Need help with a faulty TV, out of warranty but manufacturer has authorised an uplift with the selle

Rodders53

That is excellent (and quite surprising).  That TV was a 2017 model year, £2999 new and discounted in Jan to £1799 (a lot).  The panel issue was according to AVForums 

a manufacturing fault that affected a batch of 2017 panels that weren't left to cool down properly before they were factory calibrated. The rectangle is the pattern used to calibrate the panel.

that same fault also affected some LG and Sony TVs (as the OLED panels are made by the same maker LG Displays).  Probably not really that many affected in the grand scheme of annual TV sales by those people?

Did you ask for that in writing (e-mail) from Panasonic?  If possible do request a monetary refund rather than a 'credit' or vouchers to use in John Lewis, so you can choose an alternative retailer and even brand of set if you want.?

FactoryFaultOLED18

To Rodders, (sorry I can't quote as the quote has a link and I'm not allowed to post links...)

It's a 55EZ952B. Lots of results "rectangle in middle of screen". AVForums has a good link about it but I can't share here yet.

Nothing in writing but Panasonic CS confirmed on a call earlier that the uplift authorization was for the purchase price and that they would then refund JL for the same.

FactoryFaultOLED18

That is excellent (and quite surprising).  That TV was a 2017 model year, £2999 new and discounted in Jan to £1799 (a lot).  The panel issue was according to AVForums 

a manufacturing fault that affected a batch of 2017 panels that weren't left to cool down properly before they were factory calibrated. The rectangle is the pattern used to calibrate the panel.

that same fault also affected some LG and Sony TVs (as the OLED panels are made by the same maker LG Displays).  Probably not really that many affected in the grand scheme of annual TV sales by those people?

Did you ask for that in writing (e-mail) from Panasonic?  If possible do request a monetary refund rather than a 'credit' or vouchers to use in John Lewis, so you can choose an alternative retailer and even brand of set if you want.?

It does seem rather telling doesn't it, that the set saw an almost 50% drop in price, in a matter of months. .

I suspect I'll be reverting to deal with Panasonic directly for the refund, which they were keen to progress. JL come across as incompetent and clueless. I'll certainly be pressing for a monetary refund.

FactoryFaultOLED18

That is excellent (and quite surprising).  That TV was a 2017 model year, £2999 new and discounted in Jan to £1799 (a lot).  The panel issue was according to AVForums 

a manufacturing fault that affected a batch of 2017 panels that weren't left to cool down properly before they were factory calibrated. The rectangle is the pattern used to calibrate the panel.

that same fault also affected some LG and Sony TVs (as the OLED panels are made by the same maker LG Displays).  Probably not really that many affected in the grand scheme of annual TV sales by those people?

Did you ask for that in writing (e-mail) from Panasonic?  If possible do request a monetary refund rather than a 'credit' or vouchers to use in John Lewis, so you can choose an alternative retailer and even brand of set if you want.?

Nothing in writing though, from Panasonic. All on calls.

Okell

FactoryFaultOLED18 said:

... By contrast, I called Panasonic back immediately after 2 hours of hold with JL and within 10 mins, the Panasonic rep confirmed that the uplift code is for the full value of the original sale, and that the code should clearly call out to JL that if JL refund me the sale value, Panasonic will then refund JL the sale value. The Panasonic rep also then said that if JL continue to mess me around, they'll look at the replacement or refund directly. Within 10 mins, I'd got more value from the Panasonic rep than over 2 hours with several JL reps.

Anyway, I'm giving JL 48 hours and if its going nowhere, I'll deal with Panasonic directly.

Perhaps I'm being uncharitable but it seems to me that Panasonic might be the ones messing you around unnecessarily.

You bought the set 6 years and 4 months ago.  I'm going to assume that by the time you alerted JL to a problem it was already more than 6 years after purchase.  See here:

FactoryFaultOLED18 said:

... when I first had this problem I was advised to contact the seller, not Panasonic and when I did and they got my order, and saw the date, they shut down all conversation due to it being out of warranty...

I suspect JL might have shut down all conversation not because it was out of warranty, but because it was more than 6 years after purchase and therefore they have no liabilty to you under either consumer or contract law.

I'm not sure if Panasonic understand this or not, but I suspect that's the main reason JL aren't interested.

If Panasonic think - as the manufacturer - that you are entiled to a full refund because they produced a faulty TV, then they ought to be refunding you.  After more than 6 years it's got nothing to do with JL, and I don't see how Panasonic could persuade them to think otherwise when even a court wouldn't be able to do so...

TELLIT01

The JL system for making claims isn't exactly user friendly.  You have to go through all sorts of questions, clearly from bots, before any contact with a human being.  That said, once I got to the point of dealing with a person I found their system worked well.  Mine was for a warranty repair on a TV.

FactoryFaultOLED18

Okell said:

FactoryFaultOLED18 said:

... By contrast, I called Panasonic back immediately after 2 hours of hold with JL and within 10 mins, the Panasonic rep confirmed that the uplift code is for the full value of the original sale, and that the code should clearly call out to JL that if JL refund me the sale value, Panasonic will then refund JL the sale value. The Panasonic rep also then said that if JL continue to mess me around, they'll look at the replacement or refund directly. Within 10 mins, I'd got more value from the Panasonic rep than over 2 hours with several JL reps.

Anyway, I'm giving JL 48 hours and if its going nowhere, I'll deal with Panasonic directly.

