Purchase experience and customer support feedback

The Story Continues

Today, I received a notification from AliExpress customer support stating that they are refusing to refund the unit I returned. Upon seeing this, I immediately contacted Mekede customer support to ask why my refund was being denied, even though I had returned the unit. Their response was:

“We cannot refund you because there will be a penalty for us.”

From what I understand, AliExpress fines the seller a small amount when the return reason is the seller’s fault, such as sending the wrong product—which, in my case, is exactly what happened. As mentioned earlier, I ordered an 8/128GB 10” unit but received a 6/64GB 9” unit instead.

However, Mekede believes I should bear the consequences of their mistake. Not only did I pay for the return shipping, but now they want to avoid any responsibility for sending the wrong item. To avoid being fined, they forced me to change the return reason to “Item no longer needed.”

At this point, I’m exhausted and willing to do whatever it takes to resolve this. So, I followed their instructions and updated the return reason as requested. Now, I’m back to waiting—who knows how long this will take.

During this process, I repeatedly asked Mekede customer support if there’s anything else I can do to help resolve the situation. Unsurprisingly, they ignored my questions. Frankly, I don’t think there’s anything more I can do on my end.

Poor Customer Support and Misleading Practices

I can’t understand how it’s possible to run a business like this. While some users claim the seller is doing a good job, they’re likely unaware of the frustrating delays and the poor quality of communication. Different representatives at Mekede customer support provide conflicting information, leading to confusion and making you question whether they are capable of resolving your issue at all.

One glaring problem is their failure to clarify crucial information. For example, regarding the 360-degree camera support, many users are unaware that this feature requires an additional chip that must be purchased separately. Despite claiming the feature is supported, they fail to clearly state that it is not included by default.

Here’s a simple solution:
• Add a clear, bold message on the product page saying:
“To enable 360-degree cameras, you need to purchase an additional chip from a separate product page.”
• Include a picture of the chip with a clickable link so customers can easily find and purchase it.

This is standard practice for most sellers on AliExpress, but Mekede fails to implement this basic level of transparency.

For example, while there’s a vague hint about the chip on the official global Mekede store, no such information exists on the French Mekede store for the same product. This inconsistency effectively turns the claim of 360-degree camera support into false advertising.

Why This Matters

Every day, I see posts here and on the Telegram channel from customers confused about missing features, particularly the 360-degree camera functionality. They’re frustrated to learn that something advertised as “supported” is incomplete because of the hidden requirement to purchase a separate chip.

This lack of clarity not only creates a poor customer experience but also damages trust in the brand. Mekede could easily fix this issue by being transparent and upfront with their customers. Instead, they leave buyers in the dark, leading to misunderstandings, complaints, and situations like mine.

I wouldn’t call this a drama—it’s just a situation that’s happening and will eventually resolve one way or another. As I’ve stated before, I’m not here to complain or “cry like a little girl.” I’m simply sharing my story, hoping it might be helpful to others. That’s all I’m doing.

To address your point, yes, this situation could have been avoided in several ways. To make it clearer, I’ll outline some of them:
1. Not ordering at all.
This would obviously prevent any issues, as there would be no purchase and therefore no “drama,” as you put it.
2. Not trusting the advertised features and extensively researching online.
While this approach could help clarify certain doubts, it’s not a guaranteed solution. Some information might be incomplete, hard to find, or even unavailable.
3. Relying on the product page for accurate information.
Ideally, the product page should contain all necessary details in a clear and comprehensive manner. If any information is missing, reputable manufacturers usually provide datasheets or other documentation that fully describes the product’s features and options.
Unfortunately, in this case, the product page didn’t include a link to any such supplementary information, leaving customers without a complete understanding of what they’re purchasing.

As someone who works for a company that manufactures high-end products, I can tell you that transparency is key. Disclosing as much information as possible is not just beneficial for customers—it’s essential for maintaining trust and reputation.

