Are DinoDirect Customer Service agents untruthful or simply lying ?

Don’t get me wrong - I’ve been bying from Hong Kong/mainland China based stores for quite a while.
I know what to expect and I’ll take the good together with the bad.Although there are exceptions (Exduct,HKEquipment,Int’l Outdoor come to mind - that have very good Customer Service ),but anyway most of them will try to resolve a problem to a customer expectations.I had orders resend/refunded by DX and FocalPrice even pass the PayPal deadline.I guess they figured out that a “Happy Customer” = more business.But I had never met Customer Service agent straight out lying if an item is available or not.Up until today.
More than a month ago I ordered a Sunwayman C20C through a link provided by our very own Summer.
Order stayed in “Approved” for about a week , then suddenly changed to “Out of Stock”.I contacted
Summer on two occasions and every time she/he (I really don’t know if Summer is a male or female)
escalated the order to “the manager”.I was promised it may take ” a few days” to restock. Still nothing.Yesterday I contacted Customer Service (Sharon) who actually confirmed item is out of stock and will not be available.
I was offered a Gift Card - $10 more than what I originally paid as my money was held for more than a month.
I agreed to that, as there are a couple of more lights on DD I may be interested in.
While browsing later on DD site I noticed the two new models Nitecore - MT26 and MT 40
offered for $113.99 and $123.99 respectively.As chat screen came on and for a lack of anything to do
I started a chat with DinoAbby and then DinoVictor.Just being nice - I advised them those prices are at least double than everywhere else - maybe there is a typo , so they can fix it.DinoVictor offered mr the MT40 for $90 if I buy it “Now” :smiley: .I almost fell like buying my first car : ” This Oldsmobile will last forever , sir .Look at this beautiful vinyl top… ” :wink:
Anyway , I asked him to check if Sunwayman C20C (the one I ordered) is in stock - and he confirmed it is.
I asked him to double check - yes ,for sure it is in stock.Then I asked why then my order has not been shipped -
I was advised to check with After Sale Department and then connection went dead.
With the last couple of flashlights on sale - Klarus P2A and Sunwayman R20A - It looks like DD has a very weird business strategy.Instead of considering that a customer who gets a good deal, will spend more money , they just t label a popular item Hot and raise the price expecting it to sell at a higher rate…
Now suddenly I got an e-mail from DD Customer Service telling me they made a mistake offering a Gift Card worth more than what I paid.It can be only for same amount I paid and if I am willing to take it…
I donèt know if this happens only to orders ordered through a link from Summer (I have another similar order also in approval stage for about a week) ,as I placed 3 orders before that - all handled properly.
And on top of that - all Maelstrom X10 from GG are gone J) - I wanted a second one…

Guess just had to rant.
We already had a fatality in Toronto from falling debris .
And here is not as bad as in NY.
People hit by the storm - stay safe!

Long Story Short, Dino Sucks. They get ZERO of my dollars as they have either screwed up my order or (like your experience) flat out lied to me every single time I’ve tried to do business with them. I don’t expect perfection - we’re all human, after all, but batting zero and then treating me like I’m the burden, they can kiss my you know what…

PPtk

First I ordered a flashlight… order status said approved for week and then dispatched. but item never received

then I got a refund as a giftcard after two months.

then I ordered a HID xenon kit for bike (giftcard + balance from paypal)

now 1 week and order status still “Approved”

still waiting for two pcs XML emitters from DD. now its 1 month and 2 days

1 month and 11 days

With how horrible they are, it amazes me that anyone here still orders from Dino. Those of us who have been around for a while really need to make it a point to warn newbies about DinoDirect. If Dino was my first experience with “Budget” flashlights, I’d lose interest in the hobby in a real hurry…

PPtk

Im today at 2 months of waiting for my intelli charger. I doubt they will get more of my business. I am better off ebaying. No funds refunded yet.

Maybe you could PM Kriesler or he could chime in here as he seems to have some pull at DD.

These are the Kings of Poor,poor service.
Amazes me why anyone uses them.Working for them must be a nightmare.Must be one Hell of a job interview and then induction.The art of Lies & Deception,followed by how to drop calls and infuriate people.Job title must be SALES PREVENTION OFFICERS REQUIRED.

DON…

I thought DD was cleaning up their act in recent months. It looks like they are slipping backward to their old ways from the sound of it.

Seems like everytime I try to buy an item, the price goes up. That Klarus deal really got me pissed. I haven’t bought from DD in a while because they simply aren’t offering any deals that I can’t find at a better seller. Why pay more for DD when there are sellers with a much better track record who have the same items?

Just like to know the difference in the price you paid and the posted price of the available sunwayman C20C?

It is still listed at $58.99.In my “Wish List” Item status shows as “In Stock” .
However , according to Summer ( PM two times) and Sharon (yesterday) it is definitely
Out of stock.I have the feeling that DinoDirect has a policy for their CS
(before sale) to make a sale regardless if an item is in stock or not.
Or the CS receive bonuses/rewards to make the sale so they don’t care if an item is in stock.
Anyway , DD gets the payment and holds it for a month or longer .Don’t know
how wide spread is this practice , with lot of sales it may be lot of cash on hand…
The “best price” I got from Summer was $49.99.

I put in a order for SWM C20C, yesterday.

LINK

I stopped purchasing at DD because 4 of 5 recent orders never arrived and their staff kept me telling “wait more, a bit more, one week more”…. I got tired and bored.

I prefer other sellers.

Come on guys give them some credit. They can’t help it that they don’t have any customer service and mess up 5 out of every 6 orders in either sending you the wrong item or not having your item in stock when you order and then not letting you know that at the time of your order. Or waitng like a week before they finally ship your item due to their lack of speed and urgency to get all orders shipped as quickly as they can. They can’t help it that their leadership is terrible and that they have no guidance in how they should do their job like a professional company would so that they keep their customers happy. Dino-Direct slogan is give us a chance and place and order with us. We may never get it right, but hey nobody is perfect and we like screwing up orders so folks can talk to Sharon who is bored via chat on our website to solve your problem. That’s right ever notice that you always seem to be talking to Sharon every time you use the chat. Makes you wonder that everyone here via chat is named Sharon now don’t it. LOL!

You got to love Dino-Direct.

Only ordered from them a couple times and did okay. So I ordered an ULTRAFIRE 2100. Got a UNIQUEFIRE 2100, which I really did not want (different guts). But now my order for the ultrafire has completely disappeared from my account on their site. AND the ultrafire light now shows a picture of a uniquefire. Plus there are different ads for the uniquefire with varying prices Glad the screwup was on an inexpensive item. That’s it for me. No more DD. Can’t complain because my original order has vaporized. And even if I could complain, the ultrafire ad now shows a uniquefire. URRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

My only beef with them is that they want to charge me $30 for ten 16mm orange silicone tailcap boots, which are worth about $5 at the most.

What would be best(fastest) way to get a refund with DinoDirect ? Try to contact Summer again , Customer Service or go straight to PayPal dispute ?

PayPal dispute unless you want to be offered some cockamamie gift card that may or may not work… I’d give CS one chance to issue an immediate refund and if not, PayPal dispute it is… Gift cards are not refunds.

PPtk

They’re incapable of telling the truth. Among the most unethical merchants out there. Beware!