Mobile phone - not factory standard

[Ohthepressure]

Skip to the bottom if you're short on time...

I needed to replace my LG G3 phone as work were taking back the one I had used for a year and I already had a case for it etc. So I looked at shops an on ebay, and saw one, multiple ones, actually, from the same seller with 12,000 (98% positive) feedback. I'm currently in Australia, they were based in HK so, although I had a niggling doubt, I went for it as I would be without a phone once the work one went back and it was described as brand new (am I allowed to post the listing page here?) and no alarm bells were ringing apart from the location.

I picked up the package last week, all looked great, immaculate box etc and as far as I can see it's not a fake. BUT when I started setting it up and tried to update the Android version it wouldn't, saying it had been rooted.

Eventually I found the rooting program, Kingroot, but I have been unable to uninstall it and restore to factory settings.

I emailed the seller, they were quick to respond, first suggesting a factory reset (that would have been my third), then asking for a quote locally to reset, which came in at $150 (about £100, I paid £125 for the phone...) with no guarantee of working.

They have now said I can send the phone back for a refund. When I pressed them they said they did have non rooted phones, but they wouldn't send out another until they'd received mine. Obviously I see their point, but (a) it mean I'll be without a phone for 4-6 weeks, and (b) the new phone might well turn out to be dodgy in some way or also rooted, I'm not sure if they understand what my concern is.

I can't find any other LG G3s (32GB) at a reasonable price, and certainly none not from HK.

My question, in case you can't be bothered to read the rest! :
Should I raise a dispute through the eBay money back guarantee as the mobile phone is an item not as described (the listing states it is upgradeable to Android 5, it is not)? If so, can I agree to keep it but ask for a partial refund?

Help me, oh wise ones!

Personally I'd open a dispute and send it back for a full refund.

It's a rooted fake. Sounds like a total nightmare.

You need to choose a model that you can afford, and won't let you down.

DONT buy from HK.

And just to point out 98% feed back for a buyer that has 12000+ sales is dreadful! Shows they cannot be trusted.

PS yes you can agree to keep it for a partial refund, but my advice would be DONT

But all the other feedback for the exact same phone is perfect, that's what I was looking at. It doesn't feel like a fake, it's just like the other one I had.

Gah...

I presume I need to open a dispute first, not just send it back to them?

You don't get non fake mobile phones from HK.

The exterior might be the same, but inside won't be, even if it appears to be at first glance.

You won't have any warranty with this phone either, unless it is not as described upon arrival (and yours is as it has been rooted), so if anything else goes wrong with it further down the line, then you won't have any comeback.

Yes, open a SNAD case with eBay and see what they advise you to do.

Chances are the HK seller will offer you a partial refund to keep the phone. It's up to you if you want to accept but I'd advise you not to, for the reasons above.

If they tell you to return it for a refund make sure you get a foreign returns label from them or eBay. You may have to phone eBay to arrange this if the seller doesn't play ball.

Oh. Thanks. I feel like an idiot... They've emailed me an address to send it back to, and asked me to pay and they'll refund. I take it that's unlikely to happen either? Would a foreign returns label be free? I've obviously led a sheltered life on eBay so far, everything has always been fine, although I guess buying a mobile phone from HK is probably top of the stupid / risky stakes...

If you raise as a SNAD dispute eBay will send you a pad for label that they track, you should do this stead of paying and claiming back

Thanks!

You're not an idiot OP, most people will be blinded by a cheap price! The rule of thumb I stick to when ordering things from HK is, assume it's going to be cheap tat (and be happy enough to bin it and forget about it, if it is), and if it isn't then that's a bonus!

No, don't just send it back, open an eBay case and make sure you obtain a prepaid, trackable, returns label. Again, if the seller won't provide one (likely scenario), phone eBay to request one.