Lumilite - my experience

monkeylizard

A few weeks ago, I ordered a dual light kit, plus helmet adaptor and extension cable from Lumilite. Below is a brief summary of my experience:

A week after ordering them, the dual light kit arrived, but without the helmet adaptor or cable.
That evening I went out for my first night ride. The lights are pretty good - no complaints with the performance.
I'd worked out that it's possible to helmet mount a light by using one of the bar mounts, so emailed them to say that the accessories hadn't turned up, but could I just have a refund for them.
No response.
My wife used the lights a couple of days later to ride to work and one of them went out before she got there (50 minute ride) - put it down to teething troubles.
She then went out on a night ride, lost one battery and the other went flat after 45 minutes (from full charge). Luckily someone had a spare to lend her.
Emailed Lumilite to explain the problem, again ask for the refund on the accesories and enquire about buying another battery.
Got a response saying that they would send me a new charger.
I explained I had another charger so would try it - battery lasted for 30 minutes, so emailed back again saying that it was definitely a faulty battery.
No response.
Have since sent half a dozen emails, tried calling a few times (not answered) and have even filled in the contact form on their website.
No response.

I'm not asking for the earth - just a refund on the items they didn't send; a replacement battery for the faulty one; and I'm even offering to put more money their way to buy another battery!

I'm not suggesting that you don't buy from Lumilite, I'm just explaining what happened to me. Ironic considering that I chose Lumilite over the DX Magicshine lights because it was a UK company and I thought customer service would be better.

Quick question - the Lumilite online shop is done through Paypal (I payed with my credit card to their Paypal account). Who do I get in touch with to get my refund - my credit card company or Paypal?

Briggo

I'd contact your credit card company and paypal to be honest.

dogsloweverywhere

And you local trading standards as well.
There is a similar, negative thread over on STW.

cee

We ordered 2 UK cahrgers from them and had to place various phone calls before they arrived.

persevere with the phone...

Mancunianfightingcat

This is not good.

I bought one of these lights form HK via ebay, and touch wood it's been fine.
My mate however bought one from Lumilite. It's gone fooked and he's sent it back directly. I did tell him to ring them first, but he just sent the whole lot back about 10 days ago (guaranteed next day delivery) and he's not heard anything since!

DamonC

If you look up the domain registration details it leads to a company that went insolvent in 2009. :shock:

5mudge

Ive been following trouties post on singletrack closely

monkeylizard to help you out with youre dilemma, please email me and i'll post you a battery for youre light.

monkeylizard

Thanks, all. I hope everyone else turns out to have better luck than me.

I'll try Paypal and my credit card company and see what happens.

toyrobot

Oh oh!

Just 10 minutes before I found this post I mailed lumicycles RE getting some new bulbs for some of their lamps which appear to be going dull. I hope I don't have similar problems.

Horton

Monkeylizard, have you tried phoning their out of hours contact number?

07980 668001

Certainly worth disputing the payment with the CC company/paypal - goods not received for one as well as not being fit for purpose by the sounds of things. Good Luck

Mancunianfightingcat

Update:

Matey has had no reply from either of the phone numbers. Checked with Royal Mail, his returned light was signed for about a week ago!!!

Anyone had any contact with Lumilte in the last week?

Razer_MTB

was about 3 weeks ago i got an email from them, my lumilite charger and the light itself died, battery was fine though. Took about two weeks of emails before they replied, but when they did reply, it was late on a sunday night. My replacement light and charger then turned up on the wednesday.

Still have the duff charger and light as well. Wonder if the light just needs a new driver?

Flynny2010

Thanks for the above info!!

Just been looking at these for my commute to work!

Good luck with sorting your problems out!I

Think I'll keep looking elsewhere. Anyone know any other quality lights around the same price range?

Thanks

Richard

niteryder666

I bought mine from the Magicshine UK shop.

It arrived the next day and I have had no problems with it. I don't know if it makes any difference but when I was researching this purchase I noticed Lumilite are selling the older 3 mode light whilst mine is the five mode light.

I wonder if the newer model has better reliability.

monkeylizard

Update time:

Out of the blue, a new charger arrived last Thursday (no phone call, no email, no note with the charger). Rather than just being a replacement, it was a different design so I gave it a go - roughly 1hr 45m instead of 30mins or so. Not perfect but a damn sight better.

Emailed Lumilite to let them know that it had worked and could I please have another charger (as both my original ones must be crap), plus reminding them about the refund for the accessories. Got an email back the same day(!) assuring me that a new charger would be in the post the following day and my refund would be sorted.

Now I just need to wait...

Tostaryman

Hi all,

Just thought I should put a good word in for Lumilite. I bought a couple of lights before Christmas and initially had battery problems that were sorted out fairly quickly. Recently one of the lamps packed up with a broken switch, emailed to explain the problem, and a new one appeared in the post within 3 days. Can't really say fairer than that and a damn sight quicker than trying to sort it via HK...

CFS

+1 for them being responsive.

Lorax

I thought I'd add my bad experience of Lumilite. I bought a P7 light kit two weeks ago. Still waiting for it now.

I called them at the beginning of last week and was told it had been dispatched and will be with me within two days. No such luck. Since then I've called numerous times, with no one picking up, and no response from their email form on the website (despite them stating that they will respond within 24 hours).

It's not the waiting that bothers me - if they tell me that they are waiting for stock, then that's fine. It's the crap customer service that's really annoying. If I can't get through today, I'm going to open up a dispute through Paypal to get my money back and order from someone else.

Mancunianfightingcat

My mate ended up happy, they sent his light back with a new charger, which seems to have done the trick.

pooley2201

Are lumilite still trading? I sent a faulty light back for repair and can't seem to get hold of anyone. I have e-mailed them twice and tried to contact them by phone but no luck.