I hope this is the right place for my question.
After reading a number of discussions, it seems clear that, in most cases, if I have an items that becomes faulty with the warranty period, I can request a replacement.
I am wondering why most mobile phone companies send handsets away to be fixed rather than replacing them?
A product or good has a major problem when:
it has a problem that would have stopped someone from buying it if they’d known about it
If I knew a phone was going to fail on me, I wouldn't buy it.
This statement makes everything a major fault
I don't have a fault but let's say major.
You are right. If it is a minor fault like a new battery, fair enough, just replace the battery.
I agree that the staff may not be qualified to properly examine the phone. However, after it has been ascertained that it is a manufacturer fault, I believe that the phone should be replaced. It does not seem fair for a customer to wait for a handset to be fixed.
I have a friend who has had a phone less than one year and has had it fixed and it is faulty again and needs to be sent off for a second time.
Batteries aren't generally covered under warranty
You can request a replacement but the mobile phone companies do not have to give you one by law. They can have it sent away to be repaired at their discretion. This is probably cheaper for them as I'm guessing most issues that fall under warranty are fixable and would be either software related, a part replacement or battery issues.
https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees…
ACCC states that you can ask for a replacement or refund if the problem with the product is major.
As lakers1222 has stated,
A product or good has a major problem when:
it has a problem that would have stopped someone from buying it if they’d known about it
I do not understand why phone companies get away with sending phones away to be fixed when they fit in the major problem category.
your question was answered, the staff that handles the warranty claim are not skilled enough to determine if the product was broken by you or the damage covered by warranty, most issues are rather trivial.
One of my experiences with a faulty phone is as follows:
. about 3 years ago, my sons Nokia phone was playing up.
. he was with optus so we took it to the local optus store.
. optus sent it off to be fixed.
. optus advised us that moisture had got into it so they would not repair it. It had never been submerged in water. Perhaps steamy weather can cause this to happen.
. we thought that it was sent to Nokia to be fixed but optus send faults to their own repair centre.
. took it to Allphones, who kindly offered to send it to Nokia for repair.
. Nokia repaired it.
I've had to return a new phone before. If you think from a retailer's point of view its obvious why they never replace your phone. Replacement is more onerous on the retailer.
1) To replace your dead phone that means a good phone has to be taken off the shelf. That results in less stock on-hand which means less handsets available for sale. In some cases you bought the last phone and the retailer doesn't have any new phones to give you.
2) The retailer will be stuck with your dead phone and must bear the burden of waiting for the new phone to be sent. If you are the retailer would you like to be the one doing the waiting or the customer?
From past experience here are my tips.
A) Telephone the manufacturer's support number. Tell the support officer your phone model, its problems and which store you bought it from. If you are lucky the manufacturer has a good system in place + relationship with the retailer. In my case, HTC provided a case officer who telephoned the original Telstra shop, put it through the computer system and told me when I could go back to the retailer to pick up a new phone.
B) If the phone must be fixed and you have an authorised service centre in your city then call the service centre directly. Ask if its possible to drive over in person and drop off the phone. This cuts out the middle men plus you have the repairman's telephone number so that you can inquire and get progress updates.
The slowest way to deal with a defective phone is to leave it in the hands of the retailer. First of all you aren't a priority, in fact you are a liability. Secondly, they already have your money.
What brand of phone are we talking about here?
And what value?
Eg if its an Iphone, it gets replaced at any Apple Store.
If its a $39 cheapy from Coles etc they also probably replace it.
In between from one of the other companies it will vary
I don't have a faulty phone. I was just interested in knowing why the rules for phone companies seem to be different to those of other retailers.
It's a conspiracy so you don't go in with minor faults. No one wants to put up being without a phone for more than a few minutes so they tell you it needs to be sent off to be fixed, then you figure you can live with the problem and keep it and they don't have to give you a new phone, coz let's face it they won't repair it anyway.
Are we talking about minor or major faults? https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees…
Plus, the staff you talk to at Optus, Dick Smith etc aren't always qualified to properly examine if the fault was caused by you or was a manufacture fault. Unless its obviously un-repairable, I think its fair to allow the merchant to attempt repair first, rather than giving you a brand new phone cause your phone wont turn on - when all it need was a new battery.