5 weeks RMA question

[Roam]

Real quick question, not meant as a "real" discussion thread or anything.

I RMA'ed my broken gpu last week (details can be read in the thread titles "graphics drivers resetting"), and I just got word that they tried to "repair it", but couldn't and didn't have any spares available so they send it to Gigabyte in the US for them to try "repairing it", before they realize it's broken beyond repair and just replace it.

Entire process will take 5 weeks.

I'm a little pissed off by this, because from what I've learned over the past few years is that in the case of broken GPUs, they generally just plug them in to see if they work, and if they don't they let the manufacturer deal with it, often at great time expense for the customer.

My question here is: Who has experience with this process, and do I have any arguments I can make to their customer service department about this being bullshit? Or am I being a pussy for being annoyed at a 5 week process for a card that is clearly fucking broken and needs to be replaced?

Maybe someone who has worked behind the scenes has some insight into the efforts done in cases like this before I write an "angry letter" to the customer service department.

[Bombcrater]

Dealers and distributors don't try to fix gfx cards, they just RMA them back to the manufacturer for a credit. And the manufacturer will do nothing more than a quick test to see if the card actually is faulty (a lot of them aren't, the 'fault' is user error) and if it is it usually gets binned.

They're probably playing for time because they don't have a suitable replacement card to hand and don't want to give you something more expensive. Unfortunately there's not much you can in this situation.

[dpidcoe]

Best you can do is explain to them that being 5 weeks basically without a computer is unacceptable. See what kind of reply you get back.

[Daneel Trevize]

Yeah, just because they don't want to give everyone RMAing something nicer, doesn't mean that the few raising an issue with the delays won't get one. They do want a repeat customer down the line, after having already sold you a part that doesn't work and will take time to then replace, right?

[Roam]

That's my issue as well, I've been a loyal customer for years, and in this case I feel maybe a (misplaced) sense of entitlement, exacerbated by the fact I don't have anything I can use in the meantime. I tried an old 8800 I had, but that is incompatible with my motherboard or something and causing problems. So using my onboard gpu now, but that means I can't do anything that is even slightly graphically intensive.

I feel as a loyal customer that they could make more of a point to reach out, perhaps offering me a comparable card or a slightly more expensive one if needs be. 5 weeks turnaround time is a ridiculous amount to expect from your customer.

But that's how I feel, but I'm not entirely sure if it's entirely justified or if I'm just being a prissy entitled bitchy customer. I don't want to make their lives any harder, so hence the thread to ask if anyone has experience with these matters, and if it isn't (or is) a good idea to write the customer service a letter saying that I think 5 weeks is unacceptable.

[Zekk Pacus]

Nope. If you kick up a fuss it goes to the bottom of the RMA guy's pile.

Squeal, piggy. You're their bitch.

Chances are they've told you 5 weeks to cover themselves, but the chain goes like this:

1) You RMA it back to reseller. Depending on the size of the reseller they either buy direct or through a distributor, so step 2 may not exist. Reseller may or may not test it by plugging it into a test bench.
2) If they're a small/medium reseller, they RMA it back to their distributor. Some resellers have direct RMA agreements with manufacturers, some don't, some manufacturers will deal with it and some won't. But sometimes this step exists.
3) If it went back to distributor, they test it (maybe) and eventually return it back to manufacturer. At some point either the manufacturer will provide a new one (most likely), replace with a refurb (almost as likely) credit the original one (somewhat likely) or repair the original one (yeah never happen). It's then up to the entire chain what they do for you, the end user.

Basically unless there is an SLA in place at any point in this process (hint: there's not), you've got no right to complain. Gigabyte alone name a turnaround time of 2-3 business weeks, on direct customer RMA only. It sucks, but that's the way it goes. This is something that's always worth researching whenever you buy anything - what the company you're buying from (and the manufacturer) is like for returns.

[dpidcoe]

But that's how I feel, but I'm not entirely sure if it's entirely justified or if I'm just being a prissy entitled bitchy customer. I don't want to make their lives any harder, so hence the thread to ask if anyone has experience with these matters, and if it isn't (or is) a good idea to write the customer service a letter saying that I think 5 weeks is unacceptable.

There's nothing wrong with writing to customer support, that's what they're there for, go do it right now before it's too late for them to make arrangements. You only count as prissy and entitled if you throw a hissy fit after they tell you to htfu.

