Samsung ignore consumer rights

Jenkins86

I am genuinely gobsmacked at the service or lack of service I have received from Samsung. If anyone can help, it would be appreciated. 

My brother and I purchased a new TV for our mother for Mother’s Day. She was redecorating her lounge and it seemed a perfect time for a new tv. We chose Samsung as they are a large brand, that was our first mistake. We ordered directly from Samsung and purchased a TV for approx £400. As my mother was having the room redecorated we knew it would be a good few weeks before we actually needed to put the TV up but we weren’t idiots (or so we thought) we inspected the tv, made sure there was no damage before tucking it away on the corner of the dining room. July comes around, my mother finally picked her paint colours and the TV was ready to be put on the wall. 

My husband puts the TV up, we are ready for the big reveal, switch it on and yes you guessed it the tv is damaged. Only half the screen works. It still looks perfect but when it is powered on it doesn’t work. Of course in hindsight we should have switched in on after delivery but given the service I have received trying to resolve this I’m not sure that would have made much of a difference. 

I’m not worried at this point, I tell my mother not to worry, it’s Samsung, huge brand, they will replace the tv for us as we are still protected by consumer rights but in my mind I was naive thinking it wouldn’t even get that far, they will be mortified and replace it no questions asked - how wrong was I. 

The process of contacting Samsung starts, I go through their website where we purchased the tv and am asked to provide photos etc. after back and forth over a few weeks they realise that they have directed this issue to manufacturing and it is a retail complaint. The lady on the phone tells me not to worry there won’t  be a chargeable repair and she will pop me through to retail. Of course I end up at the end of a queue where I have to start again. The woman was nice and said I was entitled to a replacement but because my brother wasn’t with me (we paid with his card) she couldn’t instruct the replacement.  This was irritating as the order had my email etc but his card so was both of us but fair enough I’ll call back with him. I do that and the agent didn’t think I was entitled to a replacement but maybe a manager could authorise it. One would call me back, I was told to keep my brother with me for the next 24 hours! As if that made any sense. Anyway no call back and the start of the worst experience. 

I call and call, get passed from one person to another, get promised call backs that never happen. One agent sang ‘I don’t care’ down the phone to me. I resorted to complaining. First complaint I was told they are satisfied it wasn’t damaged on delivery and it is clear from the photos impact damage. They provided no evidence of this and as I said the tv looks perfect so where was the impact? I go back and forth for weeks, escalating and trying to find any email I can to just find someone with common sense. Someone takes ownership, I’m relieved, only for him to instantly agree with the initial complaint and close the case. 

Ive emailed citizens advice to take it to trading standards. What else can I do? They aren’t on resolver. I am in hope that if I can get it to a CEO they will see sense but I can’t find any details that don’t route me back to this department that agree with each other as a matter of course. We are now in October. My mother has no tv, bless her as her old one has bitten the dust. We are just going to purchase her a new one but this is the worst service I have ever experienced. Sadly this seems to be the norm with Samsung. If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it. 

caprikid1

This is clearly impact damage, most likely the screen was picked up in the top corner by your husband when fitting it. I work in IT and have seen it many many times, that is unlikely to be a delivery damage the box would have been trashed that's been picked up in the corner.

No retailer is going to replace that except under insurance, that is very Clear damage and almost 100% handling damage after unpacking. Seen it many many times.

Claim on house insurance if you have accidental damage.

No consumer rights covers damage of this nature.

Grumpy_chap

Jenkins86 said:

I am genuinely gobsmacked at the service or lack of service I have received from Samsung. If anyone can help, it would be appreciated. 

My brother and I purchased a new TV for our mother for Mother’s Day. She was redecorating her lounge and it seemed a perfect time for a new tv. We chose Samsung as they are a large brand, that was our first mistake. We ordered directly from Samsung and purchased a TV for approx £400. As my mother was having the room redecorated we knew it would be a good few weeks before we actually needed to put the TV up but we weren’t idiots (or so we thought) we inspected the tv, made sure there was no damage before tucking it away on the corner of the dining room. July comes around, my mother finally picked her paint colours and the TV was ready to be put on the wall. 

My husband puts the TV up, we are ready for the big reveal, switch it on and yes you guessed it the tv is damaged. Only half the screen works. It still looks perfect but when it is powered on it doesn’t work. Of course in hindsight we should have switched in on after delivery but given the service I have received trying to resolve this I’m not sure that would have made much of a difference. 

I’m not worried at this point, I tell my mother not to worry, it’s Samsung, huge brand, they will replace the tv for us as we are still protected by consumer rights but in my mind I was naive thinking it wouldn’t even get that far, they will be mortified and replace it no questions asked - how wrong was I. 

The process of contacting Samsung starts, I go through their website where we purchased the tv and am asked to provide photos etc. after back and forth over a few weeks they realise that they have directed this issue to manufacturing and it is a retail complaint. The lady on the phone tells me not to worry there won’t  be a chargeable repair and she will pop me through to retail. Of course I end up at the end of a queue where I have to start again. The woman was nice and said I was entitled to a replacement but because my brother wasn’t with me (we paid with his card) she couldn’t instruct the replacement.  This was irritating as the order had my email etc but his card so was both of us but fair enough I’ll call back with him. I do that and the agent didn’t think I was entitled to a replacement but maybe a manager could authorise it. One would call me back, I was told to keep my brother with me for the next 24 hours! As if that made any sense. Anyway no call back and the start of the worst experience. 

I call and call, get passed from one person to another, get promised call backs that never happen. One agent sang ‘I don’t care’ down the phone to me. I resorted to complaining. First complaint I was told they are satisfied it wasn’t damaged on delivery and it is clear from the photos impact damage. They provided no evidence of this and as I said the tv looks perfect so where was the impact? I go back and forth for weeks, escalating and trying to find any email I can to just find someone with common sense. Someone takes ownership, I’m relieved, only for him to instantly agree with the initial complaint and close the case. 

