Kogan lost my phone (warranty). What can I do?

ycon on 11/05/2015 - 10:31
Last edited 11/05/2015 - 11:22

Hi,

In brief:
I sent my phone back for repair 8 weeks ago to Kogan (Melbourne adderss). They couldn't find a problem, so said they'd send it back. It has now been 4 weeks and I've not received it (nor tracking advice saying its' been sent). I've contacted them several times (email, facebook) and they keep saying they'll send ASAP but nothing happens.

What can I do here?

Is the ACCC a route?

It's a joke they've kept my phone that long.

Details:

It is the i9305, and the phone intermittently gets stuck in a 'booting' loop (due the the power button being super sensitive). Despite sending video evidence, and asking kindly several times- they refused that there was a problem.

To get data off the phone, I had to install custom firmware (as it would stop the phone boot looping). I told them about this when arranging the return, and they said it shouldn't be a problem (my problem was a physical fault with the phone anyway).

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Comments

  • ozhunter on 11/05/2015 - 10:34

    Maybe they haven't actually sent it back yet.

  • mr_alligator on 11/05/2015 - 11:12

    Kogan are known for this, their warranty support is a joke. From what I know, if they don't agree there is a problem you also need to pay up. Also kept my friends phone for 2 months, when his S4's battery was swollen (known problem)

    • ycon on 11/05/2015 - 11:15

      Yes- they intially said they'd send it back for free, then I asked them to double check for the problem. They contacted me a day later saying there was still no problem, and then asked me to pay $40 to have it returned. I kindly reminded them they'd already offered to send it back free.

      Anyway- legally, surely they can't just keep a piece of my property for an indefinite/unknown amount of time?

      • Cheeper on 11/05/2015 - 11:38

        Read your Kogan warranty… Most businesses will not return an item if found not to be faulty without the customer paying the return postage.

        They may be holding it waiting for you to pay the return postage regardless of you claiming someone said they would do it for free. The spoken word is worthless.
        Email them… with phone calls they can get away with telling you anything.

        If it's not in writing, it did not happen.

        How long do they hold them before they bin them?

        • ycon on 11/05/2015 - 11:50

          All correspondence has been in writing- so their definitely not waiting for me to pay.

          And yes I get that they want to charge me to send it back, but I stated to them that I'd modified the phone before returning it (saying "I'm not sure I should even bother sending it back as I've voided the warranty by writing custom firmware").

  • Cheeper on 11/05/2015 - 11:58

    Be blowed if I know… you screwed with the firmware then sent it in for warranty repair… LOL
    Just email them and ask…

    Have they posted the phone yet and if so what are the despatch details.
    If they have not returned it then ask what the delay is.
    Ask them if they intend to honour their promise of free return postage and that you have their guarantee of that in writing. (you do???)

    Do this by email NOT phone and ask for a reply by email.

    I'm not sure if it would be worthwhile pursuing a complaint with DOFT as it seems you voided the warranty anyway.

  • ycon on 11/05/2015 - 12:50

    All my correspondence has been via email:

    They say they've posted the phone but have given no dispatch details.
    They won't say why there has been a delay
    They do intend to honor posting it back for free

    I have all of the above in writing.

    As for the firmware issue- that's separate. Regardless of whether they fixed the phone or not- I did not 'give' it to them to keep for an indefinite period of time.

  • arnold75 on 11/05/2015 - 15:05

    I have had similar incidence recently. I had issue with newly purchase Galaxy S5 phone.LCD was internally crack due to over heating. They refuse warranty claim without checking the phone and their warranty service is worst I have ever seen in Australia. This is well Known through I have seen several complain in lot of web site forums. We might setup some Facebook group or online petition against this crappy supplier. Fortunately they send the phone back after two months refusing any warranty repairs. Their phones are cheap international products and they even not quality as Local selling models.

  • ycon on 12/05/2015 - 07:43

    Oh I'm proper annoyed now.

    Phone arrived last night, and wouldn't even turn on now. So I've charged it (at the mains) overnights- and it still isn't working!

    Seriously- kogan have broken the phone completely! What can I do?

  • BobD on 12/05/2015 - 08:24

    As several posters have shown, buying from Kogan may have a high price later. Their terms and conditions should be read very carefully.

    • ycon on 12/05/2015 - 10:30

      Never again. Wow this is bad. I suspect they took so long to return it as they realized that they'd broken the phone…

  • ycon on 12/05/2015 - 11:41

    Surely the ACCC is an option for me? Yes my phone had custom firmware, but I informed them of this before sending it to them. And the phone was actually working when I sent it to them.

    All of it is in writing.

  • hornethomer on 12/05/2015 - 18:50

    Custom firmware means voided warranty!

    • ycon on 12/05/2015 - 21:47

      What I thought. That's why I TOLD them this first before returning the phone (email- in writing).

      They said still return it.

      They couldn't find the problem, so didn't fix it.

      Under their duty of care the phone completely stopped working.

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