mad at exportprive

[keiiferrer]

Hi, i want to post this here so no one will make the same mistake as i did... don't get me wrong, they have great service at export prive, and they are pretty much helpfull with problems, but they have ridiculous policies regarding returns... i got a cowon j3 32gb that bricked within 4 days of usage (a file with a long filename... go figure, no mac usage either), sent it back, they sent it to the cowon repair center even when i said i wanted a refund, took a good 2 weeks at it... and then they tell me that i can only get a partial refund because it was used.

I wouldn't have a problem with this if i wanted a refund because i didn't like it... but the damn thing failed with less than 10 hour playtime on it, didn't have a mark on it, and the earphones and cables where new on their plastic bags (they claimed it was not in mint condition, and not apt for resale).

In the end, counting shipping and all, i lost 100us on a player that i used for no more than 10 hours... so i urge everyone to think about it twice before ordering a device you know might brick or fail from export prive.

[Angelopsaro]

SATISFIED OR REFUNDED
If you are not satisfied with your product, you have a period of 7 days to return it to us and be fully refunded within 30 days upon reception of the package. Your right of withdrawal starts from the moment your order is delivered and no penalty fees are involved,
except the return costs that are at your own expense.
We request that you send us the merchandise by registered post and that you purchase insurance with the carrier for the value of the merchandise. This is notably necessary should they lose or damage the goods. Shipping fees remain the customer’s responsibility.
TERMS ON THE RIGHT OF WITHDRAWAL
The product must be returned complete and in new condition (i.e. if you have opened the box to examine the product you must have done so without damaging or marking the product or packaging). It must not have been used or installed. It should be returned
in its original box, packing and accessories. All information contained on digital media (memory card, HDD, SSD ...) returned to Export Prive will not be recovered.
This withdrawal period is not applicable for :Softwares, if the seals are broken

• Consumables (paper, ink, toner, tapes and rewritable CD and DVD, mouse pad) when the packaging is unsealed
• Custom made computers
• Camera lenses mounted on the body even for one use

Well here they say something really strange. at the first sentence they say ypu have 7 days to return it within 30days! wtf does this suppose to mean?

I ordered my J3 from them too. I am really sorry for your problem. How come they told you it wasnt in mint condition?

[keiiferrer]

Originally Posted by Angelopsaro

Well here they say something really strange. at the first sentence they say ypu have 7 days to return it within 30days! wtf does this suppose to mean?

I ordered my J3 from them too. I am really sorry for your problem. How come they told you it wasnt in mint condition?

They told me that i should look up article 17 of their policies...

Article 17: Right of Retraction
The Buyer has a period of 7 business days from the date of delivery of the order to return the products at his expense. The products, which must be returned with a copy of the invoice, will be exchanged or reimbursed by the company EXPORT PRIVE LTD. The products must not have suffered any damage: it must be returned by Registered Mail in perfect condition and in its original packaging. All returns must be reported in advance to the Customer Service of the company EXPORT PRIVE LTD:
- by fax.
- by logging on the www.exportprive.com Web site under the heading "Follow your order" where, after entering your customer ID, you will get your order number.
Only products returned in their original packaging, intact and in mint condition for resale will be accepted. Any product that has been damaged or whose original packaging has been damaged, will not be refunded or exchanged.

by reading that i get that anything you do with the device other than looking it on it's sealed box could void your right to a full refund... they gave me no exact details on what was damaged, they just said this :

Hi,

You have the right to return the device under the 7 day period, or even pass this delay, as long as the product is intact and in mint condition for resale, which wasn't for your device unfortunately (Read Article 17 : http://www.exportprive.com/conditions_english.php).

We can always send your order back if you wish. The device has been fully repaired.

Regards.

so... i'm pretty much screwed... only thing i can think off is that when the device was on the hands of cowon support service they damaged it somehow, because i sent everything back, no blemishes, etc... what i do know is i won't be getting the j3 back (it bricked in no time), and that i won't be buying from exportprive again (if i get a faulty player, i MUST open it/test it in order to know if it's faulty)... i know this doesn't reflect the experience of other people on this forum, but sadfully mine was bad

[Angelopsaro]

Well if you do want it, you could make a compromise and get it.
If i get this right, you send it to them for a refund and they send it to the service center? Why they did that?
You said to them, that after you turned it on it was bricked and you want a refund and still they sent it to the service?
That is very bad attitude from their behalf.

[keiiferrer]

yup, i did sent it to them asking for a refund, and when it arrived over there i stated again that i wanted a refund, but they said cowon service should still check it out to see what caused the failure... i would get the j3 back, but i can't afford to lose more money if it bricks again (25-30usd shipping to send it back, and 25-30 more to get it back), besides it takes a really long time... including the 2 weeks that the j3 was at the repair center (new years moon festivity or something delayed it even more), it's been a whole month since i sent it back

[Angelopsaro]

That is the risk about internet purchases. One last thing to make up my mind about export prive. Did they asked you for money to send it back to you? Or you only paid to send it to them.

[keiiferrer]

i don't know, since i mailed them earlier telling them i wanted a refund anyway... they haven't replied, but looking at their policies i assume that if i were to ask for my device back i would have to pay for shipping again... and yes, i did pay for the shipping back to south korea when it bricked

[HowardRoark]

Originally Posted by keiiferrer

i don't know, since i mailed them earlier telling them i wanted a refund anyway... they haven't replied, but looking at their policies i assume that if i were to ask for my device back i would have to pay for shipping again... and yes, i did pay for the shipping back to south korea when it bricked

That is goddamn awful.

