Unbelievable: RIM refuses to support a deffective phone!

[JMF1234]

My story is quite baffling. It does give you some insights to the poor judgement of some companies theses days.
I purchased an unlocked phone from Tigerdirect.com, the 7100i phone worked for several months before the microphone died. RIM is refusing to help me despite the fact that I am still under warranty! They blamed ATT (who did not even sell me the phone!). When that did not work, they blamed Tiger (who has nothing to do with deffective phones, unless it is DOA). When that did not work, a supervisor was assigned to my case. She claimed TIGER is not their customer and they do not support people who purchase phones through them. Can you imagine how low this is? Theses guys are selling thousands of phones through Tiger and they claim to not support deffective units!?

Go to Tigerdirect.com, search for RIM. You will find 3 RIM phones and you will also find a tech support phone number... from RIM!

Theses guys are a disgrace! RIM's management should be ashamed of such poor servicing to their customers. I only wanted to have a working phone, nothing else! They abused my trust in them and I have wasted all my time trying to... have a simple phone I have re-routed my entire sales team smart phone budget to the Palm Treo 680.

[juwaack68]

** Moving to Rants & Raves **

[ezrunner]

Tiger Direct is who needs to fix your phone.

You purchased from a 3rd party, RIM has service contracts with its vendors directly ie; ATT,VZW,TMO etc.

You Purchased from Tiger Direct who does not have this service. ATT has no obligation as you purchased the device from Tiger Direct who owned the device not ATT. ATT is responsible for the service, tiger direct is responsile for the Device. I have heard of this problem with Tiger Direct and other 3rd party vendors.

I assume you tried using the warranty process with ATT?

I have heard TD uses class B devices, items that didn't pass QA

[ezrunner]

Also you can get the microphone from Cellular Accessories - Mobiado, BlackBerry, Sony, LG, SonyEricsson, Dopod/O2, HTC, NEC, BenQ-Siemens, N for a very low price takes only a few minutes to replace

[rsnadel]

Originally Posted by JMF1234

My story is quite baffling. It does give you some insights to the poor judgement of some companies theses days.
I purchased an unlocked phone from Tigerdirect.com, the 7100i phone worked for several months before the microphone died. RIM is refusing to help me despite the fact that I am still under warranty! They blamed ATT (who did not even sell me the phone!). When that did not work, they blamed Tiger (who has nothing to do with deffective phones, unless it is DOA). When that did not work, a supervisor was assigned to my case. She claimed TIGER is not their customer and they do not support people who purchase phones through them. Can you imagine how low this is? Theses guys are selling thousands of phones through Tiger and they claim to not support deffective units!?

Go to Tigerdirect.com, search for RIM. You will find 3 RIM phones and you will also find a tech support phone number... from RIM!

Theses guys are a disgrace! RIM's management should be ashamed of such poor servicing to their customers. I only wanted to have a working phone, nothing else! They abused my trust in them and I have wasted all my time trying to... have a simple phone I have re-routed my entire sales team smart phone budget to the Palm Treo 680.

My (unsolicited) advice: re-direct your anger. Frankly, it seems to me you should direct it to a mirror. Is Tiger Direct an authorized RIM re-seller? Just because they're selling used phones and posting RIM's number doesn't make them an authorized reseller..particularly when a phone's been monkeyed with (i.e. "unlocked"). YOU are not RIM's customer; you are Tiger's customer. Besides all that, many companies will only honor the warranty for the original purchaser...do you even know that the phone was purchased initially from an authorized reseller with a warranty included? If you bought a used car off an independent's lot, and something went wrong, would you expect the manufacturer to fix it?

[lhuff]

Wow, how did you decide RIM was the right place to aim your anger. You must have never dealt with TigerDirect before. They should fix/replace your phone, but my experience with them makes me believe they won't. I'm not sure how ATT came into the picture since a 7100i won't work on ATT. RIM is not a party to all of this. You made your first mistake by buying a phone without researching the company with whom you dealt and your second mistake by blaming the wrong people. I have dealt with TD (once) and I have dealt with RIM service and I've got to tell you that one of these companies is very reputable and helpful. You messed up!!

