Great Customer Service from Indigo

EDinNB · 08-30-2011, 08:07 AM

My daughter received a Kobo WiFi for Christmas and all was fine until 2 weeks ago. her hubby was reading on Saturday, and Sunday she went to fire it up and the screen was shot... you know the situation, a few wavy lines on the screen but nothing readable.

Her unit was purchased at a Chapters retail outlet, but we happen to be closer to an Indigo store, so armed with the box and everything that came with it including the original sales receipt I went to Indigo.

I went to the Customer Service desk and told the girl I had a problem, showed her the kobo, she asked if I had the sales slip which i presented to her... a couple of keystrokes in the computer and she said, I sorry but we are all out of this model, I'll have to replace it with the new Kobo Touch as there are no more of this model anywhere in the system. As she asked someone to get her a black on from the store room, I asked if it was possible to have a different color, sure we have them all in stock. A few minutes later I left the store with a brand new unopened Kobo Touch in Purple (plum) as per my daughters request.

THANKS Indigo/Chapters/Kobo for great Customer Service .

Ed Armstrong
Sussex NB Canada

AKA EDinNB

anonymoose · 08-30-2011, 03:32 PM

Wow, I think you lucked out. I am fairly sure that doesn't follow Indigo/Chapters' return policy at all.

siraks · 08-30-2011, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anonymoose

Wow, I think you lucked out. I am fairly sure that doesn't follow Indigo/Chapters' return policy at all.

actually a lot of people have reported that's happened when walking into a chapters / indigo after their wifi's were busted up and the touch was being released. just do a search on the forum here and you'll find instances of it. i'd do it for you but am extremely lazy.

EverC · 08-30-2011, 04:03 PM

When I went to Chapters/Indigo to pick up a Kobo Touch 2 weeks ago, I was told that they only exchange defective Kobos within 14 days and that I have to deal directly with the manufacturer for any issues that come up after that, which isn't that great, considering what I have read about Kobo's recent customer service in the forums. Moreover you can only return your kobo if it's still unopened.
I could not even check first if my pdfs are going to me somewhat readable on the device, because there are no pdfs on any of the demo readers.

anonymoose · 08-30-2011, 04:20 PM

That's what I mean by luck. I have heard the same thing that EverC just said. Any store that is exchanging it anyway is doing so in despite store company policy or out of ignorance.

EverC · 08-30-2011, 04:28 PM

I decided to buy my Kobo somewhere else, because of Chapters/Indigo's current return/exchange policy. I did not want to risk the hassle in case I did not like the Kobo Touch or have problems with it.

EDinNB · 08-30-2011, 09:24 PM

All I can relate is how we were treated and it was excellent.

EDinNB

anonymoose · 08-30-2011, 11:10 PM

I don't particularly see anything wrong with their return policy other than wishing it was a little bit longer. How many stores will take 6 month old broken electronics and give out an upgrade unless you've bought the in-store warranty program?

remcdonald · 08-31-2011, 02:57 AM

OK just to be helpful here and with the caveat that I'm speaking for myself and my personal opinion here. When dealing with Chapters/Indigo most of the staff are taught how to respond to situations from one manual and that manual says 14 day returns, store bought condition no exceptions. However, exceptions can be made rather easily from the right person and under the right circumstances. Generally speaking if the first guy gives you the rote 14 day line ask to speak to their supervisor who will generally be a senior cashier and see if they will do anything different, if they won't then ask to speak to a manager. Basically it all boils down to luck and what store you happen to walk into and what staff member you get but firm and polite will go a long way to getting staff to help you out. I know for me that if you come in raging, foaming at the mouth, or curse at me in the first four seconds of our conversation ,I'm not going to help you out because quite frankly it isn't worth the stress or my time and I don't have to. However, if you are polite I will usually try to help and may even go out of the way to suggest breaking policy for you. Asshats don't get that type of treatment they get the sorry that's the policy line.

EverC · 08-31-2011, 03:53 PM

Well, I was polite and inquired beforehand how well the Kobo Touch handles pdf, I knew that it shows pdf files, but not if I can actually make it through a whole pdf manual. Now I know that I would prefer not to, but I will keep it for my personal entertainment. I was told they can not show me any pdfs on their demo unit. I also asked, if I could just bring a micro SD card with a pdf on it and I was told that won't work, because the Kobo can not read directly from the card and only serves as an expansion for the internal memory (now I know it actually can!), but I could try it at home and bring the Kobo back, if it doesn't suit my needs and get a full refund once a manager has checked whether the unit was still in good condition.
Then when I actually paid for the Kobo, I was told I can not bring it back once it is opened...period. No supervisor/manager available at that time.
Because I did not want to come back to speak to a Manager and I was still on the fence anyway about perhaps buying a different device (Kindle, Sony, Nook) instead, I decided to return it and make my purchase somewhere else.
Other than that I always had good service at Chapters, but it's a bookstore after all, not an electronics store, so I had to pass this time.

m_bisson · 09-01-2011, 07:04 AM

My chapters gave me a 1 year in-store replacement guarantee.

EDinNB · 09-01-2011, 10:35 AM

IIRC Kobo had a policy of instor exchanges on any in warranty Kobo that showed up with a non damaged defective screen. They had a bad batch of screens and were aware of the issue and swapped them out OTC when a customer presented them to the store with proof of warranty.

