PSP nightmare - any advice?

damiennolan · 04-11-2005 03:14PM #1

hi
i purchased a psp (one of the last in the city it seems as well) from a large store in dublin city last weekend. when i got home i found that there were approx 20 small white dots across the display like stardust.

i went straight back with it and i was told by the shops manager that the problem is dead pixels and they dont offer refunds or exchanges - sony want to deal with all cases of dead pixels themselves.

they gave a number to ring - the psp uk careline number (dialling the irish careline just puts you through to the english one).
i rang this careline and they told me that as im in ireland that cant arrange an exchange it has to be escalated to sony ireland.

no word from sony ireland so i logged another call with the uk psp hotline a few days ago. i was told the same. escalate to sony ireland etc.
still no word.

basically i need to know has anybody had similar experiences with their psp and how do i proceed or how was it resolved
thanks

Nephew · 04-11-2005 03:48PM

go back to the shop and kick up a fuss, make a scene in front of the other customers if you must, and demand that they replace it or give your money back.

Laguna · 04-11-2005 04:09PM

Jesus man, a HUGE amount of people (including myself, twice) rushed out to buy PSP's on the day of release only to find our screens destroyed by dead pixels (Sony's disinterest in quality control at their outsourced manufacturing plant - as to get enough shipped out). I brought my first one back the same day and after a huge row, got a replacement to find, low and behold, more dead pixels (15-20!) so I just got pissed off, went back to the shop, caused even more of a scene and just got my money back. The thing that annoyed me the most is a paragraph written by Sony in the handbook of the PSP, which basically claims that a unit with dead pixels is not considered faulty by them... ****ers, in that case, why should we pay full price for second rate goods?

Don't let the shop bull**** you, it's their responsibility as a retailer to ensure you get a replacement/refund as long as you have your receipt within a certain timeframe (30 days?), anything else they say to you is a load of old cock to try and dissuade you from pushing the issue. It's not on, get a refund/replacement

tbh · 04-11-2005 04:14PM

yep -they sold you the goods, let them take it up with sony. don't let them push you around.

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/consumer_affairs/consumer_rights_and_protection/consumers_and_the_law_in_ireland.html

Consumer contracts are protected by the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act, 1980.

Under this Act the purchaser of goods has a number of rights - the main ones are

Goods must be of merchantable quality – goods should be of reasonable quality taking into account what they are meant to do, their durability and their price
Goods must be fit for their purpose – they must do what they are reasonably expected to do
Goods must be as described - the buyer must not be mislead into buying something by the description of goods or services given orally by a salesperson or an advertisement.

If you have a problem with an item that you have bought it is always the seller who should put things right. As a general rule, the seller can either repair or replace the item. Alternatively, they can refund the costs of the item or service to the consumer.

If you are not satisfied with the quality of goods or services you can:

Return the goods to the supplier who sold it to you (you should not return the goods to the manufacturer)

chump · 04-11-2005 04:18PM

Is there not a gaurenteed cooling off period in Ireland where items can be returned no questions asked provided they're in just-purchased condition.

Under the Consumer Credit Act, 1995, a consumer has the right within 10 days to reconsider a credit agreement and within those ten days refuse in writing the agreement on offer without obligation. If the waiver is not availed of then the agreement comes into effect. However if the consumer chooses the consumer may waive the entitlement to the 10 day cooling off period and the agreement comes into effect immediately.
http://www.odca.ie/cfmdocs/c_query/cool.cfm

Cabelo · 04-11-2005 04:39PM

When they first came out the word came from sony to replace any with more than 6 deads. My friend exercised this with his 7 to very good result. My advice would be walk in, kick up an absolute murder over it, and then if they throw it back say that Sony's careline told you that the shop themselves would handle it if it had more than 6. It'll sound more than familiar to them and they'll know you know what you're talking about.

If that fails then read them your rights

damiennolan · 04-11-2005 04:46PM

the other crap thing now is that there are now more psp's in the whole of dublin!
the guys in the store were pretty adamant that they wouldnt give me a refund/ exchange because sony wouldnt pay them!

Laguna · 04-11-2005 04:50PM

damiennolan wrote:

the other crap thing now is that there are now more psp's in the whole of dublin!
the guys in the store were pretty adamant that they wouldnt give me a refund/ exchange because sony wouldnt pay them!

tell them your heart is bleeding for them

Bull****, so what they're saying in effect is

"Put up with it, we sold you inferior goods and we're not going to take them back as WE will lose money". Don't let it go, hound them everyday until they cave in and they will.

damiennolan · 04-11-2005 05:00PM

cheers

its off to the V***** m***store for me.
time to kick up a fuss!!
ill post back and let you know how i got on!

Jammer · 04-11-2005 11:39PM

chump wrote:

Is there not a gaurenteed cooling off period in Ireland where items can be returned no questions asked provided they're in just-purchased condition.

