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Overseas supplier dispute advice?


parallaxerr

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Hi everyone,

I've found myself in a bit of a situation with an overseas supplier and I don't really know what to do next, I wonder if anyone can offer some advice?

I sent my DSLR off for astro-modification to an apparently well established astronomy supplier in Europe. I'm not sure whether I should mention names just yet, but you'll probably work it out anyway!

I was promised the modification for a very reasonable price with a turnaround time of just one week, subject to paying up-front via bank transfer, which I did. After several weeks of waiting I was informed that the replacement filter was scratched and a new one had to be custom made due to my camera not being a commonly modded one. OK, I thought, at least they're not trying to fob me off with a dodgy filter so was prepared to wait a little longer.

I chased up again a few weeks later and was informed the replacement filter had arrived and the modification was being prioritised due to the delay.

Another week passed so I asked how it was going and was told the modification was complete and the camera was shipped. I requested a tracking number and got the following response " Sorry you misunderstood me, the camera is finished but I mean ready to ship. The camera is now on its way back to you. " Make sense of that if you will.

Further chasing for a tracking number has resulted in no response.

So, initial promises of a weeks turnaround are long gone and here I am six weeks later out of pocket, with no camera and no repsonse to my latest request for a tracking number. Feels a bit like I've been "done", I still hold a little hope that it will arrive this week but it's already been 5 working days since it was apparently posted.

I'd rather they tell me if there's a problem, rather than try to hide it, but responses to some of my straightforward questions have been quite cryptic.

What would you do?

TIA,

Jon

EDIT: Found a phone number for the company by Google but it's a duff 'un :(

 

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Hmm, I've just looked at a European supplier who I think you might be referring to, and they say "Due to the delicate nature of the refit we do not send the cameras to a small no-warranty workshop. Instead we use the official Canon Repair Service for the refit." So if that is the case, then the turn-around time will be out of their hands. Official repair services aren't known for their speed!

No excuse for the poor customer communications, though!

Ian

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Just now, The Admiral said:

Hmm, I've just looked at a European supplier who I think you might be referring to, and they say "Due to the delicate nature of the refit we do not send the cameras to a small no-warranty workshop. Instead we use the official Canon Repair Service for the refit." So if that is the case, then the turn-around time will be out of their hands. Official repair services aren't known for their speed!

No excuse for the poor customer communications, though!

Ian

I haven't read that on their website Ian, and my camera is a Nikon, they claim to do it in house.

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Just now, parallaxerr said:

I haven't read that on their website Ian, and my camera is a Nikon, they claim to do it in house.

Ah! Then perhaps we're talking of a different company.

There was a news item the other day about a "company" selling holiday accommodation, I think. Turns out they'd set up a pukka looking website, but required payment by bank transfer. Didn't require many false deals to make a tidy sum, and then they moved on! I'm not suggesting that the dealer you have traded with is like that, particularly as it has a sufficiently high profile that you think we'd know it, but as Peter says, bank transfers ring alarm bells.

I hope that you get it resolved soon.

Ian

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A bit more info as a follow up to Ians post,

I believe the supplier to be genuine. They have been around for at least 5yrs and admitted to teething problems in their early years (here on SGL), which they claim have now been resolved.

They currently have UK distributors for their goods and other users report having their cameras modified with no problems.

I'm assuming that they are indeed genuine then, what may be the next course of action?

I'm currently typing up a very clear e-mail requesting tracking information, or at least a truthful explanation as to why the camera hasn't been returned. Let's see what comes back, if anything....

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Sorry to hear you are having issues. If you still have no success, then I would be tempted to mention than you are a member of a number of Astro Forums and that if the issue isn't resolved to your satisfaction then you will have little choice in disclosing their company name so that other people are aware of their current service levels. May seem harsh but you are out of pocket, no camera and have waited a reasonable amount time, hopefully it will not come to this...

Communication is one area where a lot of businesses fail on and one of which is likely to cause the most stress to a customer. I know this from many experiences including a number of astronomy related ones.

Hope you get it resolved.

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2 hours ago, parallaxerr said:

A bit more info as a follow up to Ians post,

I believe the supplier to be genuine. They have been around for at least 5yrs and admitted to teething problems in their early years (here on SGL), which they claim have now been resolved.

