eBay Fraudulent Sale - Used DJI Drone Sold as New

Abaddon on 23/03/2022 - 13:58
Last edited 23/03/2022 - 14:41 by 1 other user

I bought a DJI Air 2S Fly More Combo during the AfterPay Day sale on Ebay, the item was listed for AU $1,825.00 (with me paying AfterPay ~$1550 for it). This was sold to me as "Opened – never used". The seller went on to specify:

Seller description " There may be some surface damage to the product box, or the seals might be opened up but this has no impact on the item itself. "

The seller is an online store rather than an individual, with good ratings, etc. I won't name them as yet (depending on what they come back to me with).

I've unpackaged the drone and everything looks new enough, no visible damage etc, but one set of propellers had been attached to the drone which was worrying. The problems arose with the controller, it doesn't work unless plugged into USB-c, either the internal batteries are toast or not connected (or a mobo issue). I contacted DJI support for a replacement and they tell me replacement isn't possible because the drone was activated in December last year :( The drone is linked to someone else's account (some @live.com email).

I was pretty pissed and messaged the seller yesterday morning explaining the controller is DOA and that the drone was falsely sold as new (given it's been used, I've lost manufacturer warranty etc) and asking if they have new stock (no more on their ebay store) or how they will remedy this situation. I'm still yet to receive a response.

I've probably maxxed out what I want to pay for a drone, but like the features on the Air 2S (mastershots, follow mode etc). Hence going over my planned ~$1000 budget already, not sure I want to double that with another seller.

So a few questions:

  • Do you give the store any benefit of the doubt (i.e. them thinking it was new, maybe returned as new or something)? Or just instantly think its fraud/scam?
  • Do you eat the fact that you've lost ~4 months of warranty and keep the item, or just instantly send it back for a refund (best deal elsewhere I can find is ~$1900-2100 for the item). Or save some more money and get a Mini 2/Mini 3 Fly more instead.
  • Do you name and shame them now or wait to hear back from the seller?

Poll Options

  • 2
    Keep the Drone and hope for the best
  • 31
    Just pay more and get new from another seller
  • 1
    Just get a smaller/cheaper drone
Electrical & Electronics DJI Quadcopter Quadcopter Accessory

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Comments

  • Muzeeb on 23/03/2022 - 14:03
    +19

    eBay link

    Their negative feedback should have been a red flag. Some rippers in there.

    • dust on 23/03/2022 - 14:06
      +2

      Good detective work!

    • hamza23 on 23/03/2022 - 14:09
      +3

      Shoes described as new but came with a hole. No mention of it in the ad.

      I paid $510 for this Apple watch over 2 weeks ago, I received a $120 Casio watch instead

      🤔

      • Muzeeb on 23/03/2022 - 14:11
        +2

        And then…

        I'm still yet to receive a response.

        Going by the feedback you've probably been blocked by the seller and won't hear shit from them. Ouch!

        Sounds like op got all excited about a new drone and forgot about due diligence.

        • Abaddon on 23/03/2022 - 15:04

          You'd be right there, I bought the drone in between meetings, and just looked at the positive vs negative numbers on ebay and searched OzBargain for any blatant issues, rather than reading through the negative comments.

          Looking at them after the fact it's not looking good.

          • bobbified on 23/03/2022 - 15:27
            +4

            @Abaddon: Based on the feedback, I don't see the need to give the seller any benefit of the doubt. Do what you need to do to get your money back as quickly as you can.

      • 87percent on 23/03/2022 - 16:52
        +2

        “Casio watch” made me LOL

      • redfox1200 on 23/03/2022 - 17:48
        +2

        of course shoes come with holes, how else do you get your feet in lol

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 23/03/2022 - 14:11

      damn daniel!

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 23/03/2022 - 14:10
    +2

    1. Could do if it's a well known store - some returns especially on apple stuff go to extreme lengths to make it look factory sealed/ totally unused. It's not too hard to pass it off as never opened/ used really… - besides what's the store going to do? They can't exactly verify it's never been activated either…

    2. Send it back, not worth the drama of holding onto it then having issues later and trying to prove it wasnt you.

    3. Wait to see what they say, and if it's not working out , name and shame. I had big issues with Gym Direct when I placed my order literally the days before Brisbane had its 1st snap lock down. Stuff was in stock at time of order, then magically out of stock when they went to fill my order. Tried emailing privately to sort the issue and got no where - wasn't till I wrote a big review on trustpilot that I got any results. YMMV.

    edit Ok checked out the link at top - no way this was an honest mistake. Just return it for refund.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/03/2022 - 14:12
    +5

    wait for their response, if it's unsatisfactory, submit a claim with ebay for "item not as described". keep in mind that you only have a 30 day window to do this on ebay, if they don't respond within a week, just submit the claim. once submitted, do not cancel the claim, no matter what they might say, as if you cancel it, you have no other recourse with ebay and the seller doesn't have to do anything as far as ebay is concerned.

  • Hithere on 23/03/2022 - 14:55
    +9

    Open an INAD straightaway, it's then up to the seller to defend their position.

    If a satisfactory, to you, arrangement has not been come to by the time eBay gets involved leave it up to them to oversee the dispute.

    Don't cancel the claim or send the item back until/unless eBay instruct you to and make sure you take photos of the problem and upload them with your dispute.

    • Abaddon on 24/03/2022 - 10:24

      Thanks for the advice, it didn't look like the seller was going to contact me. I requested a return via Ebay and put the reasons why (hopefully Ebay monitor this in some way and at some point will deal with the seller).

      It was already guessed above, but for the anyone searching in the future, IMO NEVER BUY FROM Trug-Traders.

  • plmko on 23/03/2022 - 19:08

    I don't understand your post, what are you even hoping to achieve?

    Wait a couple more days then file an Ebay report on the purchase.

    • Abaddon on 24/03/2022 - 10:21

      Mostly trying to get others opinion. I was in a state where I was pretty pissed off and feeling duped. So seeing if others think I was being precious, given I'd saved a bunch of money (thanks to AfterPay rather than the seller) and half expected people to tell me a bargain is a bargain ROFL (just deal with DJI, ship it to them and lose four months of warranty and the option of Fly Away insurance).

  • Seraphin7 on 23/03/2022 - 19:42

    eBay Fraudulent

    Ya don't say.

  • chrisn26 on 24/03/2022 - 00:05
    +1

    Sounds a lot like someone else bought this drone and returned it (likely after stuffing up the controller). Since it is open box, the retailer can't sell it new so gets farmed to third parties (like this ebay seller). Personally I'd avoid anything on ebay unless it's stated as "brand new" (same goes for any other online retailer, far too many people defrauding automated returns processes).

  • iCandy on 24/03/2022 - 09:23
    +1

    Honestly, any purchase from a marketplace now is fraught with danger. It’s like Chinese scammers have been let loose on Australia within the last year or two. When I see an item I like, I look at the reviews and so many say the product is bad quality or the wrong sized items sent or the wrong item altogether. Or they don’t ship anything. I’ve now given up on marketplaces and will only buy from genuine online stores.

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