Under the Consumer Credit Act, 1995, a consumer has the right within 10 days to reconsider a credit agreement and within those ten days refuse in writing the agreement on offer without obligation. If the waiver is not availed of then the agreement comes into effect. However if the consumer chooses the consumer may waive the entitlement to the 10 day cooling off period and the agreement comes into effect immediately.
http://www.odca.ie/cfmdocs/c_query/cool.cfm

And its only if goods are un-opened.

It says on the warranty card about the number of 'acceptable' pixel faults before it's considered faulty. They cant deny black and white from Sony.

TBH, sounds like an issue of mis-understood hearsay on the managers behalf.

Franky Boy · 04-11-2005 11:59PM

Nephew wrote:

make a scene in front of the other customers if you must.

Better to do that.Imo.

CuLT · 05-11-2005 04:02AM

I had the same situation with a feckload of dodgey pixels, Golden Discs were more than happy to exchange though, even let me check out the new one in the shop before I brought it home.

I was fully prepared to kick up an absolute fuss over it though; it's several hundred euros worth of equipment. I would have been absolutely livid if they'd tried to fob me off. They sold damaged goods they're responsible. QED.

spritey · 05-11-2005 12:30PM

As a retailer (not of consoles and stuff but hey) I would like to offer a different spin;

Goods must be of merchantable quality – goods should be of reasonable quality taking into account what they are meant to do, their durability and their price

The goods were good (lots of goods) enough for Sony to sell to the retailer, therefore good enough to be sold on. This must mean they are of a merchantable quality (dead pixels are an accepted point in these sorts of screens and aren't classed as faults)... unless you have more than Sony have said is classed as faulty. (I don't know, owning a JAP PSP)

Goods must be fit for their purpose – they must do what they are reasonably expected to do

The PSP will still play games. As above, screens like this aren't 'reasonably expected' to be perfect.

But, as a consumer, 20 dead pixels on a screen of that size is absolutely abysmal. If it were my shop, I'd check the PSPs when they came in and kick up a fuss before with the disty before it was even sold to someone. Someone will lose money and that SHOULD be Sony seeing as it's their shoddy quality control that gets people into this mess.

As a side note, the above perspective comes from an independent shop as opposed to a chain. So we do tend to be a bit more careful with our products, and try to look after our customers more because we can't just buy a hundred of something in and flog them all. Likewise though, losing money on a unit is a bigger knock to us...

It shouldn't be the retailers who lose money, nor should it be the consumers. It should be the company who made the mistake in the first place.

projectmayhem · 05-11-2005 12:42PM

i had the same problem appear on my psp about 2 weeks after i got it (at launch). brought it back and they replaced it no problems

Stompbox · 05-11-2005 02:37PM

chump wrote:

Is there not a gaurenteed cooling off period in Ireland where items can be returned no questions asked provided they're in just-purchased condition.

Under the Consumer Credit Act, 1995, a consumer has the right within 10 days to reconsider a credit agreement and within those ten days refuse in writing the agreement on offer without obligation. If the waiver is not availed of then the agreement comes into effect. However if the consumer chooses the consumer may waive the entitlement to the 10 day cooling off period and the agreement comes into effect immediately.
http://www.odca.ie/cfmdocs/c_query/cool.cfm

Yes, but that is when you purchase an item on credit or through Hire Purchase.The OP did not buy the PSP on credit.

Mimikyu · 05-11-2005 11:21PM

This post has been deleted.

Hobbes · 06-11-2005 07:55AM

spritey wrote:

This must mean they are of a merchantable quality (dead pixels are an accepted point in these sorts of screens and aren't classed as faults)...

Not entirely true. If they are Class II type screens they have a limit of dead pixels before they would be classed as faulty. The amount he has mentioned does indeed fit this limit ( http://graphics.tomshardware.com/display/20030319/index.html ).

Class I screens must have 0 dead pixels.

Even so he is entitled to return the goods if they are not up to expected standards.

spritey · 06-11-2005 01:03PM

Aye, and I went on to say that

- "unless you have more than Sony have said is classed as faulty. (I don't know, owning a JAP PSP)".

Nice to know the specifics of it all though, cheers.

damiennolan · 07-11-2005 05:05PM

*****UPDATE*****

i went to the store on sunday and started to cause a bit of turmoil.
the store still stood by their decision, showing me sony documents that stated they (sony) wish to handle all dead pixel cases.

i left with little or no resolution as the store could not make contact with sony (sony dont do sundays apparently) but they promised to sort it monday.

just got a call from the store. they reckon sony is sending over a new psp to the store on wednesday. hopefully this is the end of the shambles of a situation but ill post back soon!!

keep watching

damiennolan · 11-11-2005 11:53AM

got a brand new sealed psp direct from sony with firmware 1.52 (!)
only one dead pixel.

