Kobo Support, What Can I Expect?

Josieb1 · 09-08-2013, 03:12 PM

Hi

I am thinking of buying my first Kobo ereader.

I started with Sony ereaders and knew with them not to expect any support, that's how I found Mobileread all those years ago, then I switched to Amazon, and their support is brilliant so I was wondering, what support can I expect for a Kobo device?

I just want to be prepared that's all so any info and guidance would be appreciated. Thanks

robko · 09-08-2013, 06:19 PM

It's hit and miss and can run from "brilliant" to utterly dismal depending on the situation. And there are not really any definable situations that are consistently good or bad. The only thing I could say for sure is that Kobo is less tolerant of covering screen substrate breakage under warranty. While that's probably fair since in most cases it's likely user caused (even if they don't think so or realize how they damaged it), it appears that Amazon just takes the hit on replacement even if it's not their fault so people get very upset when Kobo won't cover it.
Having said that, for anything not hardware related you won't likely find a more knowledgeable or helpful forum than the Kobo one on Mobileread.

paola · 09-09-2013, 02:50 AM

Ii have had a good experience so far: when my first Mini started to malfunction, and I was in Mexico with no Kobo presence at all, the people with the online chat were very helpful, and said I could get a susbtitute, but would have to go back to where I purchased it originally (a WHSmith where I live). I passed through Heathrow with my device and nothing else (though presumably they cna check serial numbers), simply explained that Kobo had written that I could exchange it, and the chap simply exchanged it with a new one, giving me a receipt for it for warranty purposes. This to me is great customer service.

More recently, I had a problem with a book purchased from Kobo: for some reason it had been encoded as if it were a book in Italian, so that to get the vocabulary to work it required a few extra touches. They offered to refund the book (I did not take the offer up).

All in all, I am very pleased with their customer service, but from other experiences others have been less lucky.

meeera · 09-09-2013, 04:56 AM

Unless you need a device replacement (or have book issues, which is kinda separate; not all Kobo users buy books there): the best Kobo support you can expect will usually be here on Mobileread. I've found that there's a terrifically knowledgeable and helpful community here.

Re contacting Kobo: I've done so a couple times, and listened to experiences here and elsewhere. My suggestion is to use phone or live chat, not email.

There is a small but extremely vocal community elsewhere who are very, very upset that Kobo won't replace their smashed devices under warranty, and who claim that the device just smashed itself, sitting completely undisturbed in a case on a shelf. I've never quite been able to figure out what exactly is going on there, but there you go. One other perspective.

samhy · 09-09-2013, 05:20 AM

It seems their e-mails are easily seen as junk. The time I've had to deal with them, since they couldn't reach me via e-mail, a nice person called me (from Canada!). Everything was settled soon after.
So far, I haven't had a hardware issue but as Paola for me it would mean to hop to the nearby FNAC and explain my issues.

Canuck_in_Japan · 09-09-2013, 05:24 AM

There have been a lot of people who have been disappointed (or at least a few people who have been disappointed loudly) and probably more than a fair share of people who are satisfied but they're probably not going to post that on the forums. I've had to contact them a few times and I can't say I have much to complain about. I like the fact that I've never needed to contact them for anything to do with my reader because it's been absolutely solid. I have had to contact them about website/subscription issues.

jackastor · 09-09-2013, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samhy

It seems their e-mails are easily seen as junk. The time I've had to deal with them, since they couldn't reach me via e-mail, a nice person called me (from Canada!). Everything was settled soon after.
So far, I haven't had a hardware issue but as Paola for me it would mean to hop to the nearby FNAC and explain my issues.

LOL that's true for a lot of companies. Most will advise to make changes in your spam filter to ensure correct mail delivery.

regards

JAck

samhy · 09-09-2013, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackastor

LOL that's true for a lot of companies. Most will advise to make changes in your spam filter to ensure correct mail delivery.

regards

JAck

Bad wording sorry. I should have said that the e-mails go to the junk folder or spam folder

I have tried to change some settings of my gmail address to no avail. However, when they were answering my e-mails everything went fine.

maslow · 09-09-2013, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samhy

It seems their e-mails are easily seen as junk.

