the retailer could just replace the item and then aquire a replacement from the manufacturer for his inventory but I doubt that could happen.
this is not the place to discuss dealers. Dealers and services are one of the most important topics in our hobby .. but this is not the place to discuss them, so i wont name any i have in mind. Just this here, vaguely and in response to the above quote:
if you ask me (pm or so), i know some Hongkong equipment dealer specialized in flashlights (who also sells on ebay) who ships internationally free of shipping charge and who replaces your flashlight model/copy/unit/specimen (if you're not satisfied with it or if it's defective, even after months of normal usage) *immediately* from his stock inventory once he receives the returned item. this obliging service is not expressed explicitly anywhere in their terms of conditions or whatnot but it's the way they handle cases: you just have to e-mail them (a few times back and forth) and that's it. If you return the item as International Registered Letter, he would even sent off the item on the day you provide proof of the return shipment (e.g. a photo of the package with tracking number, and the postal receipt confirming the tracking number and time/date of posting).
i call this STELLAR service. (and they are actually regarded as one of the best in the Hongkong/China)
(and they take it (the problem/fix/repair) over from there. they speak Chinese/Kantonese, have immediate contact to the manufacturers, and dont see any problem with such a common situation. flashlights can break or fail, it's the most natural thing, isnt it? a dedicated flashlight specialist dealer (not manufacturer!!) is prepared to handle such cases with full command to the satisfaction of his customers)
Doesnt help you with your actual GG problem .. but for your next torch purchase i bet you will consider buying from a different vendor, good luck.
On a side note: i have given up on buying lights from local (i.e. national) flashlight specialist dealers. Their prices are higher than ebay, they charge ~8$ for national shipping hooray, and in case of warranty issues (say after 5 months of usage) they would forward the light to their source (e.g. Shenzhen manufacturer) and do nothing else. That doesnt sound like better service than your case with GG. And that's exactly why i have given up on them. PM me and i tell you where you can buy with full confidence in future. :huh: