Pixmania returns - can anyone who's done it help me with an answer?

Fogmatic

The short short story; bought Epson all-in-one printer 10 months ago, with Pixmania's Zen Engagement add-on. Other stuff delayed installation, then could only manage a very small amount of draft-mode printouts between the errors, then no printing at all.. Many reinstalls & lenghthy troubleshooting sessions later, decided it must be faulty. Headbanging email correspondance with Customer Care followed, starting Feb. 15th; still trying to get my simple questions answered (by simple answers, like, er, yes or no). I won't phone them; with this kind of thing, I want stuff in writing/printable out (our phone line isn't up to it anyway, leaving out the expense & frustration). Being allowed to deal with Epson directly would have been a breeze at their Live Chat Help (none of those complete non-sequiturs, and a transcript by email too).
I bought the Zen Eng. for the 100% Pixmania refund voucher if the item broke down in the 1st year. There's no repair or 'lengthy analysis', which means (I gather) that Pixmania just checks it won't work for them, and then does the refund (though they'd have to spend about €90 on ink just to check that its 'out of ink' message can't be right). The Zen info seems to mean that the refund is regardless of what happens to the item after that. I can't find the Zen terms & conditions now, but there's a link to them during the ordering process (where I'm not inclined to venture just now).
I'm not interested in what happens to the printer - I don't want to see it again, I just want to buy a different model instead, as I've made clear since my 1st query at the website. But some Pix. emails say the return is to have it repaired, though others say it's for a Zen Engagement refund (in a style that's characterised the whole correspondance).

My question here; assuming the printer fails Pixmania's quick check, is the 100% refund definite?

Sub-question; the printer cost basically €174, not counting the non-returnable stuff (postage, Zen add-on, double-sided printing accessory I had to buy somewhere else, nearly €200 in ink trying to get it working). By Pix.'s recommended registered parcel post, I would cost me €80 to send it back. I can't afford to gamble that on the answer that customer services won't give me, to the question above. If the answer's 'yes', it's worth sending it back (however long it takes to get the refund). But; does anyone know if (or how) I'd also get the return postage refunded?

If at least the refund for the printer itself is definite, I'll have to find out another thing Pixmania won't tell me; which bits of paper I need, whether the the ones I already have are some/all of them, and where to put them (details are in the lowest posting on this page http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055789704&page=2&highlight=Pixmania ).

Elessar

If the printer is faulty it should be at no expense to you to have it repaired/replaced. That means Pixmania must pay for the return/outgoing postage. There was another thread here where a pixmania rep set up a free return courier to another poster who had a faulty TV (do a search).

Regarding the zen engagement refund, you'll have the find the T&Cs of the contract. It must be on the website somewhere. Go by whatever it says there. Keep in mind that that warranty is in addition to, and not a replacement of, your statutory rights.

Fogmatic

I've just tried again, and found slightly more than I did recently;

"For one whole year, the Zen Engagement ensures that your product will be traded-in if a fault occurs. You will also be able to choose a replacement product from the thousands on PIXmania.com!

Applicable Conditions for refund during 1st year of fault:
If your product breaks down you have 12 months from the date of purchase to get a refund in the form of credit in your Pix Piggy bank.
The product must be returned to PIXmania for technical examination in order to identify the nature of the breakdown, to confirm that this does fall within the terms of the manufacturer’s warranty and to make sure that the product is returned in its original packaging with all included accessories (e.g. CD-ROM, cables, user manual etc.).
A refund will be issued in the form of credit in your Pix Piggy bank.
The Pix Piggy bank can be used for all Pixmania products.
The Pix Piggy bank can be used for more than one order.
The Pix Piggy bank is equal to the value of the product excluding shipping and guarantee.
If the total amount of your order is greater than the value of the Pix Piggy bank, you can make up the difference by a payment method of your choice."

But I don't know if '12 months from the date of purchase to get a refund'; means 12 months to get the printer in the post, get it received in France, get them to agree to a refund, receive the refund, or what.
And I'm none the wiser about how a retailer does a 'technical examination in order to identify the nature of the breakdown, to confirm that this does fall within the terms of the manufacturer’s warranty'. Especially in this csae, when the the error message on turning it on won't let them do anything except try new ink cartridges (again). And with the error message saying 'out of ink', I suspect they'll just say it's my fault because the printer says so (but they won't be able to see, as Epson probably could, that all the cartridges are new).

That's the way my thoughts are going anyway, after plenty of 'learning experiences' re small-print!

Fogmatic

Is there someone out there who's returned a faulty item to Pixmania under Zen Engagement?
(Especially if simply installing it & turning it on wouldn't show that it's faulty?) Did you learn whether their testers do any diagnostics?

