AliExpress No Like PayPal.

If there’s a problem, Banggood also sucks. In late December, I received a seriously defective Astrolux MF01S from Banggood. I provided Banggood Customer Service with all the information they asked for: pictures of their shipping label, SKU code, batteries used (new Samsung 30Qs), and five videos showing the light malfunctioning and the side switch not working. Banggood refused to give me a refund or pay for return postage.

After opening a PayPal dispute (which was an ordeal since I purchased the MF01S using PayPal’s “guest checkout”), I was told I’d receive a full refund if I returned the light to Banggood using any shipping method with a tracking number.
I mailed the MF01S to Banggood on January 6 via USPS First-Class Package International Service with tracking number. The package reached China on January 12.

I still haven’t received a refund from PayPal or Banggood. My credit card company (Chase Amazon Visa) refused to give me a refund since I can’t prove the package was delivered to Banggood. USPS First-Class and Priority Mail tracking numbers don’t work inside China (and several other countries). So I’m out $80 for the flashlight and $23.50 for return postage, all for a defective product which I proved (with 5 videos) was useless.

Banggood has a facility in the U.S. (in the Los Angeles area) and it carried Astrolux MF01S flashlights. If I’d been allowed to ship the package to a U.S. address then the return postage would have cost less and the USPS tracking number would show delivery. PayPal, however, required me to ship the package to an address in China. UPS quoted a price of around $150 to ship the package to China; FedEx wanted over $80.

In the case of products ordered from China, IMHO PayPal provides precisely zero “protection” since the expense of return shipping, with a tracking number that works inside China, will likely cost more than the purchase price. I find it incredible that Chinese merchants can ship packages to the USA for a couple dollars and USPS will scan the package all the way to delivery. Yet if you mail the same product to China, even paying 20 times as much for postage, China Post will not scan the USPS tracking number inside China. I submitted two negative product reviews about this defective MF01S and, predictably, Banggood refused to post them. Several people have received defective Astrolux MF01S flashlights (some owners made YouTube videos on them), yet out of 123 reviews on Banggood, the company has failed to post a single negative review.

Yep, you got banged good!

…and not in a good way.

I fail to see the humor in that. Abinfantry and I both lost money along with time and aggravation. You would not be laughing if it happened to you.

Banggood may suck, or not suck, depending on how your orders have worked out for you. They know what they can and cannot get away with and they play to their advantage well. Before I started ordering things from Chinese sellers I did a little research. I found out that how bad a Chinese company is or isn’t is based only on the interaction you have had with them. I have had almost zero problems with them, therefore I have no animosity against them. Others haven’t been that lucky and wish they would go out of business tomorrow. All of the deals gone bad at Banggood play out with many other Chinese sellers everyday.

I guess what I was trying to say was, it didn’t take much research for me to find out that I was taking a risk by not being able to affordably return merchandise to China. Knowing that, I couldn’t very well build an animosity towards a seller when I knew the risk I was taking and that I knowingly took it.

PayPal doesn’t really suck either. Unless you are trying to return something to China. Are they asking you to do anything that you wouldn’t normally do with a local seller? It’s not really their fault that shipping prices are what they are. Their guidelines for disputes are spelled out pretty clear.

Does it suck? Sure it does. But we all chose to do business in a country knowing the risk, used a payment system knowing the risk and chose to do it anyway. If you didn’t know any of the risk then you didn’t do your job as a consumer. I don’t mean to sound brash or even a bit of a, well, insert curse word here, but it’s the truth.

Being as optimistic as we can, we hope nothing happens and we go full bore at it anyway.

:+1: I believe that accurately sums it up. I have placed many orders with BG, GearBest, AE FastTech, Kaidomain, and others over a number of years. A few problems, but not many. Most of the problems resolved okay. A couple of them needed a return of goods to China and I left it at that, knowing it was not worth the expense of shipping. That was a chance I took when I placed the order; the terms are available if one seeks them out and reads them. We, in the US are somewhat spoiled when we try to compare the service level from a Chinese seller to a US company like Amazon, HomeDepot, etc.

I specifically used PayPal to make my Banggood purchases because I’d read so many people on BLF assert that doing so provided consumers with “protection” in the case of defective merchandise. I don’t see what possible benefit there is to using PayPal on orders with Chinese merchants.

