The Worst Customer Service

[Geenween]

Originally Posted by johnnyb

Not too terrible but clearly not the best way to keep customers happy (after all, these devices are also gates to their ebook store, which means increased revenue) and also a shitty move towards the retailers carrying their products). I did then return the device for a refund...

Sorry but why? Kobo sold their products to the retailer, the retailer has gained its share from the product it has sold to the customer and I'm pretty sure they have their return agreements with Kobo, they don't pay a faulty product double or something.

I've always assumed that it is obvious that if someone bought something from a retailer, the retailer would act as the in-between in case the customer got a faulty product. Never heard Sony or Samsung or whatever saying that they'd exchange a faulty TV, smartphone etc. bought in a store without me going to that store and sorting it out with them.

When I has issues with my Kobo Glo, the store where I had bought took it, verified it had faulty battery and gave me a new one. If the store had refused to solve the issue I would have a right to bring it up with Kobo and test their customer service quality then for sure.

Kobo may not be Amazon, but I don't think it was a fault here.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by johnnyb

I've never had a right out horrible experience with their CS, however, after I received my faulty Aura One (blotchy screen, clicking backplate, and of course, software related issues) I inquired whether there was a chance that they could provide me with a flawless device or whether I ahould send it back to my retailer and they suggested I should *exchange* the device at my retailers. Not really an unheard of idea but clearly shows that they don't want to go through the trouble of fixing a problem that *their* product has when there is someone else who could be held responsible.
Not too terrible but clearly not the best way to keep customers happy (after all, these devices are also gates to their ebook store, which means increased revenue) and also a shitty move towards the retailers carrying their products). I did then return the device for a refund...

There is no way any retailer is going to promise a flawless device. If you find one who does, turn around and leave. There are way too many things that could 'ruin' a device and thus not make it 'flawless'.

Also as noted by others and yourself, you didn't buy your Kobo from them. If your retailer refuses to take the return then I would seek out Kobo. But until then any issues with the devices faults are between you and the retailer you chose to use.

[filmo]

I bought my first Kobo Touch from Best Buy and had to return it with no problems. Bought a 2nd Kobo Touch. Bought my Kobo Mini after I found it in local store. I also bought 3 Sony T1 readers for myself and gifts. Would have bought another Kobo but can't find one for sale in any local store in that small country south of Canada. So I will buy a different brand maybe a Nook or Kindle.

[Barbara1955]

Best Buy no longer carry Kobo

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Katie1

Best Buy no longer carry Kobo

They still carry them in the Canadian stores, but not the US ones. Wish they still carried them in the US (or Staples, Target, somebody...).

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by filmo

I bought my first Kobo Touch from Best Buy and had to return it with no problems. Bought a 2nd Kobo Touch. Bought my Kobo Mini after I found it in local store. I also bought 3 Sony T1 readers for myself and gifts. Would have bought another Kobo but can't find one for sale in any local store in that small country south of Canada. So I will buy a different brand maybe a Nook or Kindle.

Do yourself a favor, don't buy a Nook. Barnes and Noble doesn't know what they're doing with ereaders. And their customer service is hit and miss, especially the in-store customer service they like to brag about. None of the employees are actually trained about the devices so you're pretty much rolling the dice hoping you get find a tech smart one.

[NightGoat]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Do yourself a favor, don't buy a Nook. Barnes and Noble doesn't know what they're doing with ereaders. And their customer service is hit and miss, especially the in-store customer service they like to brag about. None of the employees are actually trained about the devices so you're pretty much rolling the dice hoping you get find a tech smart one.

Cripes O' Malley. I second this about B&N.
I have found my first foray into Kobo territory "dubious" to say the least.
But B&N will flat out lie to you.

[Barty]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Do yourself a favor, don't buy a Nook. Barnes and Noble doesn't know what they're doing with ereaders. And their customer service is hit and miss, especially the in-store customer service they like to brag about. None of the employees are actually trained about the devices so you're pretty much rolling the dice hoping you get find a tech smart one.

At least if you want to buy a nook in the US, you can go to a B&N to look at it and return/exchange it at the store.

[Barbara1955]

With B&N you will get an Exchange BUT even IF you just got it & its broke out of the box... they send you a REFIRBISHED Replacement!