[numetheus]

Originally Posted by JMF1234

My story is quite baffling. It does give you some insights to the poor judgement of some companies theses days.
I purchased an unlocked phone from Tigerdirect.com, the 7100i phone worked for several months before the microphone died. RIM is refusing to help me despite the fact that I am still under warranty! They blamed ATT (who did not even sell me the phone!). When that did not work, they blamed Tiger (who has nothing to do with deffective phones, unless it is DOA). When that did not work, a supervisor was assigned to my case. She claimed TIGER is not their customer and they do not support people who purchase phones through them. Can you imagine how low this is? Theses guys are selling thousands of phones through Tiger and they claim to not support deffective units!?

Go to Tigerdirect.com, search for RIM. You will find 3 RIM phones and you will also find a tech support phone number... from RIM!

Theses guys are a disgrace! RIM's management should be ashamed of such poor servicing to their customers. I only wanted to have a working phone, nothing else! They abused my trust in them and I have wasted all my time trying to... have a simple phone I have re-routed my entire sales team smart phone budget to the Palm Treo 680.

Why should RIM or AT&T have anything to do with the phone? You bought the phone without warranty from another company, and expect RIM to just "foot the bill" from a piece of hardware from anywhere? Why would AT&T have anything to do with it? That is like me owning a computer store, and just having any joe schmoe bring me any piece of hardware and telling me I have to deal with it just because.

Your issue is either with A) Tiger Direct, and if that doesnt work, B) Yourself because you get what you pay for dealing with cheap companies.

[lcater]

In theory you are asking RIM to support the grey market which was where your phone came from. That would pi$$ off all the other vendors they have built relationships with and pushed them to where they are today. Why would they do that? Buyer beware. You probably got a really good deal on your phone at the time. But you are paying later.

[greeneggsandham]

You guys and your evangical support for RIM. OP, read your warranty. Here's link for pdf if you're in the US:

http://www.blackberry.com/legal/pdfs..._English.pd f

I just did a quick skim, as I'm short on time, but my read of RIM or Authorized Solution Provider would indicate that RIM needs to honor the warranty, but then I'm not an attorney. Family members are, however,and I've found it very fruitful in the past to have them send off a polite letter. When they see my last name on the letterhead boiler, the problem is usually quickly resolved with the other parties profuse apologies.

OP- First thing you need to do is read that document in it's entirety. Then decide how to proceed accordingly. Not worth hiring an attorney for something this small, but if, like me, you happen to have free access...

Now, before some of you start flaming me, attorneys, etc., be advised that I only use this tactic when I am sure I am in the right and I've already exhausted conventional channels, i.e. I don't abuse it.

Good luck!

[rsnadel]

Actually, the first sentence of your linked document clearly states that the warranty is only valid for the original purchaser of a NEW device, provided it is purchased from RIM or its authorized dealers. It also states the warranty is not transferable. So I would say there is zero protection for the OP.

[greeneggsandham]

Originally Posted by rsnadel

Actually, the first sentence of your linked document clearly states that the warranty is only valid for the original purchaser of a NEW device, provided it is purchased from RIM or its authorized dealers. It also states the warranty is not transferable. So I would say there is zero protection for the OP.

1) Must be missing something but where did the OP ever say they'd purchased a used device?

2) Must need glasses because my read of the 1st sentence does NOT say any such thing.

[lcater]

On a supply chain viewpoint, RIM only provides devices to their authorized channels. If a unit ends up in the hands unlocked in an non-authorized channel, then someone sold from an authorized channel to a non-authorized channel, and that would constitue the first sale transaction. RIM does not know that it was to another 'reseller' down the line. So the warranty clock started to tick when the first transaction occured from the authorized channel to the next channel (TigerDirect assume). When TD sold it to OP, they have thus ended the warranty as this is the point of transference not applicable. And I'm not sticking for RIM, it's just thats the way most reseller agreements work.

