just bought a Nintendo 3DS XL and it does not come with charger!

breadbin

i think this is offensive. i mean imagine buying a mobile phone and not being able to use it because it has no power and you have no way to power it up. the 3ds doesn't even have a usb cable to charge it from a usb port.

i have the 3ds in its box unopened and a receipt from today - will i be able to return it to smyths without any bother? the charger is only a tenner but i'm home now and feel cheated. i would prefer to send a message to nintendo by sending it back.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I'd imagine they will take it back if you politely tell them you tought that it came with a charger for that price.
Ipod nanos came without a charger at line time too. It's a bit ridiculous.

drunkmonkey

You weren't cheated that's normal they don't come with a charger. There's nothing wrong with the product there under no obligation to take it back but when you tell them how much little jimmy cried tonight not being able to play the night of his birthday they might throw you in one...

Riesen_Meal

Dont see how its a consumer issue when it says specifically on the box no charger is included- I think Nintendo assume most people have DS chargers....

Pablo Sanchez

I agree, i don't know why they don't include one (they still do in the US as far as i know) and i find it above cheeky, but its not a mistake, it says it clearly on the box, and its usually highlighted on any website you might buy one off.

breadbin

Fieldog wrote: »

Dont see how its a consumer issue when it says specifically on the box no charger is included- I think Nintendo assume most people have DS chargers....

i have a DS charger but it doesn't work apparently, needs to be DSi or Lite.

i'd say the ipod nano would have come with a usb cable though didn't it? you don't even get that with this thing. i literally have no way to power it up and use it. how can anyone defend this decision?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I suppose in fairness it the same as the old "batteries not included".

breadbin

ah no i'm not buying it. batteries are consumable, you expect them to be extra because they waste and have to be replaced frequently. you can also buy them in loads of shops. this charger is proprietary. it's nintendo hardware - another way to squeeze money out of us. for the sake of a tenner i don't understand why it's not included.

they do include them in the US funnilly enough because they wouldn't get away with it.

wmpdd3

There was a woman in smyths at christmas saying the same about the vtech tablet, no charger.

Its battery powered, you either use rechargeables or buy the DC adaptor.

gallag

wmpdd3 wrote: »

There was a woman in smyths at christmas saying the same about the vtech tablet, no charger.

Its battery powered, you either use rechargeables or buy the DC adaptor.

The flipside, I have so many chargers in my house why should I pay more for a product to include one? It's a good system.

Dozen Wicked Words

Offensive? Unless OP is easily offended, it's really only a mild annoyance. If you wanted a charger included, you could have bought a 3ds, you bought a 3ds xl, the one with the box that says you don't get a charger included.

Cabaal

OP, its hardly offensive.

You bought something by assuming what it came with, even though the box clearly states otherwise.
Nothing defective about the item, shop doesn't have to accept it back as a return.

emeldc

gallag wrote: »

The flipside, I have so many chargers in my house why should I pay more for a product to include one? It's a good system.

I have a ton of chargers here as well. But I've no idea what they fit :rolleyes:

breadbin

well i've calmed down a little now since, i still can't get over it. good system? no way. sure we all have nokia and iphone chargers lying around at home but do you see nokia or apple selling a product without any way to put power into the device? even if nintendo bundled a usb cable but they didn't. i think people these days roll over and give up far too easily or maybe i'm showing my age.

the sticker that states there is no charger measures about 1cmx5cm. the staff in the shop never mentioned it either.

OwaynOTT

breadbin wrote: »

well i've calmed down a little now since, i still can't get over it. good system? no way. sure we all have nokia and iphone chargers lying around at home but do you see nokia or apple selling a product without any way to put power into the device? even if nintendo bundled a usb cable but they didn't. i think people these days roll over and give up far too easily or maybe i'm showing my age.

the sticker that states there is no charger measures about 1cmx5cm. the staff in the shop never mentioned it either.

Unfortunate the staff didn't mention it. I reckon that the fact it's been out for quite a lengthy period and the no charger in box garnered a significant amount of talk when it was released, that the staff felt everybody would know about it by now and it just didn't register after the 100 or so other customers giving them the look when they said it.
To be honest it's stickers and fairly common knowledge, especially for anyone who spends a lot of time online.
Just return it and get a WiiU.

WildCardDoW

Strange the staff didn't mention as there are deals that include the charger that they are told to push.

If it's unopened they'll take it back no problem, might need a manager if you bought it in a deal as it requires extra permissions to return deals, if it was a solo piece (just the console) that might explain why they didn't elaborate further as there are plenty of parents who are own the second or third console.

They sell the chargers as well, not sure if it's the same since I was there, but it's an unofficial style, roughly a tenner and covers a few devices.

If you bought a deal get them to check if one could have been included or added on for less than they are separate.

gugleguy

buy a Sony Playstation Vita instead then OP. However, as a fairly satisfied 3DS XL owner myself, and a one time Playstation Portable owner (SONY seems unsure of what to do with it's handheld console) Nintendo is really the only game in town for handhelds whatever about anything else.

keithclancy

breadbin wrote: »

well i've calmed down a little now since, i still can't get over it. good system? no way. sure we all have nokia and iphone chargers lying around at home but do you see nokia or apple selling a product without any way to put power into the device? even if nintendo bundled a usb cable but they didn't. i think people these days roll over and give up far too easily or maybe i'm showing my age.

the sticker that states there is no charger measures about 1cmx5cm. the staff in the shop never mentioned it either.

