Microsoft Warranty Service - Be Careful!!!

[zusiol]

I have sent my surface to the Repair Center with a minor issue regarding the touchscreen, namely the pen got stuck in some parts of the screen and it was disturbing enough to request service. I have filed a claim using the internet customer service, printed all the instructions, carefully packed it in bubble wrap, newspapers and a cardboard box. Then I've dropped it off at the UPS and off it went to the Netherlands. After three days I have received an email saying that my product is being shipped back to me.



Unfortunatelly, upon opening the package (which arrived in THE SAME BOX that I'have used, but no longer wrapped in the bubble wrap but just tossed on top of everything inside with the screen cracked, one of the corners smashed, and a letter saying " [...]After careful inspection we found signs of physical or intentional damage to the device[...]This type of damage is not eligible for warranty"." The box is also damaged in a way highly suggestive of being tossed around by the UPS.



My warranty has been terminated, and now I am even unable to contact anyone from Microsoft Surface Customer Care since this particular surface is no longer covered by technical support.



Now I am unable to claim any money back from the UPS, because somebody at the Repair Center decided not to file a report that the package was damaged.



I feel robbed, I have sent an intact product and now I am left with a shattered device and nobody to contact.
I'm posting this as a warning to anyone about to ship their product on a door-to-door warranty - Best record a movie while packing your device, although this might not even be sufficient proof.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

Wow. Reminds me of this...

 

[leeshor]

Sounds like a shipper problem to me.

 

[gdir]

If MS customer support is unwilling to help, you should try to escalate the issue through their social media channels (Facebook, Twitter). Post in a objective, non exaggerating manner, stay calm and polite, but don't give up. I haven't any experience how MS handles social media complaints, but with Dell this worked several times. Big companies usually have special staff for social media complaints.

Nevertheless I wouldn't have shipped my SP3 in a shoe box, no matter how much bubble wrap was used. I think the box is too small and fragile for the SP3.

 

[GreyFox7]

Did you get insurance on the shipment?

 

[mitchellvii]

I would NEVER ship anything of value without full insurance coverage, especially fragile electronics. If you insured you have no problem. If you didn't it's your fault.

 

[ipaq_101]

I felt sorry for you until I saw the picture of the shoe box.

If you spent $10 on a proper sturdy box and used packing peanuts you would have been fine.

Hell when I order $50 shoes on amazon they put the shoe box inside another sturdier box and you decided it was a good idea to put a $1400 computer in a shoe box with some bubble wrap.

The title of the thread should be changed to: Be Careful: Ship and Pack your Products Properly!

 

[zusiol]

You can't choose to insure the package as the postage is paid by Microsoft and you print the labels yourself.

As for the box - I did put more cardboard inside to make it harder and it wasn't soft to begin with. There was a lot of bubble wrap but I'm afraid no cardboard box could stand that much force. Of course I could have mailed it in a wooden box or a metal box insted, but the way I did it perfectly followed instructions provided by Microsoft on the support page.

Although it is the UPS fault, I am unable to file an insurance claim because upon receiveing the package and seeing the computer damaged nobody in the Repair Center reported to UPS that it just MIGHT have been damaged in transport.

With normal warranty you take the product to the service point, the item is reviewed and the problem solved. This whole situation wouldn't happen. But since there is no such option, and the only way to do it is via a 3rd party and international shipping there is always that risk that no matter how hard you try to secure your package someone will throw it one time too many. My whole point here is that everyone will simply learn something from this case, because as of now I have tried almost everything and nobody feels responsible. Ultimately, how do you prove that the item hasn't been damaged before shipping? A picture doesn't solve it. Only written confirmation from the UPS pickup guy would, but they don't do this since their only job is to transport it from on point to another and not evaluate.

 

[ipaq_101]

Boxes get thrown around a lot, but proper packaging mitigates the issue. I know you feel bad and I feel bad for you. But the fact you used a flimsy shoe box and it doesn't matter how much card board you stuffed in it, the integrity of the box was weak to begin with.

I have had dell and hp laptops in the past before and I had to send those crappy machines back and forth at least 15 times and not once did I encounter the problem you did and the reason is simple, I used sturdy boxes like these (http://www.fedex.com/us/office/specialty-boxes.html). That is how you properly package expensive electronics and trust me these boxes can take a lot of punishment.

I believe your story, but you made a major error in judgement.

I would try to call Microsoft and try to escalate the issue and talk to a manager.

 

[leeshor]

For anyone else sending back anything to anyone, take date stamped photos in advance.

 

[mohcho]

I agree with ipaq_101 and leeshor. I feel bad for you that you're in this situation. No shoebox would ever be strong enough to take the punishment of shipping back to Microsoft. I honestly wouldn't even trust the box that the SP3 came in to ship back to them.

Hope things work out for you. I think we all collectively feel your pain.

 

[GreyFox7]

Oh what the hell, a shoe box??? You would have to put it in on an angle ... sheesh.
When I order shoes on-line they put the shoe box in a shipping box with packing... even tennis shoes and flip flops. Hopefully this will only cost you some time and effort for an otherwise very expensive lesson.