Furious with Sony Service - Page 2

PHugger · 12-12-2007, 07:14 PM

Thanks for the encouragement. I think I should wait until the supervisor has his/her say. I did write to the CONSUMERIST asking for advice. If they publish, I'll ask everyone here to DIGG the story (publicize it on the DIGG news site).

PCH

HarryT · 12-13-2007, 02:13 AM

I'm sorry, but I don't understand why you feel aggrieved over this.

Sony's technicians are the experts. They have looked at your unit and ascertained that the screen substrate is damaged. You have absolutely no evidence that this is the result of a manufacturing defect (have you?). As Jon says, this could have happened in any one of 1000 different ways, most of which you could be completely unaware of.

Why are you getting angry with Sony? They offer an "all risks" warranty to cover this scenario. You chose not to purchase that warranty. You don't really expect them to replace a screen which they are not responsible for damaging, do you?

Your anger seems completely misplaced to me. Sony have done nothing wrong here. You broke your screen; Sony did not.

HarryT · 12-13-2007, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crusader666

Send a letter (with Signature Confirmation) to the CEO of Sony and raise hell. Threaten to report them to the attorney general/consumer affairs department in the state you live in AND where their corporate office is.

If you purchased your product with a credit card, immediately notify your credit card company and tell them you are having a dispute regarding the purchase and Sony is ripping you off. Many credit card companies will stand behind the consumer in a situation such as this.

You should also state in your letter to the Sony CEO that you will file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which sometimes does monitor these types of problems.

I also recommend to others that they tell the company they are having problems with that they will submit their case to Judge Judy, and will tell all their friends and colleagues to think twice before buying a Sony Reader.

You can also tell the CEO you will contact journalists who write about technical issues if Sony doesn't resolve your problem immediately!

This is nothing short of blackmail. You have no evidence whatsoever that Sony are "ripping somebody off". We have here the case of a reader whose delicate glass substrate has broken. To threaten to besmirch the name of a company whose "crime" is to refuse to replace free of charge a $300 screen which could be broken in any of 1000 different ways without the customer being aware of it is absolutely outrageous!

The outer plastic layer of the screen is tough plastic; the glass substrate is thin and delicate. Torsion or a physical impact will generally leave the outer shell undamaged while fracturing the substrate.

Sony's standard warranty covers manufacturing defects. There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that this is a manufacturing defect. There is an "all risks" warranty available at low cost for those who wish to protect themselves against accidental damage.

astra · 12-13-2007, 05:25 AM

HarryT

You assume that Sony tells truth.
Maybe Sony techs are not telling the truth? Maybe they were told that if a reader with no visible damage to screen arrives, they should say it was damaged on the inside? The customers would have a very difficult time to prove them wrong I guess.

HarryT · 12-13-2007, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra_lestat

HarryT

You assume that Sony tells truth.
Maybe Sony techs are not telling the truth? Maybe they were told that if a reader with no visible damage to screen arrives, they should say it was damaged on the inside? The customers would have a very difficult time to prove them wrong I guess.

If your screen looks anything like this, you've fractured the substrate. You don't have to take the device apart to tell that!

donovanh · 12-13-2007, 05:38 AM

Not wanting to take a side here.. but surely if you buy something, use it for less than a month, an during the course of normal use it fails.. wouldn't you expect it to be fixed? If the substrate is so easily damaged, then is the item fit for use?

HarryT · 12-13-2007, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donovanh

Not wanting to take a side here.. but surely if you buy something, use it for less than a month, an during the course of normal use it fails.. wouldn't you expect it to be fixed? If the substrate is so easily damaged, then is the item fit for use?

Depends what you mean by "normal use". These are devices with delicate glass screens and have to be treated with care. If you put the Reader unprotected into a bag with heavy books, it'll likely get damaged. If you always leave it in its case, never put it near anything heavy or pointed, and THEN it breaks, then yes, I agree with you.

Note that this issue is NOT specific to Sony. The screens of all eInk readers are made by the same company (eInk) and they are all equally delicate.

It is a VERY good idea to have some form of accidental damage cover. That's why Sony sell them.

astra · 12-13-2007, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

If your screen looks anything like this, you've fractured the substrate. You don't have to take the device apart to tell that!

PHugger says

Quote:

the screen just stopped working

.

HarryT · 12-13-2007, 05:52 AM

He also says:

Quote:

In my description of the problem I had stated that the screen was scrambled

A "scrambled" screen (like the photo I've linked to) is a fractured substrate. A totally dead screen is probably the controller, and should be fixed under warranty.

astra · 12-13-2007, 05:58 AM

OK. I admit, I am lost.

I thought it is the case of

Quote:

A totally dead screen is probably the controller

HarryT · 12-13-2007, 06:09 AM

I agree with you. If the screen is dead, then that's a warranty fix, no question. If it looks anything like the picture I posted a link to, then it's not.

PHugger · 12-13-2007, 08:44 AM

I just don't think you understand Harry. It's pretty simple so I'll try to explain it for you.

I bought a Sony BookReader
I used it normally
It wasn't dropped or abused
It stopped working after 30 days
The screen didn't look like the picture you posted, just a few odd lines and noise covering the entire screen - mostly white
There were no visible cracks or partial images like your picture
The warranty covers product defects under normal use
I simply want them to fix this defective unit

A display that is so delicate that it fails under normal use sounds like a manufacturing defect to me. I seriously doubt that any extended warranty would cover abuse or user negligence that you allege. I don't know how it failed and neither do you. I do know that I didn't abuse it in any way or use it in a way that wasn't normal. I was told that an inner layer of the screen was cracked. I don't know how they determined this. I doubt that they dissected the display. They offered to return it to me. They probably just looked at it and decided that there was a crack somewhere. It's only been on sale for a month - how much experience do you think they've had repairing 505s?

