Buying Chinese Goods on eBay!!

[frogdoc58]

I was scammed by a Chinese seller/company last year. Here's the scam: One buys an item for say 50 bucks, they send you a totally different item worth 5 bucks. When one emails the seller about the wrong item they ignore you. Then when you complain through ebay or paypal the seller offers a 50% refund. Guess what, the seller still makes money and you still did not get the item you wanted and are stuck with something you don't want.
Bottom line, avoid the chinese.

[sailorladd]

..and then the products are intentionally designed to break down in a very short time....I refuse to buy chinese now, as much as possible I buy from ANYWHERE else...

[bcboomer]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor View Post
I hope you're right. My new laptop is a Lenova. The screen sucks by the way.

My 3 year old Lenovo has a really good screen.

I've had Dell with good screens and Dell with crappy screens.

Like any of them you need to be aware of the specs when you buy.

[PJS]

Originally Posted by Joh.Ghurt

I agree on the junk part. However I have a big problem with the fact, that often I get from so called reputable vendors here the same junk only with their brand on it. And if I'm going to be buying junk anyway, i prefer to pay less.

I could not agree more... the so called "local" or in many cases, what are US sellers with rebranded products from China. I sit on numerous committees for Angle Investment and you would be staggered with the number of US companies that purchase components/parts from the far East, ship them to the US put one or two parts on them, slap on their label and call it made in the US. I know, that is not the germane topic of this thread but there is a way larger problem....

Having said all that, I DO NOT directly purchase Chinese goods. I maybe less than a drop in the bucket but I refuse to indirectly support a communist government & country. (Not being political here, just stating I prefer to purchase from where I can obtain the goods in a reasonable time...I'm rather impatient)

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by PJS

I refuse to indirectly support a communist government & country. (Not being political here.

Yes you are

, just stating I prefer to purchase from where I can obtain the goods in a reasonable time...I'm rather impatient).

Then you should have said that and made no mention of your political views.

[Joh.Ghurt]

Originally Posted by n5ama

I suspect the government subsidized shipping from China (incredibly cheap) has issues because of the shear volume of stuff coming here.

Yes, shipping from China is subsidised by the Chinese and your local government. Check the Universal Postal Treaty for details.

Originally Posted by n5ama

I go out of my way and I’m willing to pay more (sometimes a lot more) to buy American goods or from almost any other country. I know it is like a drop of water in the ocean, but every little bit helps and I feel that I’m doing my part.

While this may seem patriotic, many American manufacturers cut corners and bend the rules to brand their stuff Made in USA. It's a lot saner to try to buy quality instead of junk, no matter who produced it. But this is even a bigger challenge than buy "Made in USA" only.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by coopec43

I think I've bought the last goods I want from China.

I don't know what their problem is but I am currently waiting for four items (all cheap). Just looking at the tracking for one item I wonder if I will ever see the goods.

Have a look at this and scroll down. (I bought the goods 20th March 2021)


