I bought an S9 in early April from Samsung's website, and they were running a deal for $150 off with trade-in of my phone (the 1G Pixel 5"), along with a 99$ bundle that included the Gear VR, IconX, and wireless charger. That plus 720 for a brand new phone with rave reviews (basically the great S8 + a better camera, processor, etc) sounded like a good deal, and my Pixel's bluetooth issues were nagging as I had more accessories using it than before. Things were going well enough after this, but I had mixed feelings about the phone - the camera quality is incredibly inconsistent, really worse than the Pixel, battery life seemed worse than my 1.5 year old phone, and I wondered about future updates (or lack thereof), but I was happy enough with it.
Just over two weeks after buying it, just outside of my return period, Samsung informed me that my Pixel was not up to their terms for trade-in and they would be charging me $125 of the 150 trade-in value. $25 for my perfectly functional phone that I'm now honestly convinced was better in the first place, all things considered. They sent me two photos which show light paint specks missing, which on a metal phone is par for the course under "normal wear and tear" - which they said it was beyond. Absolutely ridiculous. Try sticking your phone in a bag with anything else and that not happening. The phone was in great shape when I sent it, well packaged, also in its nice fabric case, which I thought was a fun idea at the time. I have been back and forth with them on the BBB after waiting over two weeks for response from their support channel (I doubt they would ever have come up with an answer for me otherwise), and they are standing fast on not honoring their agreement while referring to me annoyingly as "valued Samsung customer" (whatever). I've seen this isn't a unique case and wonder if some sort of class action lawsuit is brewing (sign me up!).
The absolute lack of scruples they've shown in jipping me on this has turned this into a nice lifelong boycott for me, and I just wanted to warn anyone else against sending in their old baby (RIP Pixel :'( ), if not buying their products entirely. I've since sold that S9 and bought a Pixel 2, which is such a better experience across the board (camera, battery, software, speed, not touching the screen because of tiny bezels, security updates, et. al) it's not even funny - despite running older hardware. Good learning experience for me, and I'll know never to expect anything from the brand again. I hope Samsung enjoys the $125 - I have a number of friends/family who take advice from me on phones, and I'll gladly inform them on my Valued Samsung Customer experience.
I've attached their original (blood pressure maximizing) notification that my return was not accepted, and the BBB complaint. Feel free to read my patience loss as it happened.
Complaint Details
I recently bought a new Galaxy S9 + accessories bundle from samsung.com, which included a rebate for trading in my old phone, a Google Pixel, for $150, dependent on stipulations which it easily met. Samsung, just after the return period had passed for the S9, informed me that my phone did not meet their requirements and sent me two pictures that showed nothing that did not meet their requirements - they back my claim to such a degree that I wonder if a strange mistake was made when processing my claim. They informed me that it was "beyond normal wear and tear" when in fact the phone was perfectly functional, and had only light scratches from regular daily use. After contacting customer support multiple times, I have waited two weeks and received nothing by way of notification. I do not expect them to respond at this point, and if they do, why would I expect their findings to be any different? If you cannot be reasonably held to the standard that you set for a trade-in device, how can you have a trade in program? What recourse do I have when they will not even respond to my reasonable inquiry? If I could receive my old phone and trade back this phone that I made the mistake of purchasing from them, I would gladly do it. I would never have sent in that phone if I had known it would be swiped and my trade-in value wrongly denied. I am only asking that Samsung uphold its word. This is terrible business practice, and I cannot understand why Samsung would make a decision which would so obviously infuriate a good customer.
Desired Settlement: Billing Adjustment
I would like the $150 that Samsung promised me for that fully functional phone. It clearly meets the requirements of our trade-in agreement, a phone that has no more than regular wear and tear, is fully functioning, crack free, etc. I am on a financing plan for the S9 that the total was added to, and I would very much like it removed.
SAMSUNG:
Samsung has reviewed Mr. (redacted) complaint in regards to the Trade-in promotion. E-Commerce had advised that per the terms and conditions of the promotion, Mr. (redacted) trade-in device did not meet trade-in requirements. This is E-Commerce’s final decision regarding this matter. Regrettably, no accommodations can be made for this claim. Thank you for being a valued Samsung customer, we apologize for any inconveniences you may have experienced with this case.
ME:
I do not believe my case was even reviewed by Samsung. That cannot be the case when the same, incredibly unjust conclusion was reached. Even the pictures, as attached, that Samsung sent to me signifying "unacceptable" damage are well within the terms of Samsung's return policy. If the device was expected to be in brand new condition, that was not made clear to me. This is an embarrassing response for this company, and to refer to me as a "valued Samsung customer" is an insult given this treatment. I can only imagine how many people this company has done this to, as my phone was in great shape when sent for trade-in. I would greatly appreciate having my phone returned to me, as Samsung has *not* fulfilled the terms of its agreement. The question I ask is, what responsibility does Samsung have to its customers? None? How can I be expected to do business with a company that does not honor its agreement with a good, paying customer?
