EEVblog #1248 - INSANE A 0.02% Process Meter for $9? WTF

[JackJones]

My Manbo meter also got marked as shipped, about 24 hours before the timer ran out.

The second meter I bought from the same store has not yet marked as shipped, probably because I haven't extended the time on it. So really I don't expect they have actually shipped it, only marked it as shipped.

[rsjsouza]

Hasn't left country of origin yet.

Similar scenario when I look at Aliexpress alone, but https://m.17track.net (recommended by Aliexpress) shows the journey with a bit better detail. The package didn't leave the country but it actually hopped across two sites in mainland and arrived at Hong Kong, where it was put in a vessel towards US.

[innkeeper]

DHGATE SCAM???

so I've been made aware of a common DHGATE scam. Where an item is offered for a low price, and then what ships is just simply an envelope, with a tracking number.  once that envelope is delivered (even if its not actually sent to you)  When you go to dispute it with DHGATE they say that the item was delivered and will not issue a refund.  you can see comments on this scam among the 6300 reviews on https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/dhgate.com

The reason I bring this up is a few of us who have ordered from a DHGATE seller "yaseri " told us they were not in stock offered replacement item instead which as far as i know everyone refused,  they issued a tracking nubmer and gave us indications that nothing shipped even though there is a tracking number that shows something is in transit.

this doesn't look good.

[BradC]

Similar scenario when I look at Aliexpress alone, but https://m.17track.net (recommended by Aliexpress) shows the journey with a bit better detail.

Oh, neat-o. It's in-country.

[Mortymore]

If I didn't asked "My Cozy Life Store", it wouldn't be lost.

Since I didn't saw further information in tracking apart from " Waiting for pick up 2019-09-28 22:20:49 [GMT+8] ", on Friday I asked  if they actually sent the meter or not.

They replied today:

"Dear buyer,
we are so sorry to tell you that we just got the information from the shipping company that your parcel was lost on the way .
we want to resend it for you ,but been told by warehouse the item just sold out .
In order to protect your right ,how about we refund to your paypal ?or would you like to choose other item you like in our store?
sorry for the trouble and waiting for your quickly reply,
nice day ."     

Basically started to ask them: "So the packaged was lost during the weekend, or just after I contacted you?" 
I will not go for refunds.
This guys have a very childish, unprofessional, way to do business, that must be somehow detracted.

Next chapter of the series awaiting in an Aliexpress store near you... 

[Electro Detective]

Why don't they drop the tired sollee sollee thing and just admit water pirates got the shipment
and flogged them off to aliens who dig blue retro gadgets

 

[alm]

I'm not sure if asking has anything to do with it. My shipment from Shenzhen SuperDeal Technology also got cancelled today, after supposedly having been shipped last week. I didn't have any contact with the seller. Clearly they just got a tracking number without every sending anything:

[PA0PBZ]

Manbo life store:

Dear friend,
sorry to make you wait so long, we just got the information from the logistics company and your parcel was lost,maybe there is something wrong with your address or other reason we don't know .Even though,we still apologize for that.we want to resend,but we have no stock now ,how about we refund you ?

refund:do you have PayPal account to get the money?
OR you can choose other items from us ,ok?
if you don't have paypal account,please contact us first.

which is better for you? we hope we can try our best to make you satisfied .
waiting for reply
nice day"


I want to call them out for their lies but I don't think it will help me in any way so I guess I should just go for the refund...?

[Smokey]

Manbo life store:
Dear friend,
sorry to make you wait so long, we just got the information from the logistics company and your parcel was lost,maybe there is something wrong with your address or other reason we don't know .Even though,we still apologize for that.we want to resend,but we have no stock now ,how about we refund you ?
refund:do you have PayPal account to get the money?
OR you can choose other items from us ,ok?
if you don't have paypal account,please contact us first.
which is better for you? we hope we can try our best to make you satisfied .
waiting for reply
nice day"

I want to call them out for their lies but I don't think it will help me in any way so I guess I should just go for the refund...?

Noo!  That's my guy!  I haven't got any messages from them yet.
Can't we both call them on their shit AND get the refund?

[beanflying]

Accepting a simple refund from them generally is a no consequence to the seller option. Lodging a case with Aliexpress for fake tracking documents should still allow you to leave 'appropriate' feedback for them and it will also register with Aliexpress against the seller.

Waiting for dHeadgate's timeline to lodge mine due to the extreme bs.

In either case the actual $ for the sale is held in escrow so the seller doesn't have it so refunds should still be fine.

[amspire]

If I didn't asked "My Cozy Life Store", it wouldn't be lost.

Since I didn't saw further information in tracking apart from " Waiting for pick up 2019-09-28 22:20:49 [GMT+8] ", on Friday I asked  if they actually sent the meter or not.

They replied today:

"Dear buyer,
we are so sorry to tell you that we just got the information from the shipping company that your parcel was lost on the way .
we want to resend it for you ,but been told by warehouse the item just sold out .
In order to protect your right ,how about we refund to your paypal ?or would you like to choose other item you like in our store?
sorry for the trouble and waiting for your quickly reply,
nice day ." 

You could take them up on their offer.

Like a IR camera for a phone: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32966214689.html
A nice electric screwdriver: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000128261651.html
19999 count Aneng Multimeter: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000106560953.html

I am interested in seeing how you go. I have a meter from Cozy Life stuck in the "Logistics Created" mode - so they cannot even say it has been lost. I do have another ordered from Cozy Life on the 26th that has just passed Australian Customs, so I am not worried about this last one.