China Post tracking #UJ998430531CN

• 2 May 2021
• 12:59pm

Handed over to Forwarding Agent for Transit

• Guangzhou

16 Apr 2021

• 9:47pm

Handed over to Forwarding Agent for Transit

• Guangzhou

16 Apr 2021

• 9:22pm

Departure from Regional Sorting Center

• Guangzhou

16 Apr 2021

• 1:15pm

Dispatched from Office of Exchange

• Guangzhou

16 Apr 2021

• 1:15pm

Returned

• Guangzhou

14 Apr 2021

• 2:39pm

Departure from Regional Sorting Center

• Guangzhou

14 Apr 2021

• 1:11pm

Returned

• Guangzhou

13 Apr 2021

• 9:22pm

已交承运商运输

• 广州市

13 Apr 2021

• 9:22pm

Handed over to Forwarding Agent for Transit

• Guangzhou

13 Apr 2021

• 9:22pm

Handed over to Forwarding Agent for Transit

• Guangzhou

13 Apr 2021

• 8:57pm

离开【广州国际邮件处理中心】,下一站【广州国际邮件交换站】（经转）

• 广州市

13 Apr 2021

• 2:10am

【广州国际邮件处理中心】已出口直封

• 广州市

13 Apr 2021

• 2:10am

Dispatched from Office of Exchange

• Guangzhou

13 Apr 2021

• 2:09am

【广州国际邮件处理中心】退回,备注:安检退回

• 广州市

13 Apr 2021

• 2:09am

Returned

• Guangzhou

11 Apr 2021

• 9:59pm

已交承运商运输

• 广州市

11 Apr 2021

• 9:59pm

Handed over to Forwarding Agent for Transit

• Guangzhou

10 Apr 2021

• 11:15am

离开【广州国际邮件交换站】,下一站【广州国际邮件处理中心】（经转）

• 广州市

10 Apr 2021

• 9:10am

【广州国际邮件交换站】退回

• 广州市

10 Apr 2021

• 9:10am

Returned

• Guangzhou

9 Apr 2021

• 7:48pm

航空公司接收


9 Apr 2021

• 7:48pm

Received by the carrier


8 Apr 2021

• 10:08pm

已交承运商运输

• 广州市

8 Apr 2021

• 10:08pm

Handed over to Forwarding Agent for Transit

• Guangzhou

8 Apr 2021

• 10:08pm

已交承运商运输

• 广州市

8 Apr 2021

• 10:08pm

Handed over to Forwarding Agent for Transit

• Guangzhou

8 Apr 2021

• 9:16pm

离开【广州国际邮件处理中心】,下一站【广州国际邮件交换站】（经转）

• 广州市

8 Apr 2021

• 12:02am

【广州国际邮件处理中心】已出口直封

• 广州市

8 Apr 2021

• 12:02am

Dispatched from Office of Exchange

• Guangzhou

8 Apr 2021

• 12:02am

【广州国际邮件处理中心】退回,备注:安检退回

• 广州市

8 Apr 2021

• 12:02am

Returned

• Guangzhou

6 Apr 2021

• 9:01pm

离开【广州国际邮件处理中心】,下一站【广州航空中心】（经转）

• 广州市

6 Apr 2021

• 9:08am

【广州国际邮件交换站】退回

• 广州市

6 Apr 2021

• 9:08am

Returned

• Guangzhou

5 Apr 2021

• 2:27pm

航空公司接收


5 Apr 2021

• 2:27pm

Received by the carrier


2 Apr 2021

• 9:24pm

已交承运商运输

• 广州市

2 Apr 2021

• 9:24pm

Handed over to Forwarding Agent for Transit

• Guangzhou

2 Apr 2021

• 9:24pm

已交承运商运输

• 广州市

2 Apr 2021

• 9:24pm

Handed over to Forwarding Agent for Transit

• Guangzhou

2 Apr 2021

• 9:02pm

离开【广州国际邮件处理中心】,下一站【广州国际邮件交换站】（经转）

• 广州市

2 Apr 2021

• 2:08pm

【广州国际邮件处理中心】已出口直封

• 广州市

2 Apr 2021

• 2:08pm

Dispatched from Office of Exchange

• Guangzhou

2 Apr 2021

• 2:08pm

【广州国际邮件处理中心】退回,备注:安检退回

• 广州市

2 Apr 2021

• 2:08pm

Returned

• Guangzhou

28 Mar 2021

• 2:31pm

离开【广州国际邮件处理中心】,下一站【广州航空中心】（经转）

• 广州市

27 Mar 2021

• 11:52am

离开【广州国际邮件交换站】,下一站【广州国际邮件处理中心】（经转）

• 广州市

27 Mar 2021

• 9:19am

【广州国际邮件交换站】退回

• 广州市

27 Mar 2021

• 9:19am

Returned

• Guangzhou

26 Mar 2021

• 3:33pm

航空公司接收


26 Mar 2021

• 3:33pm

Received by the carrier


24 Mar 2021

• 4:33am

已交承运商运输

• 广州市

24 Mar 2021

• 4:33am

Handed over to Forwarding Agent for Transit

• Guangzhou

24 Mar 2021

• 4:33am

已交承运商运输

• 广州市

24 Mar 2021

• 4:33am

Handed over to Forwarding Agent for Transit

• Guangzhou

23 Mar 2021

• 9:23pm

离开【广州国际中心】,下一站【广州国际邮件交换站】（经转）

• 广州市

23 Mar 2021

• 9:21pm

到达【广州国际中心】（经转）

• 广州市

23 Mar 2021

• 9:21pm

Arrival at Regional Sorting Center

• Guangzhou

23 Mar 2021

• 10:58am

【广州国际中心】已出口直封

• 广州市

23 Mar 2021

• 10:58am

Dispatched from Office of Exchange

• Guangzhou

23 Mar 2021

• 1:05am

到达【佛山邮件处理中心】

• 佛山市

23 Mar 2021

• 1:05am

Arrival at Regional Sorting Center

• Foshan

23 Mar 2021

• 1:04am

离开【国际小包处理中心】,下一站【广州国际】

• 佛山市

23 Mar 2021

• 1:04am

Depature from Local Sorting Center

• Foshan

22 Mar 2021

• 11:55pm

【国际小包处理中心】已收寄,揽投员:机构管理员

• 佛山市

22 Mar 2021

• 11:55pm

Package Received

• Foshan

22 Mar 2021

• 7:10pm

Tracking number provided

I had a similar experience. I went to Credit card company and challenged the charges. The CC came back to me that the shipper said it was shipped. I challenged that and asked for a tracking number. Of course they couldn’t provide one.