You keep harping on the fact that my anger is misplaced. I bought a product that I really liked (loved even) and it broke after a month of normal use. I KNOW that I didn't abuse, drop, or use it in any way that wasn't normal. My anger and frustration stems from the fact that Sony assumes I damaged it through negligence and I have little means to prove otherwise. We all heard and understood your opinion the first time you stated it. There is no need to repeat it. I disagree with you. You will have to accept that and move on.

PCH

HarryT · 12-13-2007, 09:37 AM

Of course I accept that you disagree with me, PCH. We are all entitled to express our views here. I am simply saying that Sony's technicians are undoubtedly better equipped to diagnose faults than you or I are, and that you have no logical reason to disagree with their assessment of the problem.

Tom Swift · 12-13-2007, 10:10 AM

Last month I opened my 500 to find a little dent in the glass right in the centre. Luckily it still works fine but I have no idea how it got there. I treated it well and yet this dent somehow appeared.

I think the point HarryT is making is that you may think you were treating your 505 well but somehow you might have done something that damaged it, like a tension or stress and you honestly don't recall doing so.

mlove · 12-13-2007, 10:19 AM

I just called Sony and they do not yet have an extended warranty on the PRS-505. Now that I have asked for one, the service staff will request one and get back to me in a couple of weeks with the price.

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12-12-2007, 07:14 PM	#16
PHugger Connoisseur Posts: 94 Karma: 8443 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NJ Device: Kindle 3G, Sony PRS-505	Thanks for the encouragement. I think I should wait until the supervisor has his/her say. I did write to the CONSUMERIST asking for advice. If they publish, I'll ask everyone here to DIGG the story (publicize it on the DIGG news site). PCH

12-13-2007, 02:13 AM	#17
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm sorry, but I don't understand why you feel aggrieved over this. Sony's technicians are the experts. They have looked at your unit and ascertained that the screen substrate is damaged. You have absolutely no evidence that this is the result of a manufacturing defect (have you?). As Jon says, this could have happened in any one of 1000 different ways, most of which you could be completely unaware of. Why are you getting angry with Sony? They offer an "all risks" warranty to cover this scenario. You chose not to purchase that warranty. You don't really expect them to replace a screen which they are not responsible for damaging, do you? Your anger seems completely misplaced to me. Sony have done nothing wrong here. You broke your screen; Sony did not.

12-13-2007, 05:25 AM	#19
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	HarryT You assume that Sony tells truth. Maybe Sony techs are not telling the truth? Maybe they were told that if a reader with no visible damage to screen arrives, they should say it was damaged on the inside? The customers would have a very difficult time to prove them wrong I guess.

12-13-2007, 05:38 AM	#21
donovanh Enthusiast Posts: 39 Karma: 40 Join Date: Feb 2007	Not wanting to take a side here.. but surely if you buy something, use it for less than a month, an during the course of normal use it fails.. wouldn't you expect it to be fixed? If the substrate is so easily damaged, then is the item fit for use?

12-13-2007, 06:09 AM	#26
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I agree with you. If the screen is dead, then that's a warranty fix, no question. If it looks anything like the picture I posted a link to, then it's not.

12-13-2007, 08:44 AM	#27
PHugger Connoisseur Posts: 94 Karma: 8443 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NJ Device: Kindle 3G, Sony PRS-505	I just don't think you understand Harry. It's pretty simple so I'll try to explain it for you. I bought a Sony BookReader I used it normally It wasn't dropped or abused It stopped working after 30 days The screen didn't look like the picture you posted, just a few odd lines and noise covering the entire screen - mostly white There were no visible cracks or partial images like your picture The warranty covers product defects under normal use I simply want them to fix this defective unit A display that is so delicate that it fails under normal use sounds like a manufacturing defect to me. I seriously doubt that any extended warranty would cover abuse or user negligence that you allege. I don't know how it failed and neither do you. I do know that I didn't abuse it in any way or use it in a way that wasn't normal. I was told that an inner layer of the screen was cracked. I don't know how they determined this. I doubt that they dissected the display. They offered to return it to me. They probably just looked at it and decided that there was a crack somewhere. It's only been on sale for a month - how much experience do you think they've had repairing 505s? You keep harping on the fact that my anger is misplaced. I bought a product that I really liked (loved even) and it broke after a month of normal use. I KNOW that I didn't abuse, drop, or use it in any way that wasn't normal. My anger and frustration stems from the fact that Sony assumes I damaged it through negligence and I have little means to prove otherwise. We all heard and understood your opinion the first time you stated it. There is no need to repeat it. I disagree with you. You will have to accept that and move on. PCH

12-13-2007, 09:37 AM	#28
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Of course I accept that you disagree with me, PCH. We are all entitled to express our views here. I am simply saying that Sony's technicians are undoubtedly better equipped to diagnose faults than you or I are, and that you have no logical reason to disagree with their assessment of the problem.

12-13-2007, 10:10 AM	#29
Tom Swift Addict Posts: 250 Karma: 1232346 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Macau Device: Kindle Oasis (plus lots of older devices)	Last month I opened my 500 to find a little dent in the glass right in the centre. Luckily it still works fine but I have no idea how it got there. I treated it well and yet this dent somehow appeared. I think the point HarryT is making is that you may think you were treating your 505 well but somehow you might have done something that damaged it, like a tension or stress and you honestly don't recall doing so.

12-13-2007, 10:19 AM	#30
mlove Cat-loving cyclist Posts: 28 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Champaign, Illinois Device: Sony PRS-505, IPhone	I just called Sony and they do not yet have an extended warranty on the PRS-505. Now that I have asked for one, the service staff will request one and get back to me in a couple of weeks with the price.

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