My buyer ordered 200 memory cards and 200 car transmitters from his supplier. I help him to inspect the car transmitters before ship.

We didn't check the cards as agreed. As the buyer understood it tooks very long time to test them with computers.

The buyer complainted the cards are poor quality after received, some are with virus, some are with files, some with different memory capacity.

He paid the postage and return 131pieces after he talked with supplier.It seems the supplier was willing to do something to help.

Now the supplier got the faulty products. At the beginning, the buyer told me that the supplier denied 29 pieces was theirs.

The buyer wrote this "But for 131pcs pro duo cards, we found 102pcs are ours which mark H616L 1L on back of card, 29pcs are not ours, which mark B521L 1L.." That's a lie, because the cards she sent me have at least 2 references and have at least 6 different memory capacity. I really don't know what the problem with them, but I think we will have problems to solve this one. I spent more than $100 sent the cards back and now they want to take me out more $290 from 29 cards? They are lying to avoid they responsabilities. I agree with her a few weeks ago that I don't want more memory cards of any kind from them and even if I accepts an exchange for cards, probably and watching how they are dealing with this problem they will send me back the sames.So Jasmine, never accept memory cards from them.

The buyer wrote to me again after few days "For pro duo card, actually we have different grade of quality. Now we will send another high quality for you this time, you don't need worry." So, they sent to me poor quality memory cards the first time and now she wants to exchange foranother quality grade."

The buyer asked me to give some suggestion. I think it is tough to ask the supplier for refunding. But I suggested him to replace with other products, I also suggested him to order more items. I think if he still give the order to the supplier and the supplier may give better cooperation. But the buyer didn't get a feedback from his suppiler and asked me to phone them.

Today, I called the suppplier, and had a long argue with her on phone. She said, what they can do is only replaced with new cards. But don't accept to replace with other products, they don't accept any refunding also. And they are willing to pay the postage to post to the buyer.

I asked her, what to do if the cards are still in poor quality? Are you able to offer again and pay the round trip shipping cost? She said, things won't be that back. and I can't tell what to do now, as they won't be bad again.

I asked her, but how about if they are bad again? She said, I am willing to refer our other buyers to you, you and your buyer can contact them and ask how they do business.

This sounds ridiculous , and nothing to do with my buyer's business.

Later, she said the buyer should know there are different grades, the quality is also different. He bought the low grade and that was why he got the bad quality products. I asked her, why you didn't inform the buyer there are different grades avaiable when he order? She said, every buyer want the cheapest price.

She stared to shout me on phone. I felt it is useless to argue more with her and stop to talk more.I really didn't know what she said. It sounds nonsense and funny.

So I have the questions for the members here.

Dear sellers, what do you do if your buyer return the faulty items? Are you willing to refund or accept to replace with any other products?

Dear buyers, how is the policy at your end when your consumers get the faulty items from you? Refunding or can replace with any other products?

In fact, I knew this supplier would cause problems.

When I inspected the car transmitter for the buyer, I found 29pieces don't work properly.

The buyer wrote to this supplier. And she said, Jasmine's inspection way must be wrong.

The buyer told her, if Jasmine's test way is wrong, why she can find your 171 are good?

I return the bad products and got the replaced ones later.

But again, a few of them are poor quality again, when I told her, she said, it should be the courier, they damaged the goods. We have tested them before ship to you.

I complainted to my buyer that this supplier gave many excuses.So now her solution and attitude about the faulty cards didn't surprise me at all!

Jas,

Simply put, for electronics like that I would NOT have you bear the burden of testing. Those products are getting very specific and need a dedicated test bed to do the testing........ I would have them sent to an expert lab for testing and THEN have you ship them to me etc.

You do a great job as agent for a lot of people, but there are some products where a specialist testing company is required!

 

So from what I am understanding here you had no involvement with the memory card deal. That was a direct transaction between the buyer and seller.

Clearly those item numbers are the same format even if the numbers are different so it is very unlikely that by chance the buyer had some spare cards laying around from a different supplier that just happened to have the same item number format. So for the supplier to claim that those items are not theirs seems to be somewhat dishonest and evasive. Bear that in mind when expecting a fair outcome here.

Regarding the factories view on quality well that comes as no surprise to me. Many factories are very open about the fact that they consider price and quality to be fixed partners. This is why foreign customers that push prices below what the market demands are asking for trouble in my opinion.

Bear in mind that factories do not think sending poor quality product for low prices is a bad thing. Sales people in factories in China legitimately feel that it is understood that low price equals low quality. Sure most westerners dont feel the same way but when buying in China buyers need to understand the thinking here. So while what the factory claims here does seem ludicrous, it actually makes sense in the context of buying products from manufacturers in China.

It seems to me that the buyer is at fault here for not being more clear about what his quality expectations were. He should have spent more time in confirming factory samples and setting a minimum quality limit. Perhaps he should have invested the money in getting the production tested too if it was that important to him. Finally maybe he should not have pushed prices as far as he did as that sent the wrong message to the factory.

Solution wise it seems that the only solution here is for the factory to send replacement product at the factory cost. They seem to have agreed to this. Worst case scenario is that the customer ends up with rubbish replacing rubbish. Best case scenario is that he gets what he wants.

Perhaps the best way for you to help him is to play the good cop with the factory. Suggest that if they can get the quality right on the replacements then you have a better chance of convincing that customer to re-order at the factory. I would not place a re-order there but if it helps to get the problem solved then there will no harm in leaving that door open.

Correct me if i am wrong  But only Sony , Sandisk and  Lexar can produce Pro Duo memory sticks which are used  in Sony Products. No other brands are licensed to  produce pro duo memory cards. I think your customer has purchased  fake pro duo products.

