Kobo Shaky at Best..

[FanciFreez]

KOBO out of Canada needs to get it together.. they have great eReaders, however the customer service and ordering procedures are ridiculous.. they need to take some lessons from their major competitor and future killer Amazon.. I go to order a book and get.. try again later, or can't process your order now.. etc.. one thing after another.. I have the Aura HD, but I think I will sell it and stick with Amazon.. just think how much money KOBO is losing with customer dissatisfaction? UNBELIEVABLE>. I just don't get it.. Jeff Bezos of Amazon is loving it.. but I did give KOBO a shot..

[rone1986]

Originally Posted by FanciFreez

KOBO out of Canada needs to get it together.. they have great eReaders, however the customer service and ordering procedures are ridiculous.. they need to take some lessons from their major competitor and future killer Amazon.. I go to order a book and get.. try again later, or can't process your order now.. etc.. one thing after another.. I have the Aura HD+ but I think I will sell it and stick with Amazon.. just think how much money KOBO is losing with customer dissatisfaction? UNBELIEVABLE>. I just don't get it.. Jeff Bezos of Amazon is loving it.. but I did give KOBO a shot..

I feel your pain. Over 2 weeks now just trying to get any sane response or resolution or any info at all from them really. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=224457.
Their 'service' is a joke.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

To be fair does anyone have service like Amazon? I have been fortunate and have never had any problems behind books on Kobo. I hope they get their act together.

[soulfuldog]

Originally Posted by Canuck_in_Japan

To be fair does anyone have service like Amazon? I have been fortunate and have never had any problems behind books on Kobo. I hope they get their act together.

Well I'm considering trying an Aura but the pretty shocking level of customer care shown by Kobo keeps making me hesitant - along with a couple of other things, but this is what really sets the alarm bells ringing. Sure I'd like to have the increased font options and smaller size of the Aura, but is it really worth it to leave the comfortable safety net of buying a Kindle?

Edit: In fact, having spoken to someone in WH Smith today, they said that even if I was to buy it online from them, I might not be able to return it for a refund even if it has the bright band along the top (which I've seen in both demo models I've looked at) because it might not be considered a fault by Kobo. And as they can't return any open models to Kobo for refunds if there isn't any fault/defect, they wouldn't be able to give me a refund. Even citing distance selling regulations she wasn't confident of giving a refund, so that's my decision made for me, I'll try a Paperwhite first, and only if I have issues with it will I go back to considering the Aura.

[llcj]

It seems like most of the problems buying books are happening to USA citizens. Any reason for this?

[Lyn2012]

Originally Posted by l_macd

Edit: In fact, having spoken to someone in WH Smith today, they said that even if I was to buy it online from them, I might not be able to return it for a refund even if it has the bright band along the top (which I've seen in both demo models I've looked at) because it might not be considered a fault by Kobo. And as they can't return any open models to Kobo for refunds if there isn't any fault/defect, they wouldn't be able to give me a refund. Even citing distance selling regulations she wasn't confident of giving a refund, so that's my decision made for me, I'll try a Paperwhite first, and only if I have issues with it will I go back to considering the Aura.

Well that goes totally against their own website T&Cs:

UK consumers and consumers from the rest of the European Union have the right to cancel contracts for the purchase of items within seven (7) Working days of the day after receipt of the ordered goods.

This policy does not apply to the following goods, which are exempt from the right to cancel:

• periodical(s) or magazine(s)
• Magazine Gift Packs or Experience Gift Packs which have been activated.
• Digital products such as CDs, DVDs, or computer software where the holographic seal and/or shrink-wrap has been unsealed.
• Products made to your specification i.e. personalised
• perishable goods

You can cancel your contract at any time up to 7 working days starting the day after delivery. To do this, please contact our Customer Service team with your order number ready.

Once you have let us know, you then need to return the unwanted Products to us (preferably in their original packaging or otherwise adequately packaged) as soon as reasonably practicable.

Last year I bought a Kobo Glo online when they first came out, and when I found that the light was too bright at it's lowest setting, I returned it to my local WHS and they refunded me the money. I had obviously used it for a few days, but just packaged it up again and told them it was hurting my eyes and not fit for purpose.

