Warranty Refused: Faulty Battery for Lawn Mower after 10 Month of Use

MagicMushroom on 06/10/2019 - 16:40

I bought a cordless electric lawn mower from Edison eBay 10 month ago and the battery has stopped working. Contacted Edison for warranty support but they refused with the message

As per the listing consumables such as batteries, tyres, belts, brushes, etc. are not covered under warranty unless faulty straight out of the box.

I was expecting the standard 12-month warranty, but checking their Warranty info on their website it does say the battery is not covered by warranty.

Parts purchases, consumable components, and accessories [such as chains, carry bags, batteries, hoses, grinding discs, mats, nets, belts, cables, wheels, blades, tubes, safety gear etc.] are not covered by Edisons' standard warranty once used. Should your part or consumable component arrive with a manufacturer's fault please contact us to discuss a resolution prior to using the item.

Is it reasonable for the store to not offer any warranty for components like battery under Australia Consumer law? Would I have any luck chasing them up or should just give up?

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Comments

    • [Deactivated] on 07/10/2019 - 15:10

      For the record, I never said that 10 months is reasonable, I merely mentioned it is unwarrantable.

      If someone is using a battery following all good habits, I'd say that it should last a lot longer.

      If you followed every recommendation, several hundred cycles.

      Many have conflated the idea of unwarrantable with reasonable expectation.

  • nick90 on 07/10/2019 - 11:58
    +6

    I would honestly take it to VCAT (or whatever your equivalent is in your state).

    Firstly, a rechargeable battery shouldn't last you a measly 10 months. Secondly, the company shouldn't profit from their error and, should at the very least provide you with a replacement battery. Thirdly, a lot of suppliers are still getting away with this type of treatment at this day & age, since the general public still don't know their consumer rights.

    Moreover, for people say "Oh it's a consumable", Consumable are NOT excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. Even consumable should last a reasonable amount of time (which this battery has not).

    If the supplier refuses to replace the battery, I would seek a refund for the whole mower through the legal system.

  • skanr on 07/10/2019 - 13:08

    Quality comes into question here and would the average consumer have a multimeter handy in this situation.

    Probably not.

    For all you know this battery was a dud out the box with only less then half it's life expectancy when you got it.

    What I think you need to ask yourself is how far are you willing to go with this?

    • nick90 on 07/10/2019 - 13:22

      In my experience, A VCAT fee is $63.70. Moreover, the respondent (the supplier) will need to reimburse the applicant (the consumer), should the member go in favor of the applicant of the outstanding issue.

      • techlead on 09/10/2019 - 15:48

        Wow, that's better than NCAT (NSW version). The application fee is $51 and parties usually pay their own costs

  • hairybum on 07/10/2019 - 15:35
    +2

    You have rights, utilize them.
    https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees…

  • MagicMushroom on 07/10/2019 - 16:11

    Thanks everyone, I will messages seller again for resolution then try Fair trading NSW (although I live in VIC) because the process looks pretty simple.

    • Tvsupaguru on 09/10/2019 - 09:43

      100%. you have rights. 10 months is far below fair and reasonable. I have had dealing with edisons too. They are price jackers. Their "Savings" Claims are questionable. Their products are cheap crap. I have taken them on before and won very easily. But I will never touch one of their prodcuts again. Lesson learnt

  • Ash-Say on 07/10/2019 - 18:40

    Sorry for hijacking this thread but I thought it is quite similar to my situation.

    I installed roller shutter ony garage door where the invoice says 5 years motor and accessory warranty and 1 year labour warranty.

    The remote has died just under years and even change of battery doesn't bear any fruit. I have reached out to the installer who is saying they will offer remote free of charge if it is found faulty but they would charge $100 for call out fees as labour is not covered anymore. If I want direct replacement without having them to come and check then it will be $120. This is rip off price when the whole shutter including installation cost me $1400.

    Is it correct that if someone provides 5 years warranty then labour to fix it won't be covered?

    • CalmLemons on 07/10/2019 - 22:14

      There are standard warranties, normally a year. After this, the manufacturer or installer will provide an extended warranty, in this case 5 years above.

      To keep prices low for customers in the long run and to run a feasible business model, you will normally need to bear the cost of labour or transport after the first year. This isn't strictly law, but common sense and a golden handshake agreement to just make things work.

      TLDR - 5 year warranties normally don't cover labour or transport for your item. This is different for motorvehicles whereby to get sales there are different terms and conditions for each brand or dealer.

    • CalmLemons on 07/10/2019 - 22:16

      Besides, just order one off ebay. Faster and much less hassle. They are all mostly very easy to program. I ordered about 20 for the owners corp for one of our apartments as the garage people were charging $70 a pop, cost $20 on ebay. saved $1000 and took 5 mins to program, each tenant was able to do it via a printed a4 sheet.

