Help Warranty Exchange within 30 days

[thurgood78]

Hi all, I bought an Avant 2 weeks ago, and the screen has started glitching out on me. I took it in to a Metro store today, and the rep said they would replace it no charge but it would be 2 or 3 days because they have to order a replacement phone. I thought they would just exchange it with another Avant from their stock. Does anyone know if this is the standard replacement procedure, or should I go to a different store? There are no corp. stores in Tulsa that I know of. Thanks for any info!

 

[DirtyDee]

It isn't standard procedure, they are doing a warranty RMA most likely, shipping the old one out to Samsung and getting it fixed or replaced.

The replacements/exchange period is 14 days normally.

If they charged you a few chances are they are fitting the bill of shipping

 

[metro101]

The same thing happened to me, I went in for a warranty exchange and they said they had to order one and it would come in 3 days. I wonder why they didn't just grab one off the shelf as an exchange...I suspect the reason may be they order a refurbished replacement instead of new....

Does anyone know why?

 

[DirtyDee]

Because shipping back to our supplier costs us money, taking one off the self is a loss for dealers that are not corporate


As for the warranty replacement/refurbished if they can fix it (OEM) they will ship that one back to you, if they can't the will just replace it.

 

[thurgood78]

@DirtyDee thanks for the info. They didn't charge me anything and were generally very helpful.

@metro101 - After calling a few more stores (different franchisees), they all told me the same thing. I agree, must be ordering a refurb. Was hoping for a new phone, since I paid for a new one and it's barely 2 weeks old but as long as the replacement works, guess I'll be happy.

 

[metro101]

My warranty exchange was at a corporate store not franchise and they still ordered my phone instead of giving me one off the shelf. They didn't send my existing phone in, they said to keep it until the replacement comes in.

I am still waiting for the replacement which I think will be a refurbished phone, I still don't know why they didn't just give me one off the shelf and are making me wait?

 

[confed]

My warranty exchange was at a corporate store not franchise and they still ordered my phone instead of giving me one off the shelf. They didn't send my existing phone in, they said to keep it until the replacement comes in.

I am still waiting for the replacement which I think will be a refurbished phone, I still don't know why they didn't just give me one off the shelf and are making me wait?

As DirtyDee pointed out, it would be a loss for the store. You cant sell a refurbished phone as brand new. If they were to give you one off the shelf and replace the new phone with a refurbished through the warranty program, they would not be able to recoup their costs. A warranty program is not just for the convenience of the buyer, it is also for the seller such as Metro. The warranty program they have in place with the manufacturer(s) allows them to do this without taking a *loss on their books.

*This does not include logistics/man hours.

 

[thurgood78]

As DirtyDee pointed out, it would be a loss for the store. You cant sell a refurbished phone as brand new. If they were to give you one off the shelf and replace the new phone with a refurbished through the warranty program, they would not be able to recoup their costs. A warranty program is not just for the convenience of the buyer, it is also for the seller such as Metro. The warranty program they have in place with the manufacturer(s) allows them to do this without taking a *loss on their books.

*This does not include logistics/man hours.

Thanks for the explanation - makes sense to me. After some googling, I think if I did a warranty exchange directly thru Samsung, I would still most likely receive a refurb. In my case, going thru the store lets me keep my mostly functional phone while waiting for a replacement, vs. being without a phone for 7-10+ days waiting for shipping to/from Samsung's service center.

 

[Ninjew]

Hi all, I bought an Avant 2 weeks ago, and the screen has started glitching out on me. I took it in to a Metro store today, and the rep said they would replace it no charge but it would be 2 or 3 days because they have to order a replacement phone. I thought they would just exchange it with another Avant from their stock. Does anyone know if this is the standard replacement procedure, or should I go to a different store? There are no corp. stores in Tulsa that I know of. Thanks for any info!

I think you are thinking about a corporate store... Warranty centers used to be able to do that but they have changed it to where the corporate stores can only do it now. It sucks because here in Houston the closest corporate store is in dallas

Normal Stores
Warranty Centers
Corporate Stores

Usually most stores are Warranty centers so the protocol should all be the same... They order you a new phone if the phone you have passes the warranty test (No visible damage, or water damage)... The new phone is free before 30 days but after 30 days the warranty is 16+ dollars ...

