Is Customer Always Right?

[Vid]

Just wanted to get opinions about customers rights.

 

A colleague shared with me an issue he had with buying a tv. He bought it and found out it was faulty. Then he brought it back to the shop and it was replaced with a new one. As luck would have it, each time some problems cropped up, either with image or sound quality and he went back a couple of times more. In the last trip, he had enough and demanded a refund. The shop tested the TV there and found everything working fine and they think it's likely connection problem on his part. Anyway, they refunded 75% to avoid trouble.

 

He refused and demanded 100% back. The shop also refused saying nothing wrong with the TV and now the TV is no longer brand new. He then threatened to sue and complaint to CASE. In the end, the shop relented and refunded full.

 

He was bragging to me about how consumer power won... but I was thinking... in this case, is the customer always right? Since the TV is indeed working. What do you think?

Edited July 4, 2011 by Vid

[Acieed]

If product does not meet expectations, customer is always right. If the shop has "goods sold not returnable", but you go home and find that the TV is broken or has defects, they offer to repair or exchange for a refurbished set, will you accept it ? If they exchange a 2nd brand new set, but its also defective, will you accept it ? Who is going to make up your time, effort and $$$ to fix this problem that you did not ask for in the first place ?

 

[1fast1]

In the US, this nonsense about "no returns" is almost unheard of. There, the major shops will accept any product return within a certain timeframe *no questions asked*.

 

Sg is just PATHETIC when it comes to consumer protection. First world my ass.

[Vid]

In the US, this nonsense about "no returns" is almost unheard of. There, the major shops will accept any product return within a certain timeframe *no questions asked*.

 

Sg is just PATHETIC when it comes to consumer protection. First world my ass.

 

So "Customer Always Right" is right lah.... Anyway, I'm guessing it could be his fault cos his cables at home might be faulty not the TV. Hope the next TV he buys doesn't give him any problem.

[1fast1]

So "Customer Always Right" is right lah.... Anyway, I'm guessing it could be his fault cos his cables at home might be faulty not the TV. Hope the next TV he buys doesn't give him any problem.

 

Well, not "always right" - for e.g. it's clearly wrong if a customer expects sexual favours from a salesperson. But even if the customer is not always right, the customer is always THE CUSTOMER, and businesses here have forgotten that, or maybe, they never cared in the first place.

 

Think about it, we have so many people screwing us in every direction in Sg with no proper recourse, it's ridiculous:

 

e.g. a handphone company (Stinktel) misrepresenting terms of contract (happened to me)

 

An airline (SIA) shrugging their shoulders at check-in when they failed to get a special meal request ready despite it being clearly stated on the eticket (happened to me)

 

people getting screwed by car insurance policies that should be protecting them (happened to so many)

 

people getting screwed by the petrol cartel and the energy monopoly here (why are electricity tariffs rising despite tanking oil prices)?

 

car dealers voiding warranties at their whim on the basis of the slightest mod - we have no equivalent of the powerful Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act in the US.

 

Insurance companies (e.g. Av*v*) voiding insurance polices on the basis of the same - and the mod can be ridiculously trivial.

 

no proper lemon law, as demonstrated in certain unfortunate car purchases, and really, by your friend's experience - repeated dissatisfied returns would've caused the "lemon laws" to kick in, with automatic refund or replacement in a place like the US, but not here in Sg.

 

No proper concept of a conflict of interest, or business ethics - well, this is a lesson they learn from the masters up high in white.

 

And CASE is frankly useless, a wayang organisation like so many others in Sillypore.

 

Need I go on?

Edited July 4, 2011 by Turboflat4

[Vid]

Need I go on?

 

Ok ok... you made your point

[Tigershark1976]

Just wanted to get opinions about customers rights.

 

A colleague shared with me an issue he had with buying a tv. He bought it and found out it was faulty. Then he brought it back to the shop and it was replaced with a new one. As luck would have it, each time some problems cropped up, either with image or sound quality and he went back a couple of times more. In the last trip, he had enough and demanded a refund. The shop tested the TV there and found everything working fine and they think it's likely connection problem on his part. Anyway, they refunded 75% to avoid trouble.

 

He refused and demanded 100% back. The shop also refused saying nothing wrong with the TV and now the TV is no longer brand new. He then threatened to sue and complaint to CASE. In the end, the shop relented and refunded full.

 

He was bragging to me about how consumer power won... but I was thinking... in this case, is the customer always right? Since the TV is indeed working. What do you think?

 

Customer is not always right...but in this case, your friend is 100% right!

 

I think both the customer and the retailer is not at fault. Its manufacturer fault.

 

As a customer, i pay for something new and I expect it to work perfectly. If i can accept flaws, i might as well pay lesser for a display set, or a refurbish unit. Why buy new??

 

in fact it is causing plenty of inconvinient to the customer. just imagine, the customer have to carry the TV to the shop each time problem arise. the trouble caused its really no joke!

 

on the other hand, i think the shop should contacted the manufacturer on this matter and come out with a solution... If the manufacturer is not willing to solve it, then the retailer should not sell the product of that particular brand anymore...

