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Rant Novatech Suck

Discussion in 'General' started by GaryP, 28 Nov 2018.

  1. GaryP

    GaryP RIP Tel

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    I bought a monitor off them on Friday arrived today, stuck pixel right in the middle of the screen and an area to the right about the size of a 5p piece that will not go fully black. Basically they are saying they won't replace it beacsue its only 1 pixel and that I need to take a photo to prove it.

    Where in the Consumer regs does it say I have to take a picture before I return it ? I have since tried to take a picture but I can't get it to show on camera.

    She is now implying in chat that I have damaged it.

    I have 7 year old Benq screens here dual set up and they are great. I bought this newer one to go triple and its the worst of the the three. I literally switched it on for 5 mins and saw the problems. I haven't even pulled a single mm of plastic off and havent used the stands cables or anything. Chat 'expert' says I can't even use DSR because its now 'used'. It's no more 'used' than trying on a pair of shoes.

    Anyone on here an expert on these matters ?
     
  2. GeorgeStorm

    GeorgeStorm Aggressive PC Builder

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    I think most companies/monitors have a dead pixel statement where it says the min. number of dead pixels required to count as defective etc.
     
  3. The_Crapman

    The_Crapman World's worst stuntman. Lover of bit-tech

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    DSR doesn't even exist anymore. Check this which? article, might be something useful for you there.
     
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  4. GaryP

    GaryP RIP Tel

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    Yeah I have read that. I didn't mean DSR but that's what I meant.
     
  5. GaryP

    GaryP RIP Tel

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    If it isn't prominent when its sold I am not accepting it. Started a paypal dispute too. A lime green pixel bang in the middle of the screen is defective.
     
  6. Corky42

    Corky42 Where's walle?

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    I'm probably wrong but can't you return anything bought online that's over £50 without a reason, as in it doesn't need to be damaged to warrant a return, something along the lines of having changed your mind or cooling off period.
     
  7. GaryP

    GaryP RIP Tel

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    She claims I can't do that because I have switched it on. That's bollocks. No different to trying on a pair of shoes. That's the argument I have had with her. The fact that I can't replace the item for the same price I paid is bad enough. Why would I send it back anyway. Now she is saying switching it on doesn't constitute inspecting the goods. If the goods were 'damaged' by the way I have opened it etc then fair point. The only thing 'used' was the monitor. I didn't use the power lead or the vga cable either.
     
  8. adidan

    adidan Guesswork is still work

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    Stuck/dead pixel policy has different levels depending on the manufacturer and seller i'm afraid.

    BenQ as an example allow 2 bright or 5 dark sub pixels with a max of 5 in total.

    My policy is none as they're only thing you find yourself looking at once you've seen them.

    I once had the same situation years back (can't remember who with) and had to foot the cost for a return as there weren't enough dead pixels.
     
  9. GaryP

    GaryP RIP Tel

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    Novatech are claiming I can't even do that. I am not accepting a screen with a bright pixel slap band in the middle and it also has this problem further accross. They are already lining up their excuse to blame me. I am hoping paypal will side with me if/when novatech screw me over.
     
  10. adidan

    adidan Guesswork is still work

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    Oh right now I get you.

    No idea how they can suggest that, i mean how on earth can anybody make a stuck pixel appear?
     
  11. Corky42

    Corky42 Where's walle?

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    That's not what they say on their T&C page (9b)...
    INAL so it would be helpful if someone more knowledgeable than me like @ Mr Halfacree could weigh in with their opinion.
     
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  12. Xlog

    Xlog Minimodder

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    Under EU law (unless UK opted out of if somehow, though it seems not ), you can cancel the purchase made outside the shop within 14 days since receiving the goods, full refund, no question asked, doesn't even have to be in original packaging. What I would do is write a formal mail asap informing them that you want to cancel your order & return the goods (they might be trying to make you miss that 14day window), if they reply that you cant - forward that & complaint to a local consumer protection agency (also send copy to the retailer), that usually gets the ball roiling.
     