When I checked with Epson re the technical side of packing it, they said to leave the ink cartridges in. They were all new cartridges, but they still didn't stop it flashing an 'out of ink' alarm when turned on. Epson might have a way to tell if there's ink in them. But Pixmania might just try taking them out & reinstalling them. This printer model won't accept cartridges a second time, so will say 'out of ink' again for sure. Hence envisaging the scenario that they'll ignore my description of the problem (as with my emails), say I just forgot to give it ink, and just offer to send it back to me (for another €80 or whatever).

I'm an assiduous small print reader, but can't remember what the Zen terms & conditions looked like during the purchase. I seem to have no way of knowing whether the Zen info in the previous post is all there is.
When I log in there, go to my page & press the 'My Zen' button, the 2nd attachment here is what I get (the lady isn't a link).

One of the other things Pixmania won't tell me is what one of their invoices looks like. I can't find anything titled 'invoice', and the nearest-looking thing I have was printed from the website (the bottom part looks like an earlier stage though). It's exactly the same with my paperwork from another item I bought from them (and I always keep invoices, for years). However, the site's Help section says 'The return coupon is delivered with the invoice' (I don't know what the return coupon should look like either, but that's for a later stage). Could someone with a Pixmania invoice tell me if it looks like the 1st attachment?

Thank you for your patience if you've read this far!

Fogmatic

Just checked my inbox & found an email Pixmania sent a few hours ago. It's their second one since I last communicated (the first one was 5 days ago). I don't know what sparked it off, but it may be a glimmer of hope, at least re the paperwork queries (linked to the 1st post above) - it confirms that a piece of paper I have is an address label, and gives me an email address with a name, for further questions (as opposed to being from 'your customer care agent').

Croc

Fog i hate to be the bearer of bad news but they have the worst customer service i have ever dealt with so much so that i will never deal with them again. I got a Cooler Master Case from them delivered on 18th December literally in pieces. I immediately reported it to them and got a reply 48 hours later then no more communications. Luckily i had purchased it via E-Bay and eventually i opened a dispute with them which was resolved in my favor. It was only at that stage i got their attention because AFAIK their account gets locked when you open a dispute. The emails i was getting from them were child like and repeating the same mantra, i eventually told them i was no longer communicating with them and left the matter in the hands of E-Bay

Fogmatic

Thank you for sharing your experience, Croc.
I think I'll give it another try though. It's the 1st time I've been given an individual email address,, and it might mean someone is taking more of an an overview. I might also get some clarification of the Zen terms & conditions (what I've found so far doesn't seem precise enough to be a contract).

Fogmatic

The good news; the Customer Services person with a name on their email (a Pixmania Mediator) has now arranged to have it picked up by their courier 'since the item is faulty'.

The bad news; it's getting like The Archers. It's Saturday afternoon, and I now have until Monday Morning to get answers to stuff I've been asking Pixmania since Feb. 21st, so that I can pack the printer in time.

This was to my Pix. mediator yesterday;
............................................................................................................................................................................................
Dear x xxxxxxxx,

Further to my earlier email, to try and simplify things these are the only remaining things I need to know;

1) The attached documents were emailed to me on February 16th. The email calls them a 'coupon and returns number'. Is the 2nd one, with space for signature & date (BR.pdf) the same thing as the returns coupon that other emails have instructed me to find online? (I still can't find one online to see what it looks like).

2) Is the returns number (that I need to write on the package and enclosures) somewhere on one or both of these documents? Some emails tell me to get it from the website.

3) BR.pdf says that it's to enclose inside the parcel. The accompanying email told me to attach the signed/dated returns coupon to the parcel. Presumably it meant the address label?

4) The same email says not to stick the returns coupon on the product's original packaging. Assuming they meant the address label, does that mean I need to add some wrapping outside the manufacturer's original box, on which to stick the label(s)? (I don't think the original delivery had any, as the DHL address labels are stuck directly onto the manufacturer's box).

5) If wrapping is necessary, do I put the enclosures just inside the wrapping, or inside the manufacturer's box?

6) The 2nd email I received on Feb. 16 told me to 'fill out the returns coupon in full', and sign it. Does that just mean date and sign it?

7) UPS tells me they'll bring a return label for the parcel - presumably I still fix Pixmania's address label on it as well?

8) I still couldn't find out if one of the printouts I have from the original purchase is an invoice, or if I can get a copy to put in the parcel. I've just seen somewhere at Pixmania that we can ask Customer Services for a copy of our invoice. Would it be possible to arrange to email me a copy? The order was on xx/xx/xxxx, number xxx xxxxxxxxx, customer no. xxxxxxx.

