Supplier or manufacture?

[simonuk]

I bought a router last week but neither the wireless nor wired works correctly. I emailed the supplier asking for a return address and he has emailed me saying that I need to register the router with the manufacture and sort out the problem with them. This process could take a long time and I'm not sure I should be registering a product I know is faulty?

He did say I can send it back to him but he will do the same thing as above and I won't get the postage price back.

What would you do?

[Brett_Tabke]

That process is starting to be more and more common Simon. I don't know if it is right or wrong, but there are alot of stores with that policy now.

[engine]

Yes, I've had that happen to me, too.

I'd point out that it all worked out fine.

[simonuk]

By worked out fine I take it you mean fill in the warranty and immediately report it as faulty?

[PCInk]

It might be a manufacturer policy. We deal with one manufacturer that will deal with anything that is faulty. We are not to have anything to do with that type of return.

Possibly, you could email the manufacturer first, to see if they deal with returns of faulty items rather than the store.

[engine]

Actually, I simply completed a returns form on the manuafacturers site and quoted the serial number. It then gave me an RMA. I went through the process of returning it to the manufacturer address, and a replacement was issued in a week. As it happens, it was a router, too.

Happened on another product with a different supplier.

My colleague had this happen on a LCD monitor. Same returns proceedure as I indicated above.

[piatkow]

Answers depend on the jurisdiction under which the contract of sale took place.

[ytswy]

I'm assuming from simonuk's username this is a UK purchase.

I agree that for a warranty issue it's fine to be given the manufacturer to deal with, assuming they have a UK address that you can send the item to.

However if the router was bought "last week" then it is dead on arrival and I'd have really expected a swap out rather than being asked to wait, possibly for weeks, for a warranty replacement.

I'm not actually sure if this is a legal right, but certainly if this is a consumer purchase then you are within your statutory cooling off period (UK Distance Selling Regulations 2000) and can cancel your order for a full refund, so for this reason we would always offer a swap out for a dead on arrival item (we ship new unit, along with pre-paid return method to get the faulty unit back to us).

I'd read their Ts&Cs and see exactly what they say about dead on arrival items and your right of cancellation, and would politely tell them that you don't think being made to deal with a manufacturer's warranty procedure is acceptable since you have only just received the item and it was faulty when received.

That said the big router manufacturers tend to have pretty efficient warranty replacement procedures in my experience, so it may not be worth the hassle.

[simonuk]

Thank you all very much for your answers, it has helped me a lot!

[piatkow]

D'oh. missed the name as I had scrolled right to read the posts (old crt in the office).

For a UK transaction it looks totally out of order. My layman's understanding of the Sale of Goods Act is that the supplier is liable regardless of any additional protection in the Distance Selling Regulations. Faced with a response like the one SimonUK had received I would already be talking to my local Trading Standards Department.

[MrHard]

I don't think it makes any difference as far as registering the product. This just puts your info. into the system. I would suggest you register it as requested.

Many times when something goes wrong things are easily solved with procedures in place to remedy them. Customers often times don't do what they are told and cause half the difficulties. The old fashioned stores where you could call one number and speak with one person are fading fast.

If people could just listen and "follow orders" my life would be much easier.

Register, contact the manufacturer even though it may sound like you did not buy it from them, and follow their instructions without argument.

If things don't work out, you don't get a working replacement, or your money back, you have a case. But, state it after it actually happens, not before that.

[simonuk]

Do think I can go back to the original supplier for the postage costs I'm likely to incur?

[PCInk]

If the manufacturer deals with returns, you shouldn't pay any postage costs. In my experience, they should arrange a replacement and collection and you don't pay a penny. One manufacturer even sends replacements and collections on a pre-10AM delivery. If you had done this yesterday, you could possibly have had a replacement by now! (Assuming the same brand).

The supplier should be able to give you a direct telephone number or website address for returns with the manufacturer. Or it should be on the warranty card. If they can't get you this contact, then demand to return it to them. Note that you also shouldn't have to fill in the warranty card to get a replacement.

[edited by: PCInk at 9:41 am (utc) on Mar. 3, 2009]