JB Hi-Fi ignoring Guarantee claim, going to see Consumer Affairs tomorrow

RobMel on 18/09/2016 - 16:53

Hi,

Getting ignored for the last 2 month by JB Hifi.
Bought a Nexus 6P 10 month ago from JB Hifi.
2 month ago the USB 3.1 charge cable wouldnt work anymore.

Went to local JB Hifi for Guarantee (seller) claim.

Initially the guy wanted to push me towards manufacturer (Warranty).

I insisted on Guarantee.

  1. He made me come back to drop of the cable, said he couldnt process it.
  2. Went second time to drop of cable and got only a hand written note on back on a business card, claiming this is not their usual process, without explaining what the usual process is or why he wouldnt follow that, unless it is to not honor Guarantee claim and just push consumers to deal with manufacturer
  3. 2 weeks later hadn't heard anything, walked into shop, said no news
  4. 1 month later rang, they promised to call back , no call back, nothing
  5. 2 days ago (now 2 month into process) rang again and asked for manager, he said I would get a new cable next day and he would call back, Of course no call back.

Since they have no real competition anymore customers and consumer law is no longer a priority for them.
Hope they don't wonder why people buy from internet instead, no guarantee and no service, but better price.

Tomorrow will engage consumer affairs and let them deal with these clowns.

Just wanted to share my experience. JB was good once, now they just suck big time.

Electrical & Electronics

Related Stores

JB Hi-Fi
JB Hi-Fi

Comments

  • chumlee on 18/09/2016 - 17:04
    +23

    I would ring their head office first and make a complaint about your issues with the store. I would be surprised if it wasn't resolved within a business day or two plus a gift card for the inconvenience.

    • RobMel on 18/09/2016 - 17:36
      +4

      That's a good idea, will do that tomorrow.
      Cheers

    • [Deactivated] on 19/09/2016 - 11:30
      +3

      In my experience they just push any issues to the store manager.

      • Roney on 19/09/2016 - 11:57
        +2

        Yep that'll be the case! And there would be another round of long delay… Best not only to have the consumer affairs to push both of them to action, JB needs to learn not to fob off the consumers ever again.

  • p1 ama on 18/09/2016 - 17:21
    +54

    I just find it odd that you're going this far over a charging cable. Those things can be bought online for around $3 or so. Just get like 5 of them and you'll be set. Like sure, it's within your rights or whatever, but you must be valuing your time really cheaply if you're dropping this much time and effort into something that's worth $3. If it was your phone that broke, I understand, but ultimately, a cable breaking after 10 months of use isn't that bad, just get a new one.

    • spackbace on 18/09/2016 - 17:29
      +11

      Time spent + fuel surely isn't worth less than a new cable?!

    • RobMel on 18/09/2016 - 17:36
      +73

      If it was a basic USB2 cable wouldnt worry about it.
      However this is a 3.1 to 3.1 cable carrying 3A, don't want to get some cheapo cable which breaks easy or worse causes problem with my battery.
      Prefer to use a proper quality cable for that.
      Also don't intend to let JB Hifi get away with there lousy attitude.

      • p1 ama on 18/09/2016 - 17:43
        +7

        However this is a 3.1 to 3.1 cable carrying 3A, don't want to get some cheapo cable which breaks easy or worse causes problem with my battery.

        A proper cable will be like $7.

        Also don't intend to let JB Hifi get away with there lousy attitude.

        Well fair enough, it's your choice, but personally I'd pick my battles more intelligently. There comes a point where you're better off just moving on with your life. Obviously you feel strongly enough about it to write this forum post, so go for it. Doesn't change the fact that I still think this is a huge waste of time and just generally not worth it.

        • Singu1arity on 18/09/2016 - 19:02
          +29

          It probably didn't start off as a waste of time though. More likely it was "I need to run a bunch of errands so I'll get a replacement cable while I'm at it.".

          I agree with RobMel, it's the principal of it. Also, why pay $7 for something that should be covered under warranty (without any hassles), are you a true OzBargainer?

        • p1 ama on 18/09/2016 - 20:11
          +34

          @ASeawright:

          Also, why pay $7 for something that should be covered under warranty (without any hassles), are you a true OzBargainer?

          Because I value my time and happiness. He's made four or five trips to JB HiFi over this, has spent time writing about it on a forum, taken calls, wasted time and is now going to take it to consumer affairs.

