Saturday 24 June 2023

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Where's my iPhone?

I bought an IPhone 7 Plus 128gb on the 2nd June. After 3 days it started giving me problems, I went back to the shop, at first they opted to observe it so I left to pick it the next day. I come back for it the next day, when I took it I realized it still had the same problem even though they said its okay. I then refused to take it and they gave me a new phone. After a few days same thing happened with the new phone. Went back to the shop. This time around I wanted my money back. They refused said their shop policy states that they do no refund which is written in their warranty card. My expectation was because the device is new it will work well. That's when he told me that these phones are refurbished they are not new which he never said to me initially. We argued for quite long time and they offered to give me a Samsung, Redmi or Tecno. I refused coz I want an iPhone.

They gave another iPhone 7 Plus. I took it and already it's giving me problems. I am so frustrated right now those people are refusing to give me my money back but their phones are giving me problems. Is it okay for them to be treating me like this?? If at all I signed a warranty card with such conditions. Is it fair for me to be going back to the store with the same problem but different phones?

I really need you to help me. I don't have the energy to go there I'm so frustrated right now.


You've been very patient. In fact, I think you've been too patient. The time has come for the store to give you what you deserve, either a phone that works or a refund. I think they also need to learn a lesson about honesty. There is nothing wrong with selling refurbished phones, they just need to tell customers about it.

I messaged the owner of the store and he responded very quickly. Just 29 minutes after my first message he promised the matter would be fixed. Fingers crossed.

Where's my laptop?

What's the best channel to use to lay a complaint against a tech store? I gave them my laptop for repairs in March and up to date am being given stories after stories. I honestly feel bullied and not taken seriously. First it was a problem with a board that they had to source outside. A month later it was failure to boot the laptop. Last month the story changed to a dead battery. The store manager always promises to come back to me. It never happens until I call the store in person. I have lost so much in terms of my work and school stuff coz they say I can't bring a hard drive to copy some of my works. I don't even trust anything about them anymore. The technician has been rude and it is very unfair that am forced to speak to him all the time. It was on its 11th month but unfortunately I'd lost the receipt and they said they can't retrieve the information. What would you advise?


My advice is very simple. Do not accept such poor treatment from this store. The situation is actually very simple. You bought a laptop, it failed repeatedly during the warranty period and you deserve what the Consumer Protection Act guarantees you, either a repair, a replacement or a refund. And you deserve it quickly.

The store also needs to sort out this silliness about the receipt. Yes, obviously they need to prove that you really bought the laptop from them but they have records, don't they? They know the serial number of the laptop and that should be enough to prove what you're saying.

I contacted the store manager and I was told that their system "needs the date of purchase that is when it opens up and lets you verify with the amount, serial number and name of customer if it was captured in the system." That's crazy. I don't care how badly their systems have been designed and it shouldn't be used as a weapon against you. Luckily the manager also told me that they "will send it to our IT department to try and search with the serial number".

We both need to keep the pressure up on this store to get you what you deserve.

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