My Recent Positive Experience with Shopping Square

yjun355 on 02/04/2017 - 11:09
Last edited 02/04/2017 - 11:32 by 1 other user

I believe in sharing thoughts with everyone when someone is performing poorly and also when they go out of the way. This feedback in on the later.

Before I start: I have no affiliation with Shopping Square. I have been buying small things (sd cards, pen drives, etc) from them with no issue over the years.
I recently bought Samsung S7 phone from ebay sale deal posted on OzBarg. After a few days I cancelled the transaction based on feedback on OzBarg due to poor customer service. Based on that I chose to not take the risk in case I had any warranty claims. To be honest, I genuinely thought it was local Australian stock and not grey import.

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/298081

To be clear I am trying to recommend them or discredit them. Just sharing my experience.

So, I started my refund process and I was prepared I had to pay return postage as that is standard thing on ebay transaction. Either way, they managed to stop the package with the courier in China. However, they had issue of paying 10% restocking fee. I can understand why that fee is there since the warehouse, etc. However, in years of dealing on ebay no seller has ever listed the restocking fee. So, that was in question and based on guidelines on ebay it is valid for sellers to charge it. Either way, I was happy to put that up to Paypal to decide and whatever is outcome I just have to live with it.

Customer Experience

Now, I found their ebay was responsive. Responding within 24 hours. They doing things per their guidelines.
I contacted their store rep on Ozbargain (Dan) who helped me out. He managed to talk to their team and as a good wait waived the 10% restocking fees.

Personally, I am satisfied with the customer service experience. I am happy to deal with there in future like I have. In terms of big items like phone. I won't be buying grey import anyways as the risk is too high when claiming warranty in future. Rather stick to local Aussie sellers.
Having said that based on feedback on OzBarg, I bought the S7 from Dicksmith (Kogan). People claimed they had much better warranty claiming experience. However, the phone they send had the seal broken which is totally unacceptable. So, they sent me a returned phone from other customer. I am battling with them now.

Also, below is their response on few things I wanted to clear up:

a. What changes in process have been made so that no one will encounter same experience as fruitbag?
regarding fruitbag's post, I did explain to him directly that shoppingdaily is not the same company as shoppingsquare, but we did provide some business service to each other. I cannot help to solve any shoppingdaily issue myself.

b. Is there service level agreement in terms of wait time on process warranty? Eg. If nothing happening for 1 week, should follow up?
If the item in process of warrant, it will take 1-2 weeks to arrange replacement or 4-6 weeks for repairing. If our service is overdue, we will offer instant replacement or refund.

c. Is there any escalation point and some direct number? Eg. Perhaps contact you?
Our CS team will reply most of the enquires in 1-2 days time. We will implement live chat in near future (hope to 2-3 months time) I believe that will improve our customer service.

Like I said, I am not affiliated with them or have any incentive to post this. This is just personal initiative to share a true story with Ozbargain community as quiet a few of us deal with them regularly.

Mobile Mobile Phone Samsung Android

Related Stores

Shopping Square
Shopping Square

Comments

  • spackbace on 02/04/2017 - 11:24
    +2

    Refused SS Samsung, yet bought from Kogan…?

    Both are grey import, both have very restrictive 1yr warranties that are a PITA to claim on. Neither purchase would let you repair through Samsung.

    I don't think you dodged a bullet there…

    • yjun355 on 02/04/2017 - 12:29

      I agree. It was 20% ebay coupon and cost around $550. Definitely won't buy grey import in future for over $300 phones. I am contemplating whether to keep kogan or return it. As mentioned they sent me pre-opened package (seal was broken). So, I would comfortably be able to return it for a full refund. I am in two minds in terms of what to do. Take a risk and see how it goes or just bail.

      • [Deactivated] on 02/04/2017 - 18:26
        +4

        Kogan source grey-market gear widely, through intermediaries in various places, in order to buy at the best price possible, at any given point in time.

        You may have an S7 that was destined for the European market and hence has the region-lock that Samsung still applies to phones that are intended to be sold only in certain markets - like Europe and Latin America. Boxes for those need to opened and phones unlocked with a network SIM card, in those locations.

        Some sellers/intermediaries will otherwise open boxes to power-up phones in order to reduce the chance of a customer receiving a DOA device. Official firmware might also be updated at that point.

        Some unscrupulous vendors of some brands (this will not have happened with your S7 because of Samsung's very baked-in anti-malware and other stumbling blocks), will flash ROM's on to the phones that they sell, which contain various pieces malware.

        Buyers of various China-brand phones do need to be very careful and do multiple checks, and Kogan (unwittingly, I think, at least to a degree - I forget the final washup) was caught-out in the past with their OnePlus 2 imports.

