PSA Do not buy devices from Google Play

[ricktat]

All I purchased was a case from Google play. Now I am up 50 days and I have yet to get my refund. I returned the case after getting 3 defective Nexus 7's from 3rd party retailers.

The nice thing is that they don't even care. They waited 35 days just to apply my refund to my google account and now its been 15 days that they are blaming my bank.

Go 3rd party retailer.:-[

 

[MJKearney]

Sorry to hear about your experience. It sounds frustrating and annoying.

On the other hand, I've had nothing but a good experience when ordering hardware from Google Play, so I think your definitive advice is a bit too... definitive. Perhaps it should be "I will not buy devices from Google Play".

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[anon(924308)]

they just don't train their reps well--either that, or their system is inefficient. When they didn't properly refund me, I had to speak to three utterly clueless representatives who all did the same thing--"took it up to their supervisor". There was no way to check on the status of my issue, and they didn't seem to know the content of previous conversations. One guy even said "well, that's the only thing I can do. you'll just have to keep calling back until someone can resolve it"--he couldn't even check if a 'supervisor' even looked at the previous tickets. They resolved it, but it took me sending a ranty email to get anything done.

Even their tech support know squat--all the advice they can offer is "delete app data", "reset device", or "contact ASUS for a replacement device". But I guess Google's logic is, better a thousand reps for instant responses, than have customers wait an hour for a knowledgeable rep.

 

[Ravynmagi]

I just sent my Nexus 7 back for a refund (figured 3 bad RMAs was enough). They told me it would take 14 days to get a refund after they received it. Pretty much everything I've read from customers though makes me think it's going to take a lot longer than that.

Any chance anyone ever have a positive refund experience they can share to help me feel better?

 

[weiss1173]

These kind of issues are exactly why I buy stuff with my Amex card. 90 day theft, breakage, satisfaction warranty. They have helped me in the past, but I have encountered similar situations with reps from too many vendors to even remember. Sad when a helpful one sticks out in your mind.

 

[ricktat]

Well for mine the 10 days after they receive it turned to 35. All with no explantion. The up to 5 days to hit my bank is now at 15. My last call now said up to 14 days is their new line. I hate that they have no idea. Keep telling me they are sending this to some other department. And to call back if I don't see it.

 

[anon(924308)]

Keep telling me they are sending this to some other department. And to call back if I don't see it.

It's kind of mind-boggling that they can't track the status of a ticket. Instead, you call back and repeat the same exact process as when you started your complaint. And magically hope something will happen, as your next rep says "I'll create a ticket for a specialist, even though the last two people you spoke with did exactly that".

 

[ricktat]

It's kind of mind-boggling that they can't track the status of a ticket. Instead, you call back and repeat the same exact process as when you started your complaint. And magically hope something will happen, as your next rep says "I'll create a ticket for a specialist, even though the last two people you spoke with did exactly that".

Exactly. I have lots of tickets just no refund. Not once has anyone even thought to say... heres a $10 play credit since we can't get this figured out. I am way beyond worried about the cash.

 

[Cory Streater]

These kind of issues are exactly why I buy stuff with my Amex card. 90 day theft, breakage, satisfaction warranty.

Same here. Love American Express.

 

[Unicorn Rancher]

Other than the people who pre-ordered a Nexus 7 with the belief they would receive it on launch date, it seems silly to buy hardware from the Google Play store. If I buy directly from Google, I pay full list price + tax + shipping. If I buy locally, I pay no shipping and the store might be running promotions.

 

[dk21]

They received my return on 8/8. After 30 days I reported them to my credit card company. Chase refunded me immediately and are dealing with Google. They said that I will receive a letter explaining the final resolution. I still haven't gotten any word, so that probably means that they're blowing a major bank off. I'm not surprised.

What really pisses me off is that they're likely earning interest on my money. They obviously don't care so Google should either get out of the device sales business or find another company to contract Play Store operations out to.

The entire experience is completely unacceptable.

 

[anon(924308)]

Other than the people who pre-ordered a Nexus 7 with the belief they would receive it on launch date, it seems silly to buy hardware from the Google Play store. If I buy directly from Google, I pay full list price + tax + shipping. If I buy locally, I pay no shipping and the store might be running promotions.

Very true, but at the time none of the stores in my area carried N7's in stock. I just had the dumb luck to call a store one day literally just as they were unpacking a shipment of 3 N7's lol

 

[Ravynmagi]

Other than the people who pre-ordered a Nexus 7 with the belief they would receive it on launch date, it seems silly to buy hardware from the Google Play store. If I buy directly from Google, I pay full list price + tax + shipping. If I buy locally, I pay no shipping and the store might be running promotions.

My Nexus 7 was a pre-order from Google Play. While it's unfortunate I had to do 3 RMAs and could never get a satisfactory tablet from them. I do have to say Google's RMA process was extraordinary. They did cross shipping, paid for returns, shipped replacements 2-day air. And even though I bought my Nexus 7 two months ago, Google agreed to give me a refund because they couldn't get me a tablet that didn't have screen lift.

Being able to do RMAs through Google sounds like it's much quicker than having to use ASUS. So that may be one reason to consider Google Play.

 

[anon(924308)]

Being able to do RMAs through Google sounds like it's much quicker than having to use ASUS. So that may be one reason to consider Google Play.

Seems they're less stingy about sending replacement devices lol. If yours can't be fixed, they send you a new device before you send your old one back, right? With ASUS, they hold your device for weeks until they determine whether or not it's fixable. So if your device is clearly busted, you're still SOL for a month.

 

[Ravynmagi]

Seems they're less stingy about sending replacement devices lol. If yours can't be fixed, they send you a new device before you send your old one back, right? With ASUS, they hold your device for weeks until they determine whether or not it's fixable. So if your device is clearly busted, you're still SOL for a month.

Yeah, I get to keep the tablet I'm RMAing. They send out the replacement, and then I send the defective one back. So I'm never without a tablet (as long as the defect is something you can still use the tablet with).

 

[anon(924308)]

Yeah, I get to keep the tablet I'm RMAing. They send out the replacement, and then I send the defective one back. So I'm never without a tablet (as long as the defect is something you can still use the tablet with).

Dangit. Should have just kept the one I bought in the Play store, had I known it was going to have major issues. When a factory reset and hard reset didn't fix the issues, ASUS basically said "meeeehhhhhhhhhh even if it's dead, you're waiting a month." They're going to send it to a crappy repair service in Milpitas, which recently "repaired" my laptop and returned it with a bunch of dead pixel and a laggy touchpad.

If and when a Nexus 10 comes out (hopefully!) I'm paying the extra shipping charges and waiting that extra week for it to arrive--so much better than dealing with ASUS directly, even if their CS is a little incompetent.

 

[crackberrytraitor]

I got a taste of how terrible Google Play is at selling hardware during the pre-order fiasco. Look, we all love Google, but the lesson here is to buy your devices from a retailer in future. Maybe they'll learn something if people stop buying from them.

Sent from my One X using Android Central Forums

 

[Ry]

The customer experience is something Google really needs to work on if they want to be a serious player in with consumer goods.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

 

[6tr6tr]

That sucks but I've actually had a great experience with buying a device on Google Play. Customer service was great as well (called about a screen issue and they were very helpful).

 

[ricktat]

Exchanges seem to be great. Until you hit too many RMA's.. Refund is a toally different story