          If it was his phone that was not working, then fine, I can see the merit in that. But for $7, you have to think about how much your time is really worth. Cables break, that's just a fact of life. The buck has to drop somewhere. Are you going to go and return a broken paperclip?

          At the end of the day, the question is 'what do you get'? You managed to waste away hours of your life, write forum posts, take phone calls from whatever lousy people at JB whilst I would have bought my cable, forgotten about the whole issue and been happy for several weeks by now. Which you prefer is up to you, might be worth it for you and not worth it for me.

        • terrys on 19/09/2016 - 08:33
          +2

          @psterio: I also value my time and happiness. Part of that is utilising this forum - and in a case like this, not only would I persist, but I would share my experience with fellow Ozbargainers. Then again, I think that if I utilise the social utility of this site when considering purchases, I can count the time and effort cost of feeding back as an investment, not a cost.
          Even for the most self-centered and Randian amongst us, a little study of elementary game theory can be useful in assessing and balancing out our "facts of life".

        • Lysander on 19/09/2016 - 13:39
          +1

          That approach is exactly what shops such as JB Hifi rely on and which is why they make lots of money refusing legitimate warranty claims and ignoring Australian laws and get away with it.
          Imagine 500,000 claims per year where JB Hifi doesn't honour warranty at a low average $5 claim value. Makes 2.5 millions extra profits for them.

          If nothing happens go to your state's civil and administrative tribunal. Cheap and very effective with companies.

        • McFly on 19/09/2016 - 13:50
          +3

          @Lysander: They are not going to get half a million claims per year, and they wouldn't make an extra $2.5M, they just wouldn't be spending it - and not even that, if it's a genuine warranty claim the manufacturer is the one paying, not the retailer (other than for their time and courier fees.)
          Still, I agree with your sentiment.

        • Lysander on 19/09/2016 - 16:03
          +1

          @McFly:

          That was just a simple example anyway. The point I wanted to make is that it is worthwhile for them to do this and even though the claim value is only small one should not let them get away with it as these are not isolated incidents but rather represent a systematic approach by the businesses.

      • stemcell on 18/09/2016 - 19:16
        +22

        Good for you RobMel, nice to see someone with a backbone on here as most just roll over and give up.

    • enzioFirenze on 18/09/2016 - 22:18
      +1

      I find these third party cables don't charge my 6P as better as the original ones do, it might be a placebo effect but a 100% charged 6P from third party cables (Beowolf or something that was on OzB) doesn't last as long with the same amount of usage, anybody else seen something similar?

      • abb on 19/09/2016 - 09:21
        +3

        Placebo. 100% is 100%.

        It is possible an inferior cable could take longer to charge though.

      • dantione on 19/09/2016 - 23:04
        +3

        I'd suggest an app called Ampere if not sure of the true quality of the cable. It logs the charge speed in mA, and you can compare the cables you have versus what the charger tells you it can do. I've thrown some cheapies because of it, but some have been ok

    • supersabroso on 19/09/2016 - 03:04
      +3

      My genuine Samsung cables break after about a year. It's just wear and tear, depends on how you treat them.

      • rickyygee on 20/09/2016 - 08:55

        I've use one for 2 and a half years. The cuff of it has turned yellow…but still good to use

        • supersabroso on 20/09/2016 - 15:09

          By break I mean something happens internally. The cable looks just fine and works, but the charging rate is so slow. What used to do 25%/hr now does like 10%/hr.

        • rickyygee on 20/09/2016 - 15:59

          @IndecentExposure:
          Yeah thats unfortunate

    • lint on 20/09/2016 - 09:59
      +2

      It's about the principle! And consumer rights!

      Or maybe just get a new cable not from JB but badger and pester them about it every time you happen to be in the store.

    • Sammyboy on 22/09/2016 - 13:55
      +1

      Its the principle of the matter. Regardless whether its a $1 part or a $1000 part. It you let them get away with a $1 part then next time they will try get away with a $10 part and so forth.

  • cheesecactus on 18/09/2016 - 17:40
    +8

    Have you even tried contacting the manufacturer? Google is pretty chill about their nexus phones. Odds are they might just send you a new one no questions asked.

    JBHIFI probably legit has no idea wtf to do with a cable.

    • apple2016 on 18/09/2016 - 19:04
      +1

      This is what I would prefer as well. Contact manufacturer. Usually they are easy to deal with.

