Merimobiles, merimobiles.com - Bad Customer Service, No Communication & No Tablet! - Szechuan, China - Internet

I originally purchased an android tablet from Merimobiles.com on 8/15/13 because I wanted a tablet for an upcoming trip.  I paid extra for the DHL express becuase I needed to receive it within 10 days.  The tablet arrived in time, but unfortunately the LCD screen was broken.  It was not cracked, but there was a permanent line through the screen (internally).  I was clearly disappointed, but I sent the tablet back to China and I followed their instructions to the letter.  I sent them a picture of the problem;  I filled out their RMA forms and included them in the box;  I shipped it via USPS, which they insisted on, etc.  

Note: I shipped the tablet back to MeriMobiles on 8/27/13 and I still have no tablet today (10/31/13), but let's get back to the story.

So, weeks go by and I finally receive an email on 9/14/13 from Crystal in the returns department telling me that since the screen is damaged, I will be liable for the repair cost.  Even though I included an RMA form in the box with detailed notes about the problem.  Also, I spoke with both John and Ace prior to the return and they supposedly entered my RMA info in the computer...I mean that's what any other normal company would do, right?  Anyway, Crystal seemed to have no access to this information and she thought I was trying to return a tablet that I damaged personally...ugh.

So after 3 chat sessions and 2 more emails, they finally escalated me to the "manager", Jay.  Jay said that he had spoken to Crystal and she misread the RMA form.  Now things started getting really confusing and this is where Merimobiles' house of cards started to crumble.  While Jay (the "manager") said he was taking care of the problem and had spoken to Crystal, I started getting emails from Ren (via Crystal) responding to me separately.  They still seemed to have no idea what Jay was talking about and Ren asked me if I had spoken to Ace before my return.  I responded "yes", I spoke with ace, but then Ace started responding to me separately (not knowing about Crystal, Ren and Jay) and asked me if I fixed my tablet with a firmware update or something completely unrelated.  I then told Ace the whole story and that I had already sent the tablet in to get a replacement, etc.  So, at this time it became very obvious to me that there was zero communication going on between the MeriMobiles departments and that scared me. 

So, after a few chat sessions and a some emails, Jay finally got back to me on 9/16 and said "please send us your shipping receipt so that we can give you the shipping compensation".  Although I had already emailed the shipping receipt to John (yet another employee) weeks before, I once again attached the scan so that Jay would be able to reimburse me for the cost.

A couple days go by and I get an email from another member of the Merimobiles team asking me if I spoke to Ace before I returned my tablet.  Now, I'm totally confused.  I thought I just spoke with the manager and he assured me that he was going to reimburse me for he shipping and get my new tablet out in the mail pronto.  I thought everything was taken care of...

So, I emailed Jay again with a more concerned tone and waited 2 more business days without a response.  Was I ever going to receive this tablet?  Was I even going to receive the shipping cost reimbursement? Since Jay wouldn't respond to me, I chatted with John online who told me that none of my RMA info or order info was in the system at all.  There was no reimbursement info, no shipment info, nothing.  He simply said, "I'm sorry" and there was nothing he could do except leave another note for Jay.

Then on 9/19/13, a new member of the team Catherine contacted me apologizing for the delay.  She told me that the shipping reimbursement would be handled immediately and that Jay would be back in touch.  Jay finally responded on 9/20 and he asked for my Paypal email info so that he could finally process the reimbursement request. 

9/22/13 - still no reimbursement for the shipping but Jay gave me store credit so that I could purchase a new tablet and have it sent to me.  Things were finally looking up (lol).  He only gave me enough credit for the standard shipping even though I had purchased DHL express for the defective tablet they sent me, but I had no choice...so I placed the order on 9/22.

Fast forward to 10/18/13…still no reimbursement on my shipping.  Still no tracking number, nothing.  What's going on?  

I emailed Jay on 10/18 about my concerns and he didn't respond until 10/22.  He again asked for my Paypal email and a copy of my shipping receipt.  I figured, 3rd time is a charm...awesome.  So, I once again forwarded the info in hopes of finally getting it resolved.

10/26/13 - still no working tracking number.  Still no proof of shipment at all.  I did receive a shipping credit for $25 although it cost me $35 dollars.  Great!  I also received an email with a new tracking number from another employee telling me that the old tracking number was broken.  Strange...unfortunately this new tracking number doesn't work either.  This just keeps getting better.

10/29/13 - still no working tracking number.  Jay won't respond to my emails.  He actually did respond to one, but he didn't seem to remember who I was and he quoted some incorrect information about tracking.  What's going on in this place?

10/31/13 - I finally got a working tracking number and it says "Despatched to overseas (Country code: US)".  I chatted with an employee online (Jerlyn) and she said it may have not even shipped yet.  I can't take this anymore.  Oh boy...

i know that this report is pretty long, but I actually omitted about 1/3rd of the back-and-forth interactions because I'm totally beaten down by this company.  It's been the worst customer service experience I've ever dealt with.  I honestly don't have it in me to fight much more.  The best I can do is to write this report so that I can at least keep a few people away from this horrible company.  I emailed Jay again today and told him to please just refund my money and keep the tablet if it's still in China.  I'm sure that I will hear from him in about a week...lol.  

So, don't be stupid like me...stay away from MeriMobiles at all costs unless you want to wait over 2 months for a working tablet like me.  Good times!