Avoid OG-Evkin Official Store on Aliexpress

[TidyDinosaur]

So, I hoped it would not come to this, but after this seller "OG-EVKIN Official Store" has been playing with me for about 6 weeks, I want to warn other potential buyers to stay away from this seller.

I bought a OG-Evkin CF-052 hardtail frame in November of 2022. There was a small crack in the BB area from the beginning, but when I examined it again in June of 2023 (after only 500km and a hand full of rides) the crack had gotten a lot bigger.
Since there is 2 year warranty I contacted the store and sent them pictures. Since then it has been nothing but empty promises (lies?) and long silences from them.

In the first week all they did was ask to sent the pictures to their email, which I did. Nothing much happened after that. I sent multiple messages, but none were answered. After I sent a first mail to Aliexpress customer service they finally answered and proposed to send a new frame, but a size smaller and I would have to pay for shipping. I agreed to that since I am between sizes. They day after they said they would send the payment link the next day, but they never sent it, not even after I asked them multiple times.
A couple of days later they proposed to send a different model of frame (probably because it was in stock in Spain so it would be cheaper for them). Since it is a very different model, I can not use it and I declined the offer and I asked again for the payment link. They said they were going to send it on Monday, which they never did.
They never sent the link, but assured me they were working on the frame. The factory was painting the frame according to them. This would take a week. Because again I heard nothing, I kept asking them about a status update but they did not really answer anymore.
A couple of days ago they asked me to add them to whatsapp. Since that seems to be against Aliexpress regulation, I asked to keep the conversation going on Ali chat. They responded with a weird message which I interpret as "If you don't want to communicate over whatsapp it ends here"

I am really p*ssed at them and very frustrated for leading me on all these weeks like that.

In the last days, I have asked them if my frame is ready. They just say "No". I asked when it will be shipped and now they just say they don't know. So it seems they are giving me the finger and all their promises were just to keep me busy until I finally gave up...

[00Garza]

Yikes. That's terrible. Is it still possible to open a dispute?

[TidyDinosaur]

Yikes. That's terrible. Is it still possible to open a dispute?

You can only open a dispute very soon after ordering/receiving... But I did reach out to Ali customer service after the seller did not respond to my mail with the pictures. They responded (customer service) that the seller was willing to cooperate and look for a solution. After that the seller indeed agreed to send the new frame, but I suspect it was just to keep me busy without the intention of really sending the frame since they kept saying they would send the link for the shipping costs, but they never did.

I did reach out again via email to Ali customer service a couple of weeks ago to explain the state of affairs, but never got an answer...

[TidyDinosaur]

I have sent a new message to Aliexpress customer service about the way the seller has been acting. We'll see if it does some good, but I'm not expecting too much.

I have also contacted the official website of OG-Evkin to see if they can do something. But I'm wondering now if all these different OG-Evkin sellers aren't just one and the same group since a link on their instagram page took me to a Ali store I suspect is the same seller but just a different front as the one I ordered from.

[carbonazza]

I have sent a new message to Aliexpress customer service about the way the seller has been acting...

Not sure for how long you are wrestling already, but even with great sellers like Carbonda or lightbicycle time is sometimes relative.
If in stock great, if not it can take its time. Sometimes as planned, sometimes not.
Although a big difference is they always communicate clearly, which is why I'm a fan of both.

The few interactions i had with og-evkin official weren't great.
Their products are generally good, their communication definitely not.
So that may add trouble to your case that may after all end well if more time is given.

[TidyDinosaur]

Not sure for how long you are wrestling already, but even with great sellers like Carbonda or lightbicycle time is sometimes relative.
If in stock great, if not it can take its time. Sometimes as planned, sometimes not.
Although a big difference is they always communicate clearly, which is why I'm a fan of both.

The few interactions i had with og-evkin official weren't great.
Their products are generally good, their communication definitely not.
So that may add trouble to your case that may after all end well if more time is given.

First mail was on 30/06, so it has been going on for about 6 weeks now. It is not so much that it is taking very long, but more about the false promises and seemingly fake statements.
After a week they promised me a new frame and told me they were going to send the payment link the next day. They never did but made more of the "Next day" promises... This was a month ago, so that link aint coming...
Weeks ago they said the factory was painting the frame. I would guess it would have been ready and shipped by now if that was honest. They said they had 4 in stock...
When I got the request to continue the conversation on Whatsapp I really started to understand this was going nowhere... If you talk to the seller over whatsapp Aliexpress is never going to help you if something goes wrong... If I typed the word "Whatsapp" in the Ali chat I got a warning that I had used words that were prohibited and I could get sanctioned or blocked if I did that again 
And since I asked them to continue on Ali chat instead of Whatsapp their tone changed and after 2 short replies they went silence since...

Of course I am still hoping to get the new frame, but I give that a 1% chance now...

But like you said. Communication of this store was always bad, even before ordering the frame... I should have known than...

[TidyDinosaur]

Just got a reply from Aliexpress customer service:

Thank you for contacting AliExpress.

Upon checking, we are sorry to hear that your problem and I found out that you are beyond the buyer protection period, so please don't forget to open dispute solve order issue within buyer protection time next time. Currently the best solution for you is to contact seller and get a new solution.

So they are not doing anything anymore...

[TidyDinosaur]

And today the store sent me a message to stop messaging them and they blocked me.

I can't believe they lied to me for 1,5 month. Really crappy seller.

[svanimpe]

Yeah, I've also ordered from OG EVKIN before, and they always come over as quite arrogant on the chat.

They try to market themselves as a "high quality brand", but in the end, it's just another store selling open mould components, and slapping a brand on them. I avoid them if I can find another store selling the same products unbranded.

[carbonazza]

Sorry to read they are dropping you.
I hate this disrespect. I was looking to buy another integrated bar for my next build.
I'll look elsewhere, and for all mounts, bottle cages,... I buy regularly from them too

As a contrast, a friend's handlebar cracked this week in a very odd place.
I contacted Wing at Carbonda with pictures.
Even if it was kind of out of the 2y-warranty. Replaced without any question !
Ok, I'm a regular buyer, as I centralise the buying for  many builds, but what a difference.

It is all on the seller.
Aliex is just ok if something arrives broken.
So I would never advise someone to buy a frame or wheels there, and look for reputable seller you can contact directly.

[TidyDinosaur]

Yeah, I'm still amazed by how they have been lying to me for 6 weeks knowing they would never sent me a new frame...

[TidyDinosaur]

That's ridiculously pathetic. So sorry to hear about this.

+86 150 1864 0564 send og evkin a message on whatsapp and see if they can do anything.

I'm afraid that is the number they asked me to contact them on after about 6 weeks of their lies. When I refused and said this was against Aliexpress rules they became rude and blocked me. I tried sending a couple of messages to that number after that but they never read them let alone answer...

I also emailed the official (looking) website but no answer either, so I guess they are all one and the same dishonest bunch...

[PLA]

Pathetic and infuriating. Really bad.

[Avalius]

Thanks for the warning as a regular buyer i'll drop them to since this is no service ..

[TidyDinosaur]

Well, it seems the situation with the frame is even worse than I thought... 3 out of the 4 bottle cage mounting points have come loose... I have tried to repair the BB without much succes, but the frame is basically scrap with the ripped out rivets.

I can't warn people enough about this crappy company and crappy products