SAMSUNG:
Upon further review of Mr. (redacted) complaint, E-Commerce had advised that the device did not meet the condition of ‘Normal wear and tear’ due to triage failure reason ‘Has housing damage’ in accordance to the promotion. E-Commerce has also advised that per the triage photos Mr. (redacted) was also provided, the trade-in device has excessive housing damage that goes beyond normal wear and tear. This is E-Commerce’s final decision regarding this matter. Regrettably as previously advised, per the terms and conditions of the promotion a refund is not required and the chargeback remains valid. Thank you for being a valued Samsung customer, we apologize for any inconveniences you may have experienced with this case.
ME:
This is a completely inadequate display of customer service. Samsung has failed to uphold its end of the agreement. "Normal wear and tear" not covering a few paint specks on a painted metal phone is absolutely ridiculous. What, pray tell, Valued Samsung Customer Representative, would be normal wear and tear? Perfection was *not* listed in the terms required for a trade-in phone. You have *stolen* a perfectly functioning phone worth hundreds and given me $25 towards a brand new phone I bought from your garbage company. Look at your "triage" photos (do you speak English?) for yourself and see the lack of damage to it - I don't understand what a normally used phone looks like if that's not it. You are a pathetic representative of an embarrassing company that does not care about its customers. I will sell every piece of Samsung hardware that I own and I will *never* be purchasing another product from your pathetic company. I'm 27 and a tech/Android enthusiast, so that's a fair bit. I will tell every single person who will listen my story, and to not do business with you. I will be posting this to Reddit and every tech blog I can think of. I truly hope that's worth the $125 that you jipped me. If nothing else this experience has shown me what an embarrassingly unscrupulous company yours is. Thanks for nothing, and kindly do not ever refer to me as a "valued customer" again, we are finished.
PS, that Google Pixel is a better phone than the Samsung S9 that you sent me. Study it, I hope you can take lessons from what a good company (also with, unlike you lot, good customer service) like Google can do. What a glitchy mess - the Pixel outperforms it despite having hardware two years older. Perhaps you can learn how to make phones while you're figuring out the customer service bit.
PPS, this smells of a class action lawsuit brewing, and I will happily add my name to it when it does. Your company won't get away with this forever.
Best Regards,
#1 Samsung Valued Customer
Just over two weeks after buying it, just outside of my return period, Samsung informed me that my Pixel was not up to their terms for trade-in and they would be charging me $125 of the 150 trade-in value. $25 for my perfectly functional phone that I'm now honestly convinced was better in the first place, all things considered. They sent me two photos which show light paint specks missing, which on a metal phone is par for the course under "normal wear and tear" - which they said it was beyond. Absolutely ridiculous. Try sticking your phone in a bag with anything else and that not happening. The phone was in great shape when I sent it, well packaged, also in its nice fabric case, which I thought was a fun idea at the time. I have been back and forth with them on the BBB after waiting over two weeks for response from their support channel (I doubt they would ever have come up with an answer for me otherwise), and they are standing fast on not honoring their agreement while referring to me annoyingly as "valued Samsung customer" (whatever). I've seen this isn't a unique case and wonder if some sort of class action lawsuit is brewing (sign me up!).
The absolute lack of scruples they've shown in jipping me on this has turned this into a nice lifelong boycott for me, and I just wanted to warn anyone else against sending in their old baby (RIP Pixel :'( ), if not buying their products entirely. I've since sold that S9 and bought a Pixel 2, which is such a better experience across the board (camera, battery, software, speed, not touching the screen because of tiny bezels, security updates, et. al) it's not even funny - despite running older hardware. Good learning experience for me, and I'll know never to expect anything from the brand again. I hope Samsung enjoys the $125 - I have a number of friends/family who take advice from me on phones, and I'll gladly inform them on my Valued Samsung Customer experience.
I've attached their original (blood pressure maximizing) notification that my return was not accepted, and the BBB complaint. Feel free to read my patience loss as it happened.
