Warning When Considering Sony Purchase

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  john2007 on 03/11/2009 - 16:01

  +1

  ahh yeah i had a bad experience with sony gaming department when the psp came out. With the dead pixel issue, called them up and the refused to exchange it as my dead pixels werent 5% of the screen or something, but something that small with 5 dead pixpel is noticeable once u see it.

  They basically said tough luck. They said it was stated in the booklet in the box, but the thing is i had to open to box to get to the booklet, so once the box is opened they said we agreed to whats written in the booklet.

  I don't get how that can work out?? i just wanted to exchange it for a better psp screen with no or less dead pixels. Also i do not think its unreasonable to exchange the psp as it has dead pixels. I mean i had a NDS with 1 (ONE!) dead pixel and i sent it back to nintendo and they gave me a new one with awesome pixels

  Thought that was just the gaming department who had a bad attitude with after sales service, i guess its company wide. They do have good prodcts but u better pray that nothing is wrong it or else u will make a dozen angry calls and end up nowhere.

  • 

    discostu on 03/11/2009 - 21:50

    John, that is such a lame copout of them! Once you open the box, the retailer won't allow you to return it either so how are you expected to "not" accept the terms? I'm so disgusted with their behaviour, they charge premium prices but don't want to offer premium service, what a crock. I've called customer support to complain and they referred me to customer relations. I was so fed up with it all so I sent in a written complaint outlining what's happened. I'm wondering if complaints are just sent to the customer support office and handled the same way though. The service centre have agreed not to charge a service fee but I still have to go and pick it up myself(a good one hour drive away) unless I want to pay a courier fee - but the issue of the speakers has still not been resolved! I'm going to make sure I video record the crackling so then they can't argue with me and try and make me pay but I doubt they'll be nice to me.

    • 

      NimitzHarrington on 03/11/2009 - 22:04

      +1

      Accepting the terms after you get your hands on the product seems to be the norm these days. It's like when you sign up for a new internet connection, the sales person even says that they're accepting the terms and conditions on your behalf - without you being told what they are.

      Good luck on your case, hope they come to their senses quickly!

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  NimitzHarrington on 03/11/2009 - 16:57

  +3

  I would lodge a complaint with your local Office of Fair Trading, such as NSW Office of Fair Trading (http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/default.html) as you're in NSW. If that fails, there's also the ACCC (http://www.accc.gov.au).

  The case here would most likely be that the product is not of a merchantable quality.

  • 

    discostu on 03/11/2009 - 21:52

    I'll see how my complaint gets handled, I'm not sure those offices will have the time to deal with the issue if the problem can't be "proven" as Sony can just say they did what they could but couldn't find any issues and I was silly and didn't record the crackling =(

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      NimitzHarrington on 03/11/2009 - 22:09

      Not sure about NSW Office of Fair Trading but I've heard Consumer Affairs Victoria (in Victoria) are quite decent.

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  john2007 on 03/11/2009 - 23:46

  +1

  yeah accepting the terms and condition is normal, but usually you get to read it before you use the product. The case with the psp was once you open the box you accept their terms which is written in a booklet inside the box. LOL, Sony must have some magic elf working for them or something.

  I think their complaints are going straight to a brick wall. You really have to bust a vein to get sony to honor their so called "warranty" they provide with their products.

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  [Deactivated] on 04/11/2009 - 08:55

  +2

  If you have to pick up the product - which I guess you will have to, then to get a receipt - AND keep it. If the unit still crackles then you use that to go to the fair trading dept in your local state and claim for warranty - un-merchandiseable goods and for the repair which wasn't done.

  When you do go to pick up the item state that you will be doing the above and also that you will be claiming for your time spent on this action. AT ALL TIMES be calm - BE FIRM but CALM, yelling and the staff or anyone else will just weaken any claim you make to consumer affairs. Have a note pad and write down in front of the staff everything they say, with time and dates and names. Do the same on the phone. When you call they will often give their name, if you can't hear the name ask for it again. Then when they say the name repeat it back - in a nice way, something like, oh thanks "John" I hope you can help me "john" etc

  And while things are relatively fresh - make a detailed outline of whats happened to date.

  Also check when you bought the product and where you bought it from, sometimes based on date and time, the retailer has obligations - sometimes you can have them replace it.

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  discostu on 04/11/2009 - 11:51

  Ozpete, thanks for the suggestion, have now picked up the laptop from the service centre and taken it back to Harris Technology where I purchased it from. When I picked up the laptop, they pointed out a small crack at the back - which I have no idea how it got there or whether or not I caused it, but makes me wonder if it's there because of someone else's actions. Anyway, Harris Technology were very helpful and they agreed they don't think it's a software issue either and are happy to take a look at it. They said worse case scenario then they can restore it, but they were looking at $110 I think and the service centre was demanding $170! But he also said it's very easy to do and that I can do it myself.

  I have a feeling if I took it further, the service centre would claim that the issue wasn't resolved because I wouldn't allow them to do the system restore for $170, BUT they said they couldn't find ANY problems with the laptop and said I should let them restore the unit, see if that "solves" the problem. Why on earth would I pay $170 if they can't assure me this will solve the problem they claim ceases to exist. Hopefully Harris Technology will be able to solve the problem and I'll never have to deal with Sony's and their outsourced service centre's pathetic service again.

  • 

    SirCH on 04/11/2009 - 13:29

    +1

    Paying $170 for a system restore is BS. I mean all they have to do is stick in a disc and maybe press a few buttons. In terms of actual work it's probably about 10-15 minutes. The rest of the time it's just working away itself.

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    [Deactivated] on 06/11/2009 - 14:08

    Sounds a lot better solution - credit to HT at least they seem to have a customer focus. Guess Sony really aren't like Sony, another example of a company trading off their past reputations