CREATIVE ZEN V PLUS 4GB - DID THIS HAPPEN TO YOU?

BAIT-N_SWITCH! BAIT-N_SWITCH! BAIT-N_SWITCH! BAIT-N_SWITCH!

Well to start off I purchased a Zen V 4gb last Feb after reading all the great reviews about the product. I liked it design and function but THAT BATTERY LIFE WAS HORRIBLE!

That was one of the main reasons I purchaed the player was the battery life claim of 15 hours or even more. I usually take most claims with a grain of salt, so figured 15+ hours would translate to perhaps 7 to 10 hours in the real world.

I only used the player in the home and did not notice right away that the battery life was more like 4 hour tops and receintly was more like 2 hours.

So I called the nice folks at Creative Tech and was promptly emailed a RMA letter so I did exactly what the letter said, ie put my players serial number, date of purchase 2/5/07, purchase receipt etc and shipped it via my DHL account.

Well my player arrived in 2 days so I figured that everything was going to be smooth. NO SO BY A LONG SHOT!

I received a box from Creative about 10 days later, I opened up the box and almost threw up. When Creative sent me was not my player but was a well used/abused beat up player that had a deep gouge on its back, heavy rub marks all over the body including the screen. Also remember each one of these players had a serial number and this sad looking POS was not the player I sent them.

So not its back on the phone with Creative, I explain that I want my player back SNXXXXXXXXX and am told well that they will send me a mint player back. I said no freaking way I want MY PLAYER back SNXXXXXX and ask to speak with a supervisor. I'm told that all the supervisors are busy but one would contact me within 24 hours. Like a chump I believed the guy.

I was never contacted back, also I was told I was to receive a shipping label through the Email in the same time frame and that also NEVER HAPPENED.

At this point I'm very upset! One person from another forum had told me that on the RMA forum there is supposed to be check box if you want your original player back. I have my original RMA Email and there was no such thing.

So here I sit in limbo with this POS that they sent me, I did fax a letter to Creative Corprate about this as at least I know that there in the USA. I have doubts that there RMA /tech is in the USA though.


Now I have in the back of my mind that perhaps Creative keeps the perfectly looking players to resell as new or perhaps through there refurb site.

What a crok and runaround, I would like to hear from more folks if this has happened to them. Its like dropping off your car at a repair shop and when you go to pick it up its a 3 legged donkey.

Is there any product made anymore that is not junk!!!!!!!!!!!!

John
FWIW as I mentioned my player was used in my home only, I'm not a kid and the player was also kept in a Kroo leather carring case with a screen protector. My original Creative Zen V Plus 4gb was truly in NEW condition and looked like it just came out of the box.