HelloLights.com Experience

[bustcard]

Hello All,

I wanted to share with you my recent experience with HelloLights.com so you can avoid the issues I have had. Below is my e-mail to their customer support:


Hello,

Today I received my order and I am extremely upset with what I received.

As you can see bellow I ordered 2 Hamilton 150W 10,000K HQI MH lights. I only received one however.

The other light seems to be some no-name light put into a Hamilton box. I took some pictures that I have Hyperlinked to this email. I will detail below why I think I got a knock off light:

1. My fist indication something was wrong was when opened both boxes. As you can see here:
http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/bustcard/LIght/?action=view&current=IMGP0613.jpg

While both bulbs came in the same blue box, you can see that only the Hamilton came in a padded corrugated cardboard lined box. The other light was just in a thin cardboard sleeve.

2. You can also see in that same picture that the bubble (filament?) inside the bulbs are not the same. The one on the right is bigger and boxier.

3. The ends of the bulb are not the same either. The ends of the Hamilton were sealed in a checker pattern. The ends of the other bulb were sealed in a pattern of parallel lines.

4. While I don't have a good picture of both lights to illustrate the next point, there is a little wire inside each bulb with a small disk on the end. You can see what I'm talking about here (http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/bustcard/LIght/?action=view&current=IMGP0616.jpg)

This structure is not the same in the 2 bulbs.

5. You can see here the difference in the lighting intensity between the bulbs:

http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/bustcard/LIght/?action=view&current=IMGP0621.jpg

The bulb on the left is the Hamilton.

You can see all the pictures I took here:

http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/bustcard/LIght/


I can see one or two changes in the bulb design or packaging between a single company's production runs but the number of cosmetic, structural, and performance differences between these bulbs seems to me to be proof positive that these are not identical bulbs.

I regret having to install the knock-off brand bulb but I desperately needed new lights and even this light is better than no light however I still expect to receive the other TRUE Hamilton bulb I ordered.
I tried to contact your customer service number at 4:30 West Coast time but only got a recording that said I could leave a message. In fact it just kept saying I could leave a message but never actually gave me the opportunity.


This is not the first order I have placed with your company, In fact I have always been pleased with your products, prices and service. Please contact me as soon as possible to confirm that my second bulb has been shipped in order to maintain my now wavering option of Hello Lights.

Lance Johnson

Am I crazy to assume these lights are not both made by the same manufacturer?

 

[spleify]

There is a feed back forum for these types of posts. Also have they contacted you back in order to rectify this situation, before you started a negative feed back post?

 

[jayk198030]

bustcard.. sorry to hear.good luck. i have used reefgeek before and when i had a problem which i believe was theirs they solved it.so no complants with those guys.

 

[bustcard]

They have contacted me back:

Hi Lance, I can assure you that what you received are infact hamilton 10k lamps. We order all of our hamilton bulbs direct from the manufacturer, and sometimes there are differences in lamps. If you would like to return those lamps to us we can issue you a refund on them.

Lmk
Thanks

Like I said in my email, i can see one or 2 things not exactly the same, but the only thing that was the same was the outer box and the price.

I don't find this to be an acceptable solution. I want my actual bulb shipped to me and I'll send them their other one back. The bulbs I was burning over this tank are used up, so i want my replacement before i send them back their bad bulb.

I agree that that request is out of the norm but I fell like somebody got caught with their hand in the cookie jar, if not HelloLights the Hamilton.

The only way that HelloLights.com can look ok in this is if Hamilton has multiple manufactures not putting out the same product that they are passing off as one they are building. According to their website however they are not simply a distributer but a manufacturer:

Hamilton Technology Corporation is the leading manufacturer of high quality aquarium lighting offering customers the widest selection of metal halide, compact fluorescent, and VHO lighting available today at the lowest prices.

I didn't see the forum you mentioned, I'm sorry for the misplaced post. Mod, please move this post to the correct venue.

 

[RockinSmall]

Well, it stinks that you had an issue, but tthey r willing to refund your money. so thats good.

 

[kajung2k]

bustcard -- I would call the mfg, hamilton, and ask them directly. and show them the evidence you have. If they claim its their bulb, then what can you do? If they don't however.. then.. you have a great story..

 

[hilgert]

I don't see the issue here. There was a problem (welcome to Real Life), a request for resolution was sent, and the vendor responded with an offer to refund.

I had a problem with and order from Hello Lights a long time ago, called them and the issue was corrected without question (other than "how can we help fix this for you?"). In that case it was MY fault for not ordering the correct part, and they still gladly helped me out.

At least give the vendor a CHANCE before blasting them in public.

-Hilgert

 

[s.reef]

I would contact hamilton, they could be switching to new packaging, they could be assembling at a different location and changing the design slightly. If they are not the same bulb they offered a refund.

 

[bustcard]

I feel that this is an issue that should be known. They offered a refund of the light and that’s great. But they never offered a shipping label or, what I really want a matching Hamilton light.

I will take the advice and contact Hamilton but I don't feel I'm in the wrong but providing a truthful, detailed account with my dealings with this company. This is not a libelous statement it's what happened.

