I bought a Spark on Ebay from ALTATAC and payed from express delivery and also had to pay a huge amount of tax upon getting the drone here in the UK. As soon as i tried to fly it the remote control right stick simply did not work or even let me callibrate it. I contacted DJI about 5 times and they gave me no clear solution. Eventually they told me that i have to send them the remote to the US repair office (at my own cost) since i ordered it from the US but am in the UK. This means that i have to pay extra money on sending an international parcel and might even have to pay more tax when receiving it back all because i got sent a faulty product. I have also contacted the seller but had no reply yet and even tried to contact DJI on social media and they told me the same thing. This service seems pretty awful and was wondering if anyone has any ideas or solutions?

Why did you buy it from the US.

I am sorry for your trouble but you wouldn't have it, had you bought your Spark from the DJI store. They have a warehouse in UK even from which they ship. I don't think it's fair to blame DJI for the non-responsiveness of the dealer you have bought it from.

Wachtberger Posted at 2018-1-6 03:59
I am sorry for your trouble but you wouldn't have it, had you bought your Spark from the DJI store. They have a warehouse in UK even from which they ship. I don't think it's fair to blame DJI for the non-responsiveness of the dealer you have bought it from.

I am aware that I can buy the drone in the UK however it was a brand new product therefore i assume it was the fault of DJI that it does not work not the retailer although i have contacted them too.

johncruzrod1 Posted at 2018-1-6 04:03
I am aware that I can buy the drone in the UK however it was a brand new product therefore i assume it was the fault of DJI that it does not work not the retailer although i have contacted them too.

If it has a malfunction (like it is obvious in your case) you have to return it to the dealer you bought it from.

fanse5394b5d Posted at 2018-1-6 03:54
Why did you buy it from the US.

The why is not really relevant... Its simply that DJI has not been great at providing any solutions even though i payed for something and it arrived faulty. Just wondering if anyone would have any ideas of what i should do? Not sure weather i should simply ask for a refund from the retailer or if it would be easier to look for a remote replacement from DJI.

Wachtberger Posted at 2018-1-6 04:07
If it has a malfunction (like it is obvious in your case) you have to return it to the dealer you bought it from.

Okay. Thank you for your advice.

johncruzrod1 Posted at 2018-1-6 04:07
The why is not really relevant... Its simply that DJI has not been great at providing any solutions even though i payed for something and it arrived faulty. Just wondering if anyone would have any ideas of what i should do? Not sure weather i should simply ask for a refund from the retailer or if it would be easier to look for a remote replacement from DJI.

Retailer should have explained dji policy regarding repair and service, i would take him to task, anyone who purchases outside their area of service will run into the same problems.
remember if anything else goes wrong your faced with the same problem.

johncruzrod1 Posted at 2018-1-6 04:11
Okay. Thank you for your advice.

Buying this outside of your region is really risky in case of DJI.
Unfortunatelly they do not have international guarantee. It's even worse if you buy it from 3rd hand, because you might end up with spark bought in other region and then you won't be able to make a guarantee claim.

Buy locally or direct from DJI store to ensure support shall be forthcoming.

The fault is yours not DJI. It’s very common for manufacturers to only support and repair equipment in the region that it was sold in. Look up grey imports, and you’ll see that most wont even give a warranty - so, you’re lucky they’re willing to look at it at all.

Your best bet is to ship it back to the seller as faulty via ebay, get your money back and buy a uk unit from an approved retailer.

johncruzrod1 Posted at 2018-1-6 04:11
Okay. Thank you for your advice.

You are welcome. And you should indeed make the request through Ebay as suggested by the user here above. They will assist you in case the retailer is not responsive.

fans4b963ee7 Posted at 2018-1-6 04:47
The fault is yours not DJI. It’s very common for manufacturers to only support and repair equipment in the region that it was sold in. Look up grey imports, and you’ll see that most wont even give a warranty - so, you’re lucky they’re willing to look at it at all.

Your best bet is to ship it back to the seller as faulty via ebay, get your money back and buy a uk unit from an approved retailer.

Yep i realise the mistake i made. I have contacted Ebay and am going through the returns proceedure and will buy from the UK next time. Still a bit dissapointed at the laggy support from DJI... Thanks for the feedback.

Glad you got it figured out.  Unfortunately DJI has a policy that they don't flex on.  Ever.   Do yourself a favor and research as much as you can about the Spark and DJI policies.  These forums are full of helpful information as far as the nuances of policy.

johncruzrod1 Posted at 2018-1-6 04:07
The why is not really relevant... Its simply that DJI has not been great at providing any solutions even though i payed for something and it arrived faulty. Just wondering if anyone would have any ideas of what i should do? Not sure weather i should simply ask for a refund from the retailer or if it would be easier to look for a remote replacement from DJI.

I'm guessing you bought on price.
False economy, of course DJI will want it back to country of purchase for repair.

You've been the architect of your own misfortune. Don't blame DJI for this.

johncruzrod1 Posted at 2018-1-6 05:04
Yep i realise the mistake i made. I have contacted Ebay and am going through the returns proceedure and will buy from the UK next time. Still a bit dissapointed at the laggy support from DJI... Thanks for the feedback.

Hopefully all works out fine in the end...

John, I am sorry for your unpleasant experience, I know how you feel. But DJI doesn't provide the international service, so if you purchase the drone from the US, you need to send it back to the US repair center to apply for the warranty. Since you had contacted the dealer for the return, hope the thing goes smoothly and you can get the refund back soon.