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AT&T Wont let me Return my Tilt!!!

I purchased the phone about a month ago, from the day I purchased it the camera did not operate correctly. I took my device to the store in an attempt to get it replaced with a new one. Unfortunately for me my camera just happened to work that day which was also the last day of the 30 day warranty. The guy pretty much said that he couldnt help me because my device worked, but then he gave me this number saying that if there is any further problems they will take care of it. So I call the ATT warranty department the next day (my camera broke again) and they said that they were sending me a REFURBISHED phone. I talked with them for 2 hours and they pretty much sait there is nothing they can do.
So I get this refurbished phone and right out of the box it looks of poor quality, I later find out that no matter what I do, the device will not charge. So I send in for another refurb which is of even worse condition and this one wont sync to my PC.
Do any of you guys have any ideas that could help I called the warranty department and coustomer care TWICE, asked to speak to both supervisors, threatened to change my entire family's service and they dont reply with anything except that the phone can not be replaced with a new phone. What do you think I should do?

dude that sucks!
ive never had a problem gettin a swap out.. and i bricked my first tilt..
u need to speak to managers and managers only, throw a fit make a scene in the store they'll work with u!

Learn from your mistake so you don't repeat it in the future. If you have an issue with a phone within the 30 day period, make sure it's fully taken care of within that time frame. Unfortunately you took some clerk's word for what would happen instead of double checking yourself.
AT&T most likely isn't going to do anything more from you. They have pretty good customer service and retention, but it is within their rights to give you a refurbished phone.
I also find it hard to believe that they shipped you two refurbished phones that right out of the box appeared to be of "poor quality." If the phone's had a shoddy appearance they wouldn't have been sent back out.
If your next replacement (refurb) is not functional, then tell them that it is getting ridiculous that you have had 3 replacments and they were all bad (again, I find that dubious). If the phone's are malfunctioning to any extent that you can't make calls (like a phone won't recharge) then they should be crediting your account on a daily basis when you can't use the phone.
Lastly, you can threaten to go to your credit card issuer (assuming you bought it with one) or to the BBB. Again, these are mostly threats, and I don't suggest you follow through unless you are truly getting bad refurbs 3 times in a row. Don't just take a negative attitude and look for problems becuase it isn't a new phone...you aren't likely to get one.
However, you could realistically cancel your service, and then refuse to pay any cancellation fees because they weren't honoring their end of the deal by providing you with functioning equipment. Even though you might have a leg to stand on....it will still probably get sent to collections and mar your credit.

Of the refurbs I got, these were in the condition I stated. When I called ATT they said something along the lines of 'every once in awhile a bad one slips through, but its pretty rare.'

I don't doubt a bad one slips through.... but two in a row....
What I am saying is third time is a charm...you can't keep getting bad ones
Also, I know how it can be mentally (as I would feel the same way) that a refurb just isn't as good and you would rather have a new one even if you saw a refurb pass every single test.
Try for #3 and if you are still out of luck...go with the other poster's suggestion and make a scene in the store

This reminds me of when i had the 8525 hermes. I was sent about 3 phones from them that were of bad quality. Bluetooth problems and yellowish tint screen.. The unwritten rule is that after 3 phones youre sopost to get a upgrade of the latest comperable model. Right now the tilt is the latest pocket pc but at the time, the tilt replaced the 8525 and thats how i recieved my tilt..
Moral is.... wait til the next ppc comes out and make a scene.. but also bring that point up to warranty replacement.

bengalih said:
I don't doubt a bad one slips through.... but two in a row....
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Happened to me last week, two bad ones, and a third one that was good. It's possible, and somewhat probable for a scenario like that to occur. It's not like saying he put a million dollars on "00" at the roulette table and won

I'm on my fourth tilt in 6 months. The first one got fried by an ebay charger (I think) my daughter threw the next one and messed up the display (can't believe they haven't charged me for that one... yet) The third did't sync with my PC like one of yours and the forth one's been great. All of the replacments have been refirbs but have looked as good as new with the one being bad out of the box.
I agree with bengalih just get another one if it's bad you'll know right away if not it should be perfectly fine.

