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Faulty WiFi Kindle 3 - store being obstinate, making fault hard to replicate

I

iphonepiephone

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 9, 2009
213
0
I just bought a Kindle 3 last night from "PC World" in the UK (physical store), and whaddaYaKnow... the old WiFi won't connect to any of the THREE of my routers, or two open hotspots in my town, 99% of the time. I've gone through diagnostics with the delightful Irish girl @ Amazon CS in Cork, Ireland, but my point is this:

I called the store where I purchased this, explained (in detail) the fault with the 99% non-connection to ANY WiFi (both open AND secure), and their shortform answer is "well bring it in; if it connects to OURS, there IS no fault, ergo we will not refund you". This is total and utter CRAP - this means that, although I have experienced the same issue with:

1/ My local coffee shop (open hotspot)
2/ Another local, open hotspot
3/ My home router No. 1 - 2WIRE
4/ My home router No. 2 - Netgear
5/ My home router No. 3 - Sitecom

... (yep, that's FIVE different Wifi networks, some open, some secure - count 'em dudes) - PC World say that if THEY get a successful connection, the device is fine, and not faulty.

Now, aside from simple logic that PC Word seem unable to comprehend, am I alone in thinking that a Kindle (maybe) connecting to 1 of 6 tried WiFi networks is possibly suffering a malfunction? Would it surely not be amicable for said personnel to try to replicate five different brands of router and wep/wpa/open network, in order to show my fault?

I don't trust these slimy salesmen, and I have severe doubts as to their commitment to the cause of helping their "customers" - I need to prove this item HAS A FAULT (Amazon confirmed it even) but I need a refund tomorrow in cash - as I paid by cash, and I feel like I am going to look a fool although *I* know it has a fault, if they get it to connect.

Advice?

Why do we have to suffer the UK equivalent of "Best Buy"? (I hear they are equally as moronic in the US?)

Thanks dudes and dudettes!
 
iphonepiephone said:
They have this "opened box" policy - you cannot return, unless UNopened. How lame is this!
Click to expand...

Well that's unfortunate. But you don't know for sure if it will connect with the wi-fi at the store you purchased it from? I say go over there, see if it connects, and if it does, would it be possible to find another store where you could return it to? Or do you have to return it to the same store you purchased it from? Because I'd be going to every store trying to replicate the problem...which, with what you have said, doesn't seem like it would be to hard to do.
 
Moyank24 said:
Well that's unfortunate. But you don't know for sure if it will connect with the wi-fi at the store you purchased it from? I say go over there, see if it connects, and if it does, would it be possible to find another store where you could return it to? Or do you have to return it to the same store you purchased it from? Because I'd be going to every store trying to replicate the problem...which, with what you have said, doesn't seem like it would be to hard to do.
Click to expand...

Wow, and that's not inefficient and a massive use of time, in which I could be living my life, eh! :D

Why should I have to do that? I have rights, do I not?
 
Sounds like my iPhone. No matter where I go, I rarely ever have service over 3 bars. Usually 2 or so, and many times on Edge, even in the middle of Atlanta (and several other cities). When I took it to the Apple Store to have them check it out, I suddenly had 5 full bars...for the first time since owning the phone. Of course. And they couldn't do anything for me.
 
PC World is utter crap, I have had the same problem before.

There are meant to be purchase rights such 14 days return or something. Someone with more know how and not so tired will know.
 
PC World is awful.

Just take it back and request a refund under the Sale of Goods Act 1979, as the product you have purchased is not fit for purpose. I guarantee that as soon as you start quoting laws they will give you a refund very quickly.

Then buy another one direct from amazon. If the new one does not connect, you will know there is a problem with your networks, or the connectivity of kindles in general. In that case you are entitled, under the Distance Selling Regulations 2000, to cancel your contract with the seller, which means you are entitled to a full refund less any shipping charges (so long as you contact amazon within seven days of receipt).

Hope that helps.
 
iphonepiephone said:
Wow, and that's not inefficient and a massive use of time, in which I could be living my life, eh! :D

Why should I have to do that? I have rights, do I not?
Click to expand...

yes but in PC world defense they more than likely deal with people all the time trying to scam them with argument such as yours. Now those people often times are not telling the truth.