[Zekk Pacus]

Yeah by all means write and/or call them up to see what they can do for you, just accept that if they say there's nothing they can do for you, they're not lying to spite you, it's the truth, and throwing a tantrum will delay the entire RMA process because 1) they're now having to phone you, the special little snowflake, every time anything changes to keep you updated and 2) to spite you.

Best case is, and occasionally this does happen if you complain in the right way (speak to managers, mention how disappointed you are in the whole process and how it's left a bad taste in your mouth etc etc, but in a calm way) they just credit you. And you can buy a new one.

[Roam]

Hm, I doubt the latter will happen. The card in question is BARELY within warranty time, so they won't be eager to credit me.

I've wrote them a very polite mail asking about possible other solutions (such as replacing the card with a comparable one etc), appealing to the points that I've been a loyal customer for years, that 5 weeks without computer is very undesirable due to my studies and that due to past experiences I've grown accustomed to their high levels of service.

My nose is so far up their collective asses that I'm terrified for my health, but at least I'm not giving them a reason to "lose" the card for a few weeks more.

[Raine Woot]

Quick question, did you pay extra for some sort of warranty from the place you bought it? Or is it just the normal manufacturer warranty? Why didn't you contact the manufacturer directly?

I have a bit of experience working behind the scenes with this sort of thing as the first line guy who has to speak directly with the customer. I know when people get stiffed with a long waiting time, they react very differently and many of them are understandably not happy. The way you react is important - being disappointed but willing to work with it will get you better service. Turning into an asshole will not help and can definitely hurt, especially when they throw out the "I've given you so much money, I've been shopping here for years and buy lots of stuff!" plea. Why would I ever want to see someone again who will freak out when the next thing they buy breaks? Good riddance in that case. The loss of one customer won't affect a low-level guy at all, and he'll have to put up with one less difficult customer.

On the other hand, when a considerate, patient person (sounds like you fall into this category) who just wants a slightly better deal brings that one up, I want to help him out. I'm much more likely to bring his case to a manager and ask them to take care of you. They have to listen to angry people bitch and bitch all day long, a little kindness and patience goes a long way. Saying things like "I know it's not your fault, it's just that I really need..." will get them on your side.

See if you can contact directly someone with the power to reimburse you rather than make you wait for service. Don't demand your money back because you're dissatisfied or the whole thing has been hell or whatever, try to avoid getting confrontational or they'll just stick to their contract guns and do nothing for you. Just ask if you can get a reimbursement instead, so you can buy something else AT THE SAME PLACE. Big difference between store credit and cash back in these cases. Offer to pay the difference on a better, newer card, something like that. Suggesting a half-measure will get you farther than demanding everything you want.

It may not be all sunshine and roses after that, however. Maybe the need to get the card back themselves before they can credit you, or the paperwork takes a few days. At that point, just say yes, thank you. They're probably doing more than they have to already.

Hope this helps, maybe things aren't quite like where I work, but the idea is mostly the same. I wish you luck.

[Daneel Trevize]

I think we have an EU vs US mismatch going on here.

I don't clearly remember the last time I RMAd a mobo that died very soon after purchase, or GPU that was past the EU warranty period, but I'm pretty sure you don't have to settle for going all around the houses or doing the legwork yourself. Or dealing with an personal attitude from their end for having to do their job after they've already been sub-par.
I think I just found the order in the site's order history, selected the items from it that I wished to RMA, chose a short reason why, and was given some notice that if there's no fault they won't cover postage or replacement costs. Prompty after the RMA's approved, an RMA number/code is given to put on the package along with address to send to, and I mailed it off. Now I'm not clear if they also shipped a replacement to me at the same time or if I was being smart with the distance selling regulations, but I do think I got a spare item in the mail coming my way at the same time, and when the RMA was eventually accepted by the manufacturer, the retailer refunded me because I'd already spent any offer of credit/replacement item on the one I'd picked out and had sent to me. So I ended up with <1 week without, briefly owning 2 items, but eventually only being out 1 lot of postage. And not having to care about really who the manufacturer was or how they processed stuff, because I bought from the retailer and it's their responsibility to be the go-between.

Even if that's not how it's meant to go, I think you can use the distance selling regulations to order a covering item, then simply say you want to return it within ~10days and can't usually be charged any restocking fee bollocks, just no refunded postage. Could tide you over. Especially if done from 2 or more retailers. Usually mobos are of sufficient value to get the slowest delivery option free.