I viewed a 240 watt portable solar panel on eBay. I rang the company supplying the product, Luxury Home Products (LHP), to confirm some details.
I asked about the weight of the package, which they claimed was 12 kgs. Other companies advertised them as 19kgs and I needed a light weight panel. They said that the weight was actually 15 kgs but when it arrived it weighed 18.5 kgs. I ordered the unit over the phone with Visa and not through eBay.
The carry case it came in, tore the stitching when I carried it for the first time and the buckled strap slipped so it could not be carried over the shoulder.
I then had an Auto Electrician check the voltage to find that the controller on the panel was allowing 16.1 volts to enter the car battery. My electrician said that this would damage the car battery.
I rang LHP to find that they would not take a phone complaint even though they took phone orders. I then emailed LHP on 24 Sept and they said they would replace the controller.
I then googled LHP to find that although eBay had 100% good feedback, the google search revealed dozens of complaints for similar problems such as mine.
Once LHP have your money that's the end of customer service.
When I read the complaints that others had on LHP I decided to request a refund instead of a replacement part, as others issues such as the weight and damaged carry bag still weighed on my mind.
When I requested the refund, I received an identical email from a 'Fred' saying that the replacement part could take up to 20 days to arrive and did not address the issue of refund at all.
I spoke to an eBay representative but as they explained that I went directly to LHP they could not help me. I explained that had eBay shown the level of real complaints against LHP I would not have purchased from them.
I also bet that my feedback will not appear on eBay and therefore other consumers will be scammed.
One of the critical websites of LHP, quotes a claimed former employee of LHP described all the delay and ignoring tactics that LHP employ and how they simply ignore the complaints and continue selling.
I will probably lose this modest investment of $400 but I dont want to see other customers being scammed by LHP and seemingly supported by eBay who don't publish the many complaints they must receive from customers like me.
Thanks
Col Jones
Australia
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