Halp! Damaged Goods

Zandoni

My guess would be that you wired up the usb headers incorrectly and shorted it out, do you think that's possible?

arcon5

stradian wrote: »

I had a nice detailed message typed here, but somehow my browser lost it, so I'll just rough out a new one...

I misworded my previous comment, rather than warranty I meant to suggest that the goods must be fit for purpose, which IS a statutory right. The store themselves say that, within 28 days, it counts as "Goods Faulty on Arrival", yet they quote me 48 hours to report damage by the courier. Which this isn't. 3 weeks may be a long time to report an inherent fault, but it's still within their own stated rules.

I'd also point out that computer parts are sold, usually, as bare circuit boards, you install them yourself, and that's just how it is. They're not encased or protected, they're not like a TV where you would have to remove the plastic casing to get inside and fiddle about. Computer stores all sell the parts like this, so why is it right to assume that I probably must have messed it up? Thousands of people buy this stuff every day, and sometimes things don't perform, or are electrically damaged, it happens, nothing's perfect. If this happened every time somebody had a faulty component, nobody would ever buy anything, it would always be the customer's fault. So why are they trying to deny me, as far as I see it, a statutory right to a replacement or refund due to a product not fit for purpose?

I can't find that first part anywhere in their terms... but SOGA puts the burden on the retailer within the first 6 months to prove the fault is not inherent.

It isn't exactly clear here why the product is not fit for purpose, quite simply if you have damaged the product they have no obligation to do anything. If the fault is inherent they should offer a remedy.

If you believe the item to have an inherent fault and they disagree, your next step would be to obtain your own independant report to confirm this and send that to them (which they should also remburse the cost of if thats the case)

stradian

Zandoni wrote: »

My guess would be that you wired up the usb headers incorrectly and shorted it out, do you think that's possible?

Nope, the headers connected to that controller had nothing plugged into them, I have no case-mounted USB 3.0 ports, the header has never had anything plugged into it.

arcon5 wrote: »

I can't find that first part anywhere in their terms... but SOGA puts the burden on the retailer within the first 6 months to prove the fault is not inherent.

It isn't exactly clear here why the product is not fit for purpose, quite simply if you have damaged the product they have no obligation to do anything. If the fault is inherent they should offer a remedy.

If you believe the item to have an inherent fault and they disagree, your next step would be to obtain your own independant report to confirm this and send that to them (which they should also remburse the cost of if thats the case)

"Goods Faulty on Arrival - If a fault occurs within 28 days of delivery, you have the option of an exchange or refund." -aria.co.uk/Support/Returns+Policy

As yet I can't remind them of their own policies because we've reached the weekend, so I don't know what their response will be to pointing that out. Up until this point, despite stating exactly what the issue was in the RMA request, they're acting as if it was courier damage, it simply cannot be. I realised too late last night to point it out.

I'm qualified to assemble computers, I have pieces of paper to prove that fact. I know that I did not damage the item, and I can say that with 100% confidence. I fitted this, and every other part, perfectly. I don't understand how an item can have such doubt attached to the fact that it can fail without the interference of the purchaser.

As for fitness for purpose, the board simply does not work as a result of its faults and thus is unfit for purpose. If by some miracle I did manage to coax the thing to life, I would be unhappy to connect any accessories to it in case it damaged those too. Not only that, but it wouldn't be reliable and may fail again at any time. Besides, it's 80 quid's worth of gear, that's too much to just write off as a loss.

If I'd blown the thing up myself then yes, absolutely, my fault entirely. But I didn't. Having my own experiences and having read other peoples' experiences with the company, sadly not before I ordered, I wouldn't trust them to accurately or truthfully state the cause of the damage.


As for getting an independent report, I will certainly bear it in mind, but as I'll already be out of pocket to the tune of nearly £100 after I've sent the item back for "inspection", it's not an option I can really use at the moment.

Thanks for all your points anyway.