Be Very Careful Buying Cobalt Aquatics Equipment

L

LiveRound69

New member
I found out the hard way that Cobalt Aquatics doesn't want to stand behind purchases from anyone on Ebay. The claim is there isn't any accountability on Ebay for damages...which is BS by the way. .....You can file claims for damaged items either with Ebay, The seller, Or the delivery company who brought the package to you. Then there is also insurance which these days is usually purchased whether you want it or not...

When i contact Cobalt Aquatics about the issue. They then tried to treat my purchase as some sort of SUBSTANDARD purchase like it wasnt vaild to buy from a distributor thru Ebay. Check out their response to my email below. It will get your goat over they way they immediately ditch in any way they can...


"Cobalt Sup
Cobalt Support (Cobalt Aquatics)
Oct 6, 11:50 AM EDT

Because Ebay is an auction site with no accountability, we can't verify that anything bought there is new, genuine or undamaged, so we don't normally warranty purchases made there. However, we understand that it can be frustrating to buy something and have it not working a few months later. So if you can give us your shipping address, we'll extend you a courtesy exception and mail you a replacement MJ600 impeller. Virtually all pump problems can be solved by replacing the impeller, as it is the only moving part - the only failure the pump body itself could suffer would be a total lack of power, which is not what you're describing."
Click to expand...

________________________________


Oct 6, 2:33 AM EDT

I was having problems with your website. I cannot find the place to send in a warranty claim on the cobalt MJ600 i bought on Ebay back in May,..I tried cleaning it per your suggestion and that didnt work. It has intermittent issues and has become a pain lately. How do i file on this pump to get a replacement?. I am enclosing a copy of the paid items list on Ebay from my account. Thanks for any help in the matter.
Click to expand...

Attachment(s)
MJ600.jpg




WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP....OFFER A LOUSY IMPELLAR like its worth the $30+ shipping i paid for their trash. Thanks for nothing COBALT ..I did as I told them I would..>Let the world know they stink when it comes to customer service over newly purchased but yet still failed equipment. If I stop one person from making the mistake I did ...then its worth it..
 
Last edited:
LiveRound69 said:
I found out the hard way that Cobalt Aquatics doesn't want to stand behind purchases from anyone on Ebay. The claim is there isn't any accountability on Ebay for damages...which is BS by the way. .....You can file claims for damaged items either with Ebay, The seller, Or the delivery company who brought the package to you. Then there is also insurance which these days is usually purchased whether you want it or not...

When i contact Cobalt Aquatics about the issue. They then tried to treat my purchase as some sort of SUBSTANDARD purchase like it wasnt vaild to buy from a distributor thru Ebay. Check out their response to my email below. It will get your goat over they way they immediately ditch in any way they can...




________________________________


Oct 6, 2:33 AM EDT



Attachment(s)
MJ600.jpg




WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP....OFFER A LOUSY IMPELLAR like its worth the $30+ shipping i paid for their trash. Thanks for nothing COBALT ..I did as I told them I would..>Let the world know they stink when it comes to customer service over newly purchased but yet still failed equipment. If I stop one person from making the mistake I did ...then its worth it..
Click to expand...

I think you will find that a lot of companies are like that and will not cover purchases from NON authorized dealers. File with ebay. The seller will more than likely cover the part you need via partial refund rather than get the whole thing back and have to issue a full refund plus shipping.
 
This came from Premium Aquatics which is a store in the outskirts of Indianapolis. The rep from Cobalt talked as if NO ONE on ebay can be trusted. I forwarded this email to Luke at Premium Aquatics and he was dumbfounded as to why Cobalt is damning everyone on Ebay. Typical case of another company attempting to back out of a warranty issue.. Cobalt shouldve got into car insurance too...they wouldve been good at denying claims.
 
I am on cobalt's side here. It was generous of them to send you an impeller for free. Never buy something on e-bay (or anything unauthorized retailer) that you want service on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
jayball said:
I am on cobalt's side here. It was generous of them to send you an impeller for free. Never buy something on e-bay (or anything unauthorized retailer) that you want service on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I agree also, a lot of companies won't warranty products unless the purchase is from a authorized reseller. Same reasons many companies also won't price match prices on eBay from sellers. The authenticity of products and sellers is hard to verify and there is a lot of knock off products out there that look authentic. If your buying from a reputable seller buy directly from them and avoid the whole issue.
 
I guess I don't see the problem here? Cobalt did the right thing and sent you a new impeller. What else did you want? Free pumps for life?

Why not buy directly from PA to begin with? Seems like that would resolve just about any issue. I avoid eBay at all costs for reasons just like this. Too many scammers out there to avoid when buying from a reputable company is so much easier in the end
 
I don't think it should matter which storefront was used to buy the item, as long as it was purchased from an authorized dealer. If premium aquatics can confirm the ebay sale, the manufacturer should honor the warranty and not make it sound as if they are doing the customer a favor. I don't like this...
 
+1 to the comments above

Cobalt is far from the only manufacturer that will not service items not purchased from authorized retailers or from eBay.

I tend to view eBay as one step above a flea market. There are many reputable resellers and many other not so reputable ones, and many who get onetime shipments of items from who knows where, or lots of refurbished equipment. If I were a manufacturer, I would probably not guarantee items from e-bay, either.
 