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Katie1

With B&N you will get an Exchange BUT even IF you just got it & its broke out of the box... they send you a REFIRBISHED Replacement!

My experience with B&N was a direct exchange in store for a new unit out of store stock.

[dskag]

Originally Posted by amd866

This is literally the worst company I have ever dealt with in my life.

I placed an order for the Kobo Aura One but the next hour I cancelled the order. Keep in mind this item wasn't even in stock, it was on backorder until late September.

I requested a cancellation an hour after the order was placed.

The item never shipped or was even prepared for shipping.

They charged me a 1.97 charge for cancellation fee even though it says directly on their website that if cancellation is requested within 24 hours there would be no fee.

I contact them about this and they literally do not understand the question (the customer service reps do not comprehend english I shit you not), I call in because the live chat is a joke I'm on hold for 15 minutes and the customer service rep says he will escalate it to someone else and get back to me and their response takes 3 days and when they do respond it's for further information such as a credit card statement for a 1.97 charge and they don't even say where they want the credit card statement.

At this point I don't even want to send in the credit card statement since god knows what kind of scam Kobo might try to pull from any private information I give them.

[Paragraph deleted - MODERATOR]

I agree! I ordered an Aura H20 back in mid-August. It was defective. It took about 10 days of going back and forth as you described to get them to agree to send me a prepaid label with no restocking fee. I sent it back right away and tracking showed they received it on Sept. 1st. After numerous inquiries with no answer at all, I finally got an email on Sept 21st saying that said my account had been credited. Then it took 3 more days for it to actually show up on my credit card online. No excuse for taking over 3 weeks after they received the item to credit my money back!

Despite this experience, I ordered an Aura One and kept my fingers crossed that I wouldn't have more problems with Customer Service. It's fine and I'm really liking it but they did mess up my delivery address, so my shipment was delayed.

[MGlitch]

It varies greatly from store to store. Some will process it as an exchange, which they should do for any Nook purchased within two weeks, some will refuse it citing that it's 'not covered by the warranty', which is true-ish, but isn't the way they should do it.

Anything over two weeks is outside of their return window, and while some stores will make exceptions those are actual exceptions.

Why this happens is because it's all in how you read the situation. Some store managers will see it as you not exchanging the Nook, just getting a new one, this results in the 'no, you have to get a refurbished' attitude. Other store managers see it as you having been sold a faulty device and wanting a working one, this results in an exchange.

You can try and push the issue, but most of the time what they say the first time is what it's going to be in the end, at least at that store.

[hkckoo]

Originally Posted by JoOrwick

I'm glad Kobo doesn't deliver to my country. Even if they did, I would never order anything from them. Their customer support is atrocious compared to Amazon which is also their biggest competitor.

I bought my KA1 from a Dutch store almost 2 weeks ago and everything went smoothly.

if you are talking about cameranu dutch store, i did the same. I am in Germany. most hilarious thing is that when you order from official kobo store in germany, the device cost is 229,99€ and shipping is 9€. when I ordered from netherlands, the device cost around 225€ and it was free shipping to Germany. Shame on you, Kobo!
first I ordered the device from kobo, on 9th of september, they said they were out of stock till 15th, around 13th they said out of stock till 23rd, so I cancelled my order. it took them multiple days to even respond to my request, but they did a full refund. I will never deal with Kobo ever again.

the dutch store also offered a special deal aura one + cover and there you saved another 10€ compared to official store. so altogether you would save around 24€

[Zen-Diego]

The Aura One I received has either dust or stuck pixels, very uneven backlighting - and as my first Kobo I'm realizing how buggy and slow the software is. I also have battery drain. I've been attempting to get an RMA for weeks, and the responses are slow, they don't read the previous part of the email thread, and are clearly only cut & paste responses. They repeatedly ask for new pictures and copies of the invoice. I emailed executive care and they ignored me. At this point I don't care if their devices are the holy grail - that level of service is completely unacceptable. I'm about to go on a negative social media tear, because their indifference is unacceptable in modern retailing. Kobo may be an underdog compared to Amazon but Rakuten is no start up trying to find their way. Clearly, they just don't care.

[344a]

Well... I believe the same thing happens everywhere.