Light in the Box Scam

Solved

paoupet Posted messages 4 Status Membre -
brucine Posted messages 24389 Registration date Status Membre Last intervention - 19 Jan 2024 at 08:30

Hello, I want to report this site for not respecting delivery dates and scamming on customs fees. I made a purchase with insurance for a refund of customs fees (€7.5) and (€1.75) for delivery security. Delivered late, I had to pay €30 in fees to DHL (German post).
I wanted to get reimbursed for the fees (which DHL confirmed when I checked my order). On Light in the Box, my order doesn't appear even though I paid via PayPal. Since you can only claim from the order, I can't get reimbursed for customs duties because there is no other contact to reach the site.
DHL is taking advantage of this by charging €12.50 for early payment and €2.50 for TAV on this early payment. Is that legal?
Conclusion: two sites to avoid.
What can I do?
Conclusion: globalization and Europe's scams are indeed underway.

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21 réponses

Réponse 1 / 21

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Jimpix Posted messages 12079 Registration date Status Membre Last intervention 4 389

Hello,

Do you already feel happy to have received the Chinese goods that you ordered from the other side of the planet...

Quentin

I completely agree...

Réponse 2 / 21

piquesous Posted messages 15734 Registration date Status Contributeur Last intervention 6 123

Hello,

Before crying out in outrage, it would be wise to understand how it works.
First of all, if you go to the forum and see what’s being said about the seller, you can see that it’s not the best, far from it.
Then, why is it so expensive here?
The product you buy in China is not taxed.
So, once the tax is added, it starts to get closer to the French price.
But to come to France, there are wholesalers who each take their margins.
Not to mention that some in France have a store with a view of the street.
And that’s one of the reasons that increases the costs quite a lot.
That’s why.
However, go try to operate a warranty with China directly.
Now that’s going to be funny.
While in our country, despite the expensive taxes, you just have to go to the store, and they will handle everything for you.
Whereas in a non-EU country, good luck trying to get a warranty or resolve any other issue.

Once people understand this, maybe there will be fewer threads opened to cry out in outrage.

See you later.

--
_____________________________________________________
Brakes are for cowards! But the one who doesn’t brake is an idiot........

FSen

It is wrong to say that one cannot obtain satisfaction by dealing directly with the Chinese and making a claim afterwards. Even though I am not a professional, I recently ordered and received an item, three identical pieces, on Alibaba in record time. By going through Amazon and its partner, I would have paid double, including customs duties. Alibaba refunded me the amount of a third item that did not meet my satisfaction within 48 hours. This goes to show that we cannot generalize.
On the other hand, my experience with Lightinthebox has been terrible. First of all, when ordering an LED transformer and ten LED bulbs, I didn't even know it was a Chinese company and, moreover, that they would be delivering these products from...China, given that the displayed delivery times were 4-7 working days. It was on October 7 that they informed me that the order had been...shipped from...China?!
The order placed on October 2, 2020 has unfortunately still not been delivered to me as of today (October 13, 7 PM).
The total amount of the order being €30, I'm not going to sue them. They will probably deliver it one day, but in the meantime I have to wait with the light of my bedside lamp ????.

Julien3406

And when you don't receive the package, the complaint to customer service has been pending for two weeks, what's up with this site then... before talking about your customs regulations...

B70

You see, it's Chinese???? I realized it when, after a month, my video intercom stopped working and I contacted lightinthebox.

Réponse 3 / 21

bendrop Posted messages 12648 Registration date Status Contributeur Last intervention 8 524

Good evening,

I quote: what should I do?
Well, read the terms and conditions before buying.

ARTICLE 4 - CUSTOMS DUTIES AND VAT

Any order placed on the Site and delivered outside of China may be subject to potential taxes and customs duties that are imposed when the package arrives at its destination. These customs duties and any potential taxes related to the delivery of an item are your responsibility. We are not required to verify and inform you of the applicable customs duties and taxes. To find out, we advise you to inquire with the competent authorities in your country.

As for taxes and VAT, which will have to be paid anyway ->
https://www.douane.gouv.fr/fiche/achats-distance-e-commerce-internet

And for DHL, you have paid transit fees.

So to buy online, you read the terms and conditions (if there aren't any, don't buy) and check with customs, then choose standard shipping to avoid transit fees.

Regards.

Larbaoui

They are thieves, they must be reported to the consumer association, the Chinese embassy, and on all social networks.

Lysette_037 > Larbaoui

Hello
I ordered a watch from lightinthebox
I have vision problems and I’m alone, I’m 72 years old
I was charged €15 for the order and €10.95 for shipping, which I want to cancel
I can’t find the proof
I received an email with explanations...
How do I create a ticket??
to cancel my ongoing order charged
€10.95 on 12/25/20
I click on details but it doesn't work, even less the customer service is absent
I will try again Monday morning
the customer service doesn’t care about my issues
waiting for a response
FE

Afrikarnak Posted messages 17653 Registration date Status Contributeur Last intervention 14 517 > Lysette_037

Response:

No recourse is possible.. Money presumed lost...

