Philips Consumer Electronics - MRV700VR/17 Product and Support Problem

Philips Consumer Electronics - MRV700VR/17 Product and Support Problem

March 30, 2006

Philips Consumer Electronics

P.O. Box 671539M

Marietta, GA 30006 RE: MRV700VR/17 Product and Support Problem

On January 4 of this year, we purchased, for our personal use, one of these products from Best Buy. We purchased with confidence. We did not get to install the product for the next two weeks. After installation, we noticed that the product seemed very slow to come on line, but we could live with that. It played DVDs, produced on other devices, very well. However, the DVD recordings made were noisy and grainy. Far worse than the old VHSs. We attempted everything we were told and everything

described in the book. None of them improved the recordings. I contacted theirr support and they offered an RMA (1Z3D7) to exchange the product. The support person immediately recognized the problem and even helped describe it. The conditions were that we absorb the shipping expense. We shipped the product on 3/3/06 and they received it the following Tuesday. About ten days later we received the replacement. Upon opening the box, the first thing I noticed was that it provided a “90 Day Limited Warranty.” Not the remainder of the one year warranty provided with the original purchase. It took thirty minutes for your support people to decide what to

do about the warranty. Although, in the first instance of support the knew my date of purchase-in this instance no one seemed to have a clue. The solution offered was to fax a copy of my sales slip and the warranty would be extended. This took thirty minutes to get this far.

Then, I was asked to relate the Serial Number of the replacement unit. When I unpacked it, I noticed that it was damaged. It was poorly packed with bubble-wrap and not well protected. The lower corner of the face panel was broken. Plus the model and serial number had been marked with a high-liter. I offered to return the replacement as suggested. However, it did not seem fair for me to absorb the shipping costs again. Their service responder did not have any idea what to do. She told me that

that since this was Friday, someone from Customer Relations would call me on the following Monday or Tuesday. No one called. In fact they did not call until ten day later. Someone named Irene whow refused to five me any other employee identification. She stated that they were convinced that the unity was damaged

prior to my receiving it. They asked for a photo so they could review the damage. I asked Irene what my options were and she refused to tell me what those might be. By then, I was convinced that they did not want to do anything. Before I went to the trouble of providing a photograph, I wanted to know what the options might be. About here, Irene lost it. She told be I could do what she asked or she would close the case. I asked to talk to her supervisor and she refused and now was screaming at me over. She was the one who would decide and that was it. THEY would decide when they reviewed the photograph. Bascially, that I did not have any rights or say about the final resolution. I sent the photographs and Irene called me and told be that they had decided that the broken face was "cosmetic damage." Previously, Irene had told me that cosmetic damage would be a scratch of something like that. My front panel was not scratched it was broken. It still is. I have ave spent nearly three hours on the phone with their support and customer relations people. I do not have, in useable condition, the product I purchased. Because I pursued the complaint, they closed the case and told me that there was not anything I can do about it. Perhaps they are right, but I am going to keep trying. From the internet reviews of this product and the Philips-Magnavox service/support, it appears that i am not the only one. Which really surprises me. I guess my experience has been with corporations that are more concerned with customer relations. Thank you for making this complaint possible.

Bill

Friendswood, TX 77546

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