Well, my first 2 e-mails came through very well on my hotmail account, but those were administrative. Still waiting for a solution or maybe there is not any?
09/04/2013 09:25 AM your time (15.25 in France)

FNAC is not an option being 35 km away and explaining my (computer-e reader issues in French).

Thanks to the people here on mobileread, I learned a lot, tried a lot but cannot get any further. Mind you, the best support Kobo could have given me was a micro sd adapter in the package when I bought the Glo

.

Now I am waiting for the adapter too, because I opened up my Glo

The little Glo-monster is still smiling (cannot get him away), but I am sure to have the last laugh, beginning with grabbing a real paperback.

samhy · 09-10-2013, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maslow

Well, my first 2 e-mails came through very well on my hotmail account, but those were administrative. Still waiting for a solution or maybe there is not any?
09/04/2013 09:25 AM your time (15.25 in France)

FNAC is not an option being 35 km away and explaining my (computer-e reader issues in French).

Thanks to the people here on mobileread, I learned a lot, tried a lot but cannot get any further. Mind you, the best support Kobo could have given me was a micro sd adapter in the package when I bought the Glo

.

Now I am waiting for the adapter too, because I opened up my Glo

The little Glo-monster is still smiling (cannot get him away), but I am sure to have the last laugh, beginning with grabbing a real paperback.

Have you created a post to explain your issue? I'll make sure to give it a look.

paola · 09-10-2013, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meeera

the best Kobo support you can expect will usually be here on Mobileread. I've found that there's a terrifically knowledgeable and helpful community here.

meeera · 09-10-2013, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paola

And I should perhaps add a tiny caveat to that, though it's not directly related to this thread or aimed at the OP at all: the best way to glean great support from volunteers is not to storm in shouting about how [brandname] is a giant steaming pile of sh*t and how everyone who likes or uses [brandname] must be effing idiot. No matter how much trouble you're having with your device and how frustrated you are. The impulse to spend your spare time on being helpful and providing free tech support seems to evaporate under those conditions.

Useful knowledge up front, that somehow a few folks haven't quite got a handle on yet!

maslow · 09-10-2013, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samhy

Have you created a post to explain your issue? I'll make sure to give it a look.

I just asked for an image in this one https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...75#post2619575, explaining why. Thanks in advance.

DStyle · 09-10-2013, 06:10 PM

Bad experience. I just got into the e-reader bandwagon and wasn't smooth. Ordered the Aura HD through Kobo's website and got charged in CAD rather than NZD. Ask for a refund. Contacted customer service twice and said already escalated to 2nd level. Got an email yesterday and said will escalate to another different dept.

This is in the 8th day now. Not my mistake but theirs and yet take so long to process my refund. This is like buying from a dodgy website. Still waiting . . .

Ordered the Aura HD from my local bookstore on last Sunday and it arrives yesterday.

My advise, if your local stores sell Kobos' devices, buy from them.

booklover6 · 09-11-2013, 09:40 PM

arggg....wrong thread.

09-08-2013, 03:12 PM	#1
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,084 Karma: 18051062 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Scribe, Coloursoft, PW SE, Kindle 6, Kobo Libra Colour, Libra 2	Kobo Support, What Can I Expect? Hi I am thinking of buying my first Kobo ereader. I started with Sony ereaders and knew with them not to expect any support, that's how I found Mobileread all those years ago, then I switched to Amazon, and their support is brilliant so I was wondering, what support can I expect for a Kobo device? I just want to be prepared that's all so any info and guidance would be appreciated. Thanks

09-11-2013, 09:40 PM	#15
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,545 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre 1, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle, Kobo Libre Colour	arggg....wrong thread. Last edited by booklover6; 09-11-2013 at 09:43 PM.