It was PayPal that insisted I return the flashlight to an address in China (an address PayPal provided) instead of mailing it to Banggood’s warehouse in California. PayPal told me to use any shipping method with a tracking number. I had no idea USPS First-Class and Priority Mail tracking numbers aren’t scanned inside China (and some other countries). The mail clerk at my local post office certainly didn’t mention it when I mailed the package and told him I needed a tracking number. I only discovered that fact when I tried to find out why USPS tracking didn’t show any new entries after the package reached China. When PayPal told me to use “any shipping method with a tracking number,” they should have stated “except for USPS.”

I didn’t know about the “risk” you mentioned. I’ve lost count of how many posts I’ve read by BLF members touting the benefits of PayPal “protection” when ordering from Banggood, Gearbest, etc. What “protection” is that exactly?

When I contacted Chase Bank, I was initially told, “Chase stands by its customers, not like PayPal.” Within a few weeks, Chase Customer Service refused to post a refund since, thanks to China Post not scanning packages, I can’t prove Banggood received the worthless MF01S I mailed them. I could have saved $23.50 by throwing my defective MF01S in the trash.

I can’t begin to describe the hours of aggravation I spent dealing with “Customer Service” at Banggood, PayPal (especially), and Chase Bank. Every time I contact PayPal, it takes two to four hours before I’m connected to the “specialists” who handle “guest checkout” disputes. I’ve repeatedly received emails from PayPal directing me to do things which are impossible in the case of “guest checkout” purchases. Then it’s another two to four hours of waiting and aggravation before a PayPal “specialist” tells me to disregard PayPal’s emails to me. Except for those which I shouldn’t disregard … as if there’s a way for me to know in advance which are which.

Perhaps you feel no “animosity” towards a seller who shipped a thoroughly defective product to a customer then refused to accept any responsibility, refused to return messages after the customer provided all the information they requested, provided 5 videos proving the product was defective, and asked for a refund then failed to post any negative product reviews about the product on its website. I’ll try to restrain my sympathy if a disreputable merchant fleeces you out of money.

Consider all purchases from China to here as one way.
As long they get here in one piece, we’ll make something out of them, make them better or use them for parts.

I figure the amount of money being saved going direct to the source rather than through middlemen like the old days, the savings of buying a dang good light for way less than buying something along to the lines of a Streamlight here in the states (nothing against Streamlight) over the years the savings come out in my favor.

When you see the garbage they peddle at Outdoor/Gun shows for lots of $$$$ compared to what we have access to, there is no comparison of value.
Being able to coordinate with a maker to build a flashlight to our specifications, even when it doesn’t always come out perfect, is a very incredible thing to me at least.
YMMV

I DID read Banggood’s “terms” on its website before I placed my order. Here they are for you to read:

“If one or more of the items you received are damaged, different, or not working, you will be protected by this Guarantee. Please contact us for Return Material Authorization within 7 days of the order being received.

After returning the product to the address provided by our customer service team, we can send you a new item free of charge (we will reimburse you the return shipping cost), or you can choose to receive a full refund.”

I contacted Banggood within 24 hours of receiving the defective Astrolux MF01S on December 28, 2019. I promptly replied to every message they sent me and provided them with everything they asked of me: pictures of the flashlight, Banggood’s shipping label, SKU code, batteries used, and a video showing what was defective (I provided them with five such videos). Banggood did not offer to send me a replacement MF01S, did not offer to reimburse me the return shipping cost, and refused to respond after I asked for a full refund.

Kindly explain what I failed to comprehend about Banggood’s “terms” and their [guffaw] “Guarantee.”

And that’s why I doubt I’d ever ever ever try buying anything from China that I’m not willing to eat.

Someone like Simon or Sofirn would likely make good if anything went wrong, but generic retailers like GB/BG/etc. aren’t them. I might be willing to eat 20-30bux to try gutting a dead light even if it’s just to turn it into a 1-mode DD light. The more “custom” the driver, switch, etc., the less likely I’d be to buy it.

I also think you’d need to have your head examined to try buying a light for a coupla hunnert bux, or a MeowMeow cellphone or tablet, or anything pricey. BG ain’t Amazon. There’s no such thing as “a-to-z”. No such thing as returning it if you don’t like the color, or just for spite. Once they got your bux, they aim to keep it. You might have better luck getting your arm out of a croc’s throat then getting back any bux from ’em.

Hell, Amazon only charges your card when the goodies ship, whereas your account’s already been dinged by the time you get your finger off the mouse-button when clicking [place order].

