Is there a chance Kobo is only selling the dud Formas?

[LivresInOz]

I keep hearing about people getting duds, even now.

(Did one forum member have to send back two in a row or did I get that wrong?)

Does anyone have something reassuring to say that might contradict the following unlikely but not impossible hypothesis?

1. I thought all the (32GB) formas had sold out in the US at least?

2. Now suddenly Kobo has more

3. Is there any chance at all they are just selling off returned items and hoping that the people who get them won't notice the particular problems they have (e.g Josie talked about a yellowish screen, which MAYBE an e-ink newbie might assume is normal??)

4. This is NOT impossible for a company that clearly doesn't see fit to check the items for problems before they go out. Personally, if I ran a company I would feel a sense of shame for exposing my customers to duds like that. Clearly Kobo doesn't. How far does this extend?

I know it may SEEM far fetched but:
a) So does the Ford Pinto incident and countless others
b) the Forma is alot of money and returning it for me could be difficult and time-consuming. I'd like to reduce my risks or at least get some reassurance.

(If I've said anything clearly uninformed in this post, thankyou for clarifying it without adding a pinch of attempted humiliation and sorry for my lack of omniscience. )

[Josieb1]

No one can say. Mine yesterday looked and felt brand new and the screen was perfectly even, apart from the strip of white by the leds, but it was completely yellow. It could have been a return, but equally it could have been brand new. There is no way to be sure.

[Josieb1]

The power button was also much easier to use than one my existing Forma. I was happy with everything I saw and felt apart from the screen colour. What’s the point of having a warm light feature if the screen is yellow to start with.

[Lynx-lynx]

A refurbished device is a refurbished device, and one would hope that Kobo sold it as refurbished (and that they did actually refurbish it)

I think that your assertion is without basis, however, because there are variations in people's acceptance or otherwise of devices that may have slight or sometimes tricky issues, but they keep them (eg clicky back etc)

I know with other tech, eg phones, if one sends a phone away for a problem, it's quite likely they get someone else's refurbished phone back, and whilst I've never been happy with that idea I'm aware it happens.

As to returns, in the US my observation is that people willy nilly send back tech within the period allowed. How their consumer laws deal with a device sold on after that I don't know.

Quite frankly I wouldn't buy from the US, but that's me.

[Josieb1]

Just a final word on my yellow Forma. If I hadn’t already had a Forma, or any other e-reader, I probably would have accepted it as normal. Screens can be yellow, I’m sure years ago I had a yellow Aura. But I have multiple devices and have seen dozens over the years (I’ve been exclusively using an e-reader since 2009) and I know I prefer a white screen.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

A refurbished device is a refurbished device, and one would hope that Kobo sold it as refurbished (and that they did actually refurbish it)

My Kobo store had a sale on refurbished devices a few months ago and they were very clearly labeled as refurbished. I remember because the "discount" was barely 5% of the price of a new model, making the refurbished ones very unappealing. But they did not try to sell them as new.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by zenji

3. Is there any chance at all they are just selling off returned items and hoping that the people who get them won't notice the particular problems they have (e.g Josie talked about a yellowish screen, which MAYBE an e-ink newbie might assume is normal??)

4. This is NOT impossible for a company that clearly doesn't see fit to check the items for problems before they go out.

There is a BIG difference between poor QC and outright fraud, which is what selling refurbished as new would be. As for your concerns about spending a lot of money and having difficulty returning it, caveat emptor. "You pays your money and you takes your chances" if you choose to buy from outside your country and outside the protection of your country's consumer protection laws. Since you've already made your views on Kobo's quality control painfully and tediously clear, the risk is one you're well aware of, the consequences are of your own choosing.

[John F]

"Anything" is possible, but sounds like FUD to me.

I purchased a Forma a little while ago and it looked new/unblemished.

[disconnected]

I bought a third Forma (backup for my backup; I’m a Forma fanatic) a few weeks ago, direct from Kobo. It shipped to me in the US from Mississauga, Canada, which is as usual. The only odd thing was that there was a small square rough patch on the box. It looked like there had been a price tag there which had been torn off. My guess is that Kobo had been taking unsold Formas back from stores; the box was sealed and the contents undisturbed. The Forma is fine except for the usual sludgy power button, which is even worse than my other two. I’m keeping it anyway.

[LivresInOz]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

My Kobo store had a sale on refurbished devices a few months ago and they were very clearly labeled as refurbished....

Thanks Robin, that's reassuring...

THIS however, is churlish and unnecessary...beneath the Robin I know

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

...since you've already made your views on Kobo's quality control painfully and tediously clear

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

As for your concerns about spending a lot of money and having difficulty returning it, caveat emptor. "You pays your money and you takes your chances" if you choose to buy from outside your country and outside the protection of your country's consumer protection laws...the consequences are of your own choosing.

And this is just illogical and an idea that can only lead to bad results. You are clearly implying that it's my problem if I buy a dud (including based on the misconduct of the seller).

Imagine if we followed this to its end-conclusion. Sorry to be extreme, but: do you say that about the parents that send their kids to Catholic schools too? "Sorry, caveat emptor guys!"

If they WERE acting fraudulently or with misconduct, that is a separate issue to my own due diligence and stands as wrong regardless of the latter!

"Caveat emptor" does not mean the buyer has to take all the responsibility to check the product because it's perfectly fine if the seller does all they can to get an advantage even if its dishonest, reckless or negligent. And if it does, I'll drink softdrink with a snail in it!

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

I think that your assertion is without basis....

Not assertion, hypothesis/theory , which I hoped to be debunked