✌ FREEME - ASTROLUX MF01S 15000lm Flashlight Group Buy - ENDED

So you only lost the $60 shipping cost?

I lost the shipping cost, but it was $23.50, not $60. That was USPS First-Class Package International Service with a tracking number (a tracking number that China Post refuses to scan). I could have paid more for Priority Mail but that tracking number wouldn’t be scanned in China either. When I mailed the package at my local post office, I told them I needed a tracking number. They gave me a receipt with a tracking number, but it stopped being scanned once the package reached China. As I subsequently discovered, the cheapest way to ship a MF01S from the USA to China, with a tracking number scanned by China Post all the way to the destination, would cost $77.50 by USPS Express Mail. I don’t see much point in spending $77.50 in non-reimbursed postage to get a refund of $80. It galls me that a Chinese vendor can spend $2 on postage and USPS will scan that package all the way to its final destination, but a person in the USA can spend over twenty times that much for postage to China and China Post refuses to scan the tracking number.

I don’t see what use PayPal’s touted “protection” is for consumers in the USA or Europe when ordering typical budget flashlights from Chinese vendors. In the case of a defective product you’re required to return to the merchant, it costs more (often far more) postage to return a budget flashlight via Express Mail (or FedEx or UPS) than you’d receive in a refund. I also discovered it’s an ordeal trying to open, and maintain, a dispute for a purchase made via PayPal’s “guest checkout.” Every time I needed to contact PayPal, whether online or by phone, it was a 2- to 4-hour wait before I was connected to a “specialist” who handles “guest checkout” disputes, even after I created a PayPal account. And then PayPal repeatedly sent me emails requiring me to do things which were physically impossible with a “guest checkout” purchase. Then it was another multi-hour wait to talk with the right “specialist” who’d tell me to disregard certain emails, but not other emails, as if I knew which were which without contacting them. It took another multi-hour wait to get PayPal to comprehend that I was the buyer, not the seller, despite having explained everything previously in great detail.

I finally gave up on PayPal since they wouldn’t issue a refund because the tracking number wasn’t scanned inside China then opened a dispute with Chase Bank, issuer of my Visa card. They refused to give me a refund until I filed complaints with three federal agencies. Then Chase Bank “reconsidered” the matter and gave me a “courtesy” refund.

I myself don’t understand why the store is so delaying my problem? It’s not the first purchase in this store for more than 10 purchases, once there was a refund and it was fast (the goods there were ~ $ 20). because they lose customers like that … completely don’t understand them.

What I “don’t understand” is why so many folks on BLF concoct excuses for [insert name of Chinese merchant here] simply because they personally haven’t had any problem with that company. I didn’t have a problem with Banggood … until I did. But I never questioned the veracity of other people who had experienced such problems.

I’d rather have a root canal than deal with Banggood Customer Service again. One of the things they require when opening a dispute is a picture of their shipping label. Every package I’ve received from Banggood was simply a thin sheet of plastic with a label affixed. I’m pretty sure most customers throw that plastic wrapper away when they open it.

In addition to pictures of the flashlight, shipping label, SKU code, and batteries used, they wanted a video proving there’s a problem. I provided them with five videos, videos they apparently never bothered to watch.

Even though the MF01S they sent me was hopelessly defective and constantly malfunctioned even when the light hadn’t been used in hours, Banggood CS wanted me to configure the temperature. I usually couldn’t even get the side switch to turn the light off (for three hours the only way to turn the light off was either to partially unscrew the head or unscrew the tail cap until the 18650 cells were released). How could I possibly get such a defective switch to configure the temperature?

They wanted me to do a “factory reset” as explained in the user manual. Nowhere in the user manual that came with my MF01S is there any mention of a “factory reset” procedure. After reading posts by Toykeeper (inventor of the Anduril firmware), I performed numerous factory resets to no avail. A factory reset just returns a flashlight to its default settings. It doesn’t magically repair a defective switch or circuit board.

Banggood CS told me to take my MF01S to a local repair shop to get an estimate for fixing it … but the shop wasn’t allowed to open the flashlight as doing so “voids the warranty.” I don’t know about major cities in China, but I couldn’t find any local repair shop here in South Dakota that handles Chinese-made LED flashlights … let alone one that gives repair estimates without being allowed to seriously examine the flashlight.

When I asked Banggood for a return mailing address and a refund, they stopped responding to my messages and emails. Banggood completely failed to honor any part of its published “guarantee.” Even though Banggood has a facility in California that stocked MF01S flashlights, PayPal required me to ship my defective MF01S to an address they provided in China. If I’d been allowed to mail my MF01S to Banggood’s warehouse in the Los Angeles area, postage would have cost much less and the USPS tracking number would be scanned all the way.

I'm in the category of dozens of BG purchases over the years. Unfortunately so called "budget" lights of the past were like under $35, roughly, while now they go for $100+. For $35, I'd take the risk, even if I got a box of rocks once in a while, since I'm still saving big $$$ over alternatives and buying enough to minimize loss's. Astrolux represents a true risky proposition, specially the MF01S because:

  • big $$$, even discounted
  • it's a house brand, not a real company, therefore all service/support is via the retailer, no fallback options
  • it's complicated - lots of LED's, complex driver, lots of things to go wrong
  • rush to market - might be true of all lights, specially Astrolux, but quality/testing does suffer
  • it is super appealing: great look, great performance, great design, still a great deal (if it works of course)

We really need a better way to hold the suppliers accountable. PP is failing to do that, from the sound of it, though I've won PP disputes before, usually because the seller fails to respond to PP's requests.

Interested in the group buy coupon.

Awaiting for new coupon for this month.

I need this in my life… Coupon still available?

Coupon code please

Coupon reactivated. 5 colors to choose from now.

Interested in the group buy coupon,

still available?

Replied. [quote=bbuuu] Interested in the group buy coupon, still available? [/quote]

Ordered thanks freeme.

Group buy coupon please, with diffuser and holster.

Ordered !! Thank you very much

May I have 1 coupon please?

Interested in the group buy coupon please.

Sent.

I missed out earlier, any chance on the coupon now? Thanks