I paid Rs.15,549/- for an ASUS FonePad (Model No.ME371MG-1B058A)to an eBbay India seller, Chetan Gupta @ “Onebazaar”(PaisaPay ID: 34565658781) on 9th September, 2013. This phone model was released into the Indian market sometime during April-May, 2013 by ASUS Technologies, Taiwan. The seller advertised the product on eBay India as having one year manufacturer’s warranty with a free shipping offer. The phone was shipped to me by First Flight Couriers(Airway Bill No. E12475643) on 11th September, 2013, and I received the shipment on 13th September, 2013. The FonePad’s Serial No. is D5OKBC085115. During the second week of November, 2013, the FonePad started charging less and less. Two days later, it would not charge at all, and instead display on screen a green coloured battery icon with a question mark. Puzzled, I googled about this and came across a flood of complaints from consumers all over the world about the FonePad’s “green battery icon with a question mark” problem. Grapewine on the internet was that the model had an inherent incompatibility between its motherboard and the battery, and hence the issue. This being the case, the least ASUS could have done is to order a recall of the model. But they did not do so. I contacted ASUS Technologies(ASUS Case ID= RWTM201312061858436322-077), and was asked to approach their nearest authorized service centre. I therefore approached M/s. Digicomp Solutions, the authorized service centre of ASUS in Hyderabad. They found out that the unit had a manufacturing defect, declared the unit as unserviceable, retained the unit with them, and issued a DOA certificate(DHDDKDBR5091) asking me to approach M/s. Compuage, Hyderabad(distributor of ASUS) for a replacement / refund. When I approached the latter, M/s. Compuage issued me an RMA CN certificate(INUK3B0082), and asked me to claim the replacement / refund from Onebazaar. I was informed that the DOA policy of ASUS is to reimburse the actual seller for the replacement / refund, and I cannot get a replacement / refund for the items bought from non-local sellers on eBay India from the distributors in Hyderabad. Taken aback, I contacted ASUS India’s hot-line at 18002090365 to explore the possibility of obtaining a relief locally. Their response was that I should approach eBay India alone. I emailed a few times to eBay India and Onebazaar regarding the problem. My emails were met with silence. Worse, eBay India’s customer-care recorded a false customer support call on 09/12/2013, and even asked me to provide feedback on their customer support through an email(that’s how I came to know of the fake “customer support call”). I guess they closed my complaint after recording the fake customer support call. It is clear that eBay India washes off its hands once they get their commission out of a sale. The sellers on eBay India prefer to remain faceless, and are least inclined to address the grievances of the customers once the sale is complete

Replacement of the phone / refund of the cost paid for phone.

Complainant Information
name- kspv