Ectaco dictionaries

Full review
I bought an Ectaco Russian-English electronic dictionary which was supposed to be a top-of-the-line product for them. The purchase was made 7th July 2008. I received the dictionary very quickly, but after playing with it, I was not happy with the product. First, the pronunciation was poorly articulated in both the "talking dictionary" and "common phrases". The former is done by a computer program (like the one Stephan Hawking uses) so it is excusable but the latter was taped from a Russian speaker. So really, there is no excuse for using a bad speaker! Second, the dictionary is quite flimsy; cheap plastic housing, poor screen resolution. Certainly not up to the $500 standard I've paid for this gadget.

So, I've decided to return the product. I sent it in on 13th July 2008 via USPS Priority Express with confirmation. It arrived on 21st July 2008. I waited about 10 days for the refund to my Paypal account (I paid through Paypal), but nothing came through. I called the helpline. The person told me that the return was received on 30th July, and it would take 2 weeks (business days) for the refund to come through. Not only did Ectaco process my refund 9 days after they received my return, they also told me that there is a restocking fee. I am absolutely sure that they DO NOT mention this fee on their website under RETURNS. I read it very carefully because I knew I might send it back.

Anyhow, I sucked it up and waited till Aug 4th...still no refund. I called Ectaco again. This time, they said that my refund was delayed because I had used "Paypal". The lady on the line told me to wait 3 business days. She would initiate the refund to be sent to Paypal. Now it's Aug 14th, and there is no refund. I just called Ectaco to get my refund, and they said that their computer is down! I should call back in 30 min.

I'm a frustrated customer who has lost hope in getting back my refund. I'm planning to lodge a complain against Ectaco with Paypal and with the BBB. I hope more people will realize that while Ectaco carries many electronic dictionary that are only available through them, it should not be the reason to put up with them.