Trading Trouble

[feo]

Hehe... feo... When you know that at some point that drive might die, and you desperately want to use your computer without having to wait until the end of the month to buy another drive or to find a seller for that drive, you do what you can in the hopes of speeding up the process. At least that's what I felt... I needed a drive... Badly... Now I'm without R500, a Seagate (for which, btw, the new - and working - firmware has been released today) and my computer.

I was desperate, feo.

I hear ya, but a more sensible solution would've been to download something like Acronis and backup all the essentials while you waited for a straight buy. I'm not sure what else to tell you here, just wait until Monday, I'm sure things will work out.

 

[SanchoP]

Regarding service with [insert well known reseller here] compared to PP, the main difference is that PP is, first and foremost, a human. Take2, granted, will send a courier to pick up defective items, but they are very expensive, so you are paying for this extra service. In my experience I've always had to personally return items when dealing with most other resellers.

If you expected PP to drop everything and come running as soon as you noticed the problem, you need to put yourself in his shoes. He still did (and is) going out of his way to help you. He has no obligation other than to follow the correct procedure and return the drive to his suppliers and see what happens. If you had used whichever reseller, considering the circumstances of a physically damaged drive, it is unlikely that they would have been able to do any more than PP already has.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I hear ya, but a more sensible solution would've been to download something like Acronis and backup all the essentials while you waited for a straight buy. I'm not sure what else to tell you here, just wait until Monday, I'm sure things will work out.

Thanks, feo. I hope so too

Regarding service with [insert well known reseller here] compared to PP, the main difference is that PP is, first and foremost, a human. Take2, granted, will send a courier to pick up defective items, but they are very expensive, so you are paying for this extra service.

It was free With both of them.

If you expected PP to drop everything and come running as soon as you noticed the problem, you need to put yourself in his shoes.

I know of at least one other seller who would've done so. Forgive me if I have high expectations.

He still did (and is) going out of his way to help you. He has no obligation other than to follow the correct procedure and return the drive to his suppliers and see what happens. If you had used whichever reseller, considering the circumstances of a physically damaged drive, it is unlikely that they would have been able to do any more than PP already has.

They wouldn't have said, "Maybe tomorrow, but definitely Monday or Tuesday" to me, nor mentioned petrol being a determining factor, they would also have sent their couriers to collect the drive the same day I reported the fault.

Again - forgive me for having high expectations. As said before - it won't happen again.

 

[SanchoP]

It was free With both of them.

Sorry, I meant Take2 are very expensive, i.e. their products are more expensive than other places.

No, they would not have 'maybe tomorrow' but rather 'as quickly as possible' as they are a company with set guidelines. They of course wouldn't have spoken of petrol costs, but neither would they have accepted the initial trade that you made with PP; you have to realise that one is an individual working to help people out with good prices and to make some money, while the other is a company with set codes of practise - you cannot expect the same experience; they both have shortfallings.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Sorry, I meant Take2 are very expensive, i.e. their products are more expensive than other places.

Well, regarding the drive's price, I think there was perhaps a R20 difference? Had the drive's purchase gone well and my experience been a bit more pleasant I wanted to get a CPU from PP as well - a price difference of at most - R50. Not exactly earth-shattering...

No, they would not have 'maybe tomorrow' but rather 'as quickly as possible' as they are a company with set guidelines. They of course wouldn't have spoken of petrol costs, but neither would they have accepted the initial trade that you made with PP; you have to realise that one is an individual working to help people out with good prices and to make some money, while the other is a company with set codes of practise - you cannot expect the same experience; they both have shortfallings.

Yes, I understand. But it was also my understanding that PostmanPot was "the same" - i.e. their competition, just "smaller." I had expected him to be on par with them but "try harder" - be better - since he has something to prove. My experience has just left me feeling that this wasn't the case...

Anyway, as I said - high expectations and I was proven wrong. Again, it was a mistake I made which won't happen again... What's that saying? It's pointless crying over spilt milk?