08-30-2011, 08:07 AM	#1
EDinNB Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 208 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo	Great Customer Service from Indigo My daughter received a Kobo WiFi for Christmas and all was fine until 2 weeks ago. her hubby was reading on Saturday, and Sunday she went to fire it up and the screen was shot... you know the situation, a few wavy lines on the screen but nothing readable. Her unit was purchased at a Chapters retail outlet, but we happen to be closer to an Indigo store, so armed with the box and everything that came with it including the original sales receipt I went to Indigo. I went to the Customer Service desk and told the girl I had a problem, showed her the kobo, she asked if I had the sales slip which i presented to her... a couple of keystrokes in the computer and she said, I sorry but we are all out of this model, I'll have to replace it with the new Kobo Touch as there are no more of this model anywhere in the system. As she asked someone to get her a black on from the store room, I asked if it was possible to have a different color, sure we have them all in stock. A few minutes later I left the store with a brand new unopened Kobo Touch in Purple (plum) as per my daughters request. THANKS Indigo/Chapters/Kobo for great Customer Service . Ed Armstrong Sussex NB Canada AKA EDinNB

08-31-2011, 03:53 PM	#10
EverC Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Canada Device: Amazon Kindle 3, Kobo Touch (returned)	Well, I was polite and inquired beforehand how well the Kobo Touch handles pdf, I knew that it shows pdf files, but not if I can actually make it through a whole pdf manual. Now I know that I would prefer not to, but I will keep it for my personal entertainment. I was told they can not show me any pdfs on their demo unit. I also asked, if I could just bring a micro SD card with a pdf on it and I was told that won't work, because the Kobo can not read directly from the card and only serves as an expansion for the internal memory (now I know it actually can!), but I could try it at home and bring the Kobo back, if it doesn't suit my needs and get a full refund once a manager has checked whether the unit was still in good condition. Then when I actually paid for the Kobo, I was told I can not bring it back once it is opened...period. No supervisor/manager available at that time. Because I did not want to come back to speak to a Manager and I was still on the fence anyway about perhaps buying a different device (Kindle, Sony, Nook) instead, I decided to return it and make my purchase somewhere else. Other than that I always had good service at Chapters, but it's a bookstore after all, not an electronics store, so I had to pass this time. Last edited by EverC; 08-31-2011 at 03:57 PM.

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08-30-2011, 03:32 PM	#2
anonymoose bookaholic Posts: 108 Karma: 1032718 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Glo, Kobo Aura, Kobo Touch, Kobo app on iPhone	Wow, I think you lucked out. I am fairly sure that doesn't follow Indigo/Chapters' return policy at all.

08-30-2011, 04:03 PM	#4
EverC Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Canada Device: Amazon Kindle 3, Kobo Touch (returned)	When I went to Chapters/Indigo to pick up a Kobo Touch 2 weeks ago, I was told that they only exchange defective Kobos within 14 days and that I have to deal directly with the manufacturer for any issues that come up after that, which isn't that great, considering what I have read about Kobo's recent customer service in the forums. Moreover you can only return your kobo if it's still unopened. I could not even check first if my pdfs are going to me somewhat readable on the device, because there are no pdfs on any of the demo readers.

08-30-2011, 04:20 PM	#5
anonymoose bookaholic Posts: 108 Karma: 1032718 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Glo, Kobo Aura, Kobo Touch, Kobo app on iPhone	That's what I mean by luck. I have heard the same thing that EverC just said. Any store that is exchanging it anyway is doing so in despite store company policy or out of ignorance.

08-30-2011, 04:28 PM	#6
EverC Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Canada Device: Amazon Kindle 3, Kobo Touch (returned)	I decided to buy my Kobo somewhere else, because of Chapters/Indigo's current return/exchange policy. I did not want to risk the hassle in case I did not like the Kobo Touch or have problems with it.

08-30-2011, 09:24 PM	#7
EDinNB Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 208 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo	All I can relate is how we were treated and it was excellent. EDinNB

08-30-2011, 11:10 PM	#8
anonymoose bookaholic Posts: 108 Karma: 1032718 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Glo, Kobo Aura, Kobo Touch, Kobo app on iPhone	I don't particularly see anything wrong with their return policy other than wishing it was a little bit longer. How many stores will take 6 month old broken electronics and give out an upgrade unless you've bought the in-store warranty program?

08-31-2011, 02:57 AM	#9
remcdonald Connoisseur Posts: 60 Karma: 49376 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo, Kobo Touch	OK just to be helpful here and with the caveat that I'm speaking for myself and my personal opinion here. When dealing with Chapters/Indigo most of the staff are taught how to respond to situations from one manual and that manual says 14 day returns, store bought condition no exceptions. However, exceptions can be made rather easily from the right person and under the right circumstances. Generally speaking if the first guy gives you the rote 14 day line ask to speak to their supervisor who will generally be a senior cashier and see if they will do anything different, if they won't then ask to speak to a manager. Basically it all boils down to luck and what store you happen to walk into and what staff member you get but firm and polite will go a long way to getting staff to help you out. I know for me that if you come in raging, foaming at the mouth, or curse at me in the first four seconds of our conversation ,I'm not going to help you out because quite frankly it isn't worth the stress or my time and I don't have to. However, if you are polite I will usually try to help and may even go out of the way to suggest breaking policy for you. Asshats don't get that type of treatment they get the sorry that's the policy line.

09-01-2011, 07:04 AM	#11
m_bisson Groupie Posts: 170 Karma: 25803 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: kobo touch :)	My chapters gave me a 1 year in-store replacement guarantee.

09-01-2011, 10:35 AM	#12
EDinNB Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 208 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo	IIRC Kobo had a policy of instor exchanges on any in warranty Kobo that showed up with a non damaged defective screen. They had a bad batch of screens and were aware of the issue and swapped them out OTC when a customer presented them to the store with proof of warranty.

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