Kobo exchange

Mussgorsky · 06-16-2010, 02:38 PM

Good afternoon,

I have been reading this forum for some time and have been enjoying the conversations immensely. So thank you all for such great information (like learning that Calibre exists). I just thought I would share my KOBO/Chapters experience. Please feel free to ignore from here on if you would like.

I have had my kobo since May 1,2010. I have always had some trouble with it. I would only be able to load 2-3 books at a time and only onto a SC card. Processing was slow as well. I made do with it in hopes of the firmware update.

Yesterday when I went to turn it on it froze on the main KOBO screen and remained there. I tried charging (I knew it was fully charged but what the) tried multiple paperclips to the back while pushing off buttons etc.

I emailed Kobo support and still have received no reply at this time. I phoned this am and got a nice support person who told me to return it for a new one at chapters as there was nothing she could do to help me. I told her I did not have the receipt any more but did have my credit card statement. She said that was fine to take in with me.

So off to Chapters I go at lunch today. The great people there gave me an immediate exchange for a new one (and it was new not used!

) and had no problem with lack of receipt.

So now with this new KOBO I realize just how bad my old when was. This machine uploaded my 56 ebooks off my SD card in no time at all and works great.

Kristen
Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

jonnybraga · 06-16-2010, 04:09 PM

I'm really glad to hear that, Mussgorsky.

I got an exchange myself at WalMart and noticed that this new one is was waaaaay better and faster too... it seems.... just need to verify the battery performance...

Enjoy your new Kobo!

kdittyr · 06-16-2010, 06:15 PM

jonnybraga, do you live in Canada as well? I ask because I have been wanting to test the Kobo but I don't believe it is available in the U.S. yet.

Mememememe · 06-16-2010, 07:13 PM

I had the same problem with my first Kobo reader -- it froze and couldn't be fixed.

The online support is useless at the present time. I work in publishing and have done business with Kobo, and I've heard that they're simply overwhelmed at the moment due to the problems people are having. (There's also been some staff turnover.) I'm sure their response time will improve once the new firmware is ready -- assuming it fixes the common problems -- but for now, phoning them about the problem is the best bet. I don't find the people you get on the phone to be terribly knowledgeable -- they really don't know how to fix the problems -- but at least they're pleasant about it and can direct you to a store.

It's good that you had a Chapters that had the unit in stock -- when I returned mine, no one in Toronto, where I live, had readers in stock and they could only give me a refund. I had to place a new order myself. So, if anyone's returning a unit, I'd recommend taking it to a place you know has it in stock so that you don't have to go through the hassle of getting a refund and then reordering.

wrenn1 · 06-16-2010, 07:25 PM

I am flabbergasted by the lack of knowledge of the support people. The actual useful information has come from the forums. They should be very grateful that many of their problems are being solved by strangers on the internet.

I have yet to have a reply to an email where it felt like they had actually read my email and it took back and forth and then ignoring me most times.

The people on the phone are indeed friendlier but again not knowledgeable about the product.

In the store I went to they basically knew where the display was for the Kobo (not sure if they had any and not anxious to find out). Maybe it is because I am an old fat broad and they had younger more interesting customers to attend to but twice I have been in there now and they were useless.

Luckily I was used to figuring things out myself thanks to having to manage since I bought the damn thing. Today all I wanted was a reading light and they pointed to the escalator. When I expressed concern that it might not fit I was told "open the package carefully when you get home if you intend to return it"

I bought it and opened it in front of him and just said "No point in walking all that way just to come back". He just stared at me. The thing fit my kobo and I left.

I guess Kobo has taught me independence. :-)

SensualPoet · 06-16-2010, 07:43 PM

My experience with Kobo support -- which is excellent in my opinion -- is different.

I had an issue with a Kobo book purchase. I wrote to the support e-mail and had a response back within a few hours. The response directly answered my question and had a follow-up. We exchanged another email, again within a few hours. Kobo provided an explanation and a resolution. I wrote back and complimented them on been very direct in their responses.

I had a very good customer experience with Kobo support.

wrenn1 · 06-16-2010, 08:10 PM

It's good to read about a positive experience when so many are experiencing the opposite. Hopefully things will improve soon.

Mememememe · 06-16-2010, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

I had an issue with a Kobo book purchase. I wrote to the support e-mail and had a response back within a few hours. The response directly answered my question and had a follow-up. We exchanged another email, again within a few hours. Kobo provided an explanation and a resolution. I wrote back and complimented them on been very direct in their responses.

I had a very good customer experience with Kobo support.

