Experience in returning defective eDGe, anyone?

Since the replacement isn't a new purchase, there wouldn't be VAT, right?

I also checked with Sales, and while European customers to have to pay for shipping to send the unit in to enTourage, enTourage pays the shipping to send the unit back to the customer. That sounds pretty fair for overseas service.

enTourage could tell you how long to expect it to take at the repair facility. Shipping to them is whatever service you use, and shipping back is whatever service enTourage uses (again - something they could tell you).

Thanks for the reply Boris. I asked the lady at the post office and she said it is just logical that I won't pay VAT a second time but she cannot be sure (what with the changes in the UK VAT this January so I hope I get the eDGe back before the VAT increase takes effect). I also emailed the UK customs and received a reply coached in bureaucratic legalese so I can't be sure if it's a Yes or a No to my question: Do I pay VAT for replacement product?

I tracked the parcel with the US postal service and it is now on its way to be delivered to Foxconn, the RMA facility in California. I hope I'll get an email from the RMA people early next week.

Happy holidays to all!

I'm one of the first buyers. i bought it in the States during a short visit. Unfortunately it had a bug and I had to return it.
when I came home in Switzerland, I had to pay tax at the airport. nothing wrong with that.

I used a very good friend to ship it back to entourage. they send the new one to her and she worked on it for a couple of days. i specifically asked for that, since i needed to know if it was indeed ok.

it's a pitty that customs wanted to have tax again.

all to all,I'm satisfied with the service of Entourage,even if they didn't want to send anything outside the US and Canada. a couple of months later they had there setup in Europe.

Originally Posted by Hopi

Does anybody have an estimate about the number of days I am looking at before I get my eDGe back? Would also like to hear updates from Alefor, in there are any.

Hi Hopi:

As for an update, I sent my unit (from Tokyo) on 7 December 2010. It was received at the eDGe Service Center on 10 Dec 2010 (Friday), as FedEx said it would be. On 17 December, I received an email from Entourage stating that it had been received on 13 December (thats a Monday, so I understand the weekend delay) and they told me there was a problem with a cable, which was replaced. That email on 17 Dec stated they would "ship the repaired eDGe....soon". Sounds like pretty good service to me. I am waiting for its arrival (I never asked for a tracking number for the return and dont know the exact status). Hope this information helps.

Thanks for the update Alefor. My shipping details appears very similar to yours, just a week later. I posted it on 14 December then tracked it (via Royal Mail's Parcelforce, then US Postal Service; 3-day delivery is very good service considering I sent it via the post office). It arrived at the RMA facilities in California on the 17th. I asked USPS to send me the signed delivery record via email so I have the name of the person who received the parcel.

So far Entourage's RMA people have not communicated with me though I emailed to ask them if it's at all possible, if they could send me the replacement product before the UK VAT increase on 4 January.

Thank you again for the information. When I received an email from them, I think I would ask them to give me the tracking number though.

I have to admit that I dont understand the details of VAT, not living directly with it, but as for US Customs import duty charges, it matters a great deal what is written down on the shipping paperwork. If they put a value of $499 (new eDGe) then thats the tax. When I ship things, or have them shipped to me, I always call it "Used Electronics" with a value like $25. Saves alot on taxes!

The RMA people from Entourage informed me that they make it clear in the custom's declaration that it is a replacement product. So that's about all that they can do at their end. As to the UK customs people's action regarding the VAT ( a whopping 20% by 4 Jan), that remains to be seen.

I'll give an update once there is progress in this. Thanks Alefor.

Just a quick update.

RMA emailed me that my eDGe is in the repair queue and that they will try their best to get it back to me before 4 January (when the UK VAT increase takes effect).

I am very hopeful that they can do it and am cheering them for the excellent customer service.
Here's hoping too that UK winter will cooperate and not hold up deliveries.

Originally Posted by borisb

...the eDGe is a first gen product (the Pocket eDGe is arguably second-gen).

Huh? Come again, please? I have to take issue with this statement. By what rational argument is the Pocket eDGE a second generation device, with nearly exactly the same hardware and software as the full-sized eDGe? Other than size, the Pocket eDGe has no new features at all. In some ways, it might be considered a step back with only fewer USB ports and a non-removable battery. [I am in no way criticizing or denigrating the eDGe or Pocket eDGe---I have two and one of them, respectively, and use them every day].

I did say it's "arguably" second-gen

Your argument is valid, of course. On the flip side, I can say it's "second-gen" in that they made numerous exterior hardware changes: power switch, reset button, rubber bumper pads and placement, SD Card slot cover, camera placement, optical mouse, speaker quality, better e-ink screen (16 shades of gray), all of which are improvements over the EE and address things learned from the usage of the EE by themselves and by customers. Note that the reset button, optical mouse, speaker quality and new e-Ink screen *are* very much new features.

The battery change was specifically to maximize the battery size within the molding of the case. Since the PE is already smaller than the EE's removable battery, making the PE battery removable would have further shrunk the battery capacity (and correspondingly the battery life). Perhaps it's a judgement call whether people would prefer swapping the battery 2-3 times a day versus charging only once.

Yes, I have to agree with your statements. Thanks for the reply. I, for one, am very grateful for the power switch change. That was something I noted as a real problem occasionally with the full-sized.

Hi Hopi:

As for further follow-up, my eDGe arrived back on 24 December, about 2 1/2 weeks after I sent it. It arrived in great shape, fully functional and cleaned! In short, my experience with getting warranty service was first-rate in all regards. I hope you have a similarly great experience. I was never given, nor did I ask for, the details of the return of the unit to me, such as an exact shipping date or tracking number.

Thanks for the update, Alefor. I'm glad for you and heartened to hear that your experience with RMA was great. If they are following a similar timetable for mine, I might have my eDGe before the new year or very soon after. I have yet to hear from them but it might be a holiday in the US today. I'll give an update if something comes up.

@hopi

12/27 not a holiday in Virginia, but several inches of snow paralyzes most of Virginia as they do not have the capability to handle more then a very small amount. Many areas received 12" or more.

Thanks for the info, Gunnerp245. The RMA facility is in Walnut, California, though. But I'm not sure about the channels a replacement eDGe has to go through.