I did something stupid, something that I have told my kids over and over again not to do, but I clicked on a Facebook link, to a Chinese shop called Sweet Offerz, advertising the Lego Hogwarts Castle, for half price.

I paid using PayPal, but not logged into my account at the time, as I couldn't remember my password, and used a credit card for extra protection.

As soon as I had made payment, I regretted it, and thought it was a [problem], so I immediately phoned both PayPal and my credit card company to see if I could stop payment, and explained that I thought it was a [problem], but neither would do it, and said I could raise a claim if the item wasn't received in 30 days.

What arrived through the post was a box full of cheap, bad quality plastic bricks, not Lego and instruction books to make a "magic world castle" not a Hogwarts castle as advertised.

I thought, I'll just claim my money back through PayPal as what I was sent was clearly no what was advertised, and I thought PayPal would accept this and that would be that.

However PayPal have ruled the claim against me and I am not getting a refund, as the company sent proof of the item being posted and delivered, which wasn't the basis of my claim, but they won't budge.

I have contacted Sweet Offerz, through their email address supplied by PayPal but they have ignored all my messages, I have asked for a refund, and to return the item but they don't reply.

Also I can't log in to the account I created when buying the item, and their site does not recognise my email address when I try to recover my account details, the same email address they sent shipping details to.

I should have known PayPal wouldn't be bothered to help, they never do, but is there anywhere else I can take my claim.

you could have stopped the payment by logging in to your paypal account immediately after making this payment.

As it was undoubtedly less than £100 you can go nowhere with the card provider. basically without sending it back by tracked delivery Paypal wont be interested and the postage will be far more then the item is worth.

Neither paypal or your card issuer can protect you from yourself so you will have to write off the money and learn from the experience.

[it was over £100, and it's not showing on my paypal account as I wasn't logged in at the time, and paid through paypal with my credit card,

I phoned both paypal and credit card company immediately after making payment, but neither were interested.

OK so I didn't think, my fault, but surely that's not a reason to accept that this company are [problem]mers, and forget about my money, what happened to buyer protection, didn't see stupidity being a reason for not claiming.

Just had a look at sweet offerz

The one you brought isn't up but the millennium falcon is - not once do they mention it being lego however so I'm not sure how you would prove miss-selling

I have to admit I'm surprised it's poor quality bricks as China is so famous for its lego clone that lego sued them

It is cheaper elsewhere however (kids got 20 sets of knock of lego from china last year and still haven't realised)

However PayPal have ruled the claim against me and I am not getting a refund, as the company sent proof of the item being posted and delivered

Did you open the wrong type of claim? It does appear that you've opened an item not received dispute if the seller managed to win by supplying a tracking number.

You needed to open an item not as described dispute.

Can you clarify which was opened?

Just had a look at sweet offerz

 

The one you brought isn't up but the millennium falcon is - not once do they mention it being lego however so I'm not sure how you would prove miss-selling

 

I have to admit I'm surprised it's poor quality bricks as China is so famous for its lego clone that lego sued them

 

It is cheaper elsewhere however (kids got 20 sets of knock of lego from china last year and still haven't realised)

The advert I clicked on had the actual Lego box in it, and the invoice I received with the delivery clearly states “hogwarts castle” but the instruction manual is for a “magic world”

Did you open the wrong type of claim? It does appear that you've opened an item not received dispute if the seller managed to win by supplying a tracking number.

 

You needed to open an item not as described dispute.

 

Can you clarify which was opened?

I thought I had told them it was a not as described, it difficult to sort as I wasn’t logged into my PayPal account at the time of purchase, but used PayPal and my email address, so it doesn’t show in my account when I log in but they did see the purchase when I first rang them to make the claim.

However, it’s still strange that the company do not reply or acknowledge my purchase and have ignored all my emails, but replied to PayPal.

I thought I had told them it was a not as described, it difficult to sort as I wasn’t logged into my PayPal account at the time of purchase, but used PayPal and my email address, so it doesn’t show in my account when I log in but they did see the purchase when I first rang them to make the claim.

 

However, it’s still strange that the company do not reply or acknowledge my purchase and have ignored all my emails, but replied to PayPal.

Not strange at all, the seller has your money and only PayPal can take it back from them, you can't.

You need to contact PayPal and ascertain that they've opened the right kind of dispute, because it doesn't seem like that an item not as described dispute has been opened for this purchase.

Having said that, even if you do manage to get a dispute opened for not as described, you'll be told to return the item to the seller in China by trackable means at your own expense, and packages rarely show as delivered in China even if you return International Signed For. The package usually tracks to China, but not to the delivery address.