Motorola Moto G doesn't come with a Charger either.

pleasant Co.

It's a good and fair system when a standardised cable/charger is being used (such as the micro USB used on all mobile phones bar Apple), Nintendo use their own specific cable/charging port so should really include a charger. They do make you aware of this fact on the box, but I don't think that's really enough when you are forced to buy that charger from nintendo anyway.

slimjimmc

Smyths have a 28 day returns policy on their website. I've no reason to doubt it also applies to in-store purchases.
http://www.toys.ie/Returns_Policy.aspx

chrislad

This is actually starting to become the norm, and it's a good thing. Phones are starting to come with optional chargers in the UK, mainly the android ones due to the fact that every android phone uses a micro usb connection. I know I've about 5 of the things at home.

mayordenis

Yea I can't wait for another micro usb charger when I buy my next phone. Or my 100th HDMI cable when I buy my next whatever, or my 74th kettle plug when I might next widget. I don't have a 3DS XL yet because I haven't had the cash but I do have a standard 3DS and I'm happy that there won't be another charger in the equation.

I know when anyone disagrees here OP you're not happy with it but I really don't see the big deal, I'd certainly rather those who need one buy one, than have an extra tenner in hte cost for absolutely everyone across the board.

Cabaal

chrislad wrote: »

This is actually starting to become the norm, and it's a good thing. Phones are starting to come with optional chargers in the UK, mainly the android ones due to the fact that every android phone uses a micro usb connection. I know I've about 5 of the things at home.

EU recently passed legislation making it a requirement for basically everyone but Apple to all have standard connections in a few years, Apple was given extra time for this

about bloody time,

chrislad

Cabaal wrote: »

EU recently passed legislation making it a requirement for basically everyone but Apple to all have standard connections in a few years, Apple was given extra time for this

about bloody time,

That legislation has only just been passed, but phone companies, Apple excluded, have been conforming to it for years. I haven't worked in the industry for a couple of years, but when I left, all but Apple had micro usb (Nokia, Samsung, LG, Blackberry, HTC, ZTE, Huawei)

breadbin

well i emailled nintendo ranting about the charger and was pleasantly surprised to get 2 human replies!! go nintendo on that front. didn't expect to get any reply whatsoever unless it was from a bot. so because of this i just went ahead and bought a charger and a couple games

i actually do have a psvita which i love/hate. sony could learn a thing or two from nintendo customer support!

pleasant Co.

breadbin wrote: »

sony could learn a thing or two from nintendo customer support!

No doubt about that! easily one of the most difficult companies to deal with. From their POV they're a hardware company (and all their hw is perfect :rolleyes:) aftersales barely exists.

gugleguy

My 3DS XL is not a mission critical device. The cameras in it are a generation behind to be honest. But, I can make basic 3D movies and can use a fairly good art program, Art Academy - try something like this on the best smartphones out there! And the thing has the largest range of accessories available for a handheld console.

Del2005

breadbin wrote: »

ah no i'm not buying it. batteries are consumable, you expect them to be extra because they waste and have to be replaced frequently. you can also buy them in loads of shops. this charger is proprietary. it's nintendo hardware - another way to squeeze money out of us. for the sake of a tenner i don't understand why it's not included.

they do include them in the US funnilly enough because they wouldn't get away with it.

What if they included it and charged a tenner more, which is what they'd do?

breadbin

Del2005 wrote: »

What if they included it and charged a tenner more, which is what they'd do?

i wouldn't have a problem with that. its not the money at all, its the principle.

davo10

breadbin wrote: »

i wouldn't have a problem with that. its not the money at all, its the principle.

Caveat emptor, it said charger not included, you got what you paid for, where's the consumer issue?

Del2005

breadbin wrote: »

i wouldn't have a problem with that. its not the money at all, its the principle.

What principle? You where complaining that paying a tenner for the charger was a ripoff, when it's clearly marked on the box(it's not the shop or Nintendo's fault you didn't read the box) that a charger isn't included, yet will willingly spend an extra tenner to get it in the box.

breadbin

davo10 wrote: »

Caveat emptor, it said charger not included, you got what you paid for, where's the consumer issue?

well obviously i didn't see the sticker when i bought it! i got it home and had no way of charging it and was peeved because it meant i had to travel again to get a charger just to use it.

slimjimmc

breadbin wrote: »

well obviously i didn't see the sticker when i bought it! i got it home and had no way of charging it and was peeved because it meant i had to travel again to get a charger just to use it.

I can understand your disappointment but to be fair it's clearly printed in a bright yellow banner on both the front and back of the packaging. The front one in particular is not easy to miss.
http://connecteddigitalworld.com/2012/08/07/review-of-the-nintendo-3ds-xl/

Anyway I believe Smyths will readily accept a return regardless.

davo10

breadbin wrote: »

well obviously i didn't see the sticker when i bought it! i got it home and had no way of charging it and was peeved because it meant i had to travel again to get a charger just to use it.

1cm x 5cm sticker?

longhalloween

Cabaal wrote: »

EU recently passed legislation making it a requirement for basically everyone but Apple to all have standard connections in a few years, Apple was given extra time for this

Apple have a standardised connection USB connection to all of their products.

O2 brought in a measure a years back saying they wouldn't stock phones that had unique chargers.

The Vtech chargers aren't unique either. I've a few barrel plug adaptors from speakers that work with Vtech stuff. Not sure about the 3DS though.

super_furry

It's unusual that it wouldn't be mentioned. Most places will try to sell you a bundle with a charger as part of it.