Randahl Fink

I sometimes get the feeling that buying things on the internet has moved quality assurance from the retailer to the consumer.

How often do you have to return items you have bought online, because there is a quality issue?

Every time or every 2nd time.
2.9%
Every 3rd to 5th time.
12.1%
Rarely but it happens
63.6%
Never
21.4%
Poll ended at .
Aug 5, 2024 at 4:05pmIvory for Mac
Show threadRichard W. Woodley ELBOWS UP πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦πŸŒΉπŸš΄β€β™‚οΈπŸ“· πŸ—ΊοΈAug 5, 2024

@randahl

I voted Rarely BUT I don't shop #Amazon

Show threadRandahl FinkAug 5, 2024

@the5thColumnist Two weeks ago I bought a pizza steel to replace my old pizza stone. Upon delivery both the steel and the accompanying pizza spade were damaged. I wrote back to the company to ask if this was their expected quality, and they assured me, it was not and they would send me a new package after having inspected it thoroughly.

Got the second package today, and it had the exact same problems.

Really gives you the sense that at least some vendors let consumers do the quality assurance.

Show threadШуроAug 5, 2024

@randahl @the5thColumnist Here a lot of online sellers are actually resellers and sometimes even dropshippers (when the seller just relays the order to larger seller or platform and they do everything from packaging to sending). So yes, this story is familiar. Sellers often have little control over quality.

Once I left a review for a dog leash which broke in a year. It wasn't bad actually and it looked more like quality glitch but I mentioned it. The seller replied something like "Thank you and we take your reviews seriously so we already started using stronger parts" however I did knew that they couldn't because they just resold them from China and I even knew where I could buy exactly same leash delivered from China. And sure enough the materials didn't get better :)

Show threadfaraiweAug 5, 2024

@randahl FWIW, Murican here.

Mostly, quality or faulty packing at manufacturer issues are the reason for returns.

More and more online sellers are becoming just brokers, merely doing paperwork for import of goods from countries with poor to no #QAQC practices.

Show threadgnateAug 5, 2024
@randahl
Many companies are only to happy to shift their QA to the customer, whether directly or through retailers. Small shops, especially, seem to get the rejects that other stores wouldn't accept.
Show threadLstn2urmama πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦Aug 5, 2024
@randahl and usually it is because of destroyed way shipped or non working items and they are garbage... some items are manufactured so fraudly .. they are unable to do job gotten for .. more like kids play toys or not advertised properly with proper information ..πŸ€”
Show threadMartijn VosAug 5, 2024
Rarely. But then I try to avoid buying from Amazon or China. Dutch webshops are pretty reliable.
Show threadBarbara MonacoAug 5, 2024
@randahl I try to avoid buying things online. If I must, I try to purchase from businesses with a local brick and mortar location.
If a return is necessary I can do it locally in person.
Show threadLstn2urmama πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦Aug 5, 2024
@Barbramon1 @randahl Have to weigh pos and cons when doing so .. some companies start out well and then go the opposite way of doing things and are No longer used ... some companies show a bad start right off the bat in app usage or ability to be seen properly and not used at all ...
Show threadBob JonkmanAug 5, 2024

@randahl

I order online only when things aren't available locally. I ordered some phone batteries from a private seller through Amazon, and received a receipt from the seller with a tracking number for shipping. When they hadn't arrived after a couple of weeks I checked the tracking number, but it was invalid. Complained to Amazon, provided the fraudulent receipt, got a refund.

1/

Show threadBob JonkmanAug 5, 2024

@randahl

Then the seller contacts me, says it was a mistake, and says the batteries have now been shipped. Sure enough, they arrive a few days later. Now the seller contacts me again, demanding payment, "it's only fair." Sorry, seller, your fraud has cost you.

2/

Show threadBob JonkmanAug 5, 2024

@randahl

And the batteries weren't very good, either.

/3

Show threadLstn2urmama πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦Aug 6, 2024
@randahl Can tell have had to complain more than like to BUT quality control will either get fixed or not if you do not !
Show threadNightlynxβ˜•β„πŸŒ¨β˜‘Aug 6, 2024
@randahl I voted "never", and I use a carefully selected set of online vendors. Amazon is in the set, but I completely ignore the suggestions (I do this in all shops, online or offline). Instead, I research items before I go shopping. I also have a blocklist of suppliers. So the "never" involves quite some extra work, but it's worth it.