They currently have UK distributors for their goods and other users report having their cameras modified with no problems.

I'm assuming that they are indeed genuine then, what may be the next course of action?

I'm currently typing up a very clear e-mail requesting tracking information, or at least a truthful explanation as to why the camera hasn't been returned. Let's see what comes back, if anything....

This course of action is most sound and a wise step,
I would not make any note on forums or posting as yet, let a response be fairly given.

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1 hour ago, Droogie 2001 said:

Sorry to hear you are having issues. If you still have no success, then I would be tempted to mention than you are a member of a number of Astro Forums and that if the issue isn't resolved to your satisfaction then you will have little choice in disclosing their company name so that other people are aware of their current service levels. May seem harsh but you are out of pocket, no camera and have waited a reasonable amount time, hopefully it will not come to this...

Already had this thought. I hope it doesn't come to it but if here's no sight of the camera then it may well have to be done, at least to warn other potential customers of the issue.

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The mods will correct me if I'm wrong but so long as you are strictly factual there is no reason why you should not name the supplier. This supplier has not done very well so far and the problem is that, if their identity is not clear, then other perfectly innocent and comptent suppliers risk falling under the net of suspicion.

Olly

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1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

The mods will correct me if I'm wrong but so long as you are strictly factual there is no reason why you should not name the supplier. This supplier has not done very well so far and the problem is that, if their identity is not clear, then other perfectly innocent and comptent suppliers risk falling under the net of suspicion.

Olly

You raise a good point Olly, I do not wish to cast doubt over other suppliers.

I received a response and was once again ensured that my camera is currently on it's way back to me (for what the assurance has been worth so far!) so I hope to close the matter out asap. Perhaps it would be best to remove the thread then.

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Not related, but not unrelated..................

When i bought my DSLR online from a certain company (professional looking website etc), i paid for express delivery (2-3 days). After many emails to them.............it showed up about 6 weeks later.

Packaging looked like a rugby ball in bubble wrap and there was no Cannon EOS utilities disc included.

Camera works fine. 

 

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I'd have named them in the first post where their behaviour is already beyond acceptable.

They have the money and the goods and show no sign of following up with what they have told you so far.

If they get some bad publicity from it - tough! 

We live in a world where the internet can make or break a business. I spend hours looking through reviews and forums before I make a big or high risk purchase. I've owned a couple of businesses over the years and although not open to the internet I relied heavily on reputation and word of mouth. If I felt (didn't wait for complaints!) that I was underperforming I'd give fair warning in advance, give a status update and knock myself out to rectify the situation. I expect others to do the same. 

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Well another 3 days have paased and still no camera, not even a tracking number which I've been promised 3 times.

They've just had their final warning. I spoke to the European Conumer Centre this morning who were very clearly on my side and agreed that the service so far was not acceptable. They have raised a case and are awaiting my instruction to contact the vendor.

I've given them 24hrs to supply a tracking number, if they don't, or can't because it's not yet been sent, then they are in breach of our written contract of sales of service.

I've made the comment about making the community aware of the poor service, so lets hope it at least solicits a response.

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You are between a rock and a hard place simply because they have possession of something you have paid for an already are the owner. If you were just buying something from them, you could just cancel it.

You want what is yours,back. I think if you send something which you already legally own off to be repaired or modified that your consumer rights stand as the same as if you were buying something new. Probably even more so.

 

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53 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

You are between a rock and a hard place simply because they have possession of something you have paid for an already are the owner. If you were just buying something from them, you could just cancel it.

You want what is yours,back. I think if you send something which you already legally own off to be repaired or modified that your consumer rights stand as the same as if you were buying something new. Probably even more so.

 

Yes you're right, confirmed by the European Consumer Centre today. Should this go into full dispute mode they will be mediating and pushing for a refund of services and replacement camera.

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I got a response! The proprietor claimed to be off site during recent communications, stating that he had left my camera in the capable hands of his "intern" for despatch. Upon his return this morning, he found the camera still had not been shipped due to confusion over the return address - I had included a printed address to use as a label!?!?!.

Anyway, it is supposedly being returned via UPS Express, to be delivered before end of day Thursday. Let's hope this is the real deal.

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