5 Red Flags: Products and Sellers to Be Cautious About on Daraz
On June 20th, 2024, I introduced six ground rules that I follow when shopping on Daraz, aimed at helping fellow buyers avoid disappointment. I titled the article “Ground Rules for Shopping on Daraz“, and if you missed it, I recommend giving it a read. Those guidelines were shaped by personal experience and were meant to help avoid poor-quality products, and unreliable sellers. However, I have a confession to make—despite having set those rules, I’ve broken them more than once. On several occasions, I gave in to temptation, ignored my better judgment, and ended up purchasing five products that were disappointing. While I was fortunate enough to return a few of them and receive refunds, I wasn’t so lucky with the others. Still, it wasn’t a complete loss—each bad experience taught me something useful about shopping smartly on Daraz and recognizing red flags.
As frustrating as those failed purchases were, they led me to something valuable: a list of five specific sellers and products I now have chosen to be careful with. Some of these sellers delivered items that didn’t meet expectations, either in terms of quality or accuracy, despite appearing promising at first glance. In some cases, the product looked nothing like its photo, or arrived used, while others, were not even eligible for return due to vague listing descriptions. Today’s article is all about these sellers and their products. I want to share my experience, not to shame these vendors, but to help you stay informed and cautious. After all, avoiding one bad seller could mean the difference between a wise purchase and a frustrating waste of money. Consider this article a continuation of the original ground rules—a practical, experience-based guide highlighting certain products and sellers on Daraz you might want to approach with caution.
CS Agro Pressure Sprayer
My mother is a passionate plant enthusiast, and many years ago, she bought a CS Agro Pressure Sprayer from a local fertilizer shop. This was long before online shopping became common—Daraz and similar platforms didn’t even exist back then. She was very satisfied with the sprayer, using it regularly for her gardening needs. Unfortunately, the sprayer was misplaced a few years ago, and ever since, she had been hoping to find the same model again. However, none of the shops in our hometown had it in stock. That’s when she turned to me for help. Knowing how much she valued that sprayer, I decided to look for it online. After some time browsing and comparing listings, I was happy to find the exact model available on Daraz. Without wasting any time, I placed the order, hoping it would match the quality of the one she had before.
When the sprayer finally arrived, my mother was far from impressed. A proper pressure sprayer should release liquid in a strong, steady stream when pumped with air, but this one sprayed weakly and slowly, rendering it nearly useless. Assuming it was just a faulty unit from a bad batch, I initiated a return and placed a second order, hoping for better results. Unfortunately, the second sprayer had the exact same issue. I initiated another return, confident that Daraz would understand the problem. To my surprise, both return requests were rejected, with the explanation that the items didn’t qualify under the return policy. In the end, I lost 2,510 rupees. That said, not everything from the seller was a disappointment. The “Grow More – Bloom Special” plant booster I ordered alongside the sprayer worked wonderfully. So, avoid the pressure sprayer—but not necessarily the seller.
Nimco Cordless Extension Board
Electric extension cords or power strips are essential household items we rely on daily. On February 13, 2022, I shared six tips for selecting a reliable power strip or extension cord in a post titled “How to Choose a Reliable Power Strip or an Extension Cord?“—feel free to check it out if you missed it. While traditional extension cords remain popular, cordless extension boards that plug directly into the wall are becoming increasingly common due to their compact and clutter-free design. I needed two such units—one round-pinned extension board for my bedroom and a square-pinned one for my mother’s room. I found both listed under the Lighting Plaza store on Daraz and placed my order. While the square-pinned board worked perfectly, the round-pinned version was disappointing. The sockets were too loose, and plugs couldn’t stay in place, constantly falling out and making the board practically unusable.
I received a refund for the faulty round-pinned extension board without any issues, which I genuinely appreciate. However, the whole experience turned out to be a waste of time and effort. Based on this, I would flag the Nimco Cordless Extension Board as a product to avoid due to its poor socket grip and inconsistent finishing. That said, I wouldn’t recommend avoiding Lighting Plaza as a seller entirely. I’ve previously purchased other electric extension cords from them, and those products performed reliably without any flaws whatsoever. My issue seems to be with this specific model rather than the seller’s overall service or product range. Still, I won’t be ordering the Nimco Cordless Extension Board again. Since there’s no reliable way to guarantee whether the next unit will be a well-made one or another defective piece, I’d rather not take the risk again.
The Kandy Shop
Based on my personal experience, I’ve decided not to buy from this seller again. I don’t believe there was any deliberate dishonesty involved, but the product description lacked important details, and the item I received looked nothing like the image shown in the listing. I simply cannot afford to take another risk like this. Here’s what happened: I wanted to buy a portable hard disk drive for my sister so she could use it for backup purposes. Instead of buying a pre-assembled one, I opted for the more affordable route—ordering an external hard drive enclosure from Choice Deals and a 2.5″ 1TB laptop hard drive from The Kandy Shop. The listing showed a brand-new, shiny Seagate drive, but the product that arrived was an entirely different brand, clearly used, and looked like it had been vandalized. It was scratched, worn, and didn’t meet my expectations. All the more concerning given it was meant to store important data.