Complaint Details
I recently bought a new Galaxy S9 + accessories bundle from samsung.com, which included a rebate for trading in my old phone, a Google Pixel, for $150, dependent on stipulations which it easily met. Samsung, just after the return period had passed for the S9, informed me that my phone did not meet their requirements and sent me two pictures that showed nothing that did not meet their requirements - they back my claim to such a degree that I wonder if a strange mistake was made when processing my claim. They informed me that it was "beyond normal wear and tear" when in fact the phone was perfectly functional, and had only light scratches from regular daily use. After contacting customer support multiple times, I have waited two weeks and received nothing by way of notification. I do not expect them to respond at this point, and if they do, why would I expect their findings to be any different? If you cannot be reasonably held to the standard that you set for a trade-in device, how can you have a trade in program? What recourse do I have when they will not even respond to my reasonable inquiry? If I could receive my old phone and trade back this phone that I made the mistake of purchasing from them, I would gladly do it. I would never have sent in that phone if I had known it would be swiped and my trade-in value wrongly denied. I am only asking that Samsung uphold its word. This is terrible business practice, and I cannot understand why Samsung would make a decision which would so obviously infuriate a good customer.
Desired Settlement: Billing Adjustment
I would like the $150 that Samsung promised me for that fully functional phone. It clearly meets the requirements of our trade-in agreement, a phone that has no more than regular wear and tear, is fully functioning, crack free, etc. I am on a financing plan for the S9 that the total was added to, and I would very much like it removed.
SAMSUNG:
Samsung has reviewed Mr. (redacted) complaint in regards to the Trade-in promotion. E-Commerce had advised that per the terms and conditions of the promotion, Mr. (redacted) trade-in device did not meet trade-in requirements. This is E-Commerce’s final decision regarding this matter. Regrettably, no accommodations can be made for this claim. Thank you for being a valued Samsung customer, we apologize for any inconveniences you may have experienced with this case.
ME:
I do not believe my case was even reviewed by Samsung. That cannot be the case when the same, incredibly unjust conclusion was reached. Even the pictures, as attached, that Samsung sent to me signifying "unacceptable" damage are well within the terms of Samsung's return policy. If the device was expected to be in brand new condition, that was not made clear to me. This is an embarrassing response for this company, and to refer to me as a "valued Samsung customer" is an insult given this treatment. I can only imagine how many people this company has done this to, as my phone was in great shape when sent for trade-in. I would greatly appreciate having my phone returned to me, as Samsung has *not* fulfilled the terms of its agreement. The question I ask is, what responsibility does Samsung have to its customers? None? How can I be expected to do business with a company that does not honor its agreement with a good, paying customer?
SAMSUNG:
Upon further review of Mr. (redacted) complaint, E-Commerce had advised that the device did not meet the condition of ‘Normal wear and tear’ due to triage failure reason ‘Has housing damage’ in accordance to the promotion. E-Commerce has also advised that per the triage photos Mr. (redacted) was also provided, the trade-in device has excessive housing damage that goes beyond normal wear and tear. This is E-Commerce’s final decision regarding this matter. Regrettably as previously advised, per the terms and conditions of the promotion a refund is not required and the chargeback remains valid. Thank you for being a valued Samsung customer, we apologize for any inconveniences you may have experienced with this case.
ME:
This is a completely inadequate display of customer service. Samsung has failed to uphold its end of the agreement. "Normal wear and tear" not covering a few paint specks on a painted metal phone is absolutely ridiculous. What, pray tell, Valued Samsung Customer Representative, would be normal wear and tear? Perfection was *not* listed in the terms required for a trade-in phone. You have *stolen* a perfectly functioning phone worth hundreds and given me $25 towards a brand new phone I bought from your garbage company. Look at your "triage" photos (do you speak English?) for yourself and see the lack of damage to it - I don't understand what a normally used phone looks like if that's not it. You are a pathetic representative of an embarrassing company that does not care about its customers. I will sell every piece of Samsung hardware that I own and I will *never* be purchasing another product from your pathetic company. I'm 27 and a tech/Android enthusiast, so that's a fair bit. I will tell every single person who will listen my story, and to not do business with you. I will be posting this to Reddit and every tech blog I can think of. I truly hope that's worth the $125 that you jipped me. If nothing else this experience has shown me what an embarrassingly unscrupulous company yours is. Thanks for nothing, and kindly do not ever refer to me as a "valued customer" again, we are finished.
PS, that Google Pixel is a better phone than the Samsung S9 that you sent me. Study it, I hope you can take lessons from what a good company (also with, unlike you lot, good customer service) like Google can do. What a glitchy mess - the Pixel outperforms it despite having hardware two years older. Perhaps you can learn how to make phones while you're figuring out the customer service bit.
PPS, this smells of a class action lawsuit brewing, and I will happily add my name to it when it does. Your company won't get away with this forever.
Best Regards,
#1 Samsung Valued Customer
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