Banggood won't honor warranty

I highly doubt bg sells fakes, but guarantee is a whole other story.

They just want to make quick money and the cs reputation of them is already poor when it comes to defects or DOA’s or empty packages or whatever.
So if your light was working for over e.g. 2 years and died, you might be technically correct to contact them for warranty.

But i want to bet that you won’t get any

I purchased a USB meter/analyzer in early 2019 and it stopped working before Christmas. Contacted BG CS and they offered me a partial refund. I took it because the device was almost a year old. so… while this isn’t a “real warranty” but at least it was something.

Didn’t some mfr get a solid thrashing here a few months back after “announcing” that they’ll only honor warranty work from authorised resellers, only most of the usual channels were not “authorised”? So basically you’re SOL.

Mightta been Lumintop, but don’t quote me on that. (Yeah, I know… some wiseass will stick that in a quoteblock.)

Anyway, that’s why I tend to not buy pricey lights. “Warranty” or not, if it breaks down the road, you’re largely SOL. You’d have to pay shipping there and possibly back, if it’s “abused” they might not fix it at all, or fix it only if you agree to pay for it, etc. Conditions, restrictions, exclusions, etc. Warranties are usually garbage.

So, you wanna buy a 500buk or even 100buk light, accept that you’re largely on your own.

I don't remember which company it was, but a thrashing they did get.

I believe the thread was deleted as per request of the company.

About 7 years ago some guy was selling lots of new lights hereabouts (Bob, aka “kuma bear”). He had a large number of Thrunite TN36 (around $135 I think). I bought one - it worked for maybe 4 hours over a couple months. Thrunite said he wasn’t an authorized reseller (so they would do nothing) and kuma bear had disappeared, so I was SOL. Still have it, hoping I (or someone) will be able to use it as a host someday…

More than likely, even if BG agreed to warranty it with it being older, that be the last time anyone ever seen it.
I remeber someone on here sending a light back for warranty work and the seller claimed they never received it.
I”m not saying that would happen, just it is a possibility.
Go directly to Nitecore, if nothing happens, cut your losses and fix the light yourself or buy another similar light from a local reputable seller.
Its hard to swallow, but sometimes its best to move on and in hopes that karma will eventually kick in.

Thanks for the tip. I had actually already emailed thrunite. They responded promptly, indeed asking for serial number (along with info on my batteries, their voltage, chargers). Awaiting their response, Hopefully my experience with them will be as positive as yours - I’ll follow up…

KLARUS

This thread might interest you if you end up keeping the light, might even be better than original.

Klarus is one company that did this, and then another company did it more recently, if I remember correctly.

It may have been Lumintop, as Lightbringer said.

Ah, that’s not entirely true.

I’m an authorized distributor for Sofirn, Fireflies, Convoy, Mateminco, and shortly Skilhunt. I am able state my own warranty period, no matter what’s mentioned on their website. This warranty period has to be in line with the countries consumers guarantees act though. I provide 12 months for most or if I’m clearing out stock for super cheap I go 3 months.

Fireflies give me a 2 year warranty but to avoid issues I only provide 12 months. I get a bit nervous with all the aux lights and leds used.

Also if a manufacturer states a 1.5m impact resistance, I choose what I advertise it at, can’t always believe every single spec.

What I stated is true. To be a Nitecore dealer, you agree to handle warranty claims.

This is a very common arrangement that many brands have with their dealers and distributors network. Since the dealer may be geographically closer to the customer, the warranty claim can be handled by the dealer.

In most cases the brand would look very poorly upon the dealer refusing to handle the customers warranty claim, since it is an agreed arrangement.

Most of the brands you mention are small Chinese brands and so do not operate in the same way as large international brands.

For all intents and purposes, Banggood should take care of ANY Astrolux valid product complaint, considering it is their very own brand.

Fair point, but even if it was a larger brand, I still decide. The main thing is having that specified on the website for customers to see.

Similar example would be computer shops ditching the individual part warranties with their own set period.

Mateminco is the manufacturer for Astrolux. Banggood just rebrands them.

Yes, I know that, …but Mateminco backs their own brand with warranty, and the subcontracted Astrolux by BG should back it up too, otherwise, if BG point a finger each time from any valid complaints…well you know what will happen, although Matenminco and BG probably have their own internal policies regarding claims.

Edit: Some of the later Astrolux models are no longer made by Mateminco.

Yeah, just the EC series.

BG said they give 6 months but they’re already difficult with an immediate claim. Lost a lot of time trying to deal with their customer service

Good to hear. Is NZ consumer law similar to Oz?

Any light I buy from BG China is expendable. My most expensiv light, Imalent RT70 I purchased from Liteshop in Sydney for the better Oz consumer warranty.

After a quick read it looks like the Aus CGA has a minimum of 12 month requirement, and up to 2 years to make a claim?. I’m not familiar with it.

NZ’s CGA just states “products must be of acceptable quality and last for a reasonable length of time”

I provide x months/years warranty, then provide free lifetime labor on repairs. I find that people prefer knowing I can repair their torch 8 years later, than getting a longer warranty. This of course is limited to how long parts are available from manufacturers if it has proprietary parts.

If I can’t fix it, I’ll offer a discount or even a new light at cost price.

Every other store in NZ just provides a manufacturer’s warranty and afterwards charge an insane amount to fix it. This is what makes my service unique, also since I build my own too.

I’ll soon be shipping to Aus :slight_smile:

Yep. “Gray market” products are ones the manufacturer sells and warrants elsewhere in the world, which some intermediary buys up there and ships to or resells in the United States.
They are not, generally, covered by the manufacturer’s warranty for US buyers, because they’re not coming through an authorized reseller.

We ask why prices for brand name products from authorized resellers are higher. Part of the answer is the cost of providing warranty service.