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General discussion

Not all warranties are created equal

Dec 28, 2014 9:04PM PST

I purchased a new Samsung Note 10.1 in December 2012. I purchased this tablet computer in the Middle East where I lived at the time. Since then I have returned home to live in the UK.

This tablet computer stopped working after only 5 months use in May 2013. I contacted Samsung to explain and was asked to return it to their Service Centre so that it could be repaired under the warranty which the product was supposed to be supplied with.

After about a week the tablet was returned to me with a product repair card that indicated a number of tests had been carried out and the problems rectified. However, as the device would still not switch on, that was obviously not the case. Only after searching the courier packaging further did I discover a letter which stated that Samsung were not obliged to repair my product as it was not purchased in the EU.

(In actual fact the later states that the reason the product was not working was because it is of non-European origin which is obviously nonsense)

Subsequently to this I contacted Samsung's Senior Customer Services Executive who replied with the same information; essentially that because the product wasn't purchased in the EU they were not obliged to repair it. However, he did suggest that I contact Samsung in the Middle East so that they could arrange to repair it.

I followed this suggestion and contacted Samsung in the Middle East. I received a response which offered to repair the tablet at my cost and also said they would not accept the item being returned by courier - I would have to fly to Dubai and hand deliver it to the Service Centre.

Samsung UK's position appears to be that although I live in the UK my tablet wasn't purchased here so it's not their problem. The position of Samsung in the Middle East appears to be that although my tablet was purchased in the Middle East I no longer live there so it's not their problem!

I paid a premium price for my tablet computer because I believed that a global business such as Samsung would provide good, or at least adequate, customer service. Rather obviously I was mistaken in this belief. In actual fact rather than providing any customer service at all they have relied on narrow legalese in order to cheat me out of the warranty my tablet was supposed to be supplied with.

As the title says "not all warranties are created equal". I know from friends and family that neither Apple or Sony behave like this. If you're thinking of purchasing a Samsung product be aware that if the opportunity to screw you over presents itself Samsung will eagerly take this opportunity.

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