Ozgameshop is my favorite site for buying games. Really, it's the only place I buy games now unless EB has a good promo going. It's difficult to say something bad about the site, but I'm going to share one sour shopping experience I had with them that makes me now quesiton the integrity of the site every time I click Checkout. I'm sharing this experience here so that if anyone else comes across a similar problem, they might know how to tackle it better.
At the beginning of the year I was amazed when I got an email notification from ozgameshop that the Mass Effect Bishoujo Liara T'soni figure was back in stock (only 1) and for the low-low price of $80. Done. Bought it straight away. It arrived in good time, as can be expected with any ozgameshop purchase. However when it arrived, I would make the tiny complaint that the package it arrived in was only just the right size for the figure's box to fit in. So there were bends in the figure box. Oh well? I can let that slide, though I would have prefered bubblewrap… but whatever. My amazing figure had arrived.
The box appeared sealed despite the slight beating on the corners from fitting it in the tight package. I notice that something is rolling around in the box. The head had come off the figure and was rolling around inside the box. I figured the head was detachable so open the box to assemble my figurine. However the head had actually somehow snapped off. I found out later after examining it that the head was supposed to be able to pivot so you could rotate the head. Yet somehow my figure, which supposedly was in a sealed box (if it had been opened then this product would have been listed in Ex-Display on the site), arrived with her head snapped off.
Considering how tightly the box was in the package, the figure can't have been damaged while it was moving through the postal services. Whoever shipped my figure to me would have clearly been able to see the head was missing from her body but shipped it to me anyway. I can't help but wonder if this item was a faulty figure they had around the office, but decided to put on their website anyway to say, hey! We've got one last one in stock! Buy it now~!
I emailed them about it and they were happy to talk to me about the issue. I took photos of the product and even though what I really wanted was a replacement, I can't prove I didn't just damage the product myself, right? I was grateful that they offered to accept a return for my purchase, and sent me a pdf form I filled out and included with my figure when I sent it back. Ozgameshop even offered to refund the shipping expenses if I added my postage receipt inside the return package, which I did. I filled out the small bit of paper on my package to have it returned to the UK and awaited to hear back from ozgameshop in roughtly 2 weeks time.
To this date my package has not yet returned to them, or it has but they aren't telling me. After one month I contacted them to inquire about my return and was told it hadn't arrived yet, and assured that as soon as it did get to them that I'd be notified immediately.
I've sent packages overseas before and didn't have any doubts about the package being lost or not arriving, so I didn't get postal tracking when I sent it off. Bad move. Another bad move is that I should have held on to the receipt. Australia Post can refund your post if it gets lost if you have your receipt, but I had put the receipt inside my return package. I was able to get my receipt number back from Australia Post, but because it isn't the ORIGINAL print receipt there are some doubts about legitimacy that they have to consider before offering a refund. So I've lost $80 on my ozgameshop order, and $37 on sending it to the UK to get lost somewhere on the way.
I informed ozgameshop of my situation, and all they could offer me was their sympathy. Fair enough, I feel like the posting thing is out of anyones hands and I just have to chase it up as best as I can, but at the same time I have doubts about ozgameshop. Why was my product faulty in the first place? Whoever sent it would have been able to see very clearly that the item was faulty. This particular figure is a rarity now. Just look up how much its going for on Amazon or Ebay. Even with a faulty head, you could superglue that sucker back on and it'd be in near-perfect condition. If it has returned to ozgameshop, someone working there could have though to take it home for themself, and tell me that oh, it hasn't arrived back yet. I have no basis for this suspicion, except that sneaky people exist and that this figurine is an expensive one but I was lucky enough to get it at a bargain price. And yes, it was too good to be true.
So what I'm taking away from this, is in future when buying a figurine from ANYWHERE, know the product before opening the sealed box. If I had known more about the head and knew for sure the head wasn't detachable, I'd have never opened it. It proves that you, the customer, didn't tamper with the product and it arrived in that condition. Also, when posting, always get international tracking, even though it is expensive. Ozgameshop was gracious enough to refund the shipping, but only for 'standard shipping', which is why I thought meh, standard it is then. Never, ever do this. If you have a precious item, don't take chances. I'm a full time student with pretty much no income and I cut corners and paid the price for it. I have no idea where my package is now. :(
But I'm still pissed my item arrived faulty. This was at the begining of the year and I'm still having to deal with it, and going through all the postal waiting periods, etc. None of this would have happened if my item was checked before they sent it and realised, oh, the head is missing. That's no good. Probably shouldn't send that.
Also, why are they suddenly not selling Turtle Beach items? Were they an unlicensed dealer? Seems a bit…hmm.
Sounds more like Auspost woes buddy.
Ozgameshop have always been great to deal with in my experience, and as you admit they immediately offered you a refund.
You sent it back to them international post without postal tracking and without keeping the receipt. Bad move.