“Poor Equipment. Worse Customer Service. Use PayPal as Payment Processor to Swerve Section 75 Claims
Purchased an exercise cycle, ESX500, direct from sports-tech.uk.com in June 2020. All was good on arrival, other than the lack of a UK plug or adaptor.
Five weeks later it was very noisy when in use, and the mechanism was no longer smooth. This was to such an extent the exercise cycle was unusable.
I emailed them once a week for 9 weeks without receiving any response. When I attempted to telephone, they put the phone down when they realised I did not speak German. I then asked a German speaker to phone them on my behalf. They gave instructions and asked me to self repair. I attempted to do so, after receiving an email from sports-tech.uk.com assuring me that I would not invalidate the warranty by doing so. Self-repair was unsuccessful. After an exchange of Facebook Messenger messages (in German), they agreed that I should return the exercise cycle for repair.
sports-tech.uk.com replaced both sets of bearings. Unfortunately, when the exercise cycle was returned the seat was torn, it remained noisy in use, and the plastic casing had a number of breaks and cracks. I asked sports-tech.uk.com to collect it, and refund me. At the same time I started the Section 75 claim process with my credit card provider.
sports-tech.uk.com collected the bike, but insisted I allow them to make a further attempt at repair. When it was returned it was in an even worse condition!
sports-tech.uk.com have subsequently ignored all emails from me - both in German and in English.
Because it took so long for sports-tech.uk.com to respond to me, the 120 days for a card chargeback had passed. Because sports-tech.uk.com use PayPal as a payment processor, my credit card provider considers that there is no clear Debtor-Creditor-Supplier (DCS) link, and thus my Section 75 claim was unsuccessful as they have no liability under the principles of Section 75.
So almost 9 months after purchasing after the exercise cycle, it has worked properly for 5 weeks only. sports-tech.uk.com ignore my emails. There is no prospect of a refund via my credit card provider. I do wonder if sports-tech.uk.com deliberately spin out responding to complaints until after the 120 day deadline for chargeback action has passed; and, if they use PayPal as their payment processor to avoid Section 75 claims.
I would be delighted if sports-tech.uk.com finally, refunded me for the faulty exercise cycle and/or responded to this review. However, I will not hold my breath.”