In summary, I’ve chosen to avoid this seller in the future due to the misleading nature of the product listing. At the time of my purchase, the listing displayed what appeared to be a brand-new Seagate hard drive, which gave me the impression that I was purchasing a new, branded product. However, what I received was completely different—an unbranded, used drive that showed visible signs of wear and tear. To make matters worse, there was no mention in the listing that the item would be used, nor was there any indication that the brand might differ from what was shown. This lack of transparency is unacceptable, especially when the product was intended for something as important as backing up critical data. When it comes to storage devices, reliability and clarity are non-negotiable, and in this case, the seller failed to meet both expectations. For that reason, I personally wouldn’t recommend them based on my experience.
BMSM Top Collection
On December 31st, 2024, I ordered a digital alarm clock from BMSM Top Collection, and the experience left me disappointed enough to avoid both the product and the seller in the future. The listing was visually appealing, showcasing what appeared to be a large, modern digital clock. However, when the item arrived, it turned out to be smaller than a credit card—completely different from what the images suggested. To make matters worse, the product description didn’t include the actual dimensions, which made the listing feel seemed misleading to me. Another issue was the claim that the device was rechargeable. In reality, it wasn’t. It had to remain plugged into a power source constantly. The only function of the coin battery inside was to retain the time if the main power supply was disconnected. This alone made the product fall short of my expectations and requirements.
The disappointment didn’t end there. Just a few days ago, the clock began to malfunction—the final digit of the display stopped working partially, making it impossible to read the correct time. While the listing claimed the clock came with a six-month warranty, I’m still trying to figure out how to actually claim it, as there were no clear instructions provided. This lack of post-purchase support only adds to my frustration. In my opinion, a seller who advertises a product with incomplete or misleading information, and then fails to provide easy access to warranty services, simply cannot be trusted. Based on my personal experience of misleading product presentation, the inaccurate technical claims, and the poor customer service, I personally wouldn’t buy from BMSM Top Collection again. If you’re looking for reliability and honesty in both the product and the seller, this is not the place to shop.
Hutch Ready2Go Prepaid SIM
I’m a big fan of DIY projects, and many of them require active SIM cards—whether for testing devices, setting up IoT modules, or configuring security systems. Buying postpaid connections for these projects isn’t practical, and I’ve already reached the maximum number of Dialog voice connections allowed under my name. So, I decided to try the Hutch Ready2Go Prepaid SIM available on Daraz. The order arrived without any issues, and the packaging looked fine. However, the activation process was far from smooth. The instructions directed me to a third-party website to complete the SIM activation. Although I felt uneasy about verifying my identity through an external site, I followed the steps and held my national identity card in front of the webcam as instructed. Unfortunately, the process failed due to a server-side error, leaving me with a SIM card I couldn’t activate despite multiple attempts.
After several failed attempts to activate the SIM card through the third-party website, I decided to call Hutch customer support for assistance. The representative I spoke to instructed me to take a screenshot of the error message and send it via WhatsApp to a different number they provided. I followed the instructions exactly as given, hoping the issue would be resolved promptly. However, as of the time of writing this, I have yet to receive any response or follow-up from them. The lack of acknowledgment or action from their end has been frustrating, especially given that I was already hesitant about the third-party verification process. This experience has made me reconsider purchasing SIM cards online, as the hassle of activation and the unresponsiveness of customer support have both proven to be a significant inconvenience rather than the quick solution I expected.
Wrap Up
So, those are five sellers and products I will personally avoid on Daraz—and perhaps you should too. What’s particularly surprising is that some of the worst sellers I encountered still have seller ratings above 90%. This raises serious questions about how those ratings are calculated and whether they truly reflect a seller’s reliability or product quality. It’s possible that many customers leave positive reviews immediately after receiving their orders, without fully testing the products. In some cases, sellers even push for early feedback with discount offers or messages that say, “Please give us 5 stars.” These practices may give future buyers a sense of confidence that doesn’t always reflect the reality. While ratings and badges may appear trustworthy at a glance, I’ve learned the hard way that they don’t always tell the full story. A glowing score doesn’t guarantee that you won’t end up wasting your time—or your money.
That’s why I always recommend doing a little more digging before placing your order. Don’t just look at the star rating—check the written reviews, especially the low-star ones. Look at review photos uploaded by other buyers, and try to identify any red flags like vague product descriptions, lack of clear dimensions, or poor packaging. If you see phrases like “can’t return” or “not as described” repeated across reviews, that’s a sign to walk away. Online shopping offers great convenience, but it also demands extra vigilance. While I’ve had many good experiences on Daraz, these five instances stand out as cautionary tales. Hopefully, sharing my own mistakes will help you avoid making the same ones. Remember, it’s not always about finding the cheapest deal—it’s about making sure the product you get is actually worth the price you pay. Stay tuned—I’ll be updating this post with more sellers and items as I continue to shop and uncover new experiences.
If you found this content helpful, I kindly ask you to leave your feedback in the comments section below. Sharing it on social media would also be greatly appreciated. In order to promote meaningful and respectful dialogue, I request that you use your full name when commenting. Please note that any comments containing profanity, name-calling, or a disrespectful tone will be deleted. Thank you for your understanding and participation.