I don't buy it. Everyone else is waiting a week or more to get a response from their customer support via email, and you got a response in a few hours? I call BS.

jonnybraga · 06-17-2010, 12:48 AM

Yes, kdittyr, i live in Canada... Quebec City... I don't think the Kobo i already available for the USA but it was supposed to be released in mid June... I believe on the 19... if i'm not mistaken.... but since they're having so many problems with the product, my bet is that they are gonna try and resolve the issues through a firmware, maybe, and then have it released in the US...

Also, I gotta say that every contact I had with customers services was flawless... it was a matter of hours too... I sent them 3 emails... got an answer the very same day...

neilmarr · 06-17-2010, 03:05 AM

Good to have your company, Kristen -- especially with good news as your introduction. Best wishes. Neil

ava0775 · 06-17-2010, 09:47 AM

I sent an email to customer service on Sunday and received a reply first thing Monday morning. We exchanged a few emails back and forth on Monday. So no, I wouldn't say someone else's good experience is BS.

Can't say they resolved my issue but to be fair, there is nothing they can do about it until the firmware is upgraded. I don't expect them to get into some work-around, third party solution like we hash out here on the message boards.

Mussgorsky · 06-17-2010, 10:12 PM

I finally received an email response that evening but since I already exchanged it by then I thanked them and had my ticket closed.

So far my new KOBO has been great (fingers crossed, knocking on wood...etc). It is faster and better than the last one. I ordered a case from ebay since the ones from chapters are sold out and the store had no idea when they would get new ones in.
A family friends has given me his collection of ebooks to add to mine but now I get the pleasure of changing them into epubs with readable fonts

Thanks for the great welcome to the forum.

Kristen

Poppa1956 · 06-17-2010, 10:22 PM

It is good to read about good customer service. Thanks for posting, Mussgorsky. I am glad to hear you are so happy with the new Kobo, too.May it serve you long and well.

corona · 06-17-2010, 10:37 PM

I posted this elsewhere, but I'll say here also that I exchanged my Kobo twice at the local Chapters/Indigo store, and they couldn't have been nicer about it. No questions asked, totally friendly.

bob5146 · 06-23-2010, 07:47 AM

Hi ,All,I had a few problems with my new kobo here in Aust and was never off the the computer complaining to customer service, but to be honest i cant fault them, i would e-mail them aussie time and have replies next morning, even though my problem was solved by a person in this forum.

06-16-2010, 02:38 PM	#1
Mussgorsky Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Thunder Bay,On,Canada Device: kobo	Kobo exchange Good afternoon, I have been reading this forum for some time and have been enjoying the conversations immensely. So thank you all for such great information (like learning that Calibre exists). I just thought I would share my KOBO/Chapters experience. Please feel free to ignore from here on if you would like. I have had my kobo since May 1,2010. I have always had some trouble with it. I would only be able to load 2-3 books at a time and only onto a SC card. Processing was slow as well. I made do with it in hopes of the firmware update. Yesterday when I went to turn it on it froze on the main KOBO screen and remained there. I tried charging (I knew it was fully charged but what the) tried multiple paperclips to the back while pushing off buttons etc. I emailed Kobo support and still have received no reply at this time. I phoned this am and got a nice support person who told me to return it for a new one at chapters as there was nothing she could do to help me. I told her I did not have the receipt any more but did have my credit card statement. She said that was fine to take in with me. So off to Chapters I go at lunch today. The great people there gave me an immediate exchange for a new one (and it was new not used! ) and had no problem with lack of receipt. So now with this new KOBO I realize just how bad my old when was. This machine uploaded my 56 ebooks off my SD card in no time at all and works great. Kristen Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

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06-16-2010, 04:09 PM	#2
jonnybraga Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kobo	I'm really glad to hear that, Mussgorsky. I got an exchange myself at WalMart and noticed that this new one is was waaaaay better and faster too... it seems.... just need to verify the battery performance... Enjoy your new Kobo!

06-16-2010, 06:15 PM	#3
kdittyr uber noob Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: FL Device: nook, iPhone	jonnybraga, do you live in Canada as well? I ask because I have been wanting to test the Kobo but I don't believe it is available in the U.S. yet.

06-16-2010, 07:13 PM	#4
Mememememe Connoisseur Posts: 98 Karma: 7542 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	I had the same problem with my first Kobo reader -- it froze and couldn't be fixed. The online support is useless at the present time. I work in publishing and have done business with Kobo, and I've heard that they're simply overwhelmed at the moment due to the problems people are having. (There's also been some staff turnover.) I'm sure their response time will improve once the new firmware is ready -- assuming it fixes the common problems -- but for now, phoning them about the problem is the best bet. I don't find the people you get on the phone to be terribly knowledgeable -- they really don't know how to fix the problems -- but at least they're pleasant about it and can direct you to a store. It's good that you had a Chapters that had the unit in stock -- when I returned mine, no one in Toronto, where I live, had readers in stock and they could only give me a refund. I had to place a new order myself. So, if anyone's returning a unit, I'd recommend taking it to a place you know has it in stock so that you don't have to go through the hassle of getting a refund and then reordering.