problem resolved

tbh · 11-11-2005 12:12PM

Nice one - tho it's a shame you had to go through all that hassle to get what you paid for. To quote John Cleese "If you want anything done in this country you've got to complain till you're blue in the mouth":D

Running Bing · 12-11-2005 07:17PM

So basically what the shop meant by "sony want to deal with it themselves" was they couldnt be arsed to ring sony themselves to get it sorted unless you cause a big enough fuss. As well as being illegal thats downright cheeky. I would never shop there again if I was you.

swingking · 19-11-2005 12:52AM

damiennolan wrote:

hi
i purchased a psp (one of the last in the city it seems as well) from a large store in dublin city last weekend. when i got home i found that there were approx 20 small white dots across the display like stardust.

i went straight back with it and i was told by the shops manager that the problem is dead pixels and they dont offer refunds or exchanges - sony want to deal with all cases of dead pixels themselves.

they gave a number to ring - the psp uk careline number (dialling the irish careline just puts you through to the english one).
i rang this careline and they told me that as im in ireland that cant arrange an exchange it has to be escalated to sony ireland.

no word from sony ireland so i logged another call with the uk psp hotline a few days ago. i was told the same. escalate to sony ireland etc.
still no word.

basically i need to know has anybody had similar experiences with their psp and how do i proceed or how was it resolved
thanks

As a matter of interest, what was the store that sold you the psp. I am only mentioning this as us other people don't get stung by the same crowd when we buy psp consoles. If you can't say then don't worry

Mac daddy · 20-11-2005 06:01PM

damiennolan wrote:

got a brand new sealed psp direct from sony with firmware 1.52 (!)

yep most of the EU psp have 1.52 on them, no problem for the downgrader though

Good to hear you got a new one out of them

TheDoc · 05-12-2005 04:10PM

I work in a large gaming store in dublin, on henry street =P

We were told that any psp with dead pixels was to be sent directly to sony, that we wouldnt be issuing refunds or exchanges. Sony will address and refund/exchange it themselves.

And kicking up a fuss will do nothing, except have yourself thrown out and abrred like a recent customer who tried to con us that he pre booked an xbox 360.

Cabelo · 05-12-2005 05:36PM

I'm told that's downright nasty and quite the illegality. Being delt with by Sony has nowt to do with the customers. Ideally no customer need ever liaise with a manufacturer. That's the retailer's deal. If something goes wrong on our end, we go to you, you sort us out with a new one and then the manufacturer sorts you out with a replacement for the borked one.

Scottish · 06-12-2005 12:37PM

3 dead pixels have recently shown up on mine, and its about 2 months old. You can only see them against a black screen though.

Is this a problem that keeps developing until you have about 20 of the little buggers? Should I take it back to the store?

damiennolan · 06-12-2005 04:52PM

just a quick update on this thread as i started it originally.

about two weeks after my machine was replaced by the store i got a call from sony ireland.
they advised me that yes, they do have a set of guidlelines for a store to follow regarding dead pixels ie if there are a few (3 or so) dispersed across the screen this is considered to be normal and does not warrant an exchange.
however if these 3 dead pixels were located close together in the centre of the display and affect "viewing pleasure" sony would consider this as a just cause and have no issue with the store replacing it.

sony also advised me that my receipt is essentially a contract between myself and the store and my customer satisfaction was the main priority, basically sony would not mind any exchanges made by the store in return for a satisfied customer!

Cabelo · 06-12-2005 05:04PM

That's whut I said... damien, you're a ledge.

chump · 06-12-2005 09:12PM

[DM]-TheDOC- wrote:

I work in a large gaming store in dublin, on henry street =P

We were told that any psp with dead pixels was to be sent directly to sony, that we wouldnt be issuing refunds or exchanges. Sony will address and refund/exchange it themselves.

And kicking up a fuss will do nothing, except have yourself thrown out and abrred like a recent customer who tried to con us that he pre booked an xbox 360.

So moral of the story is return item, don't mention dead pixels, and say you're returning it under the statuary cooling off period?

FX Meister · 06-12-2005 09:20PM

chump wrote:

Is there not a gaurenteed cooling off period in Ireland where items can be returned no questions asked provided they're in just-purchased condition.

Under the Consumer Credit Act, 1995, a consumer has the right within 10 days to reconsider a credit agreement and within those ten days refuse in writing the agreement on offer without obligation. If the waiver is not availed of then the agreement comes into effect. However if the consumer chooses the consumer may waive the entitlement to the 10 day cooling off period and the agreement comes into effect immediately.
http://www.odca.ie/cfmdocs/c_query/cool.cfm

Nothing to do with the purchase of an item. This only applies to the borrowing of money e.g. a loan or H.P. If you buy a product on credit you cannot return the product after ten days, you can only refuse to take the credit offered, you must still pay for the item.

Get your facts right Chump

PSP nightmare - any advice?

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