LATEST UPDATE: Qoo10 has responded to our email query. Scroll down to read its response.
More than 20 complaints have been directed at Sim Lim retailer Ziming Global, after customers griped that their orders were cancelled suddenly within a day after they made a purchase online. Ziming Global was a participant of the one-day-only Qoo10 Expo event that happened yesterday in Singapore on the 22nd of November.
Buyers claimed on Ziming Global’s Qoo10 page that they had purchased the retailer’s item, a Lenovo A396 phone, at an advertised offer price of $22. However, the orders were voided moments after they completed their transactions without notice. The price of the Lenovo phone is now more than double the discounted price – $55.90.
One of the affected customers wrote: “Purchased at EXPO sales price of $22.00. Item was cancelled stating “out of stock”. However they are still selling it at a jack up price of $59.90. Does not honor service. SCAMMER.”
Another user was critical of the ‘out of stock’ reasoning given: “Order successful, money deducted, got confirmation mail and later order cancelled. Can you explained what is the system error and why it happen? This is just to create hit on website and listing 502 items sold. Now you have stock to sale at $59.”
“It happened at Time Sale promotion period. SINCE payment was received. It becomes a valid and legal transaction. The retailer is liable. I will sue the retailer and complain to CASE.. Are all the promotion in Qoo10 real? Pls take this as my letter of demand to honour obligation or be sued,” wrote another user.
Ziming Global had answered most of the complaints and queries written on its page. It seemed to suggest that there was a system error with the Qoo10 e-commerce system and apologised to buyers. In other replies by the company, it had also advised customers to speak to Qoo10 for additional information on the alleged system error.
Based on the complaints issued, customers were not concerned of the refunds which they would be entitled to after the order cancellations. They insisted the retailer to honour the offer price and earlier transactions.
Writer’s comments:
I’ve looked through the pages of other participating brands and this system issue seems to be unique to Ziming Global. There are complaints written on other seller pages, but they are directed mainly at Qoo10 and its $22 marketing gimmick.
As stated under every seller’s ‘Policy & Notice’ tab, Qoo10 ‘only provides trading platform and system to facilitate transactions, and is not responsible for listed items and its contents’. If it is indeed true that Qoo10 suffered a system error, it should be held accountable to the sudden cancellation orders. A system error is a glitch in the trading platform provided by the company.
I explored further regarding the $22 marketing gimmick executed by Qoo10 during the online expo event. The prices are definitely way above the $22 offer price. From the comments of other buyers, I understand that the $22 price is only activated for a second (Seriously?). This was further explained by one of the sellers himself:
LATEST: Qoo10 has emailed us their response for this story. Read it below:
“Qoo10 is aware of the above-mentioned issue and has conducted an investigation into the case.
During the Qoo10 22 Nov Expo, limited sets of the Lenovo A396 mobile phone were allocated to be sold at $22, below its cost price, on a first-come-first-serve promotional basis.
However, there was an internal glitch in our system which allowed customers to purchase more promotional sets than the quantity allocated.
We acknowledge this and as a sign of goodwill, we will extend the $22 promotion to affected customers, whom we are in the midst of reaching out to.
We would also like to highlight that the $22 promotion activated for a second is a separate promotional activity.”