Thanks.
xxxxxxx xxxxxxx.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................
Realising that they were probably packing up for the weekend at the time, I've now fallen back (again) on the online Customer Services form, thus;
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Urgent! Need returns coupon 2 fill in, + copy of original invoice emailed 2 me by 2moro, so can pack Zen return ready for collection Mon Feb 29, of Epson Stylus Photo PX700W Multifunctional Printer (bought xx/x/xx, order no. xxxxxxxxxxx, cust. no. xxxxxxxx, Zen Eng. no. xxxxxxxxx. MyZen/MyPix.is broken. It only shows the separate USB lead bought in same order. x. xxxxxxx took over my case a few days ago, but probably not back till Mon which is too late. Have been asking Cust. Services the same questions about the paperwork since Feb.21.
.........................................................................................................................................................................................................
Will I find out in time? What happens if I don't? I'm inclined to hand the parcel over anyway. But, as returns can't be processed without the documents, what will they do then? Send it back to me? At whose expense?

Watch this space.....

Fogmatic

Received from Team Pixmania (sic);

............................................
Dear ,

Your request has been registered.
We confirm reception of your enquiry and our customer care team will answer it within 24 hours.


You can return to the Pixmania home page via the following link : http://www.pixmania.com/

Kind regards
.........................................................................

That was 23 hours ago, so it can't be long now......................

Fogmatic

Update;
Panic over! Got a notification from UPS about 8am today, saying they were on their way.
Then, 2-3 hours later, the documents/answers from Pixmania that I needed to pack it (after 5 weeks of struggle!).
Hastily packed it, then rang UPS as advised earlier, as their tracking had said an address was incomplete, which had stalled the pickup.
(Eventually) UPS told me it was because I needed Pixmania's account number with them, for the courier to pick it up at no cost to me. Also that they were unable to find the transaction at all without it (I tried to say I would have thought it would be confidential, but don't know if she could understand).
Emailed Pizmania, who replied that I didn't need it (just the tracking number I already had).
By that time the only thing for Pixmania to do was abandon that transaction & start a new one. So Mark 2 probably starts tomorrow.

Today's events were a breeze compared with my saga trying to get answers from Pixmania's usual customer service people. It was a stroke of luck luck eventually getting a sensible person.

the_syco

Fogmatic wrote: »

Hastily packed it

Hope it's packed well... as most companies say that any damage caused by you not packing it correctly is not their problem. And here's the kicker: if the damage to the printer caused by incorrect packaging is seen as the cause of the problem, they'll use it to weasel their way out of it.

Fogmatic

Thanks for the advice syco.
I don't think anyone could fault the packing in this case. It's in the original Epson box (complete with polystyrene pieces etc), which was all it needed to protect it for the original delivery. (Packing happens to be one of my fortes anyway; if I no longer had the box I'd have found something that worked).
Having resealed the box with clear parcel tape, I then wrapped it in strong plastic. It wasn't that any extra protection seemed necessary, it was only because of some Customer Care instruction not to stick labels on the original manufacturer's box.

Courier collection mk.2 has now been ordered by Pixmania.

GopErthike

Croc wrote: »

Fog i hate to be the bearer of bad news but they have the worst customer service i have ever dealt with so much so that i will never deal with them again.

I second that, had a nightmare with them. Never again.

Sorry OP I know this doesn't help your problem, just giving my 2 cents.

Hope you get a resolution.

Fogmatic

Forgot to say yesterday that my Pix. mediator (obviously using an actual brain) simply told me what my 'returns number' was (that Customer Serrvices kept repeating that I had to get from the website). Looked familiar, and sure enough it was one of the numbers I'd had since Feb. 16th, as it was printed on the 2 documents emailed to me then. So I was finally able to write the number clearly on the parcel, as Customer services had told me (as well as it being already printed on the address label just next to it).

Anyway, the printer was collected today, though not without a further twist. The driver rang an hour or so before, to check the address, as all he had was Name, House name, Ireland. So the actual address was incomplete after all; it was just that my UPS Customer Services lady seemed unable to do anything with the full address I gave her.

I think these Customer Services scripts must have the same perennial problem as computer manuals, flatpack instructions and badly designed forms; written by experts, who've forgotten what people need to know first. They should be designed by novices (who can write, preferably).

Fogmatic

The only delay since the printer was collected has been a bit of confusion at UPS. According to their tracking, the parcel seemed to be stuck in Dublin, because they didn't have Pixmania's address. Losing the addresss of an important account holder seemed a bit strange, especially as it was also on the parcel, and on the receipt the UPS driver gave me. (Also, it was apparently in a rural area, though I thought it was in a Paris suburb).
But once I communicated this to my Pix. mediator, things moved very quickly; a check showed they'd received the parcel, and they soon soon registered it in their system, and did whatever checks they do on the 'contents and status' of the product. The refund was in my Pixmania account on Monday, and I'm now looking into which printer to buy.
An recent email from the Customer Care team said they'd noted my remarks and were aware of my dissatisfaction, and my 'reviews & comments' had been transferred to the relevant sources where they'd be given the utmost attention. I don't know how many people they say that to, but it seemed like a hopeful sign for their customer care in general.