merci_online

[nauend]

Hi,

I bought an mp4 player from merci_online

eBay Item Number: 320182954395

I've not left feedback yet. After receiving it, loading 4gb of data caused the device to disconnect from windows.

I used "Mp3 Player Disk Tool" to check the memory size - this program came with another mp4 I purchased. The first "format" panel showed 3.961gb. The second "partition and encryption" panel showed a "Disk Total Capacity" of 961 mb. This seemed to show it was only a 1gb device, not 4gb as advertised, though I did not open the device to check the chip.

I contacted merci, who blamed their supplier and asked me to return it. After a few emails and then my starting a paypal dispute, during which I asked that they provide a full refund as well as the return postage, they firstly said they'd provide 3eur when they got it to cover postage, but after repeating my request for a full refund and return postage, merci_online provided me a full refund (the $1.04 purchase price and the $41.99 postage). Didn't need to escalate it.

Given the range of people who have bought similar devices and have left positive feedback, I wonder if perhaps merci_online is correct in blaming their supplier (and I was unlucky) or if there are a number of people out there with crappy devices? While the device does play music and vids, it also includes 4 games which you actually cannot play as the controls are not set up correctly - shoddy.

They have asked me to mail it back, so last night I sent another email requesting the return postage be sent to me before I return it.

as an aside, I also purchased one from smile_plus168 (ebay 290182558567) on the same day as I purchased from merci_online. After 18 days without receiving it, and two emails not answered, I raised a paypal dispute and they refunded the money immediately.

Two unsuccessful, though for different reasons. Well, while the kids ain't getting one for xmas now, at least I got the $$ back.

Cheers

[NOLA MPx Fan]

Hmmm.
That they charged the price in shipping, not actual sale price would be enough for me to skip them. That's a common tactic for not having to pony up on poor quality items that fail to work.

The dispute would likely have awarded you purchase price and left you on the hook for the $40+ shipping.

[nauend]

After contacting them to get the $7.50au for the return postage, they simply replied (as they did before) with an offer to send me 3eur once I have shipped the item back. 3eur is about $5.50au (though have to wonder why they offer eur rather than AU).

I know they would not ship an item to me without the $$ so how can they expect me to do it? Out of the goodness of my heart? Looks like it will be sitting on my desk for a few weeks yet until they decide to contact me again.

Anyway, have now left them negative feedback:

##not 4gb, 1gb "hacked", blamed supplier, paypal dispute, provided full refund

I do hope those who left positive feedback actually got what they thought they purchased, as a number of the items are identical to what I purchased!! Having looked at the features of this player, it is a poorly designed unit, with games that cannot be played as the controls do not work correctly for the games. Music and Vid are fine, and the little speaker novel for music and crappy for vids.

The silly thing with all this "hacked" crap is that if they all sold them as the items they are, they'd get market value and no hassles! Perhaps too simple a concept.

[NOLA MPx Fan]

Yeah, but if they all followed the rules, where's the fun in that? ;-)

That they gave the refund so readily speaks well (though it's the only thing that does). I agree, let the thing sit on the desk until they get back to you, then politely remind them that they needed your money before it was shipped to you, so it would be nice to have the same courtesy in return. They don't seem unreasonable, so that may (or may not) work.

[nauend]

Just thought I'd mention that I just checked the feedback for merci_online and since I put my feedback up, there have been an additional 4 negative feedbacks from people who bought the same device as I bought, and at least one (as well as an earlier one) indicate potential hacking of the device.

Definitely one to avoid!

[nauend]

Ahh, have just received a "ebay feedback withdrawal request" as well as negative feedback from this seller saying "poor contact"!

Well, looks like I've received my first negative feedback!

[nauend]

Decided to contact eBay stating that the feedback I was provided by this seller was not deserved. A copy of my message to eBay is below:

Hi I received negative feedback from the seller of this item, with the seller's feedback stating "poor contact". This was after I both contacted them through ebay messages and then raised a paypal dispute. After an interchange of a couple of paypal dispute messages, they providing me a full refund of the original purchase price and postage for this item.

The negative feedback I provided them is a true reflection of the purchase experience, and summarizes both what I found, what the seller claimed and the outcome.

Given that the seller did provide me a full refund, I think their negative feedback and comment of "poor contact" is not a true reflection of the transaction.

They have also raised a "mutual feedback withdrawal request".

Given the nature of their feedback comment - "poor contact" - which does not appear to align with the actual outcome of them providing me a full refund, I find it hard to understand why they provided the comment, and can only suspect they provided it in an attempt to get me to agree to withdraw my original feedback so that the negative rating does not impact their overall rating.

As I am not going to agree to removing the negative feedback I provided to them, is there a way by which they can be requested to provide appropriate feedback which reflects the actual transaction?

Thanks

[nauend]

Ahh, eBay's response was that they cannot help, but SquareTrade may be able to.

Squaretrade? Well, unless I misread it, it appears it would cost $29.95 US to have Squaretrade mediate on the feedback, which is about the cost of the device, and there is no guarantee of any change, so looks like I've been left with negative feedback! Good seller!!

[nauend]

Well, one outcome so far:

Went to the computer markets this weekend and picked up two 2gb MP4 for $53 each (2nd gen "Nano" style).

No postage involved, could duck home and check they worked (memory ok as you'd expect given the vendor is a regular computer markets vendor) and about the same price as "real" items on eBay.