mtbjoe said:
I'm on my fourth tilt in 6 months. The first one got fried by an ebay charger (I think) my daughter threw the next one and messed up the display (can't believe they haven't charged me for that one... yet) The third did't sync with my PC like one of yours and the forth one's been great. All of the replacments have been refirbs but have looked as good as new with the one being bad out of the box.
I agree with bengalih just get another one if it's bad you'll know right away if not it should be perfectly fine.
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Click to collapse
well now we know why AT&T sometimes has such a sweet deal on refurb tilts LOL

Ok you said the second phone couldnt sync to pc. If you search through this forum I guarantee there is a fix for that.

Switch providers and tell them that you are making the switch because of the level of service (with details) that you have to date.

deathpulse said:
Switch providers and tell them that you are making the switch because of the level of service (with details) that you have to date.
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Wow Sorry I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing at the insinuation that they would actually care. The sad fact is T-Mobile Is worse in service availability. And Sprint? I wouldn't wish that on my enemy.
Here is a link: http://www.mobileburn.com/news.jsp?Id=4607

No BS this will work !!
I got a brand new custom built HP laptop ( to replace my custom built 2yr old laptop w/ 3yr accidental damage protection) because I followed the same advice I am going to give you. Similar situation with my laptop...sent it back twice, never fixed it right, 14 phone calls, over 450 minutes with customer support and such..won't bore ya with the details
Here's what I did...
Got all my phone records to them together
Had all the invoices etc together
Called and told them I had been "advised" that I had to give them one more chance to make it "right" ! Implying I had legal advise....Then I told them I was going to take them to small claims court..Period !
YES I was going to take them to court cause statistically they always settle!
If not I had my records and was in the right !!! Like you seem to be
Be stern, firm and assertive, not angry or yelling. I basically told them what will happen if they did not make it right...they folded like a cheap lawn chair and I got a brand new custom built $2000 laptop plus a full 3yr accidental damage warranty!
I still get a rush thinking about it !!!

I understand what you mean, but I am completely unprepared to take them to court over such a minor issue. Im going to expend all of my other options first, I still have to go back to the store and argue there that it is there fault because they did not support there 30-day return policy in the first place. The man let me walk out of the store with a broken phone. I should have handeled it then but I didnt realize I would be dialing in and getting more refurbs.
Also, my third refurb arrived today, the device functions completely as intended. The problem now is that the keyboard on this new device does not seem very responsive, or at least, not nearly as responsive as the keyboard on my first device (which I still have). I am upset with this as my other Tilt is in premium condition, not a single scratch. I think I am going to return this one as well.

not good
hey I work for the company and
1. they kinda HAVE to exchange your phone in store if you got it over the phone, over att.com or at a corporate store. if you are within 30 days the rep should do the exchange, the rep u got was an A*&*LE. some act like the store stock and shipping cost come from their pocket.
2. if you get an idiot customer svc rep just hangup and call back , sometime u have to bend the truth. say u have a phone that drops calls ( they are afraid of this) and u tried ur friend's SIM card and still does not work correctly.
3. sorry you did not come to my store.(NY)
4. almost impossible to get a new phone through warranty or insurance.
5. if ya'll have any Q's bout stuff PM me.
out...

This is exactly why sometimes the "best deal" is not a good deal...
I only buy my phones from the bigger retailers, Best Buy & the company directly....
Mom & Pop shops, and online retailers:
- Cheaper up front, can usually get you the best deal if you read the fine print and agree
- Usually require a 2nd contract stating you will not change you plan (or features) within 6 months to 1 year or they charge you a penalty (usually $200 for removing OR changing the kind of data service from a phone like the tilt-- ex.: change from Unlimited data $30/month to Unlimited data & Text for $50/month, you broke the contract, they will charge you $200)
- Do not have to accept returns. Returns are done by companies as a 'favor' -- they are not required by US law (for most stores/products, some exceptions)
Big retailers or the Service Provider directly:
- Always have a return policy
- Almost never require a 2nd contract agreeing to keep features
- Usually $25 more for basic phones, up to $100 more for smartphones (they do not require Data, which most M&P/Internet sites give you $75-$100 off for getting and keeping for 6 months)
Other nice advantage of Big Retailers: If customer service at one place gives you no help and you're within reason to return it... go a few miles to another location and try again.... (again, if you're trying to return something 45 days later, you'll probably get no help where ever you go)