Okay, so here’s where you need to turn into an armchair lowyer. I learned this trick at work when dealing with people who have the memory of a goldfish. You need to get everything in writing, not just your interpretation of what you think they want, but their confirmation of what they want/require.

You get their “guarantee” and the steps you need to take, and painfully recite back each and every step along the way, asking yes/no is that correct.

Describe the problem, cite the “guarantee”, ask for an RMA. Ask for where to ship it. Ask for what carrier(s) they prefer or even require. Become a broken record and re-ask everything until you get a clear concise answer. Recite back, get confirmation.

Then follow the steps To The Letter. If they say USPS is okay (and that they’ll reimburse return-shipping costs), and later they claim that they don’t have a tracking number from USPS or some other way to weasel their way out, you can go to Chase/PP/whatever and cite back the exact email, the receipt from USPS, etc., that you followed their instructions to the letter.

In short, you need to prove yourself right. Imagine you’re going to court, and Judge Judy is just itching for any excuse to call you an idiot and rule against you. You can’t give her the chance.

“We didn’t receive your light, as it wasn’t tracked.”

Well Hell’s Bells, I asked specifically if XYZ Shipping would be okay, and you said yes.

And so on.

That’s why even though it’s a pain in the ass, I often video the Grand Opening of the package, just in case anything’s missing. You order 3 doodads, and only get 2. “No, we ship 3. We have packing list, say 3. You try cheat us!” That’s when you send the video showing only 2 doodads were inside. Otherwise you say they didn’t, they say they did, you lose.

How do you suggest I do that? Ever since I asked Banggood Customer Service for a full refund, they failed to reply to any of my messages. Their refusal to respond was what caused me to open a PayPal dispute.

lightbringer says some good stuff

ive learnt something new now

i think im going to stick pretty much to aliexpress and direct with simon

ive also had a few packages from aliexpress go missing or not been what i bought and never had any problem

ive order a few torches and bits from BG and everything came in one pieces,im yet to get a bad deal on GB stuff . even if something came that was slightly different or a bit broken (solder was a different make ) (soldering iron looked a bit different ,but this was a generic hakko thing) so if i have to modify it a tiny bit that all is good

BG sellsvery cheaply and there mark up is proberly very little, but in bulk they get there money . so refunding one torch or one led means they would have to sell 10 more times to start making profit again on that item

i kind of put it all to experience and its the luck of the draw , to me its a little exciting also getting a package from china and seeing what ive got to do to it. i love tinkering around
also if i have to change a led or change the driver or change the gaskets on a torch. thats up to me and i love to do it

i am getting it for a hell of a lot cheaper then in finland ,if i could even get desent torches and cut down prices here anyway

i can tell you one thing though

BG-aliexpress+wish+ebay+amazon are all addictive!

Go into broken-record mode. Send an email, wait for a reply. Send it again. Third time, they’re not replying, then you dump everything into PP’s/Chase’s lap as BG being unresponsive.

And no matter what BG suggests, fall back to their guarantee. Before sending anything, make sure you CONFIRM they’ll refund your shipping costs. If PP expects you to mail it anyway, you point out that clause in the guarantee, and ask someone at PP how to enforce that.

It’s a long draw-out paperwork game. If you don’t want to play, you lose. It’s that simple.

That “good stuff” only works if a merchant is willing, even reluctantly, to honor its “Guarantee.” In my case, Banggood utterly failed to honor its published “Guarantee” and stopped responding to my messages (even though I was always civil and provided them with all the information/evidence they requested.

Then I congratulate you on your good fortune. Several years ago, I ordered a $70 coat from a vendor on Aliexpress. They shipped me a different, much lower quality coat. Aliexpress requires a customer to return any merchandise using a shipping method that includes a tracking number. The cheapest USPS postage with a tracking number (a tracking number I now know doesn’t work inside China) was nearly $70. I shipped it by USPS without a tracking number for around $35. My credit card company (not Chase Bank) eventually issued me a $70 refund on the basis of my USPS receipt showing I’d mailed the package. So I was “only” out the $35 I paid for postage. That was the last time I ordered anything on Aliexpress that cost over $25.