Ive emailed citizens advice to take it to trading standards. What else can I do? They aren’t on resolver. I am in hope that if I can get it to a CEO they will see sense but I can’t find any details that don’t route me back to this department that agree with each other as a matter of course. We are now in October. My mother has no tv, bless her as her old one has bitten the dust. We are just going to purchase her a new one but this is the worst service I have ever experienced. Sadly this seems to be the norm with Samsung. If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it. 

It seems as though @caprikid1 has been able to provide a good comment from a position of knowledge 

Keep_pedalling

It is possible that the damage occurred prior to receiving the TV, however as it is over 6 months since you purchased it (Assuming you purchased around March 30th) it is down to you to prove the fault was inherent, which with impact damage is impossible to do. 

ButterCheese

This sounds like a very bad state of affairs, I never ever buy direct from manufacturers as other outlets (like Amazon) have far better customer service provisions.  But you weren't to know that.  I would keep going with your complaint if you have the time and energy.  

There were a few things that you might have done differently though; always inspect and test something like that within the 10 day (or is it 14 day?) timeline, which makes things much easier.  Unfortunately for you, even if they were polite and helpful, lots of outlets would also query this because of the delay between delivery and your complaint.  Sadly lots of people break stuff and try to (later) blame it on the delivery in order to get money back.

I'm not in agreement with @c@caprikid1- the damage isn't even on the corner, and you also can't see the packaging to make such a jusdgement.  Also the packaging may have remained intact but a squeeze impact may have damaged the screen but not the packaging

MattMattMattUK

caprikid1 said:

This is clearly impact damage, most likely the screen was picked up in the top corner by your husband when fitting it. I work in IT and have seen it many many times, that is unlikely to be a delivery damage the box would have been trashed that's been picked up in the corner.

No retailer is going to replace that except under insurance, that is very Clear damage and almost 100% handling damage after unpacking. See it many many times.

Claim on house insurance if you have accidental damage.

No consumer rights covers damage of this nature.

The same here (not working in IT, but seeing lots of displays), especially with nice ultra thin modern TVs, it is why they have such detailed handling guides in the box now, the techs even call it "thumb damage".

ButterCheese said:

This sounds like a very bad state of affairs, I never ever buy direct from manufacturers as other outlets (like Amazon) have far better customer service provisions.  But you weren't to know that.  I would keep going with your complaint if you have the time and energy.  

Amazon, John Lewis, Richer Sounds etc. would all reject this claim as it has been more than six months. Most would reject it after the first thirty days.

ButterCheese said:

There were a few things that you might have done differently though; always inspect and test something like that within the 10 day (or is it 14 day?) timeline, which makes things much easier.  Unfortunately for you, even if they were polite and helpful, lots of outlets would also query this because of the delay between delivery and your complaint.  Sadly lots of people break stuff and try to (later) blame it on the delivery in order to get money back.

I'm not in agreement with @ c @ caprikid1- the damage isn't even on the corner, and you also can't see the packaging to make such a jusdgement.  Also the packaging may have remained intact but a squeeze impact may have damaged the screen but not the packaging

The damage not being in the corner is one of the things that indicates it is the handling when fitted, it is the way people grip the screens and it happens when people do not know how to handle modern screens properly. Packaging is designed to take considerable impacts and protect the item inside, as CapriKid said, there would be obvious physical damage to the outside of the box to create that kind of damage on the TV itself. 

Ayr_Rage

Looks exactly where a fat thumb would press on the screen when picking it up.

I concur with @caprikid1's theory.

Hopefully you have accidental damage cover on your home insurance.

Keep_pedalling

ButterCheese said:

I'm not in agreement with @c@caprikid1- the damage isn't even on the corner, and you also can't see the packaging to make such a jusdgement.  Also the packaging may have remained intact but a squeeze impact may have damaged the screen but not the packaging

That grey oval patch right in the corner is almost certainly where the impact happened. . 

ButterCheese

Keep_pedalling said:

ButterCheese said:

I'm not in agreement with @c@caprikid1- the damage isn't even on the corner, and you also can't see the packaging to make such a jusdgement.  Also the packaging may have remained intact but a squeeze impact may have damaged the screen but not the packaging

That grey oval patch right in the corner is almost certainly where the impact happened. . 

yes it might look like thumb damage.  But I'd have thought if the OP and/or brother knew they had damaged it, they would not be posting on here for advice.  But who knows.  

Keep_pedalling

ButterCheese said:

Keep_pedalling said:

ButterCheese said:

I'm not in agreement with @c@caprikid1- the damage isn't even on the corner, and you also can't see the packaging to make such a jusdgement.  Also the packaging may have remained intact but a squeeze impact may have damaged the screen but not the packaging

That grey oval patch right in the corner is almost certainly where the impact happened. . 

yes it might look like thumb damage.  But I'd have thought if the OP and/or brother knew they had damaged it, they would not be posting on here for advice.  But who knows.  

It is quite possible to do this sort of damage without realising you have done it. It is also possible that the OPs husband did realise he had done it but does not want to admit it.

Whatever happened, if the OPs mother has contents insurance that covers accidental damage that is there best bet to get to get a replacement. 

caprikid1

"It is quite possible to do this sort of damage without realising you have done it. It is also possible that the OPs husband did realise he had done it but does not want to admit it."

I've done it myself seen it done with countless laptop screens over the years.

No retailer will ever refund on that damage,  that is very clearly pickup / impact damage and the fact that every avenue has been blocked concurs with that.