STS warranty is useless
STS refused to help – seller admitted defect – platform ignored its own rules I bought a nail gun for $515 through Made-in-China's Secured Trading Service (STS). The product is defective: it stopped firing nails completely, and one battery is dead (charger shows green, battery shows empty). The seller admitted in writing: "I was wrong and should take responsibility" and "I'm willing to take responsibility." He promised free replacement parts. Then he changed his mind, accused me of dropping the tool (no proof), and refused to cover shipping. I asked STS for help. According to their own Terms: "Focus Global is FULLY RESPONSIBLE for handling customer complaints on behalf of the seller" including quality and after-sales disputes. What happened next: STS refused to process my complaint, citing a "30-day limit" that does NOT appear in their Terms. I escalated to the Trade Dispute Service team. Their final response (April 13, 2026): "The platform did not participate... our ability to intervene is limited. We recommend that you continue to communicate with the supplier." This directly contradicts their own Terms where they promise "FULL RESPONSIBILITY" for disputes. Current status: Hong Kong Consumer Council complaint filed (Case CC Web_0000296374) Chongqing 12315 complaint filed against the supplier Platform refuses to honor its own contractual obligations Bottom line: STS warranty is useless. They will not help you when you need it. They promise "full responsibility" but then say "our ability is limited." Date of experience: February 2025 Update April 14, 2026: Platform's Trade Dispute Service confirmed they will not help. Avoid Made-in-China STS at all costs. Update April 14, 2026: The platform's Trade Dispute Service team has now responded. They said: "the platform did not participate... our ability to intervene is limited." This contradicts their own Terms where they promise "FULL RESPONSIBILITY for handling customer complaints." They refuse to honor their own rules. I have filed complaints with Hong Kong Consumer Council (Case CC Web_0000296374) and Chongqing 12315. Avoid STS. They will not protect you.