      • RobMel on 18/09/2016 - 19:27
        +5

        Huawei's manufacturing warranty instructions (as opposed to the Sellers Guarantee as per law) explicitly state that postage is at my cost.
        I also witnessed JB hifi staff ringing 4 different numbers to Huawei trying to figure out who there will help JB to address the issue with no luck.
        I would have had an even harder time to get Huawei to fullfill their obligation and would have had to pay postage.

        When I dropped of the cable I thought it was a straight forward process.
        But at least now I know how little JB Hifi is interested in taking their responsibilities as per consumer law seriously.
        Unless they can match some cheap online price in future I just can't consider them competitive.

        • Millikano on 20/09/2016 - 07:01
          +6

          Hi RobMel,

          I used to work in the mobile phone area in retail. In my experience, the warranty on charging cables was very difficult to claim, as some Return Authority procedures require all standard equipment be returned as there are no spare parts separately supplied by the manufacturer. For example, if the headphones from a Nokia phone break, the whole phone would need to be returned to the manufacturer, assessed (whether it was a manufacturing defect or breakage due to wear and tear), and then sent back. The whole procedure could take up to a month depending on the manufacturer, and a company can't give away anything that they can't get money back from. I understand consumer sentiment and I sympathise but its often not up to a store employee's good will as to what the right thing to do is.

          I hope that your cable gets replaced, and I'm sure JB would gladly provide a quick fix if there is one available, but it might take time to follow the correct procedure.

          Best of luck.

        • syousef on 21/09/2016 - 06:03
          +1

          @Millikano:

          Australian consumer law says the retailer not the manufacturer is responsible for warranty.

        • Roman Sandstorm on 22/09/2016 - 11:07
          +1

          @Millikano:

          I hear what you are saying, Milli. But this is all 'back of house', and should not matter at all for the consumer.

          Australian Consumer Law is very clear about these issues. The retailer is responsible for these claims. And there may be reasons, excuses, whinges, whatever by the retailer, but they have a legal obligation to meet statutory requirements.

          Furthermore, it is unlikely that any tribunal (depending on state) would find it reasonable to take weeks, or a month or more, to replace a cable.

          This is very basic stuff, and should be factored into JB's retail pricing structure. They cannot, and should not, hide behind pathetic mealy-mouthed excuses.

          At the very least, as a basic customer service they should provide a replacement (third party) cable while in the meantime pursuing their own Kafkaesque process to replace the original $7 part. And then get that part to the customer (at their own shipping cost, of course).

          I hope that your cable gets replaced
          Seriously? What kind of attitude is that? Hope? I'm glad you used to work in the retail area.

          The correct response to the OP when walking into the shop should have been: "Yes, sir. We see the faulty cable. We apologise, but our negotiated agreement with the wholesaler means that it may take a month or more to get you a replacement cable. I agree, this is not very satisfactory. What we can do is give you a third-party cable, right now, and then send yours off for repair/replacement. When it returns we will mail it to you. And you can keep the one we are giving you right now."

          So… for the sake of a $7.00 cable, JB would generate tremendous goodwill with the customer. The same customer who will possibly next year buy that 75" OLED UHD TV for $11,000. The same customer who will not go to online forums describing his painful experience in getting a freakin' faulty cable replaced. And which may deter even one other person from spending $$$ at JB.

          Geez… it's Customer Service 101. Even if the cable was not faulty they should just suck it up and keep the customer satisfied.

        • Millikano on 22/09/2016 - 22:14

          @Roman Sandstorm:
          Hi Roman,
          I agree with you about the value of good customer service, as well as your suggested alternative of providing a replacement 'alternative' cable, at the customers discretion. The best solution would be to replace with an identical part.

          A '$7' cable isn't really $7 when it takes multiple staff hours to troubleshoot, book in, ship, follow up and refund stock. The smaller the item, the bigger the net loss. It's an incredibly wasteful side of the retail industry.

          I appreciate your comments about my previous choice of employment, and I understand that a lot of people have a bad experience with retail staff. Perhaps if we had dealt with each other in person, you might have seen me in a different light; I'm just a normal guy who enjoys building relationships and helping others, and I hope I had a positive impact through my former role.

    • [Deactivated] on 20/09/2016 - 02:28

      Yee google did that with my Chromebook charger, as it was a google branded Chromebook, even though it was made by HP.

  • suicine94 on 18/09/2016 - 18:09
    +4

    good luck

  • niner on 18/09/2016 - 18:21
    +1

    GO on ebay and get a belkin cable or another expensive brand.