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  13. bawjaws

    bawjaws Multimodder

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    *Puts Novatech on list of companies not to buy from*
     
  14. Anfield

    Anfield Multimodder

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    Policies that violate the law are not legally enforceable, so the shop has to accept the return by law as monitors are not listed under the exempt products.
    If the shop can't make the manufacturer take it back (because companies get basically f*** all legal protection) that is the problem of the shop and the shop has no right to refuse a return over it.
     
    Last edited: 28 Nov 2018
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  15. Big Elf

    Big Elf Oh no! Not another f----ing elf!

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    The problem is finding a courier who will not only accept a monitor for shipping but also insure it for a decent cost. Sending it back as faulty or for accepted pixel faults means the seller has to pay or refund postage. Sending it back because you've changed your mind in the 14 day limit means you have to bear the return cost.

    I stopped using Novatech a few years ago after a similar problem although in my case it took them 2 weeks to collect it and another 3 weeks to refund. Until then I'd bought most of my stuff from them. It would have only been a few thousand pounds over the years but they are not going to get it, ever.
     
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  16. fix-the-spade

    fix-the-spade Multimodder

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    No, but I am a total git.

    In your position I would open a Paypal dispute, then also send an email to Novatech informing them the device is faulty, you have opened a dispute with Paypal and that they are free to arrange a courier to come and collect the offending screen at their leisure. It's a tactic that has never failed me yet.

    Ultimately under the CCR you have the right to return the screen, end of. Since it's faulty Novatech are on the hook for return shipping, even if it's not faulty by their definition you can claim it not to be of satisfactory quality.
     
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  17. LennyRhys

    LennyRhys Fan Fan

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    If there's a blemish on the screen other than the dead pixel I'd try focusing on that being the main problem. When I got my U3014 from NRG:IT the backlight uniformity was terrible, all blotchy and uneven, and they immediately took it back and replaced it with another unit, even though there was no "fault" as such. Their customer service was absolutely spot on and I've never regretted buying from them.

    As others have said in this thread, you have a lot of power as the buyer in this scenario. It's a shame Novatech are being such a-holes about such a simple matter. Definitely won't be buying from them myself either!
     
  18. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    Now, it seems to me we're conflating two things in this 'ere thread: the right to cancel and goods being unfit for purpose and/or not of satisfactory quality. So, let's go for the first one first:

    Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, you have 14 days from receipt of goods to cancel for a full refund. This is designed to give you the same right to inspect the item as you would in a shop. That's the key part, here: the same right to inspect as you would have in a shop. Unpacking the monitor and plugging it into your PC is something that the majority of shops would not let you do, thus falls outside what is allowed under the CCR; however, you could equally argue that a shop would have a display model on show, so you're merely exercising your right to see the item in action just as you would in a shop. (I'm not necessarily saying that argument would work, I'm just saying it could be made.)

    Now, if the seller decides you've been manhandling the thing beyond what would be allowable in a shop, then it has the right to reduce your refund accordingly - but it does not have the right to refuse a refund.

    Moving on to the 'satisfactory quality' bit, that's a shift to the Consumer Rights Act: items must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described. These are woolly terms - deliberately so, in my view, as lawyers love to keep themselves in business - and they're also on a sliding scale: 'satisfactory quality' for a £50 monitor is going to be set at a considerably lower level than for a £5,000 monitor.

    You haven't said what monitor it is, so I can't say where it stands on the scale - but given there are two faults (hot pixel, over-bright backlight region) I'd say unless it was >80% off in a sale you've got a strong case. Personally, I'd send over a nastygram not entirely dissimilar to the below:

    Pop that over via Special Delivery, job should be a good 'un.
     
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  19. Mr_Mistoffelees

    Mr_Mistoffelees The Bit-Tech Cat. New Improved Version.

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    I'm rather puzzled by this experience with Novatech. They used to have a very good reputation for customer service, why throw that away?
     
  20. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    If I had to guess: KPIs. Ebuyer's the same: staff are ranked on a bunch of performance metrics, one of which is "number of refunds issued." As a result, they're incentivised to refuse refunds even when they are legally obliged to offer them - and all without management ever explicitly saying "don't do refunds, lie if you have to." Couple it with the fact none of 'em will have had even a moment's training in CCR/CRA and there you have it.
     
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