The Great Battery Swindle - And Other Horror Stories And Cautionary Tales
Given that computers can be constructed from so many disparate parts, it's a wonder they work at all. However, as anyone who has built their own PC will know, there are still many parts that won't work together. They simply aren't compatible.
You might think that the world of batteries would be more immune to incompatibilities but that's not the case. Try this – look at the model number of your laptop's battery. Now type it into Google. You'll probably get several thousand results.
Take at look at a few of the websites. Now, what you find will depend on the exact model of battery you're looking for but the chances are that many sites will pop up 'compatible' models. Some may not even show the exact model at all but just offer a 'compatible' battery.
Compatible schmatible
Maybe that's ok. But here's the thing – not all 'compatible' batteries are compatible!
There can be a problem with some 'compatible' batteries and the charging system of some laptops so while they may power the laptop, they won't charge.
Well, so ok. Just buy the original battery model.
Yes, but it's not always as easy as that!
In the results of your search for batteries, you'll probably find that many of the sites and many of the sellers are based in China. This is the home of battery production and many sell direct to the UK.
HOWEVER
They will often send you a 'compatible' battery even if you order a specific model. This seems to be common and standard practice among Chinese battery suppliers.
One such company is koogo.biz. It adopts the practice of advertising original battery models but sending out 'compatible' ones. If the battery does not work on your laptop, they tell you to return it – at your own expense! – for testing and if it's found working (which it may well do as the problem is with the charging not the powering), charge you a 25% restocking fee. A very nice and profitable business model, thank you very much. Why Asda and Walmart don't follow suit...
Of course, the fact that the website has no address or telephone number and it's written in pidgin English should ring warning bells, but not all our friends in the People's Republic of China employ such questionable business ethics.
We contacted another battery seller, hotbattery.co.uk, and asked, very specifically, if they supplied the original model as advertised on their website. Three emails later and all we could get from them was "it's compatible". So we have to mark that down as a No.
Ways to pay
The other factor to check is the payment method. We'd venture to suggest that all reputable companies will accept several forms of payment. Many of the other sort only accept PayPal (including the two companies named above). Koogo.biz even says that no customer has reported fraudulent use of their credit card – which isn't surprising because they only take payment via PayPal.
But that's good isn't it? PayPal has some sort of Buyer Protection, doesn't it? Yes, but only if you buy via eBay. It offers no protection if a seller decides to send you an item different to the one you ordered (read more about that here). If you buy with a credit card then at least you may have some recompense via the credit card company.
Now, although we've been talking specifically about batteries, sharp practice abounds out there in webland. It's so easy to put up an authentic-looking site with a .co.uk or .com suffix and pretend you're based in a home country while you're actually elsewhere.
As ever it's caveat emptor!
So in your search for a new battery (or other items and consumables) at a reasonable price, here's our current advice:
- Do not buy from China
- Buy from a reputable source in your own country
- Check that the company actually is based in your country
- If they advertise 'compatibles' (for anything!) double check that they will send the specific model you order
- Even if they don't advertise 'compatibles' check anyway
- Do not use PayPal (see here for more about PayPal's so-called Buyer Protection that does not exist).
If you want to know how to check a company on the web that you're thinking of doing business with, click here to find out who they are.