Edited July 4, 2011 by Tigershark1976

[Acieed]

The problem consumers faced with here is a general acceptance of "goods not returnable after sold". It only works if the stores guarantees everything that leave the store works 100% as promised within a certain warranty period. Of course we know this is not possible, and "goods not returnable after sold" is a guaranteed win for the store but puts the consumer in a pretty shi*tty situation. The store knows it too, because they will tell you "it's like that one, send to service centre for repair".

 

Customer is not always right...but in this case, your friend is 100% right!

 

I think both the customer and the retailer is not at fault. Its manufacturer fault.

 

As a customer, i pay for something new and I expect it to work perfectly. If i can accept flaws, i might as well pay lesser for a display set, or a refurbish unit. Why buy new??

 

in fact it is causing plenty of inconvinient to the customer. just imagine, the customer have to carry the TV to the shop each time problem arise. the trouble caused its really no joke!

 

on the other hand, i think the shop should contacted the manufacturer on this matter and come out with a solution... If the manufacturer is not willing to solve it, then the retailer should not sell the product of that particular brand anymore...

 

[Rncw]

i was told by a lawyer once that those shops that displayed the signs saying "Once damaged, considered sold" cannot be enforced, as those merchandize are placed out in the open for display...also, goods sold not refundable cannot be enforced as well....any lawyers can verify?

[Porker]

In the US, this nonsense about "no returns" is almost unheard of. There, the major shops will accept any product return within a certain timeframe *no questions asked*.

 

Sg is just PATHETIC when it comes to consumer protection. First world my ass.

 

Thats because Singaporeans are a bunch of cheapo f u c k s. That sorta return policy will bust any retail business

[Vid]

Thats because Singaporeans are a bunch of cheapo f u c k s. That sorta return policy will bust any retail business

 

That's true too. I'm not sure about the US but when I was studying in the UK, the brits police hated Chinese/Asian (Jap, Kor, Ah Tiong, SG all look the same to them). Cos many Chinese will always report lost a handphone to get a new one. Many abused the system to get a new phone to either give a friend or sell.

[Acieed]

In the U.S., 90-day money back guarantee is pretty much standard in big stores. Other places may have 30-day money back, no questions asked. Some ang moh will also abuse it, but it also stimulate spending because the majority will spend without too much consideration, since they know they can always return it. What happens is, most people are too lazy to return them so they just keep things they don't need and overspend. I can imagine these overspending may cover at least part of the cost for the cheats. In some cases, the salesperson recommend you buy all different colors and models to try at home. Some people may end up buying all and never return them.

 

The culture in Singapore may be different as there are always people who will travel all the way to JB to save a few dollars.

 

That's true too. I'm not sure about the US but when I was studying in the UK, the brits police hated Chinese/Asian (Jap, Kor, Ah Tiong, SG all look the same to them). Cos many Chinese will always report lost a handphone to get a new one. Many abused the system to get a new phone to either give a friend or sell.

 

[Iwant]

Customers are always right but not always correct....

[Maroon5]

ya ur colleague won the battle but lets see how long this attitude of his can last.

[Rockaphonics]

In the US, this nonsense about "no returns" is almost unheard of. There, the major shops will accept any product return within a certain timeframe *no questions asked*.

 

Sg is just PATHETIC when it comes to consumer protection. First world my ass.

How you know the pple there dont abuse that system? I didnt know the definition of first world country means having shops accepting returns from customers.

LOL.

[Jj5599]

In the US the consumers are more or less honest ones, here if have full refund no question asked policy, alot of bogus returns will take place.

[Watwheels]

Just wanted to get opinions about customers rights.

 

A colleague shared with me an issue he had with buying a tv. He bought it and found out it was faulty. Then he brought it back to the shop and it was replaced with a new one. As luck would have it, each time some problems cropped up, either with image or sound quality and he went back a couple of times more. In the last trip, he had enough and demanded a refund. The shop tested the TV there and found everything working fine and they think it's likely connection problem on his part. Anyway, they refunded 75% to avoid trouble.

 

He refused and demanded 100% back. The shop also refused saying nothing wrong with the TV and now the TV is no longer brand new. He then threatened to sue and complaint to CASE. In the end, the shop relented and refunded full.

 

He was bragging to me about how consumer power won... but I was thinking... in this case, is the customer always right? Since the TV is indeed working. What do you think?

Power. I admire his consistency of running back & forth so many times and yet fail to see what was wrong. So many wasted trip and no TV bought. If I were him I will feel damn stupid. Not only that, failure to listen to what others have to say, in other words stubborn, and failure to give it a try. His skin also quite thick, got the cheek to threaten ppl. I wonder if he really looks like a moron. Waste petrol going back & forth, parking and maybe erp.

 

But that said, one kind of rice feed many types of ppl. It should be no surprise to find such ppl in sgp who think he's somthing else when in actual fact he's an idiot.

Edited July 4, 2011 by Watwheels

[Watwheels]

The whole episode is not about consumer rights but the attitude towards running a business. For such sales environment the whole buying/shopping experience is about the customer being satisfied with what he/she buys. The business would want the customer to feel happy whether he/she manage to buy anything, make the experience pleasant so that customers would come back again. It's difficult to prevent some black sheep from exploiting the business's good will. Surely customers can complain to CASE or whatever but how about the businesses? Who do they complain to about these black sheep?