I already did that … a month ago. Chase Bank refused to issue a refund unless I can prove Banggood received the package. I provided the same information to PayPal. PayPal said it will issue a refund after proof of delivery. Proof I can’t provide (thank you, China Post) and which Banggood (who probably received the package weeks ago) isn’t going to. Now that a month has passed since the package reached China, tomorrow I’m contacting PayPal again. I’m really looking forward to another 2- to 4-hour wait to be connected with the correct “specialist” and have to explain all the details once again.

Tell me about it. If PayPal doesn’t issue me a refund soon, my next step will be a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (which regulates credit card companies). I’m more than a little dissatisfied with Chase “we stand by our customers” Bank.

Ok,maybe I should have said when I am trying to return a Defective item to China.

This is not a $10 or $20 Item where one would say ohhh well it did not cost that much. It is worth $140 and costs $77.50 to send back.

To answer your question.

Absolutely they are asking me to do something that I would not normally do with a local seller! A local[USA] seller, flashlights or other merchandise will provide a RETURN SHIPPING LABEL for DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS.As they should.

Here is the bottom line. PP SUCKS when it comes to China returns and now I am aware of it. I will never order anything from China knowing what their[PP] so called inconsistent decisions are regarding disputes and what China’s motives are every time.

It is simple. The solution would be a Compromise for the return shipping costs for defective products to China and other far away places.Which would be, in this case, China paying for at least Half the return shipping costs.

Like my thread said,Live and learn, won’t get burned again!

P.S Yesterday,through my research I did contact Two PP executives through voice mail and email. Not expecting much if anything from them. Sometimes it feels to good to vent and express ones feelings towards an American company whose policy absolutely favors China in this case. It is pathetic in my book. :wink:

So did I. My “research” included reading numerous posts here on BLF where folks touted using PayPal when placing orders from Banggood, Gearbest, Fasttech, etc. in order to “protect” yourself. In the case of orders from China, what “protection” does PayPal offer? The “protection” of eventually receiving a refund on a $30 flashlight after paying $80 in nonreimbursed return shipping costs?

As far as Banggood’s “terms,” I did read their published “Guarantee” before I ever placed my first order with them. In the case of the worthless MF01S they sent me, Banggood failed to honor any part of their guarantee. Banggood failed to send a replacement flashlight, failed to provide a return shipping address (preferably to their U.S. facility), failed to reimburse return shipping, and failed to issue a refund. What use is a merchant’s “Guarantee” when they refuse to honor it? What reputable company refuses to respond to your messages after you request a refund (after providing them with all the information/evidence they required)?

Here’s another fact Banggood customers need to be aware of. Every package I’ve received from Banggood consisted of the product(s) wrapped inside a thin, gray, plastic sheet with a shipping label affixed. How many people save that plastic wrapper, at least the shipping label, after their package arrives? One of the things Banggood Customer Service requires when you contact them with a defective or incorrect product is a picture of their shipping label. Another is a picture of the SKU code.

And unless that $77.50 is for Registered Mail or Priority Express Mail then the tracking number won’t work inside China and you’ll find yourself in the same predicament I am. USPS First-Class International and Priority (non-Express) Mail tracking numbers aren’t scanned inside China.

Here’s a notice from USPS.com: “USPS will be temporarily suspending the guarantee on Priority Mail Express International destined for China and Hong Kong, effective Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, due to widespread airline cancellations and restrictions into this area.”

Not ALL USA sellers will provide you with a pre-paid return shipping label. That is more of a Amazonian movement that has us all spoiled. So now we assume that everyone does it. They just don’t.

PayPal is great at protecting you from a shipment that never shows up, gets delivered to the wrong address or some other shipping snafu. They will make any company prove to them that it was delivered before they call it delivered. If the package that got delivered to your door wasn’t tracked, your better off saying it never showed up versus saying it was damaged. I don’t have hard data to back this up but, I suspect many more things go undelivered/not shipped than ever get delivered and are defective. Just a hunch. They play the odds I’m sure.

Ali has a dispute system that I hear works pretty good. Never had to use it myself though.

I’ve had to use it a handful of times, including with a seller who did the play-dumb routine and then give me the silent treatment. I don’t recall ever getting screwed (which I’m almost positive I’d remember).

I Never said ALL of them.Only the best ones that I have used.

These top notch and credible dealers that I have used where I needed a defective product returned has provided me with a Shipping return label every time.I only associate with about Five of them,ALL credible, not fly by night companies.

Illumns, Going Gear, Liionwholesale are ones that have always done that, even though I did not have to go that route many times.