I feel for your loss, but it is rather unusual not having any access to any kind of digicam. Most cellphones have one these days, or a friend can take a quick pic. If everything else fails you can try to talk to Jim (via PM or email) here on BLF, he has been very helpful in the past.
It's always irritating to wait to receive a product, only to find it defective. Sorry you had a bad experience.
But, as Vectrex mentioned, a company does have to take measures to protect itself from scumbags who just work the system to get free products, so I can kind of understand why they require pics and/or video. A company has to show a certain amount of good faith in their customers to even accept picture evidence, so I usually try to oblige with whatever they require. It's certainly easier than return shipping the whole kit and kaboodle.
I don't understand how pictures and videos of a dead drop-in would do anything more than prove ownership of a dead(or live) drop-in.I would think that a Paypal paper trail and six prior orders would suffice to prove I bought the item and am not not a scammer trying to get $15.40 as replacement or refund to said same Paypal account.I have had no luck in the past with Paypal claims unless the item was bought on Ebay or linked to a VISA card.There is a point where a complicated and time consuming return process is just not worth it and I am now way past that point.I just want to warn others what to expect from Manafont.
Maybe it's just me, but when you get an item from China for 15 bucks including shipping and no sales tax, I sort of think of it as throway type goods. Don't get me wrong, I have been pleasantly surprised how good some of the stuff is that I've gotten from China since my renewed interest in flashlights, but it is still CCC.
Look at it this way; if it were a USA company, they would probably have you pay to ship it back and then if everything went well, they would ship the replacement. I don't think Manafont was being too out of line, but that's just my take on it.
I know what you mean. I know you're not a scammer, but some lowlifes really would love to get a $15 freebie at the cost of another company. So the whole picture/return process is really MEANT to be a hassle. It creates a sort of "effort barrier", which weeds out those who are looking for easy freebies.
Again, sorry this happened. I'm not trying to offer apologies for Manafont, just trying to help you see it from their point of view. I hope you can work something out with them.
I think DX has pretty much set the standards for all other HK sellers when it comes to RMA cases. That envelope+product pic, will prove to them that you received the right item and that it has not been damaged during transit. If it had outer dents or scratches Manafont might have claims to HK Post. It is a standard procedure, which is also a kind of "effort barrier", if you make it too easy to get a replacement the chances of fraud will be higher. The thing is that Manafont has shown exceptional customer care in the past and if I were you, I would try to contact Jim about that matter. You are aware of THIS thread?
They follow a script and a picture is part of that. That said, they should look at your ordering history and figure out that you aren't scamming them (unless spending $300 to get $15 is a scam).
+1 You're right.
Jordan, you might try asking Audrey to please look at your order history, she'll probably be reasonable. Audrey is actually one of the managers there, I have worked with her on a lot of little projects, she's very professional.
I'm assuming manafont is concerned about it's reputation and I agree with the above posters although I know how you feel because to knowingly subvert active communication is a damn sahame .. it's like selling something with a 100% rebate knowing that 42% won't send it in on time .. just an irritating hassle . With some of these companies you need to just stand up and TELL them what to do ..They really seem that clueless .I'd do the paypal thing as it costs you nothing and I always use a credit card for other reasons as well but there are huge pitfalls in using these guys(all chinese vendors )and they change from month to month as to who is shipping fast and who is good or bad .Thanks to BLF members experiances and them taking a hit in the head for you in many cases ..I appreciate your speaking up..As there are more than a few non manafont lovers here as well .Me I'm a little mixed on them .
I know you're mad at them but WHY don't you send them a picture is a little odd too ..If you know it's part of the game ,, it oisn't that hard to find someone with a camera and spend 3 minutes taking 30 shots and mailing them off .. easier than 7 emails and the anguish of weeks and weeks of being bent ...
One last time because I did the 45 day dance with a company off ebay that is so worthless no one would ever recognize their name .. The day I sent it to a case from dispute ..?? wait .. the second I sent it to a case from dispute my money was returned bingo <<So why the endless backa nd forth yammering blaming ,denial?? ..why ?? 12 $ that's why cuz they are desperate for your 12 $
get a camera take 30 pics .. write 30 emails and save them and send one a day .. call tham every name in the book and hit them with a dispute and 5 days later case bang
Im sorry but theyre really not asking for much. Who doesnt have some form of a camera these days? If youre adept enough to use the internet Im sure you have, or know someone that has, a camera somewhere. Even my grandmother has a camera on her phone.
As someone said, theyre probably trying to figure out where the damage occured. They are a business after all and have to cover their butts too. I really dont think this complaint is warranted. Though you may have spent 300 or even 3000, normal procedure is normal procedure.
Now if you would have actually sent in pictures or a video and they still denied your claim that would be another story.
Im sorry but theyre really not asking for much. Who doesnt have some form of a camera these days? If youre adept enough to use the internet Im sure you have, or know someone that has, a camera somewhere. Even my grandmother has a camera on her phone.
As someone said, theyre probably trying to figure out where the damage occured. They are a business after all and have to cover their butts too. I really dont think this complaint is warranted. Though you may have spent 300 or even 3000, normal procedure is normal procedure.
Now if you would have actually sent in pictures or a video and they still denied your claim that would be another story.
Yeah, it's a standard procedure. Just borrow a mobile phone from your friend. Make a video with a bad dropin and good dropin, to show that it's not a body or cell prob. And if you can, a few closeup photos of the emitter. Good luck ;)
Actually the process is smooth. I had a R5 dropin that the circuit board died within 2-3h of use (not continuous). I supplied the pictures and even the dissasembled driver in the process along with the envelope. Not even a day later got a replacement was on th way. Even more they sent me a SMO reflector since i asked for one where those were not yet available.
Don't know why are you so hesitant to do what they require. The customer care needs that "proof" to justify their loss.
I have a similar problem. I bought a Mr Lite which was DOA. It smells like the driver is fried when I stick a battery in it. Hard to take a photo without pulling it apart.
Since it is dead i see no real troubles putting it apart. Ask Don for how to as he did some pretty nice jobs with those. He must be very qualified as a tutor on disassembly of Mr lites.
Just send a picture without disassembling it, worked every time on DX.
Yeah, they really don't care. They're just following a script.
Even after hundreds of orders over the span of several years and way more money spend at DX than I care to admit, they still require the usual pictures: the envelope picture to verify some stuff printed on the shipping label, because they actually do care whose QC number is on that envelope and, mostly, because they like to make you jump through as many hoops as possible (already tossed that envelope? well, oops). The picture of defective product is because the CS agent generally doesn't know jack about the product in question and couldn't tell a fried emitter from a working one without a side-by-side.
There's really nothing unusal about requiring pictures and they're not trying to imply that you're a fraud or anything like that. I recently had to do the RMA song and dance when a $2 item from DX turned out to be DOA. I actually had to dig the envelope out of the trash because I had already disposed of it and didn't feel like playing twenty questions with a newly hired CS rep.
In this case I would just send a video of me putting in a battery into another flashlight that works, then putting the same battery into the dead flashlight, and showing my hand clicking the switch.
I always attached a few pictures of the item and of the packaging and they never replied with anything else than "We're sending you a new item, keep the old one".
Once they asked what I ment when I made a "Wrong SKU" request and the SKU listed on the item was the correct one (it was the right SKU but the wrong item).
I sent a pic. They actually have a 12 month warranty (I think) so it shouldn't be a problem. It was actually a Mrs Lite. Didn't go down too well with the wife. Here I bought you a flashlight.
"Hey it doesnt work. I told you to stop wasting money" .
Damn it! 