  • [Deactivated] on 18/09/2016 - 19:07
    +2

    Its a cable and after 10 months of wear and tear, youre now harrasing JB Hifi over it
    Seriously, I bet your attitude to them about the cable is the cause of their unwillingness to help

    Pony up and buy a new cable, Google can also help you and I wouldn't expect consumer law to waste their time over a cable thats subject to wear and tear over the space of nearly a year of insertions

    No offence, you're making this a huge deal over a $5 part

    • dlf73 on 18/09/2016 - 19:59
      +17

      It does appear he is making a mountain out of a molehill but then there is principal aswell as what appears to be poor customer service with lack of returned calls, etc. I worked in IT years ago and if anything failed under warranty (minor parts) we replaced part at only labour cost, sent faulty part to manufacturer for replacement. Why can't jb do that?

      • wombok2 on 19/09/2016 - 01:46
        +7

        Problem is, I don't think JB stocks 'spare parts', they only forward repairs to the manufacturer.

        If the manufacturer doesn't give you spare parts, there isn't much they can do unless they want to fork out a cables themselves and wait for it to be reimbursed.

        Something so simple, yet IMO really depends on how the manufacturer wants to handle support.

        HOWEVER most 'accessories' have 6 months(due to wear and tear) warranty and not the full 12 months of the actual device. Really need to check your warranty booklet.

        • dlf73 on 19/09/2016 - 11:04

          Yeah, I dont know the warranty on these parts so that may indeed be the case.
          Therefore, if out of warranty, inform customer clearly of this, customer buys another cable, there or elsewhere, end of story.
          If in warranty, store should have a few spare, give one to customer, send faulty part to manufacturer, when replacement part comes back, this goes back into 'spares' stock.

          I am surprised if this is not done on, to be honest, cheap parts but ensuring high customer satisfaction.

        • dantione on 19/09/2016 - 23:07
          +2

          Ask them if you need to buy a new phone, swap the cord, walk outside and return

        • twocsies on 19/09/2016 - 23:38
          +5

          JB Hifi states that any product <12 months is under repair, exchange, or refund. None of this 6 months stuff.
          https://www.jbhifi.com.au/Documents/Consumer%20Warranties%20ā€¦

          Note that they don't need to repair/exchange/refund every product, but they are responsible to determine whether the product is faulty within a reasonable amount of time, and if it is found to be faulty, then repair/exchange/refund.

        • wombok2 on 20/09/2016 - 02:05

          @dlf73:

          Exactly! alot of accessories(USB cables, chargers, batteries) are cheaper than the unit itself so it would make sense to keep a spares for straight swap to keep the customer happy.

        • wombok2 on 20/09/2016 - 02:10

          @twocsies:

          12 Months apply to the product itself, but the accessories - battery, cable, charger, etc fall into a different category and is stated in the device's Warranty booklet(Well for Samsung that is)

          "they are responsible to determine whether the product is faulty within a reasonable amount of time, and if it is found to be faulty, then repair/exchange/refund." What they don't say is when they will provide the replacement/repair/refund and that is entirely up to JB or the manufacturer

          Note: "within a reasonable amount of time" is an gray area. If things are beyond their control, eg 1 month supply issue causing delays, that is still "within a reasonable amount of time"

        • dlf73 on 20/09/2016 - 17:25
          +3

          @wombok2: exactly my point. A small cost to jb(posting faulty part bck to manufacturer) for complete customer satisfaction. Seems a no brainer!

    • Zondor on 19/09/2016 - 12:23
      +1

      A decent cable treated well shouldn't die so soon.

    • matt_will_fix_it on 19/09/2016 - 15:06

      No offence, you're making this a huge deal over a $5 part

      Are you sure it's the cable that's the issue? If it's the phone then it's not just a $5 part.

    • maddoglee on 21/09/2016 - 07:37

      If it's wear and tear, it won't be covered by the acl… It's based on the value of the part.. Cables are the first to go… Apple is no better… I found aftermarket cables heaps better.

    • zine21 on 21/09/2016 - 18:48
      +2

      Why should retailers get away with this ? the cost shouldn't be a factor in this. He has a right and that right should be fulfilled.

      I purchased a Samsung tablet from JB and after a week of use I realized there was issues with the device (random lines would appear on the screen and it would freeze and it required restart). I returned the device and they pushed replacement instead of refund.

      Same problem repeats itself and I return to the shop this time I would def would like a refund on it but they refuse to- even though it was within 10days of original purchase. Not only did they refuse they also acted like I was making it up and that they hadn't had any issues/complaints from anyone else. They suggested I contact the manufacturer and sent me on a wild goose chase that didnt lead anywhere.