        Buyers of Xiaomi phones, from any number of sellers, almost always need to source a clean international ROM for their specific model, even when an on-surface legit one has been pre-installed.

        Absolute ex-factory issues with another brand, popular on OzBargain.

        In your case, your phone is almost certain brand-new, with the box opened for an ok reason.
        Modern gear of any description is extremely difficult to open, repair, refurbish, without there being at least some little scratch left, somewhere.
        If your device is pristine and with no fingerprints or dust under the screen-protector, your phone is almost certainly fine.
        Enjoy it.

        Kogan are one of just a few sellers that offer free courier pick-up and return of device for warranty purposes. That's something. It may still takes weeks for it to come back from wherever it may go, but who doesn't have at least a usable second, or third, phone, at this point?

        Anyway, I hope that helps.

        P.S. Did you read all of that, Savas? These days, surely, Braidwood can't possibly be quite as boring as I remember it as being?

        Mind you, that was well more than ten years ago, when you would have been knee-high to a proverbial grasshopper & possibly also eating grass..

        :)

        • [Deactivated] on 03/04/2017 - 13:43

          I really should apply myself to doing more than just checking that links work, especially given some actual missing words. Pretend that they are there, please and thankyou kindly.

        • yjun355 on 04/04/2017 - 06:47
          +1

          Thanks a lot for the information. That really helps. I'll keep the phone in that case.

        • Savas on 12/04/2017 - 15:19
          +1

          Lol thanks!

        • [Deactivated] on 12/04/2017 - 16:55
          +1

          :)

  • Savas on 02/04/2017 - 13:46
    +3

    Anyone else so bored they read the whole story? Glad to hear you are satisfied with the store.

  • mskeggs on 02/04/2017 - 15:32
    +5

    I guess I am pleased for you that you are ok with your result, but crikey, customers such as yourself drive up costs for businesses that they pass on to everyone else.
    Ordering things when you haven't checked to see if they meet the requirements you have, not once but twice for the same item, organising cancellations, trying to avoid restocking fees for change of mind when you haven't had any actual product problems.
    And contemplating doing it again with Kogan.

    Please spend a minute before you order understanding what you are buying. You won't be able to get the same prices for local, fully ACL supported stock that you can get from grey import. If you require local, full warranty, please buy from a local full warranty store instead of wasting everyones time.

    For the record, I used Shopping squares warranty return for a $40 sd card last month. It took 3 or 4 weeks for the return, but they sent me a new card, so I have't had any complaints.

    • yjun355 on 04/04/2017 - 06:50

      Yes. I understand what you saying. As business owner, that scenario is expected. Need to factor returns, restocking in your final price. It would be very poor business decision if you expect all customers are rational. But certainly after this experience, I'll be carefull with grey import phones.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/04/2017 - 15:58

    I think it's good reviews such as yoman that will bring more customers to shopping square, more customers more profit will out weigh a couple of returns to raise prices

  • try2bhelpful on 02/04/2017 - 17:49

    Generally I've had good experiences with them, but my latest order has not been delivered. I contacted them after the initial proposed delivery date came and went and they asked me to wait until the end of the month. Still hasn't been delivered and I've contacted them again. Hopefully they will sort this out for me, but it wasn't very expensive. If they don't sort this out I probably won't buy off them again.

    • yjun355 on 04/04/2017 - 06:55

      PM danilochan. He might be able to expedite the request.

      • try2bhelpful on 04/04/2017 - 10:00

        thanks. They are currently looking at my issue and will get back to me in the next 4-5 days. If I go nowhere I will do as you suggest.

        • yjun355 on 04/04/2017 - 16:08

          4-5 days seems to be a bit long though. I would have thought 1-2 day is reasonable. I would suggest to still PM him. In my case, it was really him who managed to waive the restocking fees.

        • try2bhelpful on 12/04/2017 - 11:41

          @Yoman55555: They got back to me. Ended up requesting a refund, rather than risk the postage issue again. This is why I'm willing to pay a bit of a premium for bricks and mortar stores. However, if the price is right I would buy from Shopping Square again, they did end up doing the right thing.

        • yjun355 on 12/04/2017 - 19:23

          @try2bhelpful: Thumbs up that it worked out :)

        • try2bhelpful on 12/04/2017 - 21:50

          @Yoman55555: Thanks.

  • universe on 02/04/2017 - 21:58
    -3

    People who work there are scum of the earth

    • [Deactivated] on 03/04/2017 - 13:43
      +2

      Or, not scum of the earth, but human beings working in a miserable high-volume/low-margin business with limited staff, who barely have time to scratch themselves? Could also be that

      • universe on 03/04/2017 - 14:02
        -3

        Thats what happens when you bring the family sweat shop over from china

        • [Deactivated] on 03/04/2017 - 16:46

          It's even easier to apply parallel universe perception to places.

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