[Q] Warranty Exchange w/ T-Mobile

[MMcCraryNJ]

So I had to go through warranty exchange with Customer Care since my volume rocker and bezel are loosening. I am past the 14-day exchange window so the stores will not do anything for me. One thing I was insistent on is that I did not want a refurbished unit (the device is less than 30-days old, why should I accept a refurbished unit?). The customer care associate was pretty insistent himself in telling me that he cannot request a new unit for me, however it is a "great possibility" that I would receive a new unit due to the phone being pretty new. I reluctantly agreed to have the replacement shipped to me, since they refused to let me do an in-store exchange.

Has anyone gone through this with their Vibrant? I'm looking to find people who have received warranty replacements from Customer Care, if anyone has gotten a new or a refurbed unit. Bottom line, I will not accept a refurbished unit. I figured worse comes to worse, I will send the refurbed one back and continue to ***** with them over the phone.

I'm flipping pissed too, because it was just so unnoticeable during the first 14-days, and then it inherently got worse with normal use. So now I'm feeling stuck. I do not know if the rep was telling me it will "likely" be a new unit just to get me to stop complaining, or if it's really true.

 

[DarkAgent]

I'm with you - I wouldn't accept a refurbished unit either. However, since you are out of your 14-days (I assume you don't live in California) I don't think there is much you can do.

How long have you been a T-Mobile customer? The best bet to have issues resolved is always contact retention department. Not only are the employees there more knowledgeable, but based on your tenure with T-Mo, they often will do things for you other reps won't.

 

[speoples20]

How far out of 14 days are you? I would take your box and everything back to the store you got it at and talk to the manager. Just be super nice about it and ask them to see if they can exchange it for you. Sometimes they can make exceptions, I know at my store we do.

 

[PathogenX]

I have exchanged phones in the past that were referbs and they come in pristine condition. They are practically brand new and have zero blemishes.

Don't worry about it.

Question though...
What do you mean the bezel is coming loose. I noticed that on the left side of the phone the bezel does not seem to be on correctly like the right side it might just be my eyes though. I hear a lot of squeaking from it though kinda annoying.

My volume button was loose out of the box feels cheap as hell when pressing it but it does not really bother me too much.

Samsungs build quality on the vibrant is very poor.

 

[KerryG]

Samsungs build quality on the vibrant is very poor.

Mine is perfect. I am quite impressed with the build quality and iPhone4 fanatics who have looked at it have been impressed with it. Their quality control may be poor, but when you get a good one, its terrific.

 

[MMcCraryNJ]

How far out of 14 days are you? I would take your box and everything back to the store you got it at and talk to the manager. Just be super nice about it and ask them to see if they can exchange it for you. Sometimes they can make exceptions, I know at my store we do.

The phone was purchased on launch day, so tomorrow will mark 30-days.

Unfortunately, I already tried returning my phone to the store. They wouldn't take it. They offered to call customer care to send me a refurb, which I declined. Worst part is, I can't try again because I am out of the area where it was purchased (we are on a family plan, the account holder is in Georgia, I'm in New Jersey, and I was on vacation there when we attempted the exchange this past week.) I do have the receipt though and can try at a different store, but I doubt a different store will want to inherit my problem.

 

[MMcCraryNJ]

I'm with you - I wouldn't accept a refurbished unit either. However, since you are out of your 14-days (I assume you don't live in California) I don't think there is much you can do.

How long have you been a T-Mobile customer? The best bet to have issues resolved is always contact retention department. Not only are the employees there more knowledgeable, but based on your tenure with T-Mo, they often will do things for you other reps won't.

We've had T-Mobile since 2002 or 2003, whatever year they first took over Voicestream. If this replacement is a refurb, I will be contacting the retention department.

 

[MMcCraryNJ]

Question though...
What do you mean the bezel is coming loose. I noticed that on the left side of the phone the bezel does not seem to be on correctly like the right side it might just be my eyes though. I hear a lot of squeaking from it though kinda annoying.

My volume button was loose out of the box feels cheap as hell when pressing it but it does not really bother me too much.

Samsungs build quality on the vibrant is very poor.

Yes, that is what is happening to mine, and it's a defect. The bezel is loose and creaks when held. Also, the volume rocker rattles around in the phone.

