WARNING about Alphacool - Packages left in common area, not delivered, they will not refund.

[kevpatts]

This is just a cautionary note about buying from Alphacool. I'm out over €400 because they believe DHL, without any evidence over their customer who provided evidence. MasterCard won't charge the transaction back because I gave Alphacool too long to discuss it with DHL.

The photo above is how some of my orders were found. DHL Europe (I paid for DHL premium international postage) left them in a common area of an apartment block instead of delivering to the door, or even buzzing the apartment. The contents were stolen. I raised this with Alphacool and after 3 months they have decided to believe DHL even though they cannot provide a signature.

This could happen to anyone ordering from them. DHL are apparently not requesting signatures because of Covid, but they are also using this as an excuse not to even deliver the items.

Alphacool have decided not to stand up for their customer. I won't be buying from them again because of this.

While I was waiting for the refund I re-ordered all of the parts and received the second delivery normally. I did this in the assumption that Alphacool would refund me.

 

[Eddy]

When goods are handed over to the shipping service provider, the service provider must deliver the goods with proof of delivery. However, since Corona requires a contactless handover in many countries, which means that signatures are no longer required, proof is of course not easy to obtain. We can also submit only one objection to the shipping service provider, which we have done several times. But if the shipping company tells us that the package has been delivered, our hands are still tied. In this case you as a customer should have filed a criminal complaint against DHL. We cannot do that for you in your country. We cannot even do that here in Germany. This also contradicts all regulations that exist for this area. As soon as we have handed over the goods to the shipping service provider, our insurance does not take effect, because the goods are no longer in our hands.

This is of course a very unpleasant situation for the customer, but there are legal regulations that must be observed. And it is a fact that in such a case you file a complaint with the local police.

 

[kevpatts]

I understand this is Alphacools approach to this situation Eddy, however this is not the normal approach companies take. When I purchase something from your online store I do not expect to have to file a police report against a multi-billion dollar company in order to have to get my money back. I expect that the vendor stands by their processes and their delivery methods, doing otherwise undermines their entire online retail approach, which is exactly why I posted this, as without backing your customers and standing over your subcontractors work, ANY of your future customers could end up losing money by buying from your site.

Sometimes being technically correct is not the best form of being correct.

 

[Eddy]

The delivery services are not subcontractors of ours but independent companies over which we have no influence. We can do no more than pass on a case. Handling possibilities do not exist for us here. And it doesn't matter which company it is, you always have to report a theft. Against whom, it does not matter. Otherwise no insurance will cover it.

You have to see it from our side. Or look at it from a sober and purely factual point of view. We cannot understand whether this is really a theft or whether the customer is trying to embezzle something. Therefore, one way or another, it must be checked by the police. Because we cannot control this. If you look at it very simply, anyone can take a picture of an open carton and claim that the goods have been stolen. How are we supposed to control that? This is not an evaluation and does not mean that we do not believe you. It is simply the sober facts.

I am sorry and it is also incredibly annoying from your point of view. I would not feel any different if my goods were stolen and I had two smartphones in the paper bin of DHL last year without a note in my mailbox. I only found the package by chance. Even a dishwasher was placed on a pallet in front of our house without anyone being at home. None of the senders where I had ordered would have been able to deliver the goods to me, I would have had to go through the police. That is unfortunately the rule. No matter how annoyed you are (absolutely understandable).

 

[kevpatts]

Eddy, the vendor is responsible for the delivery under European law: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/shipping-delivery/index_en.htm

I can engage the police but in Ireland that could take months if not years to get any kind of result. And what additional information will they be able to find 6 months after the incident do you think? Nothing, this is simply an attempt to fob me off like other retailers do. Do you think I would go to this much trouble if I was embezzling a mere €400?

I've contacted the public lawyers in the European Consumer Centre to clarify my exact legal rights in this matter and the best way to proceed.

 

[Eddy]

You are right to the extent that the dealer is responsible if the goods do not arrive. But in your case, the goods have arrived. Otherwise the package would not have been there. The problem here is that the goods were stolen in front of your door. And in case of theft, you have to file a report. That, according to you, reports are so complicated in Ireland is not an issue here.

 

[kevpatts]

Just to be clear, they were left 40ft from my front door in a common area. i.e. They were not delivered.