Returned iPhone to seller for repair & still problems.

Nine_Lives

On the back of a thread i created in the credit card forum as i wasn't sure whether to stick it there or here:

"My sister used (or rather i used to pay for) my AA credit card to buy her iPhone.
I've since closed this account down.

On the back of another thread i made here in the consumer forum, i'm lead to believe i'm/she's entitled to a refund of the return postage. The seller has said this is ok.

I've only just today remembered that she used my card to pay for the iPhone though - so a refund can't possibly go to the account as it's shut down.

What happens in this instance? Their refund gets bounced back?
Get in touch with the seller to specify a new card i imagine?"

We'll have to wait before she returns from college before anything is done anyway as she'll have to email from her own account, but in the meantime i'm guessing providing a new card details would be fine?

wealdroam

K_P83 wrote: »

On the back of a thread i created in the credit card forum as i wasn't sure whether to stick it there or here:



We'll have to wait before she returns from college before anything is done anyway as she'll have to email from her own account, but in the meantime i'm guessing providing a new card details would be fine?

Please don't ask the same questions in more than one place.

You already have an answer to this on you latest thread on this subject... on the credit card board.

Nine_Lives

That's fine

Although there's now a new problem -

My sister has come home & opened the box etc & the seller hasn't included the 'key' to pop the SIM tray to the iPhone. This WAS included when SHE posted it off.

One reason why i don't like buying phones (especially expensive ones) from online retailers. I'll only ever buy from the high street, even if it means paying a bit extra.

Nine_Lives

The seller (SUNDARI on Amazon) was going to exchange the phone, but when received said that it was "too damaged" to exchange.
The iphone has a small thing scratch on the rear of the phone. This must be the damage that the seller is talking about as there's no other visible issue.

So the seller said they would repair the phone.

It's my sisters phone & when talking to others, the person on the other end couldn't hear her.

Receive the phone back....

* first problem - they've not included the SIM card tray key.

Test out the issue - i can hear her fine.

* New problem - the reception is noticably poorer than it was before, both carrier signal & WIFI signal.

Where my sister could get 3 bars reception & 3 bars WIFI, she's now getting 1-2 (flickering) bar reception & 1 bar WIFI with the occasional 2 bar.

We both have iPhone 3GSs running 5.0.1, both jailbroken via same method & both on o2.

So we sat them at the same point in the house...

I get 3 bars WIFI ... she got 1
I get 2-3 bars o2 signal ... she got 1 with a flicker of 2 now & then.


She's just asked me for my SIM tray key as she now needs to use her other mobile.
Reason being .... she's just been on the phone to one of her friends & the call keeps dropping due to the signal. This never happened before.


They've clearly had the phone apart (as in the screen off) as there's particles of dust trapped under the screen that weren't there before.

Is there any way that they could've caused damage to the reception of the iPhone?


Either way, this could very easily turn into a hot-potato ... constantly returning to have a problem fixed, only to receive it & have a new problem.
Is there any way of avoiding this (other than 1. ignoring the issue or 2. selling the phone)? Is the only option then to keep returning it?

Nine_Lives

In case it helps the situation any, we/she/i used my credit card for the purchase. I offered this on the back of Total Fitness shutting down after i'd paid for 12 months membership & learned that anyone who paid on a credit card got their money back sharpish. Anyone paying on a debit card had a fight on.

The only thing with the credit card is i closed the account down about 3-4 weeks ago as i had too many credit cards & the 0% on purchases had come to an end.


EDIT: She thought she'd fixed it, but no joy. The signal is all over the shop in places that she's always been able to get a signal.

I guess going to the apple store would be one suggestion, even though it's a whole hours drive away. But then when you get there you can damn near guarantee that it'll have a full signal & they'll say "whatchu talkin bout". That's not the point though - why should she pay to have something repaired when it's not her fault in the first place.

meer53

No idea what you can do about the reception problem. Take it Apple will probably be your best bet.

You can use a paperclip to open the SIM card tray.

Nine_Lives

Apple isn't an option as she'd then have to pay for the repair, when why should she?
Thanks for the tip on the paperclip.

Can nobody reply to this thread & let it drop please. I've done some reading into the answer to this question & think i've found it. I'll make a more specific thread to that pursuit.

Nine_Lives

Looking into the answer for the last thread i made here brought me to these 2. I was actually put in the direction of the chargeback on another forum, but when looking into this i found Section 75.

I've read about chargeback & i've read about section 75 & it seems to me that either or both could apply, which confuses me further.

Briefly:

* Sister bought "new" iPhone 3GS on Xmas day from a seller (SUNDARI) on Amazon
* Finds out some point in January that when in calls, the other person can't hear her.
* Phone has been in a flip case during this time & somehow got a fine scratch on the rear. As a result, seller refuses either refund or exchange. Will only repair.
* Repairs phone. There's now dust particles trapped under the screen. The SIM key hasn't been returned. The return postage hasn't been refunded, but more importantly...
* The signal quality is now DIRE. Comparing both to last time (before the return) and also to MY iPhone 3GS. When i say the signal is dire, i mean both from o2 & WIFI. It used to be 3 bar, it's now 1 bar. Calls are dropping due to this.
* As a result, the phone is basically a waste of time & is sitting in the drawer.

*** The phone was bought through this seller on Amazon from my sisters account, but with MY credit card. The cost of the phone was £355. ***

I can see what's happening here as the seller has already refused refund or exchange - it's going to be the old hot potato for eternity. So a bit of research brings up...

- chargeback
- section 75

The credit card was an AA one, which was closed down about 3-4 weeks ago.


I've read both & if i understand correctly then either of them apply.

So my question is really two-fold:

* Where to go from here? Pursue section 75 or chargeback?
* WHO has the problem (legally)? My sister as it was/is her Amazon account, or myself as it's my credit card?

TIA.

unholyangel

Who was the phone for? Is the seller a private individual or acting in the course of a business?

From what you've said, phone was for your sister then section 75 will unlikely apply. Not sure if chargeback has the same rules regarding this or not. Never bought from anyone other than amazon direct......do amazon act as a third party? Or do you pay directly to the seller? If its the former.....again.....section 75 will unlikely apply as there needs to be a direct relationship between the card company and seller for them to be equally liable.

But in general, section 75 is better as this is afforded to you by law. Charbeback is visa/mastercards own policy.

halibut2209

Why not just post it here. We really don't need a new thread with every development. It's very difficult to follow and won't help anyone else who may have a similar situation.