[Macbeth]

I'm not sure if asking has anything to do with it. My shipment from Shenzhen SuperDeal Technology also got cancelled today, after supposedly having been shipped last week. I didn't have any contact with the seller. Clearly they just got a tracking number without every sending anything:

Hmm... Mine from the same store hasn't been cancelled and is still ready for dispatch. Looking at the shipment time mine was a couple of minutes after yours, but by "ePacket" instead of "AliExpress Standard Shipping"

My other one from Cozy Life has just arrived in the UK.

[Mortymore]

If I didn't asked "My Cozy Life Store", it wouldn't be lost.

Since I didn't saw further information in tracking apart from " Waiting for pick up 2019-09-28 22:20:49 [GMT+8] ", on Friday I asked  if they actually sent the meter or not.

They replied today:

"Dear buyer,
we are so sorry to tell you that we just got the information from the shipping company that your parcel was lost on the way .
we want to resend it for you ,but been told by warehouse the item just sold out .
In order to protect your right ,how about we refund to your paypal ?or would you like to choose other item you like in our store?
sorry for the trouble and waiting for your quickly reply,
nice day ." 

You could take them up on their offer.

Like a IR camera for a phone: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32966214689.html
A nice electric screwdriver: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000128261651.html
19999 count Aneng Multimeter: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000106560953.html

I am interested in seeing how you go. I have a meter from Cozy Life stuck in the "Logistics Created" mode - so they cannot even say it has been lost. I do have another ordered from Cozy Life on the 26th that has just passed Australian Customs, so I am not worried about this last one.

Thanks for taking the time to find some alternatives. 

But, I praise honesty too much, and when I found a disrespectful seller I never take replacements, since will no longer be interested in making a deal, and keep any sort of bond to that kind of seller.
We all can make mistakes, but what take apart the men from the child is the way we deal with our errors. Lying to get away with their mess is a child response. Not one of a professional and serious seller.
As it stands, or they send me the meter I paid for, or I paid $9 to have some amusement with them, in the same manner they are trying to play with.
They took my money in advance, kept it for a few weeks, and a refund will not return or pay interests, exchange rates and time consumed.

Now, those $9 turned into the ticket price to watch this movie 

[PA0PBZ]

Dear seller,

I am disappointed that you are not honest to me, in fact I know that my parcel never left your office.
So I will not accept a refund until I can leave a negative feedback for your store.
I could change my mind if you send me my order or give me an honest reason why you are not sending me my items that I bought and payed for.

 

[Bud]

"Evil spirits are also traditionally believed to travel in straight lines, which explains many curvy roads throughout China."
http://www.religionfacts.com/chinese-religion/ghosts

By not being straight to you they just tried not to be evil

[Kosmic]

My order was shipped yesterday. Ordered from "My Cozy Life Store" on September 26 (before the video). If something show up i'm going to be very surprise

Well it's not going to make it 

I also ended up getting a message from the seller. I will probably take the refund.

[Kjelt]

My order has also just been cancelled 
What a farce, I can not even open a dispute yet since the status remains as shipped I have to wait another 8 days before I can open a dispute.

[ogden]

I also ended up getting a message from the seller. I will probably take the refund.

For me "My Cozy Life Store" cancelled order w/o notice. Funny mass shopping spree experiment

[Electro Detective]

   'METERGATE'  The Movie.

Hollywood/Bollywood/XXXwood where are you?   

Blockbuster script right here 

[Smokey]

This "lost in shipping" scam is actually pretty good for them.  They get to pass blame off on the evil "shipper", which people mostly accept as probable, and dodge the negative feedback.

Considering some of these stores listed like 500 pieces of the meter available, who knows how many orders they actually took.  But I can imagine a string of like 250 1star negative feedbacks bashing their store if they didn't have the "lost in shipping" excuse.

::EDIT::
"Manbo life Store" hasn't canceled mine yet.  No excuse message.. yet..

[rsjsouza]

My two meters were dispatched on the 6th from My Cozy Life Store. Let's see if the gamble pays off.

Buying from Aliexpress should not be seen as a gamble. Several suppliers had this meter at a comparable price.

Each to its own. Until the meter arrives and in working condition, I treat this as a gamble. Aliexpress or eBay.

OTOH, getting back the money is not a gamble due to the buyer protections provided.

@jancumps, still think that Aliexpress is a gamble-free environment?

[ludzinc]

Mine is showing as inbound, tracking even works with Australia post!

[Xenoamor]

Anyone lodged a complaint with DHGate? My seller is now insisting they shipped the item which I'm 99% sure is a lie. I'm going to wait until whatever they did send arrives though before I lodge a complaint.
My seller has stopped being so friendly for anyone who fancies a laugh

[Mortymore]

"My Cozy Life Store" @Aliexpress cancelled my shipping yesterday stating the package was lost and the warehouse didn't had them for replacement. 

Today "My Cozy Life Store" @Aliexpress is selling the same item for $155.03 (on sale, they say) 

[thinkfat]

My order with "Cozy Life Store" has not been cancelled yet, but I don't have high hopes I also hasn't shipped yet.

Good info on them selling the same items at a higher price, that will definitely help with the complaint process