      I didn't have time to deal with them so I agreed on a replacement device again and surprise surprise the issue happened again in 2 days only this time it wouldn't restart. I contacted their head department to make a formal complaint and returned the device to their manager. The look on the sales person that thought I was making it up when they were refunding was incredible. She tried to complain and the manager showed her the screen on the device which shut her up pretty quickly. I finally got my refund but man was it a hassle.
      People have rights and retailers can be abusive and pushy to get what they want. Why should they get away with it

  • pais on 18/09/2016 - 19:10
    +4

    I actually can't believe JB didn't just swap it out for you on the spot. Most retailers will get your phone, your charging cable and adapter and trouble shoot on the spot (takes all of five minutes). Once they work out which part it is, swap it out for a whopping 10 buck expense on their end.

    By all means, they should give you a new cable as they're pretty dodgy, but you should also just go out and buy a few.

    • [Deactivated] on 18/09/2016 - 19:11
      +1

      Why would they do this?, anyone can bring in a cable and claim it on the spot
      Proof of purchase, the retailer then can send the cable off to Google who would either deny the claim on wear and tear

      Most phones only cover accessories and cables for 6 months in the fine print, perhaps the OP should read his warranty terms

      • pais on 19/09/2016 - 00:13
        +1

        I'm assuming proof of purchase. If he has no proof of purchase JB can tell him to go jump.

        Proof of purchase, the retailer then can send the cable off to Google who would either deny the claim on wear and tear

        It's not at all economical for this to happen, which is why it simply doesn't. Retailers don't ship cables back to be assessed; they either write the cost off as part of doing business or they can attempt to make a claim (which is more likely).

        Look, from my perspective as a consumer, it's not worth my time to be chasing up a shitty cable when I can just go and buy another one like OP is.

        From my perspective as someone that has worked in this part of retail, it's not worth anyone's time to chase up a USB cable with faxes, emails and phone calls when it can troubleshooted and replaced it in three minutes for $10. Yeah, you can probably suggest that accessories aren't going to last as long as the device itself (and to be clear: I'd agree with you), but if there's an easy and cheap way to keep the customer happy… You should probably just do it. The fact that there's now some level of management, social media and half a dozen phone calls involved just demonstrates the point: JB has already spent more than $10 trying to resolve it. It makes no business sense.

        • wombok2 on 20/09/2016 - 02:28
          +1

          IMO I believe this is due to JB don't/won't to handle the repair themselves in the first place. They'd rather forward it to the manufacturer to handle any warranty related business.

          Why? What happens when you replace the cable and the customer goes into a different JB and claims the same fault? As much as I'd admit that it's a lot easier to just replace the cable on the spot, JB probably doesn't want to bear the cost or the trouble(Yes, there are customers that will use loop holes and come back to exchange a another cable that's already been exchanged)

          Much easier to let the manufacturer handle it, but at the cost of JB's customer service reputation

      • Lysander on 19/09/2016 - 13:43
        +1

        Unless you get to read fine print before purchase the fine print is worth nothing. See shrink wrap licensing cases and general contract law.
        Plus Australian consumer law trumps any company fine print.

    • cheesecactus on 18/09/2016 - 19:12
      +2

      If he'd bought a cable from jb, then im sure they would have. But being a bundled one with a phone…they probably didnt know what to do. Not like they can turn around and charge google for a $20 belkin cable or something.

      • [Deactivated] on 18/09/2016 - 19:17
        +1

        The phone comes with a warranty, but to what extent does it cover the cable

        Warranty Period: Coverage under this warranty is limited to the following time periods:
        Mobile Devices: a period of 12 months from the date of purchase;
        Battery and Charger: a period of 12 months from the date of purchase

        Covers the battery and charger, nothing about the cable but who knows
        I'd be going to google about it but remember Huawei provide the warranty here not Google

  • fakefilo on 18/09/2016 - 19:18
    +3

    Maybe try another store?

    My cable for the Nexus 6P also stopped working. Walked into a JB Hi-fi, the guy there said that unfortunately Huawei's warranty doesn't cover the charger and accessories which I thought meant he was blowing me off. But he got a Belkin cable to test the charger and when it worked, he just handed it to me and said that's it. Another JB Hi-fi did the same for my LG G3 charger a couple of years back.

