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Chaintech charges 30 bucks as a diagnostic fee for RMA material.

D

dababus

Platinum Member
I wanted to rma my dead geforce 2mx card to chaintech. they said they need 30 bucks as diagnostic fee. if the part is ok in their test, then they will keep the 30 bucks and return the part, if not, then they will return the 30 bucks and a new card.

I don't understand this diagnostic fee. I had rma from ASUS and MSI before for dead video card and mobo, but they never charged a penny.


just thought would like to share with you guys.
 
they gotta pay their techs i suppose, chaintech really isnt a premium brand like ASUS. i had a brand of motherboard that required a payment for an RMA, i think it was MSI actually they wanted $25 like this .
 


<< Ask jonnyGURU, I bet he LOVES this idea! >>



I DO like the idea. I'll see if my booss will impliment it.

MOST product returned to any company is not defective. Some companies can handle the blow of customer iognorance and test and replace such equipment without a fee. Others can't... or won't

Also, the lower the common denominator the more likely you will be charged. An example of this is Intel. A lot of Joe Buildforthefirsttime customers use Intel boards because they are.... well.... Intel. Perfectly good boards are RMA'd all of the time. For this reason, Intel now charges $25 per incident for tech support and obtaining an RMA.

Here's an issue I'm involved with:

The customer has an MSI board and it's giving him four red LED's on the DLED bracket. This usually means dead CPU. He sent the CPU back to us and it tested good, so we called him, told him the problem was not the CPU, gave him an idea that the problem may be the motherboard or power supply and then sent it back.

He then tried another power supply and it worked. He now expects freight refunded and compensation because HE sent the wrong part to US. WHAT?!?! Where's OUR coompensation because HE didn't troubleshoot the problem before he sent it back? Where's our freight refund for shipping the CPU back to him?
 
I can agree with that to an extent.

Some people would be more than willing to test multiple different senerios if they had the resources to do so.. like a second machine to test the video card in. If they did not have such resources, then the $30 is a gamble on their part...

It just forces you to do some research and testing yourself before blindly sending something back... at least if the $30 means anything to you. This in turn keeps your turn around time down by enabling the company to higher more experienced techs (more expensive), and generally keeping the work load down.

Kind of like not having a toll free number to call for support. Even though it is only a couple dollars to call, most people, when given a free support number, will tend to abuse it.
 
I see it as a GOOD thing as well. It can be sort of touchy though. More of a case of who abuses who more often.

Does the customer take advantage of the vendor more often? Or does the vendor take advantage of the customer more often?

Being in tech support, I'd venture to guess that it's the customer that gets the better end of the stick. A company cannot afford to keep a tech employed if they spend their entire day troubleshooting a customers fsckup.

Where I used to work, if we had a clear cut, and defined list of things that WERE NOT supported by us. Sure, we'd field the call, but we'd graciously send you a bill to the tune of $150 an hour...my billable rate. Saved us many a phone calls we shouldn't of had to deal with in the first place.
 
I think its BS. I absoulutely love Lexmarks return process, you call them, you tell them whats wrong, they make sure its bad over the phone. They send you a new/ refurbished one with a prepaid shipping label to send the broken one back, if you don't then you get billed. If the company screws up and sends you a bad part then you shouldn't have to pay a thing to ship it back or whatever. JonnyGURU, I think the customer is entitled to his compensation though it should probably be from the mobo manufacuturer becasue its their product that caused the mishap, also most companys ask a number of questions before allowing a return, to some extent your tech support should have been able to catch the problem before allowing the return. Same goes for MSI, they should make sure in advance that its defective else cover the cost. So the company may lose money, thats what they must pay for laxing tolerances and allowing defective products to leave the factory.
 
"If the company screws up and sends you a bad part then you shouldn't have to pay a thing to ship it back or whatever."

I think this is the price YOU pay for dealing with mail order companys instead of local. You pay shipping one way and they pay for sending back. Seems fair to me!
 
Ornery, I don't get your point. Mail order or not, its not the customers fault hence should not have to pay an extra penny.
 


<< I think its BS. I absoulutely love Lexmarks return process, you call them, you tell them whats wrong, they make sure its bad over the phone. They send you a new/ refurbished one with a prepaid shipping label to send the broken one back, if you don't then you get billed. If the company screws up and sends you a bad part then you shouldn't have to pay a thing to ship it back or whatever. JonnyGURU, I think the customer is entitled to his compensation though it should probably be from the mobo manufacuturer becasue its their product that caused the mishap, also most companys ask a number of questions before allowing a return, to some extent your tech support should have been able to catch the problem before allowing the return. Same goes for MSI, they should make sure in advance that its defective else cover the cost. So the company may lose money, thats what they must pay for laxing tolerances and allowing defective products to leave the factory. >>

What a crackhead reply.
 
<< Is it the reseller's fault? Case closed! >>

< Eh-n-n-n-n-nh !!!! > (Sound of game show buzzer).

I'm sorry, Ornery. That is the wrong answer. Under the Uniform Commercial Code and the laws of most (if not all) states in the U.S., there is what is called an implied warrantee of merchantability. It means that a seller automatically warrants that item must perform the function for which it is intended and promoted. It isn't a matter of "fault." It's a matter of legal liability. If the item does not work, the seller is responsible.