Your tracking number looks rather short so I would question if it is real. If it’s not in stock I don’t buy it. Just my 2cents.

[john manning]

After scanning through the replies here, I have experienced all the same problems buying goods from the USA and South America.

Nothing beats going to a shop and actually handling goods before you buy them.

[Joh.Ghurt]

Originally Posted by john manning

Nothing beats going to a shop and actually handling goods before you buy them.

Assuming you have a shop with the goods and you don't end up not liking the quality. More often than not I was very disappointed by what the local shops offer - a small selection of shoddy goods. And this in mainland Europe, not in some remote Island-republic.

[john manning]

Originally Posted by Joh.Ghurt

Assuming you have a shop with the goods and you don't end up not liking the quality. More often than not I was very disappointed by what the local shops offer - a small selection of shoddy goods. And this in mainland Europe, not in some remote Island-republic.

I do live in a remote island (called New Zealand) and we too have a small selection of shoddy goods to choose from. But I still prefer seeing and handling goods before buying. Your reply confirms I would be no better off ordering online from Europe.

We all seem to have the same problems buying item for our yachts. Maybe there should be section within Cruisers Forum to list the good quality suppliers we have all found over the years.

[Joh.Ghurt]

Originally Posted by john manning

Maybe there should be section within Cruisers Forum to list the good quality suppliers we have all found over the years.

For technical item I had recently good experiences with shops catering to industrial customers. Those that sell to companies repairing cranes, construction-site generators, heavy duty equipment. People lifting multiple ton loads every day with their equipment usually don't like Chinesium straps failing on them every other week

Another good site is https://www.mcmaster.com/

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Yes you are...Then you should have said that and made no mention of your political views.

So what if he is being political? China has one of the worst human rights records. They persecute and jail defenders of human rights. There are no child labor laws. Through poor wages the basically have a forced lkabor system...keeping people sometimes as much as 70 hours a week which still is not enough to feed their families.

Their judiciary system is a joke and want to keep it that way. They practice genocide on countries as Tibet and religious people in China . Manipulate elected governments like Hong Kong and Taiwan.

I could go on and on. This so you can pay "cents on the dollar".

[Wanton]

I've learned the hard way. Ordered tents and received 4 plastic pegs. Ordered something else, cannot remember, but worth over $100 and I recieved a cheap $12 watch instead. There are scammers galore in China. Many chances of that when you have a population of almost 2 billion people. Obviously not all of them are bad, but if you are buying on line always use Paypal or similar, never direct from your credit card. At least if not delivered or your received some rubbish instead of what you ordered, you can get most of your money refunded.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Wanton

I've learned the hard way. Ordered tents and received 4 plastic pegs. Ordered something else, cannot remember, but worth over $100 and I recieved a cheap $12 watch instead. There are scammers galore in China. Many chances of that when you have a population of almost 2 billion people. Obviously not all of them are bad, but if you are buying on line always use Paypal or similar, never direct from your credit card. At least if not delivered or your received some rubbish instead of what you ordered, you can get most of your money refunded.

Well I received an 18V rechargeable battery that wouldn't take a charge. I took the matter up with PayPal but after an investigation they told me they couldn't help me as the time period had expired. I looked at comments made by a member posting on eBay Community Forum who explained there are sellers who know exactly what the time limits are for everything and stall/lie just long enough to leave you no recourse.

I looked at the feedback on the seller and found I was no Robinson Crusoe as 29 others had been scammed the same way. What was eBay doing? But if I did another eBay search today for 18V rechargeable batteries there would be no Chinese sellers listed.

Another gripe I have with eBay is that they allow "shill" (phantom) bids whereby the seller sets up a fake buyer that bids against us to jack up the price.

"As fees increase,so does the shill bidding.
Ebay allows shill bidding as they get a higher FVF for doing so.
A live Auction house would go under VERY fast if they practised this sort of thing.....but Ebay is "online" and REAL faces don't exist here.
By the way,I used a live auction house and walked away with MORE of MY MONEY in MY pocket....so don't believe the tripe that is spewed on here about live auction houses being just as expensive to use as Ebay - THEY ARN'T AND YOU WON'T BE CONFRONTED WITH SHILL (faceless) BIDDING EITHER."

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/Sellers-bidding-on-their-own-item-with-a-phantom-name-usually/td-p/915525

[Iains boatyard]

I am with you Uncle Bob
I am hoping that as the world watches what they are doing to Australian exporter the world will turn against them.
So say no more too political.