  • RobMel on 18/09/2016 - 19:36
    +5

    I am making a guarantee not warranty claim.
    Its a legal difference.
    Shops get away with pushing consumers to less comprehensive warranty as opposed to their legal obligation under guarantee mainly because people don't know their rights and let them get away with it.
    Also mobiles have a 2 years consumer guarantee in Australia.
    Guarantee times under the law depend on the product. Mobiles being sold typically under 2 years contracts are covered for two years as consumer protection agencies have ruled.

    As suggested by another OZBarganer I have now contacted their HQ and will see what they say.
    Tue I will contact consumer affairs.

    Did the same with Aldi a while ago when they refused return of a faulty TV after 5 month of usage.
    Consumer affairs forced Aldi to comply with Australian Consumer law, pick up my TV and refund the money.

    If I wanted to buy parts with no guarantee why would I pay a premium supporting local shops in the first place.
    I might as well buy the stuff from eBay and accept the same risk for less money.

    • mskeggs on 18/09/2016 - 22:11
      +20

      Your comment is only partially correct.
      The ACL covers items for a "reasonable" period. It does not say charging cables are covered for two years (for example). The 2 yr period you are quoting related to cell phones does not automatically apply to accessories.
      Nor should it. Accessories like charging cables, earphones etc. should have a lesser life than the main device, as they are more likely to fail through wear and tear.

      Is 10 months a reasonable period for a cable to last? It is certainly getting up there. It implies it was constructed well enough not to fail for many uses.
      While people will encourage you to go far to get this resolved, eventually taking this approach will result in higher costs for all of us to either deal with lots of returns, or make a more durable product that copes with rougher handling/wear and tear.

      I hope you are genuinely seeking a replacement for a manufacturing quality issue, not due to your own wear and tear.

      • taegangers on 19/09/2016 - 00:09
        +6

        I would argue that the cable should last as long as the reasonable period as the device since if the cable isn't expected to last, how are we going to charge the device? or is it expected to be a brick for the remainder of it's lifetime?
        and if it's only possible to create a cable that lasts 12 months,then there should really be more cables in the packaging.

        • tranter on 19/09/2016 - 10:25

          Yes, agreed. Less than 12 months is not a reasonable time period for a genuine charger cable. I think they cost $30-$40 from Google. It's not reasonable to expect consumers to have to replace their genuine charger cables multiple times a year.

          Maybe if they were a third party cheapo cable less than 12 months is ok, but when Google prices them at a premium there is an expectation that they will last for a reasonable amount of time.

        • callum9999 on 19/09/2016 - 23:06

          You buy a new one…

          It's not "only" possible to create a cable that lasts 12 months, but not all of them will last that long. Not least because they're regularly dropped, crushed, pulled in and out etc. You can make your argument on a moral basis, but (as a non-expert) I see no backing for your argument within Australian consumer law. There's certainly no rule that says accessories must last as long as the main device.

        • bluey47 on 20/09/2016 - 14:10
          +1

          @callum9999: Australian consumer law deliberately states "Reasonable time". https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guaranteesā€¦

          I would expect a $40 charging cable to last more than a year of normal use and therefor unless JB think it was damaged it should be repaired or replaced without hassle.
          I also think its reasonable to expect an expensive phone to last more than a year and would expect JB to repair or replace it outside the 12 months the manufacturer suggests.

          Good luck OP, I would probably be doing the same thing.

  • Sage on 18/09/2016 - 20:39
    +7

    Seems like a huge waste of time just for a $5 charging cable.

    • newsynthetic on 19/09/2016 - 12:41
      +1

      Its not a "$5 charging cable." if its branded and has local warranty.

  • DarkOz on 18/09/2016 - 20:55
    +5

    Even when you are right but that's too much trouble to go through for a few dollars. You might win the fight but you will lose the war.

  • Nutrino on 18/09/2016 - 21:36
    +10

    This is amusing. Please continue. You must have provided JB staff a few laughs and stories too.

  • garetz on 18/09/2016 - 22:09
    -3

    I wouldnt blame jbhifi, but the staff of the store, i would of asked for an aftermarket replacement for free, and quote your statutory rights under your state law.
    This is also grounds to return the entire item, and get a full refund if they refuse a replacement.

    • spackbace on 18/09/2016 - 22:31
      +15

      This is also grounds to return the entire item, and get a full refund if they refuse a replacement.

      Wow

      And people wonder why shit costs so much to purchase in this country…

      • garetz on 18/09/2016 - 22:35
        +1

        If a retail store is being unreasonable you gotta fight fire with fire. The reason shit as you put it is so expensive, is cause instead of staff doing their job, they do stupid stuff like this and try to pass the buck hoping the consumer will give up or just go away.