 

[sn3rd]

If smaller etailers can't compete, service wise, what else do they have to offer?

It's ironic, because most smaller businesses use their 'personal touch' as a selling point.

However, this thread is quickly getting derailed.

Lycanthrope said a mouthful when he quoted 'don't cry over spilt milk'.

The sensible thing to do now is wait till Monday morning and see what happens, and the pic of the drive

 

[SanchoP]

Seconded. Good luck to all parties.

 

[Zenbaas]

If smaller etailers can't compete, service wise, what else do they have to offer?

It's ironic, because most smaller businesses use their 'personal touch' as a selling point.

However, this thread is quickly getting derailed.

Lycanthrope said a mouthful when he quoted 'don't cry over spilt milk'.

The sensible thing to do now is wait till Monday morning and see what happens, and the pic of the drive

+1.

 

[LFX]

I was particularly anal when sliding it in

 

[Lycanthrope]

...

/me throws a peanut @ Lord Fubar

 

[Lycanthrope]

Saw the following and felt a dire need to laugh and paste

International image, by the way, so... sorry if you're capped

 

[feo]

Saw the following and felt a dire need to laugh and paste

International image, by the way, so... sorry if you're capped

LOL!

How appropriate..

 

[Lycanthrope]

LOL!

How appropriate..

You know what they say, "If you can't laugh at yourself, what can you do?"

 

[Zenbaas]

You know what they say, "If you can't laugh at yourself, what can you do?"

Make fun of others...?

 

[PostmanPot]

Good morning

I am sure you are all awaiting eagerly for an update on the drive as well as a picture of the damage.

The supplier actually emailed me this morning with a picture of the drive. This email, and my thoughts, has been forwarded to Lycanthrope.

I can confirm that this picture is an exact representation of the state of the drive after it was brought to me by one of the technicians on Friday.

To those who think I have just grabbed a random image off Google Images, I will still be going to the supplier in a short while to take a picture myself with a timestamp.

Your thoughts?

My thoughts, as communicated to Lycanthrope:

1. Do you think that the damage shown in the picture is easily noticeable?

2. Was the drive only handled from the top (sticker side showing) so that you could not see the damage?

3. Was the drive damaged like this prior to your giving it to me, or did you not see?

4. If WD damaged it themselves, the damage would have been there from the day I delivered it, and the damage would only not have been noticeable if handling the HDD from the top.

5. If the supplier damaged it prior to my buying it then the damage would have been there from the day I delivered it, and the damage would only not have been noticeable if handling the HDD from the top.

6. It is possible that the drive was damaged by the supplier after my bringing it in, although unlikely because they did not know whether I had examined the drive or not prior to giving it to them; my gut tells me that they are an ethical company, I've never heard of any horror stories such as the supplier damaging parts to deem them non-refundable/swappable, but I am open to the possibility.

I look forward to hearing your responses.

 

[killadoob]

Actually your wrong with one thing, the damage if it was from your supplier could have caused the drive to stop working only once it had been installed and working. You cannot say for sure the drive would have been dead. That is also a tiny piece of metal missing, very easily missed if you ask me. Your assuming lycan looked at the bottom before installing it.

Problem is postman it could have been the supplier, someone who works there drops it and does not want to get into trouble or pay for it just packs it in and then someone like you gets it sells and does not check it for damage meaning the guy at your supplier who dropped it got off.

Also i find it hard to believe lycan would go through all this trouble if he did indeed dropped the drive, does not seem like the kind of person who would try ruin your name over his mistake and maybe someone here who knows him well could back that comment up.

 

[sn3rd]

Actually your wrong with one thing, the damage if it was from your supplier could have caused the drive to stop working only once it had been installed and working. You cannot say for sure the drive would have been dead. That is also a tiny piece of metal missing, very easily missed if you ask me. Your assuming lycan looked at the bottom before installing it.