If my company were to handle things the way this situation was managed, we would quickly lose credibility and, eventually, go out of business. Reputation is everything.

When mistakes happen, we take full responsibility. Here’s how we approach it:
1. We prioritize solving the issue immediately, ensuring the customer’s satisfaction.
2. We often offer discounts for future purchases or services as a gesture of goodwill.
3. In some cases, we go further and provide a service or product entirely for free.

Doesn’t that sound like good business practice to you?

Now, let me ask:
• Do you believe businesses should take care of their customers and correct mistakes?
• If a mistake is made, should the customer bear the cost of fixing it?

In my case, the seller sent me the wrong unit entirely—a completely different product from what I ordered. Isn’t that reason enough for me to return the item and expect a refund?

If so, why should I be responsible for paying the return shipping costs?

We don’t even need to discuss the chip issue to see that this is a fundamental failure. The seller failed in the most basic responsibility: sending me the correct product.

I get the impression that you may not fully believe what I’ve said, and that’s fine. If I need to provide proof, I can, but that’s not my intention here. My goal is to highlight issues related to product presentation, customer support performance, and problem-solving skills. These are key areas that, in my opinion, require significant improvement.

I’m confident that I’ll enjoy the product once I finally receive what I ordered. I’m passionate about technology, innovation, and advancements. For over 10 years, I’ve been using Chinese head units, so I’m no stranger to the challenges they can present. I’ve dealt with cases where I had to replace chips on main boards or make other hardware enhancements to keep things running.

Tbui Getting the one that you ordered is already a good start.
The Ali experience, yes. I don't know how old is my account there but I would think it's more than 10 years. Most of the time I order cheap stuff that I can throw in the bin when something is not correct. In this case though it is important to resolve the problem the correct way.
Paying through PayPal now sounds like a good idea to me. I will look to do that for more expensive purchases. Thanks for the advice.

Interesting opinions for which, I'm grateful.

For the ones saying that I ordered the wrong product based on my assumptions.
How about the fact that I ordered 8/128GB 10'' and got 6/64GB 9''. Which assumptions are wrong in this case?
It is not about the chip at all at this point. There is not even a single parameter that matcher my order. What would you have done in this case? Would you just say - "Ah, I probably had wrong assumptions and it is totally fine that I paid more for less."
What about not getting answers for days, and when you have them, they are 3 to 4 words long and are not clear at all?
What about different people from support giving you different instructions all together?
What about not trying to take any responsibility for making such a fundamental mistake?
I don't think you guys are reading my posts in their entirety.

As I said before, I'm sharing my experience the way it unfolds. I'm not judging, I'm simply reporting. I'm sure when I get an actual product, I will be pleasantly surprised. At this time, I paid for two and I have empty hands.

About the way I write my posts. This is simply because I come from a working environment that is fundamental to know how to present information, that's all. If some of you perceive my story as dramatic, it is probably because it is. I never said that I'm creating a drama, I even denied it.
Most of us haven't seen such a customer support level and that's why it also can sound unbelievable. I admit that if I was listening to someone explaining this, I would be at one point skeptical but this does not make it untrue. What is true is true, and nobody can change that.

I'm glad that most of you have had a positive experience with Mekede/Dudu. This is the reason I did a second purchase. One way or another, I will get what I want. You know why, because I paid for it. This is my part in this transaction, the rest is the sellers responsibility.

Right, first of all thanks for your opinion. Since we came to the point that you are accusing me of being a liar. Can you at least explain to the rest of the readers, how did you come to this conclusion. If you present something, then I will give hard evidence of what I'm telling here, if not, we can safely discard your opinion. Unless you can present something that tells everybody that I'm lying, this is also the last time I'm dedicating time to respond to you.

For the rest of the users that do want to know what happened, I received today the second unit that I ordered. This time it is exactly what it bought - 12/512GB + 360. For this order, all is perfect. Fast shipping, great packaging and quick delivery. Next step is to get refunded for the unit I already returned.