Warehouse. Red Alert. ALERT...ALERT!

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dafman

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#175496 1-Jul-2015 17:00

Purchased a Galaxy S6 from Warehouse via online Red Alert. Chinese parallel import - arrived unsealed (not unexpected as charger needed a swap out).

However, screen was badly marked/scratched. Red Alert advise I can take back to physical Warehouse shop for refund - excluding courier cost - apparently I have to wear the cost of their on-line store sending out a shoddy parallel product.

Spent ages on phone to red alert/warehouse store today, so had enough of chinese imports, enough of red alert. Purchased another S6 NZ new from Noel Leeming (aka the warehouse!).

However, last time I will purchase parallel electronics online from Warehouse.

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#1335217 1-Jul-2015 17:04

No, I beleive they have to cover the cost of returning a defective item. Just ask them for a courier bag. You shouldn't be inconvenienced by having to travel to a store, and have a hassle explaining everything to a staff member in store. Not unless they are compensating you for your time and travel costs?

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#1335236 1-Jul-2015 17:44

some of their stuff are parallel imports but they will state it.

dafman

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#1335244 1-Jul-2015 17:57

They did state it was parallel, that's why I was expecting the charger swap out.

However, having now received a damaged product, I have decided not to purchase parallel again when this means receiving a non-sealed product as the risk of damage/faulty product is higher - I have no idea how many hands it has been through ex factory. And it's a hassle to change couriered products (waiting time, need to organise re-courier, waiting time again, will the replacement unsealed product be damaged?). All in all, today I have spent over 20 mins on the phone, will need to trip to a warehouse store later tonight, and pay $7 (the courier cost) all for the privilege of returning faulty kit.

mattwnz

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#1335259 1-Jul-2015 18:26

dafman: They did state it was parallel, that's why I was expecting the charger swap out.

However, having now received a damaged product, I have decided not to purchase parallel again when this means receiving a non-sealed product as the risk of damage/faulty product is higher - I have no idea how many hands it has been through ex factory. And it's a hassle to change couriered products (waiting time, need to organise re-courier, waiting time again, will the replacement unsealed product be damaged?). All in all, today I have spent over 20 mins on the phone, will need to trip to a warehouse store later tonight, and pay $7 (the courier cost) all for the privilege of returning faulty kit.

Why don't you ask them to send you a courier bag to return it to them in for a refund? You are going to end up spending a lot of time instore repeating it all to staff who will have no knowledge of it.

lucky015

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#1335265 1-Jul-2015 18:39

Firstly, Are you sure it is the screen that is marked/scratched? not just the screen protector it comes with.

It is quite difficult although not impossible to scratch decent gorilla glass.

Secondly, This issue doesn't apply solely to parallel importers, there are plenty of stores who seem to enjoy opening items before providing them to you, Paralell imports typically come from the same factory with slight alterations to the branding so there is very little difference.

Personally I don't make big purchases online and typically buy from a parallel importer I have from years which opens the box right in-front of me before passing it to me.

nakedmolerat

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#1335283 1-Jul-2015 19:09

How can gorilla glass screen is badly scratched and marked?

It is almost impossible!

mattwnz

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#1335303 1-Jul-2015 19:38

nakedmolerat: How can gorilla glass screen is badly scratched and marked?

It is almost impossible!

It can scratch, but I doubt it would be scratch from someone just putting in a charger. Not unless they were refurbished ones. Sounds more likely it was the screen protector.

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dafman

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#1335527 2-Jul-2015 09:21

mattwnz:
nakedmolerat: How can gorilla glass screen is badly scratched and marked?

It is almost impossible!

It can scratch, but I doubt it would be scratch from someone just putting in a charger. Not unless they were refurbished ones. Sounds more likely it was the screen protector.

Most definitely not the screen protector (I'm a bit of a gadget fanatic, so no chance I'm mistaking the screen protector for the screen itself). My partner took the screen protector off when she unboxed - pity, as I would have like to have seen if it looked like it had been reapplied to the phone.

Anyway, the screen defect was more like misty grazes in various places across the full length of the screen. And they were definitely permanent ... and etched into the glass.

Anyway, the warehouse refunded last night without question (less the courier cost!) and the replacement NZ new S6 from Noel lemming was perfect (-; The new phone did cost another $100 over the parallel price, but did come with a rapid charger, so some compensation for the extra cost I guess.

nakedmolerat

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#1335540 2-Jul-2015 09:44

dafman: ... However, screen was badly marked/scratched....

dafman: Anyway, the screen defect was more like misty grazes in various places across the full length of the screen.

Sir, this is two different things. Anyway good outcome for you.

+1 for The Warehouse for fixing this issue that quick.

dafman

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#1335550 2-Jul-2015 10:07

nakedmolerat:
dafman: ... However, screen was badly marked/scratched....

vs

dafman: Anyway, the screen defect was more like misty grazes in various places across the full length of the screen.

Sir, this is two different things. Anyway good outcome for you.

+1 for The Warehouse for fixing this issue that quick.

The misty grazes were very fine scratches etched in the screen (best analogy I can give is almost like fine sandpaper effect). There were a lot of them, which is the same as being badly marked/scratched - is it not?

BTR

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#1335553 2-Jul-2015 10:12

And the point of this thread is.....

dafman

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#1335558 2-Jul-2015 10:17

BTR: And the point of this thread is.....

Sharing purchasing experiences assists other buyers. In this case, buyer beware - the hassle with online parallel import purchases may exceed the small amount of $ savings you make on them.

Jaxson

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#1335563 2-Jul-2015 10:25

I've seen that sort of thing where the product wasn't repackaged sufficiently and it rubs in the box.
Weird though if it had a screen protector on it.

Only other thought was 'has the screen been replaced'?
The early Samsungs at least are notorious for cracking the screen.
It's easy to overheat things when you're replacing the glass, and that leads to what you are describing.

dafman

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#1335571 2-Jul-2015 10:35

Jaxson: I've seen that sort of thing where the product wasn't repackaged sufficiently and it rubs in the box.
Weird though if it had a screen protector on it.

Only other thought was 'has the screen been replaced'?
The early Samsungs at least are notorious for cracking the screen.
It's easy to overheat things when you're replacing the glass, and that leads to what you are describing.

I guess that is my concern with receiving an unsealed product. I have no way of telling if I am buying new or refurbished?

I accept the Warehouse is totally reputable ... but what controls do they have on their supplier for the parallel product? Who does the unsealing and charger replacement - the Chinese supplier as part of the deal with the Warehouse (higher risk) or local NZ warehouse staff (less risk)? Nonetheless, I ain't buying unsealed product again.

taneb1

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#1335596 2-Jul-2015 11:09

I had a bad experience with Red Alert in the past, but their customer support team were great to deal with and sorted me out.

Picked up a set of cordless phones for our new house online, when they arrived opened them and the batteries were already in the phone which I thought was odd.
Wasn't until I accidentally hit the redial button that I found the phones had been used previously with lots of different numbers in the redial list and had been repackaged/not reset

Contacted their support team who sent a brand new set overnight delivery and let me keep the pre-owned set as well. Guess it depends on the situation.

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