Add me to this very long list of buyers who just don't understand how Ebay allows these well-proven fraudulent descriptions to continue.
I suspect that the vast majority of buyers pop the batteries in their dumb chargers and find that the batteries make their toys work, so leave positive feedback based primarily on cost and shipping time.
If the vast majority of buyers even notice that their toys don't operate as long as they should, it would likely be after the feedback has been left, and I doubt there is anything that can be done.
Like many, I believed the description when it said 3000mAh. Before they arrived, I did some research and discovered this long-standing issue.
My research also led me to buy an advanced charger-analyser. I spent about $80, which I would have considered outrageous before I did my research. Now I think it saves me money.
I had my analyser waiting when the batteries arrived. Originally, their capacity was about 200mAh, but after using the "break-in" conditioning mode on my analyser, their capacity climbed to between 400-500, and plateaued there.
Luckily, I was still within the "Feedback window of opportunity". I advised the seller that the item was "not as described" and requested a refund.
Over a series of emails, the seller:
- suggested I charge them slowly
-suggested it might be due to long shipping time
-suggested it might be due to them getting damp during shipping
-offered a partial refund
-offered a full refund in exhange for positive feedback
In my series of responses, I said:
- my charger-analyser showed their capacity as 400-500mAh
- I requested either the seller refund or send batteries that actually were 3000mAh
- long shipping time shouldn't affect batteries supposed to last for years and multiple dis/charges
- the batteries seemed dry when they arrived
- their negative feedback indicated that this was a consistent complaint, indicating the seller knew the item was "not as described"
- finally, since the deadline for contacting the resolution centers was approaching, to within 24 hours, either issue full refund or ship real 3000mAh batteries (in which case I would likely have to open claims with the resolution centers, but be prepared to abandon them once real 3000mAh batteries arrived).
- that I could rate highly on communication, shipping time and charges, but not description
- that I have never complained about an Ebay purchase, and have 100% positive feedback as a buyer.
The seller issued a full refund.
I left negative feedback on description, positive on communication and shipping.
The cost was really cheap, the refund didn't hardly matter, but I wanted to maintain my ability to leave feedback that would explain the situation. Unfortunately, one isn't able to say much in feedback.
I was lucky that I got educated before the batteries arrived. Otherwise I was just another unknowledgable consumer who wouldn't have noticed a problem until too late.
I doubt that my negative feedback or this lengthy rant will change anything: buyers will look at the high-mAh description, the very high positive feedback rating and buy.
That's why I really feel that this is a case where the history of fraud is so well-documented and repeated that Ebay should exercise some kind of control over the situation.
Does anyone know a way to get Ebay to listen?
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