Returning a Suspected Faulty Product

If something you bought from us looks faulty, we'll get it back, put it in front of an engineer, and refund you in full if it is. This page explains each step so you know what happens and when.

The short version: tell us what's happening, we send you a free return label, an engineer assesses the item within 10 business days of it arriving, and you get a full refund if it's faulty. Refunds happen after the assessment, not before.

Step 1: Tell Us What's Happening

Email team@littlebirdelectronics.com.au with your order number and a description of the problem. Photos or a short video help a lot. At a minimum, include:

• What the product does and doesn't do (no power, no output, works then stops, physical damage)
• A photo of your wiring or setup, with the power supply in frame
• What you've already tried
• Whether a second identical unit behaves the same way, if you have one

How to Report a Suspected Fault has the full version: a triage ladder that rules out the usual suspects in ten minutes, per-product checklists covering firmware, OS, power supply and library versions, and a template you can copy straight into your email. A report that follows it usually comes back with a return label on our first reply.

We issue a return label when there's enough evidence to suspect the product is at fault rather than the setup around it. If the symptoms point at something else, we'll tell you what to check first.

Step 2: We Email You a Return Label

The label is prepaid Australia Post Parcel Post, at no cost to you. Please wait for it before sending anything back, so the parcel arrives tagged to your order rather than sitting unidentified in our goods-in area.

1. Check

Make sure the print quality of the label is clear and legible. If you don't have access to a printer, see Print at Post below. If you're sending multiple parcels, each parcel needs its own label with its own unique barcode.

2. Sign and secure

Sign the Aviation Security and Dangerous Goods Declaration on the label, then attach the label to the top face of the parcel. Don't let tape cover any part of the barcode. Pack the item securely, with any accessories or cables that came with it.

3. Post

Take the parcel to any Post Office and you'll be issued with a lodgement receipt. You can also drop it in a red street posting box or an in-store drop box if the parcel fits. Find your nearest Post Office or posting box at auspost.com.au/locate. Hold onto your tracking number either way.

4. Print at Post, if you don't have a printer

You don't need a printer at home. Most Post Offices will print the label for you. Find one at auspost.com.au/locate, then either:

• Show the label on your phone or tablet at the Australia Post counter. Staff scan the barcode off your screen, print the return label and attach it to your parcel.
• Quote the return reference number printed on the label to the counter staff, and they'll print and attach it for you.

Step 3: An Engineer Assesses It Within 10 Business Days

Once the item reaches our Sydney warehouse, an engineer tests it against the fault you described. That happens within 10 business days of receipt. Bench testing takes as long as it takes to be sure, and rushing it produces wrong answers in both directions.

We email you the outcome either way.

If the Item Is Faulty

• You get a full refund of the purchase price.
• Shipping is refunded too when the faulty item was the only thing on the order. If it was part of a larger order that shipped together, the original shipping isn't refunded, because the rest of the order still had to get to you.
• Return postage costs you nothing, since we provided the label.
• If you'd rather have a replacement than a refund, say so and we'll organise one instead.

Your rights under Australian Consumer Law apply in full here. Nothing on this page limits them.

If the Item Tests Fine

Sometimes the hardware is healthy and the fault sits elsewhere in the project. When that happens:

• No refund is issued, because there's nothing wrong with the goods.
• You can buy return shipping and we'll send the item straight back to you.
• Working items that aren't claimed are donated to schools and community groups. We don't restock them and we don't throw them out. They go somewhere they'll get used.

Where we can, the engineer's notes tell you what they found, which often points straight at what to fix in your setup.

Why Refunds Wait for the Assessment

We can't tell whether an item is faulty until someone tests it. Refunding first and testing later means refunding working stock, and that cost lands back in our prices. Testing first keeps the process fair to everyone buying from us. The 10 business day window exists so you know the outside limit rather than waiting on an open-ended process.

Change of Mind Is a Different Thing

This page covers products you suspect are faulty. If the product works and you've simply changed your mind, different terms apply, including a 30 day window and return postage at your expense. See Return Policy.

Questions

Email team@littlebirdelectronics.com.au with your order number and we'll pick it up from there. See also Requesting a Return and Refunds.