06-16-2010, 07:25 PM	#5
wrenn1 Addict Posts: 259 Karma: 48576 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kobo	I am flabbergasted by the lack of knowledge of the support people. The actual useful information has come from the forums. They should be very grateful that many of their problems are being solved by strangers on the internet. I have yet to have a reply to an email where it felt like they had actually read my email and it took back and forth and then ignoring me most times. The people on the phone are indeed friendlier but again not knowledgeable about the product. In the store I went to they basically knew where the display was for the Kobo (not sure if they had any and not anxious to find out). Maybe it is because I am an old fat broad and they had younger more interesting customers to attend to but twice I have been in there now and they were useless. Luckily I was used to figuring things out myself thanks to having to manage since I bought the damn thing. Today all I wanted was a reading light and they pointed to the escalator. When I expressed concern that it might not fit I was told "open the package carefully when you get home if you intend to return it" I bought it and opened it in front of him and just said "No point in walking all that way just to come back". He just stared at me. The thing fit my kobo and I left. I guess Kobo has taught me independence. :-)

06-16-2010, 07:43 PM	#6
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	My experience with Kobo support -- which is excellent in my opinion -- is different. I had an issue with a Kobo book purchase. I wrote to the support e-mail and had a response back within a few hours. The response directly answered my question and had a follow-up. We exchanged another email, again within a few hours. Kobo provided an explanation and a resolution. I wrote back and complimented them on been very direct in their responses. I had a very good customer experience with Kobo support.

06-16-2010, 08:10 PM	#7
wrenn1 Addict Posts: 259 Karma: 48576 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kobo	It's good to read about a positive experience when so many are experiencing the opposite. Hopefully things will improve soon.

06-17-2010, 12:48 AM	#9
jonnybraga Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kobo	Yes, kdittyr, i live in Canada... Quebec City... I don't think the Kobo i already available for the USA but it was supposed to be released in mid June... I believe on the 19... if i'm not mistaken.... but since they're having so many problems with the product, my bet is that they are gonna try and resolve the issues through a firmware, maybe, and then have it released in the US... Also, I gotta say that every contact I had with customers services was flawless... it was a matter of hours too... I sent them 3 emails... got an answer the very same day...

06-17-2010, 03:05 AM	#10
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Good to have your company, Kristen -- especially with good news as your introduction. Best wishes. Neil

06-17-2010, 09:47 AM	#11
ava0775 Member Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	I sent an email to customer service on Sunday and received a reply first thing Monday morning. We exchanged a few emails back and forth on Monday. So no, I wouldn't say someone else's good experience is BS. Can't say they resolved my issue but to be fair, there is nothing they can do about it until the firmware is upgraded. I don't expect them to get into some work-around, third party solution like we hash out here on the message boards.

06-17-2010, 10:12 PM	#12
Mussgorsky Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Thunder Bay,On,Canada Device: kobo	I finally received an email response that evening but since I already exchanged it by then I thanked them and had my ticket closed. So far my new KOBO has been great (fingers crossed, knocking on wood...etc). It is faster and better than the last one. I ordered a case from ebay since the ones from chapters are sold out and the store had no idea when they would get new ones in. A family friends has given me his collection of ebooks to add to mine but now I get the pleasure of changing them into epubs with readable fonts Thanks for the great welcome to the forum. Kristen

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06-17-2010, 10:22 PM	#13
Poppa1956 Evangelist Posts: 487 Karma: 344188 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon, USA Device: Verizon Ellipsis Tablit w/Kindle and Nook apps.	It is good to read about good customer service. Thanks for posting, Mussgorsky. I am glad to hear you are so happy with the new Kobo, too.May it serve you long and well.

06-17-2010, 10:37 PM	#14
corona Addict Posts: 324 Karma: 25168 Join Date: May 2010 Device: kobo	I posted this elsewhere, but I'll say here also that I exchanged my Kobo twice at the local Chapters/Indigo store, and they couldn't have been nicer about it. No questions asked, totally friendly.

06-23-2010, 07:47 AM	#15
bob5146 Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 40 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: kobo	Hi ,All,I had a few problems with my new kobo here in Aust and was never off the the computer complaining to customer service, but to be honest i cant fault them, i would e-mail them aussie time and have replies next morning, even though my problem was solved by a person in this forum.