[greeneggsandham]

Originally Posted by lcater

On a supply chain viewpoint, RIM only provides devices to their authorized channels. If a unit ends up in the hands unlocked in an non-authorized channel, then someone sold from an authorized channel to a non-authorized channel, and that would constitue the first sale transaction. RIM does not know that it was to another 'reseller' down the line. So the warranty clock started to tick when the first transaction occured from the authorized channel to the next channel (TigerDirect assume). When TD sold it to OP, they have thus ended the warranty as this is the point of transference not applicable. And I'm not sticking for RIM, it's just thats the way most reseller agreements work.

I've a reseller license and some supply chain experience as well. Be that as it may, perhaps I am in error but how does this affect interpretation of "... first purchased by YOU as an original end-user...." (emphasis added)??

MY advice to OP stands - First thing to do is read the warranty that applies to your country in it's entirety. Twice. Then proceed accordingly.

[CanuckBB]

Originally Posted by greeneggsandham

1) Must be missing something but where did the OP ever say they'd purchased a used device?

An AT&T branded device NOT from AT&T would be my first clue.

TD sells a lot of refurb equipment.

2) Must need glasses because my read of the 1st sentence does NOT say any such thing.

Out of the 3 items in TD's web site, all 3 state a 3 month warranty and 2 of them state that the warranty if privided by TD. I would not be surprised if the other is a typo.

[greeneggsandham]

Originally Posted by CanuckBB

An AT&T branded device NOT from AT&T would be my first clue.

TD sells a lot of refurb equipment.

Okay, but where did OP post that it was ATT branded device? He mentioned ATT was carrier but not that the device was branded ATT.

Originally Posted by CanuckBB

Out of the 3 items in TD's web site, all 3 state a 3 month warranty and 2 of them state that the warranty if privided by TD. I would not be surprised if the other is a typo.

I don't buy TigerDIrect, as they have piss poor reputation and I buy most of what they have to offer wholesale anyhow. To be clear, I never claimed that OP is correct and RIM is in error. I only provided link to RIM's warranty because as manufacturer of the device, that is the one that supersedes all others, advised to OP to read it in it's entirety, and then proceed accordingly. Obviously if the unit is refurbished, used, etc, then it is out of warranty.

[ezrunner]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

If they offer a 90 day warranty (TD) then I would wager to say it is refurbished equipment as that is standard in wireless industry for refurb warranty equipment!

[rsnadel]

Originally Posted by greeneggsandham

1) Must be missing something but where did the OP ever say they'd purchased a used device?

2) Must need glasses because my read of the 1st sentence does NOT say any such thing.

1. You are correct. I misread his original post. Nowhere does he say whether the phone is new or used.

2. "The BlackBerry Handheld, the BlackBerry Cradle, and any other RIM hardware accessories, excluding external batteries and SIM cards, which are
provided to YOU concurrently and in conjunction with the BlackBerry Handheld specifically for use with YOUR particular model of BlackBerry Handheld (which together comprise the BlackBerry Hardware), will be free from defects in workmanship and materials for a period that is the shorter of (i) one (1) year from the date that the new BlackBerry Handheld was first purchased by YOU as an original end-user (“YOU”) and (ii) the period ending upon YOUR breach of the BlackBerry End-User/Software License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) entered into between YOU and Research In Motion
Limited and/OR its affiliated group of companies’ (“RIM”) in connection with the BlackBerry Solution (the “Warranty Period”). This Limited Warranty is
not transferable."

Looks to me that the warranty is non-transferable, and only valid for the person making the original purchase from an authorized dealer.

[lolaisodd]

To sum it up ... just buy from authorized channels anyway to prevent future sticky situations like this! I'll agree that the little amount of money you save in getting a cheaper BlackBerry does not/might not go a long way once something happens to your smartphone. I think most people fail to consider the bigger picture of "what happens if something goes wrong with smartphone? Will it be easy for me to get support/get it replaced?" A smart consumer will do his/her part in researching what works best for him now and future.

[Dawg]

Originally Posted by ezrunner

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

If they offer a 90 day warranty (TD) then I would wager to say it is refurbished equipment as that is standard in wireless industry for refurb warranty equipment!

agreed