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Thursday, March 27th
Eco-worthy, owned by Xiamen Eco-Sources Technology Co. Ltd., was established in 2007. This company produces lithium batteries and solar products. Eco-worthy offers solar panels and kits, as well as generators, mounting brackets, accessories, inverters, and more.
Average prices
Eco-worthy sells an upgraded 10-watt 12V solar panel trickle charger kit for $33.99, and solar panels range from around $65 to $139.99 for a Bifacial 195-watt 12-volt monocrystalline solar panel. They offer discounts and specials consistently, so it pays to wait for a sale. For example, at the time of this review, there were several discounts available, including one in which you could get up to $80 off your purchase. There was also a limited-time offer that included double reward points.
Everything you need at one place
Eco-worthy doesn't just sell you solar panels. They also sell inverters, solar panel kits, mounting brackets, charge controllers, and other cables and wires necessary for setting up a solar energy storage solution.
Rewards program
Eco-worthy offers a rewards program with points earned based on tiers of spending. To join, you fill out a form to create an account, and then you start earning rewards points to go toward your next purchase. You can get points for subscribing to the Eco-worthy newsletter, signing up for the program, and placing an order with the company. You can become a VIP when you spend $200 or more. If you spend $2,500, you will become a Silver VIP, and when you spend $4,000, you become a Gold VIP, which awards you a $15 discount on all orders of $500 or more.
30-day return policy; customer pays shipping fees
Eco-worthy has a 14-day DOA product guarantee that states if you receive an item that is damaged, different from what you ordered, or not working, you can get an RMA within 14 days, and if you need a replacement, Eco-worthy will arrange for the return of the defective items. Once the part has been received and inspected, they will ship out the replacement within 3 working days. You have to return the product in its original packing; otherwise, the guarantee is void. They also offer a 30-day return window for any reason. You will get a refund or a credit to your account as long as it is returned in new and resalable condition with the original blank warranty cards, manuals, and accessories. Eco-worthy will not pay for return shipping unless the product was damaged, defective, or incorrect. Shipping fees are very expensive, as products will be returned to China, not a local warehouse.
Customers report problems with returns and missing items
Customers report that their orders arrive with missing items. One customer was missing the inverter, with Eco-worthy saying it was out of stock. There was no other notification and no advanced warning that they weren't getting the inverter. When the customer tried to call, he couldn't get through, and emails were not responded to. In addition, error codes kept occurring. This is not a one-off experience: many people experienced the same exact thing, and some never got their out-of-stock items. Other buyers experienced products that stopped working after a very short time, with no response from Eco-worthy's customer service.
"F” rating at Better Business Bureau, and we agree
Eco-worthy received an "F” rating from the Better Business Bureau, and we have to agree with that. Eco-worthy seems to have good prices, but their returns are very difficult, and it is a terrible experience overall to have to deal with Eco-worthy's subpar customer service. With missing shipments and defective parts, we can't recommend Eco-worthy as a place to shop for solar panels.
Solar power is still a relatively new innovation, and it can be overwhelming trying to understand which solar panels are the best. It's important to recognize your priorities: if you're not overly concerned with maximum output and you want to stay on budget, you could choose something less efficient and still be happy with your solar storage system.
If you've decided to do it yourself, you may want to consider a company that also sells the compatible parts you will need when setting up your solar storage system. This way, you can know that all parts will work together. Another thing to consider as a DIYer is whether the company offers tech or permitting support. You may also want a company that can work with you to design a plan that would include helping you with the necessary permits and interconnection if you want to be hooked up to the electrical grid to receive rebates.
There are four common types of solar panels: monocrystalline, which are made from a single source of silicon; polycrystalline, which are made up of silicon pieces all melted together; thin-film solar panels, which are somewhat flexible and lightweight; and PERC panels, which use silicon backing to make them more efficient. Monocrystalline PERC panels will be your most efficient choice, but also your most expensive.
The majority of solar panels available in the United States come from China. This is important to remember when shopping for solar panels, especially if you are doing your solar project on your own and not through an installation service. Most solar panel companies often run low on stock, and it takes a bit of time for shipping, as the panels come from the other side of the globe.
There are some solar panel companies that offer panels made in the United States; however, they are generally going to be more expensive than their Chinese-made and -assembled counterparts.
At this point, things may seem pretty daunting to the uninitiated, but we're here to help. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you consider which solar panel company you should choose:
To assist you in finding the best solar panels for your needs, Top Consumer Reviews has curated and ranked a list of companies for you to shop from. We're confident that this list will make your solar panel shopping experience brighter!
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