While I certainly understand the frustration when a dealer "won't make a
defective product right," there's somthing that has NOT been mentioned, and
should have been.
The law. As Will Rogers said, "When Congress makes a joke, it's a law." So
true. The "Magnuson Moss Consumer Protection Act" is one such joke on the
public. It says that if the box has even been opened the contents are used.
The radio, camera, microwave oven, or whatever the defective product may be
cannot be legally sold as new in the United States, or its territories and
possessions.
Before Magnuson Moss most manufacturers would cheerfully replace any product
that suffered "infant death," or was DOA. Then they would repair and
repackage the product, and sell it either as "refurbished," "factory
serviced," and sometimes as "new." According to several studies, the repaired
products were at least as trouble free as product that did not fail in
warranty. And frankly I would just as soon have a product that has been
touched by knowledgeable human hands as one that's only been touched by robot
assemblers.
But then Congress made that joke. And a lot of states picked up the ball and
ran with it - making it totally illegal to resell any product that has been
returned for any reason.
So now you buy a new product and it dies. If the manufacturer/importer will
replace the product to its dealer there's usually no problem at all in
getting a replacement. Especially if the importer will reimburse all parties
for freight as he should.
If they won't replace the product and eat the loss, the dealer must either
refuse to replace the product or take the loss. With small business profits
hovering in the 3 - 5 percent range the cost of a 100 buck radio equals the
profits on at least $2,000 bucks worth of sales. And most businesses simply
cannot take that kind of loss and survive.
So no, I don't blame the dealer when they offer to ship a radio back for you.
I blame the importer, who SHOULD back his product, and the maker, who SHOULD
make the importer whole when he must replace a product and take the loss on a
repaired product. The manufacturer made it, he's responsible for it when it
does not work. Period.
And, speaking strictly personally, I have had quite a few dealings with AES.
I paid a fair price, got what I paid for, got better service than I could
have, and the next time I need something they have I won't hesitate to dial
their number.
73 Pete Allen AC5E
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