Getting ripped off Chinese company

[Justdavenow]

I purchased some officially licensed products online. Before I had even noticed, I received tracking email from a company in China. Ugh. I knew I was **bleep** at that point, but thought I’d be protected by PayPal. Sure enough, I received my items and they were crappy Chinese knock offs. Junk. I started a resolution process with PayPal and escalated to a claim. The Chinese company, knowing how to handle their scam, agreed to refund me ONLY IF I returned the items at my expense. To mail this junk back to China with the tracking would be $90, which is almost the amount they need to refund. I refuse to pay to ship this junk. They misrepresented the product, they should pay if they want it back. PayPal customer service is useless. What can I do?

[kernowlass]

@Justdavenow 

Chinese Web Sites or on Social Media ads easy to spot (once you know the below signs) so buyer beware.

The best thing is to not buy from them in the first place, to recognise them -

1. No return address on the returns policy. The site will look as if its in your country (where they despatch goods from) but they will ask for returns to go back to China (returns depot) at a shipping cost often more than the item is worth.
2. No contact telephone number. if you click on contact the most you will get is webmail or an email address.
3. Rarely company address information.
4. Great pictures of items at bargain prices that turn out to be tat.
5. Fake reviews.
6. Google and you can often see previous company names as they change them once enough claims roll in and Paypal stop them using their services and start over.
7. Send fake tracking numbers to win item non receipt of item claims.

Unfortunately in the event of a dispute as choose your seller and not Paypal you need to bear in mind possible return trackable costs before you go ahead and buy from that seller / country.

Paypal state this >>
IMPORTANT: You may be required to return the item to the seller or other party we specify as part of the settlement of your claim. PayPal Buyer Protection does not entitle you to reimbursement for the return shipping costs that you may incur.

You also have the option to do a chargeback via your card issuer instead of a Paypal dispute if you funded your Paypal payment via a credit card.