NOW, there are exceptions to the rules though, if you are in desperate needs for a new phone and need it RIGHT AWAY, you can ask them to call up their ASR and ask them to do a crackbox for you... Do not take no for an answer though, most will tell you that they can't do a crack box and that it's only for the first 1-3 days. Crackboxes are only used when the client cannot make any calls and cannot wait due to uncontrollable circumstances . So I would ask for a crackbox if you cannot wait those 2 days

 

[metro101]

Ninjew,

Are you sure they order a new phone? The phone I received was in a plain white box with no labels it seems like it was a refurbished phone not new.

Is crackbox a phone off the shelf? If so, they said my phone was semi functional and would not give me a crackbox.

I am a bit disappointed because I only had the phone for less than 2 weeks and now I am stuck with a refurbished phone. Oh well, I guess this is their policy

 

[Ninjew]

Ninjew,

Are you sure they order a new phone? The phone I received was in a plain white box with no labels it seems like it was a refurbished phone not new.

Is crackbox a phone off the shelf? If so, they said my phone was semi functional and would not give me a crackbox.

I am a bit disappointed because I only had the phone for less than 2 weeks and now I am stuck with a refurbished phone. Oh well, I guess this is their policy

Sorry I did misinform there. OK, it is only a new phone when the phone has barely been out less than a month. Any FRU order customer will always receive a new phone (minus the back, battery, sim and box). Once they have enough refurbished ones they start to send those out instead. The same goes for the Insurance (non warranty)

A crackbox is basically handing you a new one from their inventory, the same rules apply here. Meaning if they do not have the same phone and you are OK with it, they can give you a phone of equal value.

The Crackbox is ONLY in extreme cases such as not being able to make calls or needing the phone because it is vital (for instance needing it because of your business) Believe me, most stores do not like to offer Crackboxes cause it comes out of their inventory and they will make any excuse to not give you one, but if you press them to call their ASR you can skip the middleman and just talk to the ASR. Cause the ASR is the person who actually can grant a crackbox.

 

[metro101]

Ninjew,

What is a FRU and how do you know if you have one, are FRU refurbished products? sorry for all the questions and thanks again for all your help!

 

[Ninjew]

Ninjew,

What is a FRU and how do you know if you have one, are FRU refurbished products? sorry for all the questions and thanks again for all your help!

A fru is what we call a replacement phone that we order for the customer when its a warranty issue. FRU's will be refurbished after the phone has been out more than a month.

 

[thurgood78]

I think you are thinking about a corporate store... Warranty centers used to be able to do that but they have changed it to where the corporate stores can only do it now. It sucks because here in Houston the closest corporate store is in dallas

Normal Stores
Warranty Centers
Corporate Stores

Usually most stores are Warranty centers so the protocol should all be the same... They order you a new phone if the phone you have passes the warranty test (No visible damage, or water damage)... The new phone is free before 30 days but after 30 days the warranty is 16+ dollars ...

NOW, there are exceptions to the rules though, if you are in desperate needs for a new phone and need it RIGHT AWAY, you can ask them to call up their ASR and ask them to do a crackbox for you... Do not take no for an answer though, most will tell you that they can't do a crack box and that it's only for the first 1-3 days. Crackboxes are only used when the client cannot make any calls and cannot wait due to uncontrollable circumstances . So I would ask for a crackbox if you cannot wait those 2 days

Thanks for the info, I got everything straightened out. What part of town are you in? I don't live down there anymore but bought my 1st metro phone at this crazy metro store on Cross timbers by north line mall. Nobody in the store spoke English so they called one of their kids to translate!! Good times.

 

[Ninjew]

Thanks for the info, I got everything straightened out. What part of town are you in? I don't live down there anymore but bought my 1st metro phone at this crazy metro store on Cross timbers by north line mall. Nobody in the store spoke English so they called one of their kids to translate!! Good times.