Problem is postman it could have been the supplier, someone who works there drops it and does not want to get into trouble or pay for it just packs it in and then someone like you gets it sells and does not check it for damage meaning the guy at your supplier who dropped it got off.

Also i find it hard to believe lycan would go through all this trouble if he did indeed dropped the drive, does not seem like the kind of person who would try ruin your name over his mistake and maybe someone here who knows him well could back that comment up.

I can vouch for him... But who will vouch for me?

 

[PostmanPot]

Actually your wrong with one thing, the damage if it was from your supplier could have caused the drive to stop working only once it had been installed and working. You cannot say for sure the drive would have been dead. That is also a tiny piece of metal missing, very easily missed if you ask me. Your assuming lycan looked at the bottom before installing it.

I realise that it could have been damaged by the supplier, but not enough to make it only pack-up after installation. I have suggested this twice in this thread. I'm not assuming he looked at the bottom, I'm saying that my thoughts/my opinion suggest that he would only have missed the ding if handling it from the top, which is very possible.

Problem is postman it could have been the supplier, someone who works there drops it and does not want to get into trouble or pay for it just packs it in and then someone like you gets it sells and does not check it for damage meaning the guy at your supplier who dropped it got off.

Agreed, that is very possible and will be taken up with the supplier.

Also i find it hard to believe lycan would go through all this trouble if he did indeed dropped the drive, does not seem like the kind of person who would try ruin your name over his mistake and maybe someone here who knows him well could back that comment up.

I too find it extremely hard to believe, I know he is a PC enthusiast who would take care of his parts. I don't think any vouching is necessary.

 

[Sackboy]

Glad to be one of those who has never had one bit of bad service from Frontosa. They are my favourite supplier.

Stuff ups are bound to happen though, as humans we must understand this.

Rectron is more "classy/advanced" I must say, but I don't think their recent 5 - 10% higher prices justify it.

As PP said in another thread, these things happen.

What I say is; it's how you deal with them that counts.

I must say, to get an e-mail before 9am on Monday from a supplier is quite good.

 

[sn3rd]

Good morning

I am sure you are all awaiting eagerly for an update on the drive as well as a picture of the damage.

The supplier actually emailed me this morning with a picture of the drive. This email, and my thoughts, has been forwarded to Lycanthrope.

I can confirm that this picture is an exact representation of the state of the drive after it was brought to me by one of the technicians on Friday.

To those who think I have just grabbed a random image off Google Images, I will still be going to the supplier in a short while to take a picture myself with a timestamp.

Your thoughts?

I'm not sure if it's just because the pic is really big, but that seems easily noticeable. Especially since, while installing the drive, you're likely to look at the SIDE. It's not something that is only visible from the top. You would also be able to see that from the bottom.

Do you think this could be it:
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showpost.php?p=2484644&postcount=34

If it helps, there was a little piece of black something or other in the anti-static packaging??? Piece of the drive, perhaps? Dust? Wtf.

?

My thoughts, as communicated to Lycanthrope:

1. Do you think that the damage shown in the picture is easily noticeable?

Yes

2. Was the drive only handled from the top (sticker side showing) so that you could not see the damage?

3. Was the drive damaged like this prior to your giving it to me, or did you not see?

4. If WD damaged it themselves, the damage would have been there from the day I delivered it, and the damage would only not have been noticeable if handling the HDD from the top.

5. If the supplier damaged it prior to my buying it then the damage would have been there from the day I delivered it, and the damage would only not have been noticeable if handling the HDD from the top.

6. It is possible that the drive was damaged by the supplier after my bringing it in, although unlikely because they did not know whether I had examined the drive or not prior to giving it to them; my gut tells me that they are an ethical company, I've never heard of any horror stories such as the supplier damaging parts to deem them non-refundable/swappable, but I am open to the possibility.

I look forward to hearing your responses.

I have to disagree with this. From the pic, it seems that the damage is on the far-side. i.e. when inserting the drive (into most cases), even when looking at the drive side-on, the damage would have been on the other side.

What have your suppliers communicated to you?