I don't know much about sales and your rights as a consumer, but I'm sure there must be something you can do about this. It's shocking customer service.

[Olley]

For being treated like that, mark them off the list of stores you'll ever buy from. I've done business twice with them but haven't had to return anything. One of their "advantages" is that no U.S. customer will ever go knocking on their door demanding a refund. Doesn't suprise me that they take advantage of that advantage. Looking at their prices it is clear their main goal is to make money.

[meetooman]

Originally Posted by Olley

One of their "advantages" is that no U.S. customer will ever go knocking on their door demanding a refund. Doesn't suprise me that they take advantage of that advantage. Looking at their prices it is clear their main goal is to make money.

US consumers are spoiled children given the opportunity to buy first and think later. People are not allowed to play with toys for free in every country. You must realize that the US cultural habit to buy and return is not something you will find everywhere. Why should the seller always pay the price for the buyers change of mind?
Export-Prive which seems to have french roots gives you the legal 7 days withdrawal time to change your mind. It is simple for an insurance or money loan. But for a physical product that often means you should have never opened it. This week was created to let people quietly wonder if they can afford what they buy. It is a way to help people avoid debt trap caused by an uncontrolled buying impulse or because they can't fight the direct salesmen pressure. This is not a trial period.

If your product is opened, it is not new anymore, you will not get a refund. You understand that once used the product has lost some value. How can they keep prices low if they must also build a refurbished items business division?
What surprises me is that the OP asks for refund instead of a repaired/working product in exchange, provided he has its warranty.

[HowardRoark]

Sorry, but a device that bricks within less than a day's usage, especially at the Cowon's prices, is not fit for the purpose.

That's about the only legal sales I think this thread needs, and that is why the customer service is below par here. He didn't just buy it and then "change his mind", it broke!

[keiiferrer]

Originally Posted by meetooman

US consumers are spoiled children given the opportunity to buy first and think later. People are not allowed to play with toys for free in every country. You must realize that the US cultural habit to buy and return is not something you will find everywhere. Why should the seller always pay the price for the buyers change of mind?
Export-Prive which seems to have french roots gives you the legal 7 days withdrawal time to change your mind. It is simple for an insurance or money loan. But for a physical product that often means you should have never opened it. This week was created to let people quietly wonder if they can afford what they buy. It is a way to help people avoid debt trap caused by an uncontrolled buying impulse or because they can't fight the direct salesmen pressure. This is not a trial period.

If your product is opened, it is not new anymore, you will not get a refund. You understand that once used the product has lost some value. How can they keep prices low if they must also build a refurbished items business division?
What surprises me is that the OP asks for refund instead of a repaired/working product in exchange, provided he has its warranty.

Actually i'm not from the us, i live in south america (chile) and honestly, over here we have strict policies regarding returns, several times the stores don't allow people to return electronic devices once they were opened, even if it's been only a couple hours after buying them, and sometimes they don't let us return them even if they are still sealed. Yet, i've never seen a case of a store not accepting a return or asking for a restocking fee if the device fails within the first couple of days of use.

The thing is that i didn't ask for a refund because i didn't like the j3, or because i bought it out of impulse as you suggest, i asked for a refund because it bricked within a couple hours of use, and i really don't want to pay 50-60 bucks everytime it bricks (shipping), not mentioning having to send the device back to south korea everytime, and have to wait 2 weeks shipping, 2 weeks for the cowon service center to fix it, and 2 weeks for it to get back to me.

If the j3 didn't fail within a couple of days, i would have been more than happy to keep it.

[meetooman]

Originally Posted by keiiferrer

The thing is that i didn't ask for a refund because i didn't like the j3, or because i bought it out of impulse as you suggest, i asked for a refund because it bricked within a couple hours of use, and i really don't want to pay 50-60 bucks everytime it bricks (shipping), not mentioning having to send the device back to south korea everytime, and have to wait 2 weeks shipping, 2 weeks for the cowon service center to fix it, and 2 weeks for it to get back to me.

If the j3 didn't fail within a couple of days, i would have been more than happy to keep it.

I did not suggest anything about your buying decision, I gave an example about the 7 days the way your seller understand them and the reasons why it was brought into the law. I am trying to say that you are not in a "full refund/return" case but in a "warranty application" situation now.

You are over reacting in my opinion and should not give up on your J3 just because of this bad luck on the first delivery. It happens at least once to everybody. You must know that Cowon makes good products.

You can not buy over the Internet and expect not to have to face the risks of distance and shipping. If you want the most secure experience you must go to a local store but you will get then higher prices and lesser choice. Everything comes with a price, once you made a choice you would better stick with it or you will end losing money and having no player.

What I think is that they should not charge you for the second shipping to you because you are victim of a quickly defective product under warranty and have already payed the player's travels twice.

[metaldestiny]

i understand there is an un-bricking procedure

[av399]

Did you try tcctool before you sent it in?

[keiiferrer]

Yup, actually i read the forums a lot (several ones including abi) and all the given solutions don't work when there is a database problem involved (j3 turns on but gets frozen at the loading library screen).

In the end i was told i was not going to be charged for shipping if i accepted the fixed j3, so i did accept it, but i'm still a little reluctant about it, the thing is, if it fails again i'll be stuck with having to send it back again and again and i really wanted to avoid that... i hope that as someone said earlier, cowon makes fine products and it won't fail again (unless i put a file with a long filename or plug it into a mac computer lol)

[meetooman]

Originally Posted by keiiferrer

In the end i was told i was not going to be charged for shipping if i accepted the fixed j3, so i did accept it

That's the wiser solution. Stay confident about your choice of Cowon as a premium brand. I wish you the best times with your J3.