[FanciFreez]

Bottom Line on KOBO is they need to have all the Big Wigs read some of these forums.. LOL.. they need to all SIT down together in a conference room around a big wood table and all look at themselves in a big mirror and ask each other how come they have so many problems? If I were the CEO I would give them 30 days to figure out, or they would be out..I would also pass out or email a copy of the book: The Everything Store and tell them to read it 5 times..

[aceflor]

According to some beta testers here, the Kobo people don't answer here anymore because our attitude is too negative.

Now reading some threads, as this one for instance, https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=224457, one wonders: the hen or the egg ?



But hey, I am apparently seeing conspiracy theories everywhere and have a persecution complex, so I am not seeing things as they really are. The truth is that everything is just fine and dandy at Kobo, be it Hardware, Software, Bookshop or Customer Service. Kobo was actually the inspiration source for the song "A wonderful world".

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by FanciFreez

Bottom Line on KOBO is they need to have all the Big Wigs read some of these forums.. LOL.. they need to all SIT down together in a conference room around a big wood table and all look at themselves in a big mirror and ask each other how come they have so many problems? If I were the CEO I would give them 30 days to figure out, or they would be out..I would also pass out or email a copy of the book: The Everything Store and tell them to read it 5 times..

Better yet, have them all read that on a Kobo!




Don

[Ken Maltby]

This started about the experience trying to buy an ebook from Kobo. The OP has a working AuraHD that he appears to believe means he has to buy his ebooks from Kobo.
If he can't, he appears to believe he should sell his working device - and buy a Kindle.

If you like it in the garden so much, why not a Sony or Apple?

Luck;
Ken

[soulfuldog]

Originally Posted by Lyn2012

Well that goes totally against their own website T&Cs: <snip info>

Last year I bought a Kobo Glo online when they first came out, and when I found that the light was too bright at it's lowest setting, I returned it to my local WHS and they refunded me the money. I had obviously used it for a few days, but just packaged it up again and told them it was hurting my eyes and not fit for purpose.

That makes perfect sense to me, and I even mentioned how if I buy it via the website I should be able to return it for a refund under the distance selling regulations, but she was still "unconfident" about being able to issue a refund and not just an exchange or credit note. She made a point about it being down to the fact they couldn't resell the Kobo once it had been opened, so they would have to have a valid reason to return it to Kobo themselves, and that would need to be a fault.

I just thought if I'm going to have to argue about it and possibly have a hassle getting my money back, I'll just not buy it.

[Lyn2012]

Originally Posted by l_macd

I just thought if I'm going to have to argue about it and possibly have a hassle getting my money back, I'll just not buy it.

I can quite understand - why have hassle when it's not necessary. I do remember having to speak to the branch manager and being quite insistent that I had the right to return the Glo, but after she had phoned Kobo, there was no problem at all. Of course this was a year ago and policies may have changed - even though the law hasn't. Anyway good luck, I hope you receive a good PW.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

If you like it in the garden so much, why not a Sony or Apple?

Luck;
Ken

Sony is not a walled garden. No more so then any other eInk Reader using ADE. I agree about Apple though for eBooks.

[TechniSol]

Could be, but it seems increasingly less likely that people would continue to expend the effort of multiple posts and followups -that usually requires the burning hatred of someone who has actually been righteously PO'd.

Unfortunately, when people start assembling a gestalt, and consider complaints of poor service, problems with buying books, hardware issues with brand new equipment, oodles of firmware issues over multiple versions, fixes that never come, etc. one begins to believe the worst. I still like Kobo, and would buy Kobo again(though not the new Auras -I simply can't stand the strangely angled cases), but you've got to wonder when they're going to extract their corporate heads from their collective assets and fix things at Kobo.

[tlaine]

Arc-64
Aura HD + case
Mini
Aura + case

Those were my Kobo hardware purchases this year.

The customer service I experienced with the Aura has shown me exactly what Kobo thinks of me; treating me with complete disregard and absolutely no respect.

Anyone thinking the issues you are reading about in this forum aren't real need to put their money where their mouths are.