I agree that specifically Sofirn shows this issue, and I think it is the size of the company that causes this, together with the seemingly low-caring attitude (part of it is deliberate, some is ignorance) that many chinese seller have towards customers. Lumintop is a way larger manufacturer, more likely to deal smoothly with large sale volumes, but if you think that Lumintop is a fine example of how to deal with customers, read the story of the BLF-GT and find some similar stories that are going on with Sofirn now.
But what I find difficult to understand is that so many customers do not simply anticipate with a more easy-going attitude on the same things that go wrong with chinese selllers for as long as I am into the hobby (8 years now) . You know beforehand that there is a fair chance that you will be treated unjust, then you decide to get involved with chinese sellers anyway (Sofirn, Banggood, Gearbest, and quite a few more), then you get angry and loud about indeed being treated unjust. ?
Btw, my impression is that showing being upset hardly has influence on them, while phragmatically telling them what went wrong and clearly telling them how they can make it right is the most effective way to get things done. Repeat when needed. You get your stuff in the end, for a price that you will never be able to achieve at home, if even you could find it elsewhere.
This is actually the first time ive had to deal with a dishonest seller on aliexpress who uses fake tracking numbers and sells out of stock items, falsely claiming they are in stock
Hell even the seller of my 35 cent light from 11.11 shipped it promptly with tracking and it has arrived … when a small little “garbage” selling store can fulfill orders more honestly and promptly than sofirn …
Unless folks speak up LOUDLY, those sofirn folks will just keep on doing it, they arent even responding to the OP through aliexpress chat …
They responded when i filed a dispute, they promptly send me more fake tracking nunbers
It is not nice how Sofirn deals with their fulfillment issues, same thing happened to me this 11-11. But hey, Sofirn has almost limitless credit IMO for making innovative new flashlights together with BLF, helping with changing the flashlight industry to our liking. (your 35 cents flashlight seller has done nothing about that, they just stock up what seems to sell and then sell it) I therefore hardly care about how and when I receive my flashlights, as long as I get them eventually.
Well ill give em credit for being inventive with the fake tracking numbers … they look just like the real thing until u punch em in !!!
What is doubly hilarious is that they were trying to pump up sales this black friday despite them being out of stock and not fulfilling the backlog from 11.11 in time
Yeah if they want to be a real consumer brand, not just some flashaholics workshop …
Then they should probably stop violating aliexpress rules (fake tracking numbers, selling out of stock products), stop lying to their customers (fake tracking numbers, claiming stock when not yet produced) and actually answer them (see OP)
I actually have a message where they admitted the item wasnt produced yet when ordered
I ordered some and paid over 89 dollars for DHL so I could have them in time to reship as Christmas gifts. The tracking number they gave is not valid. The really annoying thing is that I had gone with Sofirn over Astrolux to avoid Banggood as I have had nothing but problems with them. I hope Aliexpress will look after it’s customers better than Banggood.
Thanks for posting this as I can niw see I need to get something else for Christmas gifts.
In other news, Emisar made another sale to me. I was sitting on the fence, but with the shenanigans some of these companies pull I will just stick with the honest company.
I sent several messeges to sofirm and after several rounds of automated repplies I managed to get a human to talk to me. They promised me to ship everything tomorrow. They will even start shipping a next batch of lanterns tomorrow.
Some two weeks ago, Lumintop sent me a tracking code (2 characters, 9 digits, 2 characters) followed by some gobbledygook. After a week of trying, 17track still had not recognized the code. Till I filled in the whole sequence they sent me. And voila, a complete detailled report of the wanderings my light had made thus far.
I have two Sofirn orders that have hardly moved in a month. Both do have genuine tracking numbers, but there are long gaps in between movement. At least one left China yesterday finally. I put it down to 11:11 and Black Friday, clogging up the post system.
Last year I ordered my first big purchase (Sofirn Q8) along with other items but it was missing from the package. Sofirn said they would reship but the tracking number was unusable. After 3 weeks of frantically holding off filing a dispute I finally received the missing Q8. I’ve bought many things from them since and that’s the only incident so far.
My experience with Sofirn is shaky but I think they are honest and they are the opposite of others blatant scam that will make a fake tracking notice and than cancel shipping 3 weeks later without giving a refund or respond. I reported the scam and AliExpress and gave me a refund within 10 minutes.
Because once that happens some of us might post up full screenshots of conversations of sofirn reps sending us fake tracking numbers (which any BLFer can then check)
And those same reps admitting selling stuff that isnt even built yet …
Btw … has anyone gotten the automated message of the russia warehouse fire from them yet?
Both of my 11.11 Sofirn orders have the same tracking number. I figured they were being efficient putting the orders together. There is tracking info of it having left the country of origin on Nov 21, but still nothing about reaching the destination country. Maybe sent by sea and not air?
I don’t have a problem with long shipping times, but I do take issue if they are playing games with ghost stock or fake tracking numbers and such.
Additionally, on AliExpress the items I ordered had a delivery date guarantee (not shipping date, delivery!). My decision to order was based in part on that promise. Not every item offers a delivery guarantee, so for those that do, I expect it to be respected. Otherwise they can expect complaints from me. However, until that date, I will wait patiently.
(your 35 cents flashlight seller has done nothing about that, they just stock up what seems to sell and then sell it) I therefore hardly care about how and when I receive my flashlights, as long as I get them eventually.