See you+

Réponse 4 / 21

Dinouxe

I CONFIRM HUGE SCAM

I have customs fees of 37 euros, it’s a disgrace, nothing was written on the site.

It was very complicated to get my order sent, nearly 1 month of waiting for my order to be shipped... after many emails the order was sent in 2 parts and I receive a text saying that I have customs fees of 17 euros for the first package and 37 euros for the second.

If you wish to order... well my advice is to look for something else....

Afrikarnak Posted messages 17653 Registration date Status Contributeur Last intervention 14 517

Hello!!

nothing had been written on the site.

When ordering online, we always check the site.. This one is clearly identified as being Chinese..
China being outside the Customs Territory of the EU, VAT is normally payable and possibly a parafiscal tax.. So no scandal..

See you!

Dinouxe > Afrikarnak Posted messages 17653 Registration date Status Contributeur Last intervention

Hello

I filed a complaint and indeed there are questions... I'm not the only one apparently. An investigation is going to be launched because a lot of people have submitted a request on the government website.

It's good to read all the general conditions before ordering.
I just went to the FAQ section of the site.... and it states no customs fees....

-1

Afrikarnak Posted messages 17653 Registration date Status Contributeur Last intervention 14 517 > Dinouxe

Re:

You shouldn't rely too much on Asian sellers for accurate information... Only the smooth operation of their business matters to them, even if it means telling nonsense!

Checking the Terms & Conditions and especially the Legal Notices is important to weed out dubious sites and potentially recalculate the true price of the product in case customs charges VAT... On top of that, there are often 'freight forwarder fees' (which go into the transporter's pocket...) that seem illegal to me... In the end, when you consider the risks of loss, counterfeiting, questionable quality, etc. + the additional 'fees', the great deal sometimes turns out to be less obvious...

We all agree that reading the Terms & Conditions and Legal Notices, often written in 'gibberish', is tedious!

See you!

Réponse 5 / 21

ValPhira Posted messages 3 Status Membre 2

Hello
I come to confirm this scam site
you think you’re making good deals but you’re mistaken!
(order of 120€ evening dress and evening trouser set, it seems like a good deal!)
First, I pay for express shipping (delivery in 3 to 5 working days) + customs insurance (is there a risk? well, I want to be sure, so I go for it) 35€! that's already expensive but I want to be sure... I had to wait 21 days!
At delivery: cash on delivery of 72€ !!!!!!! (small line in the contract, there may be customs fees)... including VAT + customs fees + DHL compensation for advance expenses!!!! THIEVES!! and they know it but they don't draw your attention to it and especially not to the amount!!
since then I've only seen this in reviews of this merchant site.
PLEASE do not order from them, you would double your purchase price!!

Réponse 6 / 21

Rrrrr

I placed an order in mid-October and I never received my order. I have asked several times to be refunded but to no avail. It was a weave costing €40.

Réponse 7 / 21

zelandine59491 Posted messages 3 Status Membre 2

Hello, I have the same issue
they promise delivery on a specific date and in the end
it arrives later and worse, they charge you customs fees
when I asked for a refund, they claimed it was custom-made, which is false, in my opinion it was a standard size 36 But nothing can be done, no return possible or refund contrary to what the site claims
I strongly recommend not to buy on this site.

Réponse 8 / 21

Jean

I ordered a light fixture on January 22, 2020. Today is May 9, 2020...
I have never received my order that I paid €179.77 for, shipping included.
I submitted a complaint, and the response was: order sent and delivered...
With only the delivery service link as proof.
I have sent several emails without a response!!!
To top it all off, my credit card was hacked... I can't be sure that the €3000 withdrawn from my account via my credit card is related to my order, but I haven't made any other purchases online.
It's up to you to decide.
My email is factual, and I am sharing it with you so that you can form an opinion before placing an order!

Réponse 9 / 21

alik01

On my side, neither the package was received nor refunded. Just automated responses from their customer service, and my eyes to cry. The same issue with GearBest. What a bunch of thieves!

Steph241

In the same situation as you...
Package neither received nor refunded. Just automated responses from their customer service.
I would go to their Embassy to report this, for what it's worth...
Not serious at all as a site, to be avoided.

Réponse 10 / 21

Julien3406

Huge scam this site Light in The Box.
- Package.. never received.
- delivered to a drop-off point.. Unknown
- customer service.. never answered.

Réponse 11 / 21

paoupet Posted messages 4 Status Membre

I paid for insurance to be reimbursed for customs duties (€7.50), but my order paid with PayPal does not appear on the merchant's site, so I can't claim my refund because on this site (LinThebox) you can only have contact through the order.
I will go through PayPal and then the fraud prevention office to recover my due.
Whatever you say in your response, this is a site to avoid and the carrier charges fees that were never announced.
If we buy from the other side of the planet, it's because the prices charged by European retailers, especially French ones, are exaggerated for products made in Asia.