        This is coming from someone who worked in retail a long time ago.

        • spackbace on 18/09/2016 - 22:40
          +4

          This is coming from someone who worked in retail a long time ago.

          And that has what to do with it?

          Getting a full refund, because of a bad cable, purely because you got shit service, doesn't come back to the person that gave you shit service…

          It's like expecting a full refund on an old car because of a vibrating mirror… Oh wait :/

        • garetz on 18/09/2016 - 22:46

          @Spackbace: I think you are missing the point, you arent getting a full refund for shit service, you are getting a refund because they are refusing to warranty an item that has become defective within warranty. Statutory rights doesnt differentiate between the value of the item, or if its a cable or the phone. It applies to everything supplied with the product. Just cause it would cost a few bux to replace doesnt mean you should let the retailer get away with treating you like an idiot. Also not to mention its a slippery slope, so its a few bux, why bother ? so its less than 50 bux, waste of petrol, so its less than 500 bux, your time is worth more than that. Sooner or later it erodes your statutory rights, its up to you as the consumer to decide if its worth your while to pursue it or not, it should have nothing to do with the opinion of an employee of a retailer. Your rights are your rights whether it costs 1 cent for an item or 1 million dollars.

        • spackbace on 18/09/2016 - 22:54
          +3

          @garetz:

          Your rights, your rights, your rights. Yep I heard you the first time. But I also value my time, and I'm not the only one. Not to mention that everyone knows that usb charging cables have a relatively short life, given the daily usage they get. The cable didn't fail within a month, it failed close to a year later.

          Anyway it's obvious we're not gonna agree on this. I'm sure you'd go through this process, and even push it to ACCC if a $2 phone case cracked, coz you know, 'your rights'. Some of us decide that there are bigger things to worry about.
          Maybe you're young and you've never had any major worries, but I can assure you that once you've seen a few things, a $7 cable becomes something that isn't worth stressing over for more than a day or 2 šŸ˜‚

        • greatlamp on 20/09/2016 - 13:43
          +1

          I don't think they are being unreasonable, it's 10 months old not dead on arrival.

          If Huawei won't help you then don't support them in the future.

    • johnno07 on 19/09/2016 - 16:39
      +3

      This is also grounds to return the entire item, and get a full refund if they refuse a replacement.

      This is not true. You'll find that our statutory implied warranty will not entitle you to a new $600 phone because of a broken, easily replaceable $5 cable.

  • paloverde88 on 18/09/2016 - 23:39
    +4

    Jb no longer has to be nice as they only have dishonest Harvey or inconsistent Officeworks to compete with. They still look the best when compared to those 2

  • taegangers on 19/09/2016 - 00:01
    +9

    Rob, I just wanted to say that I applaud the fact that you are standing up for your rights. Your statement about JBHIFI's monopoly struck a chord with me and i appreciate the lengths you are going to ensure their honesty.
    Please keep us posted, i'm interested to find out how it goes :)

  • JoyVee on 19/09/2016 - 00:08

    Read in The Age business section that JB have just bought the Good Guys business which will give them more power and maybe better accountability?

    • NBAD25 on 19/09/2016 - 10:25
      +9

      Reduced competition leads to reduced accountability usually.

    • newsynthetic on 19/09/2016 - 12:08
      +1

      Better accountability for shareholders you mean, doubt that mean customers.

  • jimbobaus on 19/09/2016 - 01:56

    Pretty sure accessories only come with a 6 m warranty.
    The phone get 2 years but accessories have always been 6m
    I could be wrong but I don't think I am.

    • NBAD25 on 19/09/2016 - 10:27
      +2

      That is the case with manufacturer warranties, but under ACL you are guaranteed use for a 'reasonable' amount of time. The issue here is that JBHIFI are only allowing for a warranty claim, where the consumer goes to the manufacturer and leaves them alone, where in reality, they are responsible.

    • Zondor on 19/09/2016 - 12:16
      +3

      6m is unreasonable. Imagine having to replace every cable in your house twice a year.

