Should every product have a satisfaction guarantee?

TrooperFarva · #1 10-15-2009, 08:58 PM

Surprisingly enough, this has nothing to do with GMs new satisfaction guarantee.

A few weeks back, I bought a retractable tonneau cover for my truck. I won't name the product or the dealer. There were no local dealers, so I purchased through what seemed to be a reputable online dealer in Texas. The transaction was easy enough, and I got the cover 6 business days after I ordered it, which was acceptable.

Without going into specifics, there are numerous gaps around the cover for water to get through. I installed it exactly per the instructions. These problems are not installation related, and they don't even look like manufacturing defects, they look like design defects. I have an '09 Ram 1500, just released last year, so I think now that the cover for this truck was rushed to market without a proper design.

So I contacted the dealer that I bought it from about a refund, and they gave me a canned response that I should contact the manufacturer. So I did, and the guy I spoke with told me that if I'm looking for a refund, that the manufacturer has no involvement. He's right, as far as I'm concerned, I didn't pay them, I paid the dealer.

So I contacted the dealer again, and they said that a refund is very costly, because I would have to pay return shipping, a restocking fee, and a repackaging fee. What? I told them that it was completely ridiculous, that there are numerous defects. They said that I would still have to pay those fees. So after much arguing, they told me to send in a list of the complaints, with pictures to back up the claims. I did, and then they responded. With the exact same canned response they gave me the first time.

I can't believe this kind of crap goes on. This isn't a case of me installing it, deciding it doesn't match the truck, and then wanting a total refund. The product simply does not work as stated, and as the problems seem like obvious oversights, I'm afraid that there will be reliability issues in the future even if I were to get a replacement unit, which is why I want a refund. But they're fighting me tooth and nail.

Am I being unreasonable? I did offer to pay for the return shipping, just to get the ball rolling, but I'm not even sure they processed that, because, as I said, all I got was a canned response.

fdeck · #2 10-15-2009, 09:05 PM

Did you pay by credit card? You could reverse the charges.

Also, find your state agency that deals with consumer complaints. I did this in WI, and they even had an online complaint form. They got me a refund for eyeglasses that I bought online.

To some extent, the consumer protection laws are your satisfaction guarantee.

WookieeForLife · #3 10-15-2009, 09:06 PM

Welcome to 2009 where companies don't give a hoot about the consumer

TrooperFarva · #4 10-15-2009, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

Did you pay by credit card? You could reverse the charges.

That's exactly the route I'll take if I can't get anywhere with them tomorrow.

your idol · #5 10-15-2009, 09:25 PM

McDonalds would shut down in a week.

Joe Gress · #6 10-15-2009, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by your idol

McDonalds would shut down in a week.

Mickey D's is like a fine french restaurant after a long night of drinking. Not to mention they're actually open at 2 am.

Simo98 · #7 10-15-2009, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Gress

Mickey D's is like a fine french restaurant after a long night of drinking. Not to mention they're actually open at 2 am.

Thank god for 24hr McDonalds, i think id have starved to death long ago without fries and a frozen coke in the early hours of the morning.

At the OP, im not sure what the equivilant is in the states, but i assume they would have something similar to here. Consumer Affairs are the go to people in situations like this, normally just the mention of consumer affairs will have the dealer doing whatever they can to help you. Every product when used as directed should last for what is considered a reasonable amount of time (they have their own guidelines saying how long certain things should last, but normally no less than 12 months)

It is the Dealer/Retailers responsibility to handle returns/warranty claims. They are the point of contact between consumer and supplier/manufacturer, otherwise you would be buying it direct and saving a fortune

TrooperFarva · #8 10-16-2009, 09:53 AM

After enough arguing, they are issuing me an RMA. I'm glad it ended well, but the level of effort involved was unnecessary, IMO.

santucci218 · #9 10-16-2009, 10:03 AM

hey man, its all karma =] I came on this forum and complained about a music store that sent me the wrong bass strings and the owner of the string company sent me an email and then sent me 2 free packs of the correct ones. =] If you have a problem with something that you spent your hard earned money on, Voice your opinion with reason and you will be dealt with in such a manner.

RWP · #10 10-16-2009, 10:25 AM

GM can only offer this because they are owned by the government and have an unfair advantage in the market place. They only have YOUR tax dollars to loose.

vene-nemesis · #11 10-16-2009, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by santucci218

hey man, its all karma =] I came on this forum and complained about a music store that sent me the wrong bass strings and the owner of the string company sent me an email and then sent me 2 free packs of the correct ones. =] If you have a problem with something that you spent your hard earned money on, Voice your opinion with reason and you will be dealt with in such a manner.

Wow thats lucky i have a bass wich neck shouldnt be bent and because the luthier thinks their design is flawless (truss rod less...) he is willing to kindly charge me just 600€+shipping with no warranty that it will solve the problem...

santucci218 · #12 10-16-2009, 11:00 AM

buy a new neck. too much stress, or too much relief?

vene-nemesis · #13 10-16-2009, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by santucci218

buy a new neck. too much stress, or too much relief?

Neck through bass, the solution consists in redoing the fingerboard... The thing is that there is just an extra wee bit of relief but just in one side of the neck, its not severe enough to be considered the neck wraped but its enough to make a couple of notes on the E string to be slightly out of tune. My tech told me that if it had have a truss rod it would had been as easy as turning the nut just a quater of a turn...