Jimpix Posted messages 12079 Registration date Status Membre Last intervention 4 389

Given what it costs you in total, buy it locally; it won't be any cheaper, and you'll support local employment...!

paoupet Posted messages 4 Status Membre > Jimpix Posted messages 12079 Registration date Status Membre Last intervention

In France, what do we currently produce? Luxury items that we cannot afford and thieving, lying politicians, often coming from elsewhere!

piquesous Posted messages 15734 Registration date Status Contributeur Last intervention 6 123 > paoupet Posted messages 4 Status Membre

The forum is not intended to discuss or debate politics.
I will provide you with a response in my other message, please take that into account.
https://forums.commentcamarche.net/forum/affich-34398258-arnaque-du-site-light-in-the-box#4
Not to mention that there have been other messages.

piquesous Posted messages 15734 Registration date Status Contributeur Last intervention 6 123 > Jimpix Posted messages 12079 Registration date Status Membre Last intervention

If the person thinks the grass is greener at our neighbors', let her go live there...
She will certainly pay less for "leisure" items, but we'll see if everyday life suits her...
It's like those people who still haven't understood that very often, buying clothes in a country on the other side of the world leads to this.

TIGRRRRRR Posted messages 1 Status Membre 1

LIGHT IN THE BOX is a site with shady practices, customs fees or not. In my case, I was expecting a cheap item and a delivery four times too long but, oh surprise, there's something other than what I ordered in the package... And there too, no way to get a refund, the answer is "wait in line at the post office, pay for the return shipping and we'll see if we refund you." THIEVES in addition to being sellers of cheap Chinese goods. AVOID!

Réponse 12 / 21

Julien3406

Thank you and big scam this site. Hello; I have never received my package even though the tracking shows it's at a pickup point but I don't know which one, the name has never been mentioned, I have 10 days left to pick it up or 50€ goodbye. Order complaints = no response. Thank you and big scam this site.

Réponse 13 / 21

This site is an absolute scam. Orders take a long time to arrive, the products are hideous, of dreadful quality and poorly cut, and they do not refund or only refund a small part (20%) at best. To get a refund, you have to go through a whole complicated process so that you'll give up beforehand. In short, this is a site to avoid at all costs.

Réponse 14 / 21

Tintin

Attention! Do not order from this site at all; the clothes are Chinese and of very poor quality, and you will never get a refund!! HUGE SCAM!! Furthermore, the prices are super expensive for such crappy quality!

Réponse 15 / 21

Nathalie

Hello

after an endless waiting period for my article

the LightInTheBox site informs me that my order is cancelled and I am still waiting for my refund, it's a scam, one must absolutely avoid and boycott this kind of site. Best regards to all

Réponse 16 / 21

laura

2017 2018 ...and since ?? in 2022 it continues! I received dresses with a fabric that we don't know here! I return the goods by doing exactly what they ask me to... return via colissimo, everything is fine with the post office up to customs... since I informed LightInTheBox... the conversation was abruptly cut off; impossible to contact them and 2 months later still no refund... SCAM - SITE TO AVOID

Réponse 17 / 21

Boohib

Oh no, I should have checked her messages earlier, I ordered a sweatshirt 15 days ago and it still hasn't been delivered... I was hoping for it by Christmas, not even shipped yet, it's a shame and there's nowhere to send an email to inquire about the delivery status, I am extremely disappointed, avoid it more than anything.

Réponse 18 / 21

carm

I join the previous comments. To avoid giving you a bad experience, here is mine:

a cushion cover order that arrived after 15 days (I now understand why, shipped directly from China by cargo). In short, the quality is in no way consistent with the photos: colors, printing, fabrics. After requesting a return, I learned that the shipping costs are higher (about €29) than the merchandise itself, while the website states that returns are possible. Possible but effectively impossible since everything is done to discourage you. Shameful!

Réponse 19 / 21

Didi

Moreover, returns and exchanges are impossible. Never ever order from this site.

Réponse 20 / 21

Cari

BIG SCAM!!!!!!!!!!

For an order of €168, customs fees of €51.50, I'm really angry...... And indeed, when you call DHL, they shift the blame onto the Chinese, saying that you should have read the terms and conditions, but the problem is that it's written nowhere.... Grrrrrr it's outrageous. However, there are 2 sites, light in the box, the other is written all together and it's actually on that one that I usually order without any problems and it's delivered to my house. So I’m just letting go of €168 FRAUDULENT SITE, SCAM, TO AVOID

brucine Posted messages 24389 Registration date Status Membre Last intervention 4 098

Hello also,

Without prejudice to the reliability of this site and the quality of what is sold there, this is inaccurate.

As mentioned elsewhere in this thread, the existence of customs fees is specified in the terms and conditions.

Even if it were not the case, it is not written on the roads themselves but only in the Highway Code that I am not allowed to drive on the left.

I am supposed to know that everything purchased outside the EU is taxable; in fact, I encountered this scenario a few years ago with a "poisoned" gift coming not from China but from the United States.

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Light in the Box Scam

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