My Experience with Kogan Warranty

Cheap Charlie on 03/01/2019 - 18:42
Last edited 03/01/2019 - 19:05 by 1 other user

I wanted to share with you my recent experience with Kogan customer support.

Having been a proponent for Kogan branded products for the last few years, my recommendations did not account for customer support. I recently had two Kogan branded items fail spectacular with in a couple of weeks. Besides taking 2 weeks, the warranty claim for the first item was straight forward and a replacement was dispatched. The second item when it failed caught fire.

Long story short, during the 10 day warranty claim process the item went out of stock. Unable to dispatch a replacement on the spot, the support team offered a $65 credit. The catch is, the item was $79 + shipping, the credit would not secure a replacement unit. I asked if it was possible to work some thing out for a similar unit that was in stock at $99. Interestingly the request was flat out denied, no alternatives or compromises offered. Essentially, take the $65 credit or get stuffed.

I later received an offer from support for $89 credit. I shot back an immediate reply asking if they can charge me the additional $10 to dispatch the $99 unit I previously enquired about. I received a reply letting me know Kogan was not able to help as the unit is in excess of $10 difference? In the space of a single email the support team had rescinded the offer for the $89 credit.

Serves me right for the product failing… I guess?

This experience with Kogan will influence my future purchasing decisions and my purchasing recommendations for friends and family.

Again, I just wanted to share my experience with a retailer that is regularly featured on this site.

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Comments

  • wordplay on 03/01/2019 - 19:27
    +1

    thanks, think I will give kogan a miss.

  • Ocker on 03/01/2019 - 19:33
    +2

    Kogan have lost their way of late and offer no better service/support than any other bucket-shop Chinese based seller (which they essentially are).

    The business is going backwards which is no doubt the reason Kogan himself and dumped a truckload of his shares in the ASX listed company.

  • pantsparty on 03/01/2019 - 19:49
    +3

    What item caught fire - I am hoping not their DC Premium fan? I just purchased one of these!

    • Cheap Charlie on 04/01/2019 - 11:44

      The first item that failed was the DC Prm Fan.
      In saying that the quality is really good and I would happily buy another with my own coin.
      Going back to a $14 pedistal fan after having one of these is not an option

      • pantsparty on 04/01/2019 - 14:21

        How long did it last before it failed?

        • Cheap Charlie on 04/01/2019 - 14:43

          8 months.
          There is always a % rate of failurers with every product.
          Your milage may vary

  • wallet72 on 03/01/2019 - 20:34
    +1

    I thought the law was 'repair or replace or refund, depending on the customer preference'?

    • Olokun on 03/01/2019 - 20:47
      +5

      Fires are considered minor and cosmetic damage only.

  • bobbified on 03/01/2019 - 21:16
    +1

    It would be a benefit for everyone to know that item or was that caught fire and the circumstances so that anyone else with that item can take precautions of necessary.

    If it was a product failure causing a fire, you might want to remind Kogan that you might have to report the item to the ACCC (or the applicable government body) to perhaps initiate a recall if the product is deemed to be unsafe. They might miraculously change their tune after such a discussion.

    • Cheap Charlie on 04/01/2019 - 12:00

      Yes, some good points there.
      Kogan Premium Food Vacuum Sealer
      Putting my tin foil hat on for a moment here;
      - The unit went out of stock following my report of a major safety issue with the product
      - I received a subscription notice this morning noting the unit was back in stock and available to purchase. In the last 2 hours the product is back at out of stock status.
      Perhaps the product has been pulled pending investigation?
      Taking the tin foil hat of again, perhaps not, they never requested the return of the unit, simple request proof of the item being rendered unusable and disposed of.
      Perhapps they had other reports of the same fault?

      • bobbified on 04/01/2019 - 12:32

        Thanks for that info.

        How did it catch fire? Im assuming it's the heating element that caught fire. Were you using it and the heating element/bag caused fire because it was too hot or did you leave it plugged in (and on) and it just caught fire while you were not using it?

        • Cheap Charlie on 04/01/2019 - 14:41
          +1

          Yes, the fire developed during the heating phase.
          The unit caught fire internally, the bag was uneffected.

  • Ricciardo on 03/01/2019 - 21:51

    I would also be interested to know the item. In this age of social media and brand awareness you dont want to get a bad reputation.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/01/2019 - 23:14

    Did you switch it to winter mode by accident?

  • JimmyF on 03/01/2019 - 23:22

    I later received an offer from support for $89 credit. I shot back an immediate reply asking if they can charge me the additional $10 to dispatch the $99 unit I previously enquired about.

    I'm confused…. Just accept the $89 credit offered, then go buy the $99 item yourself and pay the $10 difference at the checkout.

    Its what you had been asking them to do, just do it yourself.

    • Cheap Charlie on 04/01/2019 - 12:10

      If a replacement unit was in stock, it would be dispatched NC.

      My strategy was running with the $89 credit option I would also need to fork out for the shipping.
      Whilst the shipping is only an additional $15 - $20, If I can avoid the charge its money in my pocket.

      Lastly, regardless they decided within a matter of hours that they were not pre-pared to honor the credit offer.

  • JimmyF on 04/01/2019 - 16:10
    -1

    If a replacement unit was in stock

    They can't ship what they don't have.

    • Cheap Charlie on 04/01/2019 - 18:17
      -2

      It looks like you have totaly missed the point twice now.
      Thank you for the valuable input

      • JimmyF on 04/01/2019 - 21:22
        -1

        It looks like you have totaly missed the point twice now.

        That you'll never be happy until they deliver something they don't have? Hmmmm Yes maybe I have missed it.

        • Cheap Charlie on 05/01/2019 - 11:21
          -1

          Yes, I see your point, it’s not like I requested an alternative, it’s clear from the original post that I just stood my ground on being supplied solely with the same model that failed.
          Not sure if trolling or you are just a special kind of stupid, at this point I am thinking its probably the latter.

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