    • Kranbone on 08/10/2019 - 21:51

      That sounds relatively fair as they are offering to resolve the fault if there is a fault. If there is no fault, they want to cover the labour component.

      I'd suggest this, ask them how you can assist them in troubleshooting the fault further, before they do the callout. This could help avoid the fee and it would show you've tried to work with them to find a solution.

      Both you and the installer appear to want the same thing.

  • p1 ama on 07/10/2019 - 20:43
    +3

    Replying to all of the suggestions to "contact the ACCC", you can try this, but you won't get anything more than a general reply. I used to work at the ACCC, not in their call centre though. Whilst the ACCC is responsible for enforcement and product safety, they cannot do anything to assist you on a personal level.

    That said, it might be a good idea to contact the ACCC because they do note down the issues that you are having and if there are repeated complaints about a particular retailer, the enforcement team does look into it further and may issue fines or take the offenders to court (case in point - MSY and Kogan were the big ones when I was there, amongst some petrol retailers, but that's another story).

    You want to go to Consumer Affairs (VIC) or Fair Trading (NSW) or whatever the equivalent body in your state is. They are the most likely to help you, but again, they will not actually represent you. The most that they can really do is wag their finger and hope that the retailers will behave under the threat of further action. You can also try VCAT (in VIC) or the appropriate tribunal in your state. Many people have gotten what they want after retailers have been served with VCAT notices.

    Beyond that, my suggestion (as someone who worked in sales before I was at the ACCC), is that negotiation is the key to getting things done. Just think about it, if someone threatens you, what would your reaction be? Would it be to try and come to a mutually agreeable solution, or to dig your heels in? Even if they are in the wrong, they will dig their heels in to make life harder for you because at the end of the day, it was a lost case anyway.

    Your best bet is to speak with a manager, let them know that you're a long time customer of the store, that this is your issue and you believe it to be a problem. Ask if there is anything the manager is able to do that will help you out and keep you a loyal customer. You might be surprised, but generally stores do want to help out their customers.

    • Roman Sandstorm on 08/10/2019 - 10:06

      @p1 ama

      Replying to all of the suggestions to "contact the ACCC", you can try this, but you won't get anything more than a general reply.
      You want to go to Consumer Affairs (VIC) or Fair Trading (NSW) or whatever the equivalent body in your state is.
      negotiation is the key to getting things done
      Your best bet is to speak with a manager

      Thank you for reiterating exactly what I said a few posts above, and a few hours earlier.

      I guess good advice, and the correct procedure never go out of fashion?

  • CalmLemons on 07/10/2019 - 22:11

    TBH this is probably the only valid warranty post I have ever seen.

    The battery should definitely last a year. Follow useful guidelines on being a responsible person and a human being as per p1 ama poster above.

    Probably just some low tier customer service rep, speak to a manager and make sure they understand that you know your rights but also try to paraphrase the situations before you do so. No one wants a confrontation and to have to dig their heels in.

    • MagicMushroom on 08/10/2019 - 02:01

      2nd email sent today (1st one was before posting here). They replied quick and their main point is

      A consumable part is a part which is INTENDED to be used up and then replaced.

      I don't personally mind sharing the while email conversation but worried if there's potential risk.

      I have kept my tone neutral and understanding but might try to be nicer from now on. Have sent another email, now waiting for response.

      • picklewizard on 08/10/2019 - 12:44

        Nah share it. What risk is there? You can't waive your right to a warranty to which you're entitled by showing someone an email.

  • bmerigan on 07/10/2019 - 22:26
    +1

    A battery that stopped working I'd think would be covered for refund by Australian consumer law.
    A battery that holds less charge would not be covered. Wear and tear.
    P.S. ACL revolves around what would be reasonable and expected, so just mention you expect the battery to still work and you should be fine.

  • serbpie on 07/10/2019 - 23:13

    Since its not covered under warranty, why not open the case, see what type of cells it uses and replace the faulty one?

  • gimme on 08/10/2019 - 01:38

    Not related nor helpful but this is the interebz so why not…my dyson v6 battery died after 3.5 years. Called them up and they send one out for free within 3 days.

  • c64 on 08/10/2019 - 09:16

    first mistake was buying something from edisons/agr …

  • hypie on 08/10/2019 - 11:04
    +1

    I'm on OP's side. Take the ACL route. This is a fundamental part of the item. Less than 12 months. What a joke. It's not hard to send a dud battery (low quality) with a high quality skin. The battery often costs more than the skin!

  • Jackkkkkk on 08/10/2019 - 12:56

    as soon as I saw Edisons, I knew you were going to have issues with warranty.