 

[luv951]

It doesn't seem right to post in the tone of 'they screwed you over', when in fact, Hello Lights seems to be very willing to work with you to resolve. If it was somehow not a hamilton bulb, I bet it was an honest mistake.

Blasting them after they tell you 'too bad' is one thing, but to post this prior to getting a response from them seems careless to me....doing damage to the companies rep. when, as has now been proved, they are taking the right steps to make you whole.

 

[Jeff]

I don't find this to be an acceptable solution. I want my actual bulb shipped to me and I'll send them their other one back. The bulbs I was burning over this tank are used up, so i want my replacement before i send them back their bad bulb.

I agree that that request is out of the norm but I fell like somebody got caught with their hand in the cookie jar, if not HelloLights the Hamilton.

Unfortunatly, what you think is the solution and their policy are two different things. If I was Hello Lights and read this thread and saw that you slammed my company before the situation was resolved, I would not go further with any resolve.

 

[James77]

I feel that this is an issue that should be known. They offered a refund of the light and that’s great. But they never offered a shipping label or, what I really want a matching Hamilton light.

I will take the advice and contact Hamilton but I don't feel I'm in the wrong but providing a truthful, detailed account with my dealings with this company. This is not a libelous statement it's what happened.

Your dealings with hellolights have not been negative, but you are still posting on a website that they are. They assured you it is the same bulb. Without contacting the manufacturer yourself, you still insist that they are different. The next step would be to contact Hamilton.

Hellolights offered a full refund, and I am sure they would provide a shipping credit or label for you were you to ask.

Are the actual bulbs themselves labeled?

 

[bustcard]

I see where you guys are coming from. In retrospect it was too soon to post this, but...

I laid down, what is to me, some serious coin on these lights. All I wanted is what I ordered, 2 identical Hamilton lights. I provided them with the money for the lights and shipping and they agreed to provide me with the lights.


I don't feel it should have to be more complicated than that, I guess I was wrong in expecting that.

I have contacted Hamilton lights by phone. They wanted some proof that the lights were not the same and told me that they get the lights from two manufactures so i sent them the link to the photos. So it would seem that HelloLights is 100% in the clear. 110% would be to say that the lights may not ACTUALLY BE IDENTICAL but that’s going above and beyond their responsibility.

So now the fight is with Hamilton. They label themselves as the manufacturer. I think most people would think that a manufacture makes the product. It seems to me that they are misleading people on purpose, and the "you got me, here is your matching light is minimal reparation.

Like, if I sell raffle tickets and have a drawing then tell the winner there is no prize "here is your $ back". He got his $ back so what’s the harm. It's just not good business practice I think.

Unfortunatly, what you think is the solution and their policy are two different things. If I was Hello Lights and read this thread and saw that you slammed my company before the situation was resolved, I would not go further with any resolve.

At this point I don't expect them to. My fight is with Hamilton now.

Are the actual bulbs themselves labeled?

Yes I posted pictures of that. One says "Hamilton Technologies 150W 10,000K" in gold letters. The other says "150W" in black block font.

 

[john rochon]

I highly highly doubt that hamilton makes there on lamps on site, in fact there really is only a number of places that ''make'' these lamps. companys just get them made to there spec. sometime company will change who they buy there lamps off of. alot of these lamps are in fact made overseas. some are made in europe. you didn't mention how the lamps ''look'' over your tank? similar I suspect.

 

[cerobbins]

You clearly know nothing about bulbs, Hamilton, or how businesses operate. Hamilton does manufacture lights, but someone makes bulbs for them. Hamilton is still a manufacturer. Get a clue before you try to publicly tarnish someone elses image.

 

[bustcard]

you didn't mention how the lamps ''look'' over your tank? similar I suspect.

Aside from the one labeled as Hamilton being brighter, the color looks the same. But one is significantly brighter than the other.

I guesse my naïveté knowns no bounds. They call themselves a manufacturer and I took that to mean that they manufacture the bulbs. But it seems you are correct, and you know what.. I really should have known that. I just wanted 2 identical bulbs and I guess it’s a crap shot if you actually get them.

 

[bustcard]

No I don't know anything about bulbs or how they are made or about light companies manufacture process. I guess I should have done that research before I ordered 2 bulbs, my bad. I didn’t know i needed to have that education before placing my order.

 

[rigleautomotive]

I think a refund is fair and about all you will ever get in the real world.if it were litigated you would ,at best recieve a refund.hello lights has always done right by me and i have ordered about 40 lamps from them.JMO

 

[James77]

I guess I should have done that research before I ordered 2 bulbs, my bad. I didn't know i needed to have that education before placing my order.

You should do the research a bit before calling companies out on something, especially Hellolights, who just retails them.

Have you contacted Hamilton? It could be very possible something happened. But it is premature to think so without hearing what they have to say.

 

[James77]

You clearly know nothing about bulbs, Hamilton, or how businesses operate. Hamilton does manufacture lights, but someone makes bulbs for them. Hamilton is still a manufacturer. Get a clue before you try to publicly tarnish someone elses image.

Not everyone knows every little thing about businesses and bulbs. Alot would assume Hamilton, as well as a bunch of other companies, actually manufacture the bulbs themselves.