Quoting from [delaynomorehai]:

Correct me if i am wrong  But only Sony , Sandisk and  Lexar can produce Pro Duo memory sticks which are used  in Sony Products. No other brands are licensed to  produce pro duo memory cards. I think your customer has purchased  fake pro duo products.

 

I agree with you, as mentioned about virus, files, different capacity etc. so, all these looks like refurbished goods, refurbished goods would usually have quality problem, useless you do a hard work on testing them every piece.

Quoting from [Foow]:

Jas,

Simply put, for electronics like that I would NOT have you bear the burden of testing. Those products are getting very specific and need a dedicated test bed to do the testing........ I would have them sent to an expert lab for testing and THEN have you ship them to me etc.

You do a great job as agent for a lot of people, but there are some products where a specialist testing company is required!

 

Hi, peter. Thanks for your reply.

As you know, I run the service of sourcing, orders supervisors, inspection, consoliation as an agency.

You are right, some special items like electronic items or machines require the expert lab to do the testing.

But for the simple electronic items, like car dvd players, mp3/4, car transmitter, the inspection is not a hard tast for me. We have them tested in real car, also we paid a shop (lab) to do the testing if required.

Of course, it is only the simple testing. Like check if quantity, models, packages, colors are all correct? Check if any parts are missing. Check if the units work when turn on,  check if all the functions are including as stated.

For the small orders, many buyers can't afford to pay an expert lab to do the testing.And the buyer reduce the risk after our first filter.

I also think, electronic items are sensitive, sometimes, they are in good condition when inspection, but it will still have problems  when the end customer receive it.Or may be get bad after some use.

Anyway, I will need to learn more about profession inspection.

Quoting from [Egernia]:

So from what I am understanding here you had no involvement with the memory card deal. That was a direct transaction between the buyer and seller.

Clearly those item numbers are the same format even if the numbers are different so it is very unlikely that by chance the buyer had some spare cards laying around from a different supplier that just happened to have the same item number format. So for the supplier to claim that those items are not theirs seems to be somewhat dishonest and evasive. Bear that in mind when expecting a fair outcome here.

Regarding the factories view on quality well that comes as no surprise to me. Many factories are very open about the fact that they consider price and quality to be fixed partners. This is why foreign customers that push prices below what the market demands are asking for trouble in my opinion.

Bear in mind that factories do not think sending poor quality product for low prices is a bad thing. Sales people in factories in China legitimately feel that it is understood that low price equals low quality. Sure most westerners dont feel the same way but when buying in China buyers need to understand the thinking here. So while what the factory claims here does seem ludicrous, it actually makes sense in the context of buying products from manufacturers in China.

It seems to me that the buyer is at fault here for not being more clear about what his quality expectations were. He should have spent more time in confirming factory samples and setting a minimum quality limit. Perhaps he should have invested the money in getting the production tested too if it was that important to him. Finally maybe he should not have pushed prices as far as he did as that sent the wrong message to the factory.

Solution wise it seems that the only solution here is for the factory to send replacement product at the factory cost. They seem to have agreed to this. Worst case scenario is that the customer ends up with rubbish replacing rubbish. Best case scenario is that he gets what he wants.

Perhaps the best way for you to help him is to play the good cop with the factory. Suggest that if they can get the quality right on the replacements then you have a better chance of convincing that customer to re-order at the factory. I would not place a re-order there but if it helps to get the problem solved then there will no harm in leaving that door open.

Thanks for your advise and information, egernia.

I remember one member here said one sentence which expressed me: buy low, sell high, don't cry for its quality.

Yes, many buyers compare the prices only when they get the quotation.But they don't know the quality may be different due to the cheaper price. They thought the supplier sell at higher price and charge more profits only.

But as a Chinese, I know how the things are. We have a very famous sentence, wool comes from the lamb. It imply, no body will give you the free wool, when the supplier sell you the lamb, he charge you the money for wool already. ( I hope i express correct in English).

About the sample, I only agreed half of what you said, As the suppliers always send out the nice samples. Sample quality is not equal to bulk order quality.

My suggestion about re-order is not a good way(it sounds crazy for western buyers), but it seems this solution(re-order) is better than losing more money. Also if the buyer order something extra which has few quality problems and we can help to inspect easilier, he will still get his money back and reduce the lost.

Anyway, if the factory don't replaced with other goods, and send the new cards, I will find a lab to test them for this buyer this time.

Quoting from [delaynomorehai]:

Correct me if i am wrong  But only Sony , Sandisk and  Lexar can produce Pro Duo memory sticks which are used  in Sony Products. No other brands are licensed to  produce pro duo memory cards. I think your customer has purchased  fake pro duo products.

Hi, yes. it is copy items. But neutral package. NO brand.

The goods have no problem to pass through his local customs. The buyer pay the tax and we do everything legal( I help to ship). So maybe we can't say it is a copy item?

He ordered the cards from his other suppliers before, but the cards didn't have such problems. This time, he was bad luck to meet such a supplier who offered him the low grade cards.

Quoting from [Elecpack]:

Quoting from [delaynomorehai]:

Correct me if i am wrong  But only Sony , Sandisk and  Lexar can produce Pro Duo memory sticks which are used  in Sony Products. No other brands are licensed to  produce pro duo memory cards. I think your customer has purchased  fake pro duo products.

 

 

I agree with you, as mentioned about virus, files, different capacity etc. so, all these looks like refurbished goods, refurbished goods would usually have quality problem, useless you do a hard work on testing them every piece.

hi, I guess it is refurbished goods. You are right.

It takes more than 1 hours to test 1 card (it is 4gb, so you have save the files in it, so you will  know the real capacity), so 200 pieces will take 200 hours.

So we didn't test them as what we discussed with this buyer. Only tested the car transmitter.

But it seems the cards required to test from now on. It is risk for the buyers to order them.