Assuming you are telling the truth chances are yours will not connect to theirs either since it has not connected to any of the others so far.
 
borisiii said:
Just take it back and request a refund under the Sale of Goods Act 1979, as the product you have purchased is not fit for purpose. I guarantee that as soon as you start quoting laws they will give you a refund very quickly.
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Haha. I'd say just the opposite, assuming you aren't a lawyer. The person in the store is not going to know what you're talking about, will be in no position to defy company sales/refund policies (which the OP agreed to when they bought it in the first place), and will just make you look stupid.

If you wanted to bring a lawyer along, that'd be a different story. But that's probably not economical.

Quoting law when you know nothing about it is not the way to go about things.
 
miles01110 said:
Haha. I'd say just the opposite, assuming you aren't a lawyer. The person in the store is not going to know what you're talking about, will be in no position to defy company sales/refund policies (which the OP agreed to when they bought it in the first place), and will just make you look stupid.

If you wanted to bring a lawyer along, that'd be a different story. But that's probably not economical.

Quoting law when you know nothing about it is not the way to go about things.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing you are from the US, so the first thing I will point out is that consumer law, and the general attitude towards the law in the UK is worlds away from you may be familiar with. While I am not a solicitor (a lawyer, as you would say in the US), I am a law student.

You say the store worker will be in no position to bend the rules, but all shops in the UK are required to comply with the sale of goods act, so they are breaking the rules in failing to comply. Many will try and avoid compliance, relying on the fact that the majority of consumers don't know their rights - for example, the OP was told he could not return his kindle as the box had been opened, which would only be the case if there wasn't a problem with it.

One section of the sale of goods act states that items sold must be fit for purpose, meaning they will work as expected, and be of reasonable quality and durability. The OP's kindle is not fit for purpose as he quite reasonably assumed that he would be able to use one of its key advertised features, connecting to wireless networks to access online content, a feature which essentially renders the kindle useless if it fails to function.

I am not suggesting people start quoting phrases from the law of which they have no understanding, however if you are dealing with a worker who is being uncooperative and denying you your rights as a consumer, pointing out the ways in which the retailer is breaking the law usually helps to get things done.
 
Film it, show how the wifi works on your computer and not on the Kindle, show it to then, threaten them you'll post it on Youtube stating the shop's place and employee's name?
 
All sorted - Amazon swapped it out, and I took the sealed one they sent, back to the store as "unopened" - BAZINGA! ^_^ (verified this was ethical and right, TWICE with Amazon and PC World before I did).
 
Last edited:
Don't panic said:
I am curious, why would amazon get on board?
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Amazon = Kindle, surely that's obvious? They replaced it, but I took the option to return it after all, as is my right. As I already mentioned, I am perfectly entitled to return a SEALED Kindle, and had that verified twice, by Amazon themselves...

Why am I even explaining again? :confused:

Where's that wall, I need to headbutt it.
 
iphonepiephone said:
Amazon = Kindle, surely that's obvious? They replaced it, but I took the option to return it after all, as is my right. As I already mentioned, I am perfectly entitled to return a SEALED Kindle, and had that verified twice, by Amazon themselves...

Why am I even explaining again? :confused:

Where's that wall, I need to headbutt it.
Click to expand...

:D:D point taken
for whatever reason i was thinking Nook.
please don't damage the wall :D
 
iphonepiephone said:
All sorted - Amazon swapped it out, and I took the sealed one they sent, back to the store as "unopened" - BAZINGA! ^_^ (verified this was ethical and right, TWICE with Amazon and PC World before I did).
Click to expand...

That's good to hear. At least it's sorted for you. After the way PC World treated you they deserve to have to deal with your opened kindle, not a sealed one they can sell on, trouble-free, to someone else.

Oh well, given its latest financials, it seems DSGi group (PC World, Currys, Dixons) is not long for this world. No great loss IMO, as the brand's USP seems to be taking its customers for retards and treating them like crap.
 
borisiii said:
That's good to hear. At least it's sorted for you. After the way PC World treated you they deserve to have to deal with your opened kindle, not a sealed one they can sell on, trouble-free, to someone else.

Oh well, given its latest financials, it seems DSGi group (PC World, Currys, Dixons) is not long for this world. No great loss IMO, as the brand's USP seems to be taking its customers for retards and treating them like crap.
Click to expand...

I care not for the future of such an ethically challenged corporation. You reap what you sow, and they sow bad vibes.
 
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