This is silly. Ebay purchases are not covered by most companies for the reasons mentioned already and that is pretty much common knowledge regardless of whom it was purchased through as the vendor has no way of verifying whether the seller was selling a new, used, old stock or open boxed item. That said, you bought it from an authorized dealer who has an impeccable reputation and should have requested an invoice from Premium Aquatics when you had an issue. They would have gladly provided you with proof of purchase from Premium and not eBay at which point you should have used that as the proof of purchase.
 
I bought one of their heaters new and it exploded in my tank. They wouldn't do anything, not even replace the heater. I won't buy anything from them because of that.
 
slief said:
This is silly. Ebay purchases are not covered by most companies for the reasons mentioned already and that is pretty much common knowledge regardless of whom it was purchased through as the vendor has no way of verifying whether the seller was selling a new, used, old stock or open boxed item. That said, you bought it from an authorized dealer who has an impeccable reputation and should have requested an invoice from Premium Aquatics when you had an issue. They would have gladly provided you with proof of purchase from Premium and not eBay at which point you should have used that as the proof of purchase.
Click to expand...

I'm gonna take a wild stab in the dark. Premium Aquatics has an Ebay Store and they sell on Ebay also. Which is why they are saying they won't cover it.

http://www.ebay.com/usr/premiumaq

As said by most on here. This is standard practice for most companies unless they are a true authorized seller of a product and anyone can say they are authorized reseller, but it may or may not be true. Ebay is known for cheap knock-offs of many products. No, Shock here.

Honestly, I think they were nice enough to send you a new part. Clearly, they tried to help and they didn't even have to do that, to be honest. Lesson learned and I guess if you want to make sure you have the full warranty, then buy from Premium Aquatics website and problem solved.

Also, Premium Aquatics could have reached out to them to confirm the purchase also.
 
If I buy a computer part from newegg via ebay I get the same warranty and support as if I would've bought it from their site. Why? Because it's the same company, who cares where the transaction went through. Welcome to the modern internet where companies have multiple storefronts to try and reach the most people they can.

This is why most companies in the hobby get away with treating people the way they do. Most reefers are chumps and every single one defending Cobalt proves it.
 
moral of the story: Don't voluntarily tell companies where you bought stuff unless they ask for proof of purchase.

If they do ask for proof of purchase, get it from the store that sold it to you on ebay, not from ebay itself.

Otherwise, don't tell them where you bought it, when you bought it, how you bought it, or anything else, so they don't pull some bullshit "we're not sure if it's truly covered under warranty or not" story.

Don't self-incriminate, lol.

Hate to have to give advice like that, but honesty and transparency only gets you so far before people start taking advantage of you for it....
 
Last edited:
LiveRound69 said:
I found out the hard way that Cobalt Aquatics doesn't want to stand behind purchases from anyone on Ebay. The claim is there isn't any accountability on Ebay for damages...which is BS by the way. .....You can file claims for damaged items either with Ebay, The seller, Or the delivery company who brought the package to you. Then there is also insurance which these days is usually purchased whether you want it or not...

When i contact Cobalt Aquatics about the issue. They then tried to treat my purchase as some sort of SUBSTANDARD purchase like it wasnt vaild to buy from a distributor thru Ebay. Check out their response to my email below. It will get your goat over they way they immediately ditch in any way they can...




________________________________


Oct 6, 2:33 AM EDT



Attachment(s)
MJ600.jpg




WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP....OFFER A LOUSY IMPELLAR like its worth the $30+ shipping i paid for their trash. Thanks for nothing COBALT ..I did as I told them I would..>Let the world know they stink when it comes to customer service over newly purchased but yet still failed equipment. If I stop one person from making the mistake I did ...then its worth it..
Click to expand...
What are you complaining about? Their response is entirely reasonable.

You chose to save money by buying through an eBay sell with whom they have no working relationship. It's called "gray market" and no respectable company offers warranties on their products when they are bought through those channels. Because, like they said, they have no idea what the products condition was when you purchased it.

And yet it sounds like they helped you somewhat And here you are complaining. Am I just grumpy this morning or is it getting annoying that people use these forums to bash companies over these tiny things rather than working through proper channels?

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
 
I feel they did more than they had to do for you. You bought it off eBay for cheap. Then when it breaks you want the company to make it right. You really should have bought it from your lfs or a authorized dealer if you wanted a warranty. Ebay is an electronic flea market. You never know what you are going to get.
 
Ou8me2 said:
I'm gonna take a wild stab in the dark. Premium Aquatics has an Ebay Store and they sell on Ebay also. Which is why they are saying they won't cover it.

http://www.ebay.com/usr/premiumaq

As said by most on here. This is standard practice for most companies unless they are a true authorized seller of a product and anyone can say they are authorized reseller, but it may or may not be true. Ebay is known for cheap knock-offs of many products. No, Shock here.

Honestly, I think they were nice enough to send you a new part. Clearly, they tried to help and they didn't even have to do that, to be honest. Lesson learned and I guess if you want to make sure you have the full warranty, then buy from Premium Aquatics website and problem solved.

Also, Premium Aquatics could have reached out to them to confirm the purchase also.
Click to expand...

Yes they do but they sell primarily new stuff at typical street prices. All it would take is a call or email to them and if this wasn't a used or returned item, they would have provided a legitimate non eBay receipt for it.
 
Do people read? He bought the item from premium aquatics. Just because he did it through their eBay storefront means nothing. There's no such thing as "shady premium aquatics". They are an authorized dealer no matter how you slice it.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
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