank you for your help.

If the website linked earlier is correct (https://deluxeskin.uk/) then as they do list a UK address and are quite clearly therefore claiming they are a UK business, then you should be covered by UK consumer rights.

You are therefore entitled to return the purchase to their UK address for a full refund (you might have to pay return postage). Tell them in writing that you are cancelling under distance selling regulations. If they ask you to return to an address in China (likely as the UK address might not even be theirs) then contact your card provider and see if they can help. There is indeed a Sun Street in London but I'm not sure the postcode is quite right. Most masquerading websites don't give a UK address which means they can easily say they are not a UK website (as having .uk at the end does not mean the business is in the UK).


If it's another website and no UK address is given, then you will be bound by the laws of that company. 

I wouldn't bother trying this. Returning the goods to the UK address will mean you end up with no refund and no goods. This is a Chinese company so will not take any notice of UK laws or consumer rules. Your best bet is to keep pushing your bank - highlighting the terms on the website which are unfair/against UK law as a backup to your chargeback claim.

When buying online, people look for a UK address and phone number to try and verify they are buying from a UK company.

So at first glace, it does indeed have a UK address that exists, and there is a phone number (albeit not English, but at first glance people might not know what country codes are) thus portraying to be a UK company.

On this basis then the card company should be liable for refunding BUT the OP will need to prove that they're trying to get them to return it to a different country, hence my suggestion to ask for a return under distance selling.

They're hardly going to provide an address in the UK if they don't have one. The card provider might insist on the items being returned before a refund though, so if this is the case then returning them to the provided UK address is fair. 

It might be a Chinese company but they are clearly trying to pretend to be English (unlike other Chinese sellers) by giving a fake UK address, so the card company cannot turn round and say that the OP has bought from China not the UK. 

Chargeback rights don't align with Consumer Rights. The address on the site isn't listed as a returns address. I can't see there being a claim via chargeback for this.I'm sure @born_again will be able to give a charge back insight.

Woodstok2000

pinkshoes said:

Emmia said:

pinkshoes said:

Serama24 said:

Woodstok2000 said:

This is likely to be an expensive lesson unfortunately, sorry. Returning things to China is expensive and they often do not arrive. Sending a tracked package with £300 insurance may be an option if you can swallow the transport costs.

You can try a chargeback via your bank but they will most likely not be interested as chargeback doesn't apply until youve returned the items ( catch 22!).

If you cant get anywhere with the bank, I would suggest taking the 50% discount and take it as a lesson learned.

 I suspected so. I'm wondering whether they'll even refund the 50% to be honest... Is there anything I can do if they refuse this / don't respond?
Thank you for your help.

If the website linked earlier is correct (https://deluxeskin.uk/) then as they do list a UK address and are quite clearly therefore claiming they are a UK business, then you should be covered by UK consumer rights.

You are therefore entitled to return the purchase to their UK address for a full refund (you might have to pay return postage). Tell them in writing that you are cancelling under distance selling regulations. If they ask you to return to an address in China (likely as the UK address might not even be theirs) then contact your card provider and see if they can help. There is indeed a Sun Street in London but I'm not sure the postcode is quite right. Most masquerading websites don't give a UK address which means they can easily say they are not a UK website (as having .uk at the end does not mean the business is in the UK).


If it's another website and no UK address is given, then you will be bound by the laws of that company. 

I think the problem is going to be enforcing this. The website might have a UK address, but it's at best a mailbox.

Woodstok2000 said:

pinkshoes said:

Serama24 said:

Woodstok2000 said:

This is likely to be an expensive lesson unfortunately, sorry. Returning things to China is expensive and they often do not arrive. Sending a tracked package with £300 insurance may be an option if you can swallow the transport costs.

You can try a chargeback via your bank but they will most likely not be interested as chargeback doesn't apply until youve returned the items ( catch 22!).

If you cant get anywhere with the bank, I would suggest taking the 50% discount and take it as a lesson learned.

 I suspected so. I'm wondering whether they'll even refund the 50% to be honest... Is there anything I can do if they refuse this / don't respond?
Thank you for your help.

If the website linked earlier is correct (https://deluxeskin.uk/) then as they do list a UK address and are quite clearly therefore claiming they are a UK business, then you should be covered by UK consumer rights.

You are therefore entitled to return the purchase to their UK address for a full refund (you might have to pay return postage). Tell them in writing that you are cancelling under distance selling regulations. If they ask you to return to an address in China (likely as the UK address might not even be theirs) then contact your card provider and see if they can help. There is indeed a Sun Street in London but I'm not sure the postcode is quite right. Most masquerading websites don't give a UK address which means they can easily say they are not a UK website (as having .uk at the end does not mean the business is in the UK).


If it's another website and no UK address is given, then you will be bound by the laws of that company. 

I wouldn't bother trying this. Returning the goods to the UK address will mean you end up with no refund and no goods. This is a Chinese company so will not take any notice of UK laws or consumer rules. Your best bet is to keep pushing your bank - highlighting the terms on the website which are unfair/against UK law as a backup to your chargeback claim.

When buying online, people look for a UK address and phone number to try and verify they are buying from a UK company.

So at first glace, it does indeed have a UK address that exists, and there is a phone number (albeit not English, but at first glance people might not know what country codes are) thus portraying to be a UK company.

On this basis then the card company should be liable for refunding BUT the OP will need to prove that they're trying to get them to return it to a different country, hence my suggestion to ask for a return under distance selling.

They're hardly going to provide an address in the UK if they don't have one. The card provider might insist on the items being returned before a refund though, so if this is the case then returning them to the provided UK address is fair. 

It might be a Chinese company but they are clearly trying to pretend to be English (unlike other Chinese sellers) by giving a fake UK address, so the card company cannot turn round and say that the OP has bought from China not the UK. 

The issue is that , in these circumstances CCR2013,S35(3)(a) could appear to apply,

”(a) any address specified by the trader for sending the goods back;”

If it ever got to court there would be a degree of reasonableness to be applied, but for under £500 who's going to bother with a court case, especially against a Chinese company who probably won't turn up,and definitely wont respect any judgement.

OP should definitely keep pushing the bank as far as possible, but In other cases on these forums, the bank refuse to apply a chargeback unless you return the goods, which then usually get 'lost' en-route. Tracked and insured shipping is an option  but needs to be weighed as a cost against an easy 50% refund now.

born_again

powerful_Rogue said:

Chargeback rights don't align with Consumer Rights. The address on the site isn't listed as a returns address. I can't see there being a claim via chargeback for this.I'm sure @born_again will be able to give a charge back insight.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81810167/#Comment_81810167