3DS XL touchscreen not working

loopymum

Santa delivered it to the house this Christmas but it was actually purchased from Harvey Norman online in August when it was on offer.
It was fine for a few days and then the touchscreen wouldn't work, it's a red and black console. A tiny portion seems to work a little but it's useless really.
So I'm not sure if I should go direct to Nintendo or bring it back to Harvey Normans?
I got in touch with HN on their website last night and they did ring me this morning about it and said to bring it to any of their stores in person, if they can't fix it there they will send it off and it will take about two weeks, it's an 1.5 hr drive each way for me though.

How do Nintendo handle repairs? Do they arrange for a courier to collect the console?

Thanks for any help

Banjo

You register a repair request on their website (there's a seperate support site that's linked off nintendo.co.uk) and, assuming they have no troubleshooting suggestions that might resolve the issue, you get a confirmation of repair. They send you out a prepaid address sticker that you can put on the outside of the box, you package you your 3DS yourself, whack the sticker on the box and bring it to your post office. Then they post it back out to you.

Myrddin

loopymum wrote: »

Santa delivered it to the house this Christmas but it was actually purchased from Harvey Norman online in August when it was on offer.
It was fine for a few days and then the touchscreen wouldn't work, it's a red and black console. A tiny portion seems to work a little but it's useless really.
So I'm not sure if I should go direct to Nintendo or bring it back to Harvey Normans?
I got in touch with HN on their website last night and they did ring me this morning about it and said to bring it to any of their stores in person, if they can't fix it there they will send it off and it will take about two weeks, it's an 1.5 hr drive each way for me though.

How do Nintendo handle repairs? Do they arrange for a courier to collect the console?

Thanks for any help

In my limited understanding of consumer law, goods must be of merchantable quality...& if not, you're entitled to a repair, replacement or refund...in that order. The 'repair' part has to be of a reasonable time too, & I'm not sure if two weeks &six hours of driving combined qualify as reasonable. If they have additional stock in store, I wouldn't be leaving without one of those tbh. You might have to kick up a little & ask for a manager/supervisor though.

Additionally if you have content bought from the Nintendo eStore, then you might be better going through Nintendo for the repair as they might be able to transfer the bought content to a replacement unit...the store most certainly won't do this

loopymum

Hi, thanks for the replies, food for thought, directly through Nintendo sounds like a good option but not great for my consumer rights with Harvey Norman if it proves to have further issues.

Myrrdin, I appreciate what you are saying about getting a new console from Harvey Norman but they will probably argue that the distance from the store is not their problem. It's a bit of a bummer and a lesson to me to buy from Amazon instead for future Electrical purchases.

Myrddin

loopymum wrote: »

Myrrdin, I appreciate what you are saying about getting a new console from Harvey Norman but they will probably argue that the distance from the store is not their problem.

Well I'd counter that with "can you show me where in my statutory rights, it says distance is a factor?" Plus, two weeks isn't really reasonable when they have replacement stock sitting there on a shelf, so that'd be my main gripe. Your contract is with Harvey Norman, so unless there's eShop purchases, I'd stick with them

loopymum

Myrddin wrote: »

Well I'd counter that with "can you show me where in my statutory rights, it says distance is a factor?" Plus, two weeks isn't really reasonable when they have replacement stock sitting there on a shelf, so that'd be my main gripe. Your contract is with Harvey Norman, so unless there's eShop purchases, I'd stick with them

Following your advice, I emailed HN this morning and I outlined your argument (I decided to email as it's better to have it in writing to help protect my consumer rights and I might have got a bit het up on the phone:))

HN just rang me back and they are couriering a box for the ds to me with postage paid on it and they will return it to me or replace the old one as needs be.
I am happy enough that it is a reasonable compromise and it saves me a lot of driving plus associated expenses.
I was all set to do the return with Nintendo myself but I am afraid of more issues with the 3ds after the one year warranty and want to retain my consumer rights.

Thanks:D

Myrddin

Good for you, a good result & if you're happy with their handling of it then that's all that matters As you said, it'll save x4 90 min trips so that alone is a result. It's actually a decent gesture by them so credit where it's due

loopymum

What a saga, HN sent me a box by courier on Monday, I received it Tuesday, sent the 3ds xl back by return post and they rang today saying they need to send it to Nintendo but Nintendo won't accept it from them, only from me so I have to contact Nintendo and tell them to collect it from HN, I don't have international calls on my phone so will have to wait till later, I have emailed Nintendo in the meantime.

The whole thing is turning into a bloody joke, I bought it from HN so my contract is with them as far as I am concerned, I will ring Nintendo this afternoon when I have access to a phone with international calls but I am going to email HN again and stress how daft it all is.
I am really starting to feel they should just give me a new 3ds xl.

Myrddin

loopymum wrote: »

The whole thing is turning into a bloody joke, I bought it from HN so my contract is with them as far as I am concerned

This. The onus is on them to repair, replace or refund it. I'd get on to head office or customer service if I were you. They've a shelf full of them in the shop you bought it from, which makes this mess unacceptable if you ask me.

Myrddin

Actually, might be worth giving the National Consumer Agency a phonecall for their thoughts on it & some advice? - http://www.consumerhelp.ie/ Also see here - http://www.consumerhelp.ie/index.jsp?p=100&n=101&a=1099

loopymum

Just to update this

I rang the store and spoke to technician before phoning Nintendo to check if anything had happened from the time of the email, he said no and we discussed the repair, he said once Nintendo accepted the repair it would take about 2 weeks, I said I wasn't too happy with that especially as it's now 9 days since I reported this issue and the 3ds had only worked 2 days.
I said about a replacement and he said he would ask his manager but that it would be unlikely seeing as I bought it in August.

I rang Nintendo (another palaver as my friends mobile wouldn't ring a premium rate number so I had to use another friends landline) Nintendo said categorically that they would not accept Harvey Norman returning the product for repair, I would need to go to the store and fill out the request, I said that just wasn't possible as I lived too far away and my preference was to deal with the retailer.
They do not accept stores returning the consoles, they only accept consoles from Argos for repair.
They asked was I offered a replacement, I said no and that HN were being sniffy over that fact that I had bought the console in August.

I asked Nintendo how would HN return the console to them and said through their Nintendo representative. They pretty much said HN should give me a new one.
Fair enough.

Rang HN back and informed them of what was said and the technician said he would get back to me.

Technician rang back and told me I will be sent out a new one.

Overall a good result but a bit of palaver to get it sorted.

I will say this HN were never rude about it and once I tackled them about it they did sort it.

Myrddin

loopymum wrote: »

Rang HN back and informed them of what was said and the technician said he would get back to me.

Technician rang back and told me I will be sent out a new one

Fair bit of messing about, but at least you got sorted in the end.