Perhaps I'm being uncharitable but it seems to me that Panasonic might be the ones messing you around unnecessarily.

You bought the set 6 years and 4 months ago.  I'm going to assume that by the time you alerted JL to a problem it was already more than 6 years after purchase.  See here:

FactoryFaultOLED18 said:

... when I first had this problem I was advised to contact the seller, not Panasonic and when I did and they got my order, and saw the date, they shut down all conversation due to it being out of warranty...

I suspect JL might have shut down all conversation not because it was out of warranty, but because it was more than 6 years after purchase and therefore they have no liabilty to you under either consumer or contract law.

I'm not sure if Panasonic understand this or not, but I suspect that's the main reason JL aren't interested.

If Panasonic think - as the manufacturer - that you are entiled to a full refund because they produced a faulty TV, then they ought to be refunding you.  After more than 6 years it's got nothing to do with JL, and I don't see how Panasonic could persuade them to think otherwise when even a court wouldn't be able to do so...

I assume that Panasonic have some sort of arrangement with their retailers, for this situation though, even outside of regular or extended warranty.

The Panasonic CS rep seemed pretty calm and assured that the process is completely normal and double checked the uplift authorisation detail, my purchase date, the retailer and so on. It should be a straightforward replacement/refund situation that JL take initial responsibility for, then claim/have that money taken from Panasonic to cover.

I guess I'll see what comes back from JL in the next day or so.

PHK

Manufacturers are very good at putting the blame on a retailer. Years ago I worked in technical support and manufacturers would often tell customers they'd authorised such and such a retailer to give a refund when no such arrangements is in place. All the manufacturers were doing was delaying the point when they either have a replacement or told the customer there's nothing they can do. Customer then gets upset at the retailer. 

You probably aren't even speaking to Panasonic but a third party on their behalf. 

DullGreyGuy

I'm sure there are some that are like that @PHK and there are the likes of Apple that will claim life would have been so different if only you'd have bought directly. That said my two failed products were both Samsung and in both cases they gave me an uplift number. With Curry's, surprisingly, it was straight forward, they used some system to immediately validate the number and said the e-voucher would be with me in 48 hours. JL was more painful saying they didnt know what an uplift number was or what to do with it but eventually got through to someone else who did and equally was able to validate it (then we had the fight about other matters)

Doesn't really matter if you are speaking to an employee of Panasonic, an agency staff in a Panasonic call centre or an employee/agency staff of the outsourcer for Panasonic in all cases they are legally agents of Panasonic. 

Okell

FactoryFaultOLED18 said:

Okell said:

FactoryFaultOLED18 said:

... By contrast, I called Panasonic back immediately after 2 hours of hold with JL and within 10 mins, the Panasonic rep confirmed that the uplift code is for the full value of the original sale, and that the code should clearly call out to JL that if JL refund me the sale value, Panasonic will then refund JL the sale value. The Panasonic rep also then said that if JL continue to mess me around, they'll look at the replacement or refund directly. Within 10 mins, I'd got more value from the Panasonic rep than over 2 hours with several JL reps.

Anyway, I'm giving JL 48 hours and if its going nowhere, I'll deal with Panasonic directly.

Perhaps I'm being uncharitable but it seems to me that Panasonic might be the ones messing you around unnecessarily.

You bought the set 6 years and 4 months ago.  I'm going to assume that by the time you alerted JL to a problem it was already more than 6 years after purchase.  See here:

FactoryFaultOLED18 said:

... when I first had this problem I was advised to contact the seller, not Panasonic and when I did and they got my order, and saw the date, they shut down all conversation due to it being out of warranty...

I suspect JL might have shut down all conversation not because it was out of warranty, but because it was more than 6 years after purchase and therefore they have no liabilty to you under either consumer or contract law.

I'm not sure if Panasonic understand this or not, but I suspect that's the main reason JL aren't interested.

If Panasonic think - as the manufacturer - that you are entiled to a full refund because they produced a faulty TV, then they ought to be refunding you.  After more than 6 years it's got nothing to do with JL, and I don't see how Panasonic could persuade them to think otherwise when even a court wouldn't be able to do so...

I assume that Panasonic have some sort of arrangement with their retailers, for this situation though, even outside of regular or extended warranty.

The Panasonic CS rep seemed pretty calm and assured that the process is completely normal and double checked the uplift authorisation detail, my purchase date, the retailer and so on. It should be a straightforward replacement/refund situation that JL take initial responsibility for, then claim/have that money taken from Panasonic to cover.

I guess I'll see what comes back from JL in the next day or so.

I'm not sure it matters what arrangement there might be between Panasonic and JL.

If JL were only notified of the issue more than 6 months years after purchase, they're under no legal obligation to you to do anything.  You can't sue them after more than 6 years and a court can't make them do anything.  I suspect the Panasonic rep you are talking to either doesn't know that or doesn't understand it.  (Or is deliberately playing you...)

I'd be asking Panasonic why they can't refund me directly, and if they won't, how will they compel JL to refund me?  JL can turn round to you and say "We aren't legally obliged to refund you anything after more than 6 years".

Even if there is an agreement between P and JL you aren't a party to it so can't enforce it.  Panasonic would have to do so - just making you wait longer and longer...

Out of curiosity - when did you actually notify JL of the problem.  Was it within 6 years of purchase or not?