I am the store at Kempwood and Wirt.. its literally on the corner of Kempwood and Wirt

 

[Stacey cogswell]

Because shipping back to our supplier costs us money, taking one off the self is a loss for dealers that are not corporate


As for the warranty replacement/refurbished if they can fix it (OEM) they will ship that one back to you, if they can't the will just replace it.

SO WAIT.. YOUR TELLING MY I BOUGHT A NEW PHONE AND THEY WANT TO REPLACE IT WITH A REFUBUSHED,, USED PHONE.. BECAUSE IT COST METRO TO MUCH MONEY. LAUGHING. NOPE I BOUGHT A NEW PHONE I WANT A NEW ONE TO REPLACE IT I WON'T EXCEPTED A USED ONE.

 

[Stacey cogswell]

I bought one that was not working next day. I'm glad I read this in not wanting a refurbished used phone. Refund me my money and I'm cool to you doing this to people who bought phone new,, isn't cool I don't feel sorry that you have to pay for whatever. I paid cash for what I thought was a new phone im not letting you creep me a refurbished cell that's already been used

 

[Stacey cogswell]

As DirtyDee pointed out, it would be a loss for the store. You cant sell a refurbished phone as brand new. If they were to give you one off the shelf and replace the new phone with a refurbished through the warranty program, they would not be able to recoup their costs. A warranty program is not just for the convenience of the buyer, it is also for the seller such as Metro. The warranty program they have in place with the manufacturer(s) allows them to do this without taking a *loss on their books.

*This does not include logistics/man hours.

Wow. That's sad. Y'all don't care about what we paid your worried about a few dollars. Wow. Opened my eyes to how metro rolls and that's so sad

 

[Hadron]

You are replying to posts that are almost 5 years old. It's possible that they've got better since then (though the way capitalism works it's more likely they've got worse).

Anyway if you want to express your disgust one thing I can tell you is that Metro won't notice anything you post here. We're just fellow phone users.

 

[Stacey cogswell]

You are replying to posts that are almost 5 years old. It's possible that they've got better since then (though the way capitalism works it's more likely they've got worse).

Anyway if you want to express your disgust one thing I can tell you is that Metro won't notice anything you post here. We're just fellow phone users.

Read it all. . These were metro employees and haha metro got worse. I'm saying like let's set u paid full price for a new iPhone 11 and warrenty something f up and u he get that replacement and u find out it's was refurbished .. most would be pissed .. I'm not like rich but when I get a new alctel 3v that f up day after bought.. I'm pissed..5th they order a replacement today is 21 time I'm waiting ..I tend to bad talk a company when I'm feeling screwed with no pleasure kno

 

[Hadron]

My point was that they were writing 5 years ago, so what was true then need not be true now (though they only change for the better if regulation is introduced or they realise that bad behaviour is costing them more than it saves them, and both sound a little unlikely).

 

[Stacey cogswell]

I am.. I read it yes and it's how they are saying... I'm pissed I paid $396 and my cell won't power on I paid 60.00 for service I can't even use

 

[Dixie28]

As DirtyDee pointed out, it would be a loss for the store. You cant sell a refurbished phone as brand new. If they were to give you one off the shelf and replace the new phone with a refurbished through the warranty program, they would not be able to recoup their costs. A warranty program is not just for the convenience of the buyer, it is also for the seller such as Metro. The warranty program they have in place with the manufacturer(s) allows them to do this without taking a *loss on their books.

*This does not include logistics/man hours.

I understand that it may be a loss for the store, but it is also for the customer. I bought a brand new phone and had issues with it right off the bat. I had it replaced through the warranty and was sent a refurbished phone. How is that my problem that the phone was defective? Why shouldn't I receive a brand new phone when that is what I paid for. Sounds a bit one sided to me.

 

[ocnbrze]

I understand that it may be a loss for the store, but it is also for the customer. I bought a brand new phone and had issues with it right off the bat. I had it replaced through the warranty and was sent a refurbished phone. How is that my problem that the phone was defective? Why shouldn't I receive a brand new phone when that is what I paid for. Sounds a bit one sided to me.

what phone do you have? where did you buy the phone? i usually buy my phones from Best Buy. if it was just purchased, they would have just replaced it with a new one. if you use Geek Squad protection than you might get a refurbished phone.