Since the price you actually pay includes shipping, the seller is responsible for completing his part of the deal -- delivering a working item for the stated price. These conditions may differ if the sales contract includes written terms specifying who is responsible for return shipping charges.

In the case where a customer RMA's a part that proves to be good, I think a service would be fair if the customer had not taken reasonable steps to verify that the part was bad. For example, in this case, it may not be unreasonable to try another CPU in the motherboard or to try the CPU in question in another mobo.
 
"These conditions may differ if the sales contract includes written terms specifying who is responsible for return shipping charges."

By "sales contract" do you also mean the "Terms of Sale"? Does that have to be specified on your specific order form? How common is it for Buy.Com, Newegg, MWave and the rest to cover return shipping on defective merchandise? I always expect to pay to ship it back. It would be a pleasent surprise to hear they'll pay both ways!
 
Buy.com pays for shipping the item back. At least they did it once ( 1 year ago) when they had shipped wrong part to me. They send you UPS labels to be printed out.
 
"...when they had shipped wrong part to me."

Um, that's different. Even I would go ape on them if they expected me to pay for their mistake!
 
Ornery -- Yes, I mean Terms of Sale. When you agree to purchase something from a company, you are accepting their published terms of sale, unless otherwise agreed by both parties in writing at the time. That constitutes the contract.
 


<< << Is it the reseller's fault? Case closed! >>

< Eh-n-n-n-n-nh !!!! > (Sound of game show buzzer).

I'm sorry, Ornery. That is the wrong answer. Under the Uniform Commercial Code and the laws of most (if not all) states in the U.S., there is what is called an implied warrantee of merchantability. It means that a seller automatically warrants that item must perform the function for which it is intended and promoted. It isn't a matter of "fault." It's a matter of legal liability. If the item does not work, the seller is responsible.

Since the price you actually pay includes shipping, the seller is responsible for completing his part of the deal -- delivering a working item for the stated price. These conditions may differ if the sales contract includes written terms specifying who is responsible for return shipping charges.

In the case where a customer RMA's a part that proves to be good, I think a service would be fair if the customer had not taken reasonable steps to verify that the part was bad. For example, in this case, it may not be unreasonable to try another CPU in the motherboard or to try the CPU in question in another mobo. >>



thank god I'm not the one who had to bring the UCC into this. The only state that didn't adopt it is Lousiana.

However, under the same exact IWM the manufacture has to deliver the same working goods to the reseller. In other words it's not the reseller's fault. Expecting a reseller to inspect and test every good they sell in unreasonable. If you want to point a finger, point it at the manufacture and quit bitching about rma fees.

 
How common is it for Buy.Com, Newegg, MWave and the rest to cover return shipping on defective merchandise?

My thinking is that more than a few will have that stipulated in their TOS. I couldn't find it in Buy.Com's though, so maybe they will pay both ways. Like I said, I'd expect to have to pay one way, and consider that fair.
 
<< Expecting a reseller to inspect and test every good they sell in unreasonable. >>

Yes, but the reseller is the link between the manufacturer and the end user. Unless the terms of sale stipulate that all warrantee claims are to be made directly to the manufacturer, it is not unreasonable for the dealer to be the conduit for returning it to them for service or replacement.
 


<< Since the price you actually pay includes shipping, the seller is responsible for completing his part of the deal -- delivering a working item for the stated price. These conditions may differ if the sales contract includes written terms specifying who is responsible for return shipping charges. >>



You started with a legal argument, then you moved to speculation (above.) Shipping is not inherently a part of the price. If a company offers to sell you a part by mail, the price is usually F.O.B. If you want something shipped to you, then they are providing that service separately and it is not just thrown together to determine a "price."

Many customers see shipping as some sort of gratuity, thinking that companies "can afford it" or assuming they get huge discounts and the cost is minimal. The truth is, many small businesses pay through the nose for shipping, and only eat these costs because they are trying to provide the best possible customer service. Shipping is NOT free, and you are only entitled to a refund for shipping if the problem is directly related to the company who shipped it to you. If Newegg ships you the wrong part, then they should refund your shipping. If a part is defective, they are NOT obligated to refund shipping costs (but many do, because they see it as a necessary customer service).
 


<< << Is it the reseller's fault? Case closed! >>

< Eh-n-n-n-n-nh !!!! > (Sound of game show buzzer).

I'm sorry, Ornery. That is the wrong answer. Under the Uniform Commercial Code and the laws of most (if not all) states in the U.S., there is what is called an implied warrantee of merchantability. It means that a seller automatically warrants that item must perform the function for which it is intended and promoted. It isn't a matter of "fault." It's a matter of legal liability. If the item does not work, the seller is responsible.

Since the price you actually pay includes shipping, the seller is responsible for completing his part of the deal -- delivering a working item for the stated price. These conditions may differ if the sales contract includes written terms specifying who is responsible for return shipping charges.

In the case where a customer RMA's a part that proves to be good, I think a service would be fair if the customer had not taken reasonable steps to verify that the part was bad. For example, in this case, it may not be unreasonable to try another CPU in the motherboard or to try the CPU in question in another mobo. >>



There's many loopholes to this, like time frame. In some states, for example, you only have, let's say, 7 days to "legally" stake your claim on the product being defective and needing replacement with a reseller unless posted otherwise. Typically, what is posted otherwise by the vendor's implied warranty is LONGER than what law requires. So discussing this above "law" is a moot point as it rarely applies to real life.
 
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