This is regarding the item with PaisaPay ID 33056581306 purchased by me on the 1st of February, 2013. On receipt, I found that there was a defect in the device and opened a claim for a refund (Claim ID 168815). My refund request was rejected on the grounds that the item came with a bill and manufacturer warranty and I would have to contact the service center. I tried to explain to the claims people that though the item was listed as new it was also clearly mentioned in the description that the item was not sealed and that it had been “opened only once to check the contents”. Hence my refund request should have been entertained. I also mentioned that there was no service centre in my area but was told that I would have to contact the service centre and that there was no help for it. So I contacted the seller and he agreed to send the device to the service centre. I sent the device to the seller (at my own expense). The seller informed me much later that he had sent the device to the service centre and that they later returned it to him in the same defective condition. Fortunately, I have a friend in Bangalore who agreed to send the same device to the service centre. I got an update from him on 25th May regarding what the service center people have to say. The device is not covered under warranty. As soon as I received the update, I phoned eBay customer care and told them of the situation. I was told to send a mail to insellerverification@ebay.com along with the letter from the service center which states that the item is not covered by warranty. I promptly did this and waited … and waited… and waited for a response. I called them on Friday (31st May) and was told to expect a call the next day from a chap called Mithun who would call before 12 noon. I waited and when no call came I called up at around 7pm and was serviced by a rep who kept putting me on hold and finally told me that since it has now been 4 months eBay cannot help me. What about the mail and the documents that I sent to eBay? It’s not like I applied for a refund after 4 months. 4 months is the amount of time it took for me to get confirmation from the service centre that the item is not covered by warranty. Now after getting confirmation from the service centre, eBay is trying to wash its hands off the whole thing. None of this would have happened if they had just approved my refund request in the first place. The buyer would have got back the same product in the same condition as he sent it and I would have got my refund and bought from some other seller. Now, I am left with a “new” product which is in need of repair. I have photos and documents to back up all my claims.
I have stated my case clearly and have all the necessary documents. I challenge the eBay claims department to try and point out where my fault in all this lies. Have I not done everything possible for me, as a buyer, to do? Am I not entitled to a refund?
I hope someone high up in the eBay heirarchy with some personal initiative reads this.