    So many bad reviews about Edisons, everyone should avoid them. I was also tempted to buy one of these

  • jimdotpud on 08/10/2019 - 14:17

    mower currently $279, the replacement battery is currently $95, If I had to spend over a third of the price of the original item every 10 months to keep it working, I'd call that a piece of shit and the warranty is useless on the replacement as well.

    Thanks for the heads up, I wont be buying anything from edisons, ever!

  • aligind4h0us3 on 08/10/2019 - 14:34

    Should just ditch the rubbish and buy an Ego, you won't look back.

  • MagicMushroom on 08/10/2019 - 16:17

    Update:
    Received email with the main part being the following. Finally the seller's offering solutions.

    Unfortunately, our suppliers have not provided an update as to when new stocks for the batteries will arrive as these are currently out of stock.

    That said, we still want you to have a positive experience with us and hopefully you would accept our proposition.

    We would like to offer you a free upgrade for either of these mowers for only $150

    https://www.edisons.com.au/baumr-ag-lawn-mower-139cc-17-petr…

    https://www.edisons.com.au/baumr-ag-lawn-mower-16-petrol-pow…

    It's a big discount from what they sell them for, but still a baumr. Is it a decent offer?

    Currently, I'm considering Aldi and sencond hand yardking (or new from bunnings). They are better than baumr? (Maybe ask the seller for some reasonable partial refund?)

    What are your thoughts?

    • p1 ama on 08/10/2019 - 16:36

      It's a big discount from what they sell them for, but still a baumr. Is it a decent offer?

      No, I would go out and buy a proper mower. Just spend the money, a good mower is something that'll last you 20 years. Get one that's got plenty of spare parts and is easy to work on and fix up. These Baumr mowers look like plastic toys - your model even more so.

      Something like this Honda would be good: https://www.melbournesmowercentre.com.au/honda-lawn-mower-sp…

      Yes, it's expensive, but you get what you pay for. Spending $150 a year to keep getting a new mower when your old one breaks works out worse for you. A mower is not an electronic gadget, it doesn't get outdated, the tech doesn't change. Get something that you can hand down to your kids one day.

      Case in point, I have an old Victa that my dad bought back in the early 1990's and handed down to me. Works a treat, just needs to be serviced every now and then like my car.

      • MagicMushroom on 08/10/2019 - 18:07

        I'm looking for cheap mower because I don't think I will need a mower in next few years. Wouldn't worth buying expensive one unless resale value is very high. So cheap mower that last about 3 years is fine. Wouldn't trust baumr to last that long but hopefully the Aldi or yardking one will.

        • p1 ama on 08/10/2019 - 21:21

          Why would you insist on buying another bad mower after your experience with this one? Just get a good quality second hand mower. Plenty on Gumtree. Go for something that is popular. Sell it later.

          Stop thinking of a mower as a phone or computer. Think of it like a car.

    • brendanm on 08/10/2019 - 17:50

      Throwing good money after bad comes to mind.

      • MagicMushroom on 08/10/2019 - 18:09

        Certainly something I was worried about. I'm not good with mowers as you know. Looks like the answer is pretty clear.

        • brendanm on 08/10/2019 - 19:39

          Honestly just get one from Bunnings, any issues and you just take it back and they sort it out. Doesn't have to be fancy. Much better to deal with than random Chinese resellers.

  • Mentem on 08/10/2019 - 22:28

    Sorry OP Edison's are terrible….. I had an issue with a mower after a month, would need to charge the battery 3 times for a small lawn, they said it was fine…. PayPal dispute and I returned it, they then claimed it wasn't returned however i had tracking. They they sold it in "As new" condition to some poor sod

    • ntt on 09/10/2019 - 12:12

      that's very terrible practice. But how do you know that was the one you returned?

  • Mentem on 08/10/2019 - 22:35

    Btw I purchased a Victa 82v from Bunnings on a price beat I think it was I paid $389 (was a crazy good price) but it's excellent and 1 charge did the lawn 4 times.. I was super impressed

  • grr1701 on 09/10/2019 - 08:56

    Had a similar issue with my Ego electric mower’s battery. Contacted the company who asked me to take it to a local mower shop for checking. I had a new, more powerful battery a week later. My battery was about the same age as OP’s. I guess it depends on how decent the company is.

  • pitpicker on 13/10/2019 - 16:23

    What's the latest update on this OP? I'm actually in the exact same position, Edisons is refusing to replace a broken battery.

    • MagicMushroom on 13/10/2019 - 16:45

      I have asked for a replacement battery, a partial refund of $100 or make a complaint to Fair Trading NSW.

      We were about to go through the route of a partial refund then all the sudden they now got a battery that might work. Now waiting to confirm whether the replacement battery fits or not.

      • pitpicker on 13/10/2019 - 20:26

        i had their replacement battery before, they stopped working after 1 charge. I'd ask for warranty on that replacement battery if they send it.

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