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09-08-2013, 06:19 PM	#2
robko Wizard Posts: 2,454 Karma: 5469320 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo	It's hit and miss and can run from "brilliant" to utterly dismal depending on the situation. And there are not really any definable situations that are consistently good or bad. The only thing I could say for sure is that Kobo is less tolerant of covering screen substrate breakage under warranty. While that's probably fair since in most cases it's likely user caused (even if they don't think so or realize how they damaged it), it appears that Amazon just takes the hit on replacement even if it's not their fault so people get very upset when Kobo won't cover it. Having said that, for anything not hardware related you won't likely find a more knowledgeable or helpful forum than the Kobo one on Mobileread.

09-09-2013, 02:50 AM	#3
paola Wizard Posts: 2,840 Karma: 5843878 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: UK Device: Pocketbook Pro 903, (beloved Pocketbook 360 RIP), Kobo Mini, Kobo Aura	Ii have had a good experience so far: when my first Mini started to malfunction, and I was in Mexico with no Kobo presence at all, the people with the online chat were very helpful, and said I could get a susbtitute, but would have to go back to where I purchased it originally (a WHSmith where I live). I passed through Heathrow with my device and nothing else (though presumably they cna check serial numbers), simply explained that Kobo had written that I could exchange it, and the chap simply exchanged it with a new one, giving me a receipt for it for warranty purposes. This to me is great customer service. More recently, I had a problem with a book purchased from Kobo: for some reason it had been encoded as if it were a book in Italian, so that to get the vocabulary to work it required a few extra touches. They offered to refund the book (I did not take the offer up). All in all, I am very pleased with their customer service, but from other experiences others have been less lucky.

09-09-2013, 04:56 AM	#4
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,803 Karma: 68407974 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	Unless you need a device replacement (or have book issues, which is kinda separate; not all Kobo users buy books there): the best Kobo support you can expect will usually be here on Mobileread. I've found that there's a terrifically knowledgeable and helpful community here. Re contacting Kobo: I've done so a couple times, and listened to experiences here and elsewhere. My suggestion is to use phone or live chat, not email. There is a small but extremely vocal community elsewhere who are very, very upset that Kobo won't replace their smashed devices under warranty, and who claim that the device just smashed itself, sitting completely undisturbed in a case on a shelf. I've never quite been able to figure out what exactly is going on there, but there you go. One other perspective.

09-09-2013, 05:20 AM	#5
samhy Wizard Posts: 1,821 Karma: 9503859 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: France Device: (Sony (J) PRS 650), Kobo Mini, Kobo Glo HD (broken), Kobo Clara BW	It seems their e-mails are easily seen as junk. The time I've had to deal with them, since they couldn't reach me via e-mail, a nice person called me (from Canada!). Everything was settled soon after. So far, I haven't had a hardware issue but as Paola for me it would mean to hop to the nearby FNAC and explain my issues.

09-09-2013, 05:24 AM	#6
Canuck_in_Japan Wizard Posts: 1,476 Karma: 14328611 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: Aura, Aura H2O, Kindle PW3	There have been a lot of people who have been disappointed (or at least a few people who have been disappointed loudly) and probably more than a fair share of people who are satisfied but they're probably not going to post that on the forums. I've had to contact them a few times and I can't say I have much to complain about. I like the fact that I've never needed to contact them for anything to do with my reader because it's been absolutely solid. I have had to contact them about website/subscription issues.

09-10-2013, 06:10 PM	#14
DStyle Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 25278 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: New Zealand Device: KOBO Aura HD	Bad experience. I just got into the e-reader bandwagon and wasn't smooth. Ordered the Aura HD through Kobo's website and got charged in CAD rather than NZD. Ask for a refund. Contacted customer service twice and said already escalated to 2nd level. Got an email yesterday and said will escalate to another different dept. This is in the 8th day now. Not my mistake but theirs and yet take so long to process my refund. This is like buying from a dodgy website. Still waiting . . . Ordered the Aura HD from my local bookstore on last Sunday and it arrives yesterday. My advise, if your local stores sell Kobos' devices, buy from them.

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