  • eneloop on 19/09/2016 - 05:48
    +9

    My friend don't waste your time on silly shit like this I'll buy you a cable. Message me

  • [Deactivated] on 19/09/2016 - 06:18

    I'd suggest talk to the manufacturer directly and things will be perhaps handled much more smoothly :)

  • RaiZdbyDINGOES on 19/09/2016 - 07:46
    -2

    Jb hifi have plenty of competition. Good guys, Harvey Normam, Bing Lee, Kogan etc etc. It's only because they marketed their business well that they are pretty much the leader in home electronics

    • newsynthetic on 19/09/2016 - 11:54
      +12

      "Jb hifi have plenty of competition. Good guys" lol

  • Eca1 on 19/09/2016 - 09:16

    I am all for keeping companies honest. My recent experience is some misinform, delay, illegally complicate and use many tactics to avoid their obligations. I have found this with expensive Tv and audio as well as small items purchased on ebay. Sometimes they tell blatant lies about what process you have to follow and our consumer laws. One mob i dealt with committed a criminal offence and lied about it!
    As consumers, it is best if we all keep these companies honest, for ourselves and for the next consumer who has a genuine issue.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/09/2016 - 09:23
    +2

    Post your problem on their Facebook page, Twitter etc.
    They don't like bad publicity and will probably react very quickly.

  • JajaMinx on 19/09/2016 - 09:41
    -5

    I'm not sure why the OP is having so much trouble over a $7 cable.

    Personally, I've exchanged a few items in the past that were still under warranty.

    Surface PRO case - $65
    GTA V (unreadable disks) - $79
    Bluetooth mouse - $27

    So to summarize his story.

    1. Bought a Nexus 6P 10 months ago from JB Hifi.
    2. JB referred him towards manufacturer (Warranty).

    So what's the problem?
    Call Huawei and organise a replacement.
    Like many have said, accessories only carry 6 months manufacturer's warranty and you could have bought another cable for $7.
    Instead you're wasting so much time and effort over a 1st World problem.

  • Lancerx on 19/09/2016 - 11:21
    -7

    You're weird OP..all these over a freaking cable ?!! FFS lol

  • McFly on 19/09/2016 - 11:48
    +5

    To anyone saying you can get an equivalent cable for $5 or $7 - link please!

    To anyone saying OP doesn't deserve a replacement (legally) - do yourself a favour and educate yourself on the ACL.

    • stratbargain on 19/09/2016 - 12:48

      If by equivalent you mean the same brand then no. However the Choetech cables are built better and come in a longer length and are cheaper

      https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1M-USB-C-to-USB-C-Cable-CHOEā€¦

      Or is he talking about the USB-A to USB C Cable?

      Either way a quality one can be had for relatively cheap (not that I'm suggesting he doesn't just get JB to replace it)

      • newsynthetic on 19/09/2016 - 12:54

        That is USB 2.0 though not Usb 3.1 and not USB to C type, so not equivalent.

        • stratbargain on 19/09/2016 - 13:19

          for the record the Nexus 6P phone and stock cable are are USB 2.0 not 3.1

        • newsynthetic on 19/09/2016 - 13:32

          @stratbargain: Was relying on OP info, my bad.

      • McFly on 19/09/2016 - 13:45

        Yes, A to C I'm assuming.
        Nice find - haven't seen this brand before. BUG-approved (Benson the USB Guru) and everything!
        But yeah, equivalent spec., not sure about brand/quality, and there seems to be some debate as to whether it charges a 6P at 1.5A or 2.4A - an issue you will not come across using the original cable.

        • MadMaxBargainRoad on 19/09/2016 - 14:25

          And it takes Aliexpress up to 60 business days to deliver the item. OP definitely deserves a cable replacement.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/09/2016 - 11:51
    +6

    Don't know why people are giving you a hard time. You're not inconveniencing them, nor requesting them to take action/give advice.

    You've been jerked around and you're making sure this doesn't become precedence for poorer and poorer treatment of paying customers.

  • McFly on 19/09/2016 - 11:53
    +3

    OP, you've been way too lenient with them. This has just gotten way out of hand.
    Ask for the manager, tell them about all the wasted time (yourself and JB employees) and get them to grab a https://www.jbhifi.com.au/computers-tablets/accessories/belkā€¦ off the shelf and swap it over. Done.
    The rule I go by is: fair but firm.

  • newsynthetic on 19/09/2016 - 12:02

    If JB weren't charging $38 for a USB-C 3.1 Cable, I would of ignore it. Seriously $38!
    https://www.jbhifi.com.au/computers-tablets/accessories/belkā€¦
    * also generic branded cables are much slower most of the time and break easily.

    • McFly on 19/09/2016 - 12:28

      Actually $38 is not too bad for a good quality 3.1 cable - for a local price that is. (Also the 2.0 one is 'only' $28.)

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