I've played with the store display units, as well as another Vibrant we had purchased on our family account, and it has none of these issues. They are solidly built. So it's obvious that some of batches weren't properly assembled.

 

[rjwisniewski]

At my T-Mobile location my rep was having problems with her Vibrant and decided to try to tough it out. She did some master resets and didn't exchange within 14 days. She received a refurb from T-Mo.

As a manager I've gotten to the point where refurbs no longer bother me. Most of the time the refurbs come back in excellent condition, especially now that we're doing the certified open box program where people can buy COB phones.

 

[speoples20]

Honestly if you put a refurb and a new vibrant side by side you couldn't tell the difference. If they hadn't said anything you wouldn't have known. Besides it comes with the same 1 year manufactures warranty so its still covered.

 

[mesajoejoe]

Did you purchase the phone at full price or as a subsidy? If at full price you have 30 days to exchange at store.

 

[MMcCraryNJ]

Did you purchase the phone at full price or as a subsidy? If at full price you have 30 days to exchange at store.

As a subsidy.

I know refurbs are supposed to be just as good or even better, but I've never had any luck with anything refurbished. Anything with a screen has always had hairline scratches. Either that or it's very obviously been used with lots of normal wear and tear and marks/scuffs.

 

[PathogenX]

Yes, that is what is happening to mine, and it's a defect. The bezel is loose and creaks when held. Also, the volume rocker rattles around in the phone.

I've played with the store display units, as well as another Vibrant we had purchased on our family account, and it has none of these issues. They are solidly built. So it's obvious that some of batches weren't properly assembled.

That's disappointing to hear... =/

It doesn't bother me too much I would have just perfected a more solid feeling phone.

Besides they charge you $10 to ship it out to you.
I would much rather save those 10 bucks and if the phone has some real issues I will return it. I also don't want to go through the headache of finding all my apps and redownloading them and getting my phone back to the way it previously was. Meh. I will stick with a few creaks here and there.

If you do however decide on doing this please tell us your experience with the referb phone. I am interested.

 

[deviusdragger]

You whine too much. Who cares what it is. As long as you get a device that is new or refurbed, you won't even be able to tell the difference. Just enjoy your phone. And also, customer retention won't do anything as far as your problem.

Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

 

[chuck217]

i just recently got a refurb from tmobile and it looks brand new have not had any problems it looks brand new like if it was never used

 

[MMcCraryNJ]

You whine too much. Who cares what it is. As long as you get a device that is new or refurbed, you won't even be able to tell the difference. Just enjoy your phone. And also, customer retention won't do anything as far as your problem.

Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Sorry, but I don't think I'm being unreasonable in requesting a new 500 dollar item when the one I just purchased was defective. Sure, 6 months down the line, something happens, give me a refurb. That's reasonable because the value of your purchase declines with time and with your own use. 30 days old is brand spanking new, and I should get the same if something is wrong with it.

 

[hockeyrcks9901]

I have one getting delivered to me today. I've been with T-mobile for close to ten years and they overnight shipped it for free to me. Mine is having an issue when charging where the usb cord is very loose. They rep said I would get a new or like new item but I will also be returning it if it not new. My phone is only 20 days old and I don't trust refurbished units enough when mine is only 20 days old. The loose card is making it so if the phone is not in the right position it won't charge

 

[scrizz]

Sorry, but I don't think I'm being unreasonable in requesting a new 500 dollar item when the one I just purchased was defective. Sure, 6 months down the line, something happens, give me a refurb. That's reasonable because the value of your purchase declines with time and with your own use. 30 days old is brand spanking new, and I should get the same if something is wrong with it.

LOL
i thought you bought your phone subsidized?

 

[heygrl]

Sorry, but I don't think I'm being unreasonable in requesting a new 500 dollar item when the one I just purchased was defective. Sure, 6 months down the line, something happens, give me a refurb. That's reasonable because the value of your purchase declines with time and with your own use. 30 days old is brand spanking new, and I should get the same if something is wrong with it.

Your window for a new replacement is 14 days.

 

[marsupial99]

I just got a replacement unit from T-Mobile and frankly I have no idea how to tell whether it is new or refurbished. Is there a way to tell? I really don't care if it is refurbished as long as it looks like new and works properly (aside from GPS and compass of course), but I am really curious how you guys are able to tell whether the replacement unit you got is new or not.