This wasnt a 'Mom and Pop' Shop, it was an official retailer. I was going to get the phone at a smaller AT&T but they said I would have to go to an official store that carried there high-end products. When I bought the phone the person I bought it from, I believe I have his buisiness card, but I will check later, allowed me to open the box in the store. He then told me if I wasn't satisfied I had 30 days for a return or replacement. I came back, 29 days later and they said that I had to call there warranty department because the device was not broken, and there fore he could not replace it. Essentially, they lied to me.

If it's not an AT&T corporate store, it's a Mom & Pop shop...
If they say "Authorized Retailer" they are not directly AT&T, they are reselling AT&T services and do not have to follow AT&T Corporate return policies...
Most of these locations are owned by individuals, or groups of individuals, as a business venture...
Keep in mind, anywhere from 50 to 85% of Wireless stores are NOT corporately owned by their service provider, and all of them (except T-Mobile) are allowed to put giant signs on the front of the building saying "AT&T" "Verizon" or "Sprint"... Sprint requires "Authorized Dealer" added to the logo, T-Mobile requires you to name your store something, and if you use T-Mobile logo it can be no more then 25% of the total sign space. AT&T I don't know the exact policy on their signage, but should require "Authorized Reseller" in the sign...
Of course, people can ignore these requirements, One of my old bosses did.. Hence why he's an old boss..

Quick Tip:
If they don't offer the IPhone they are not corporately owned...
At least in the DC metro area, every corporately owned AT&T store has a live active IPhone on display for customers to try

fizzie said:
I got a brand new custom built HP laptop ( to replace my custom built 2yr old laptop w/ 3yr accidental damage protection) because I followed the same advice I am going to give you. Similar situation with my laptop...sent it back twice, never fixed it right, 14 phone calls, over 450 minutes with customer support and such..won't bore ya with the details
Here's what I did...
Got all my phone records to them together
Had all the invoices etc together
Called and told them I had been "advised" that I had to give them one more chance to make it "right" ! Implying I had legal advise....Then I told them I was going to take them to small claims court..Period !
YES I was going to take them to court cause statistically they always settle!
If not I had my records and was in the right !!! Like you seem to be
Be stern, firm and assertive, not angry or yelling. I basically told them what will happen if they did not make it right...they folded like a cheap lawn chair and I got a brand new custom built $2000 laptop plus a full 3yr accidental damage warranty!
I still get a rush thinking about it !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I worked for Acer Computers and they *****ed out with customers every single time something like this happened. This is sound advise

A nice trip to B&N (Success Story)

Yesterday, I took a trip down to B&N to get a new charger since I'm still under warranty. (This is my second NC charger btw) The end that plugs into the nook just comes loose and wobbles up and down. This has happened both times (Don't know if it's just me or what).
The first time I went in, I just had to prove that I had a NC and I got my charger for free and it was as easy as that.
The second time however, the guy at B&N was a total prick. He had to look up my serial number and this and that, and he said the only way to find it was within the software (to identify that i bought it from B&N since best buy and walmart now sell it).
So I was a bit worried (I'm running Nookie Froyo 0.6.8 haha).
So the guy just kept my nook on the charge til we could boot it up to "find the serial".
Once it was booted up, this guy was just blown away. He was so impressed by the custom rom and the fact that I was just running A2.2 that his whole attitude changed.
After that it was like "wow man, you really know your stuff" "that's so cool!" "Let me see what I can do about a charger for you!" and so on.
In the end I got 2 new chargers. 1 In the mail from B&N customer service, and one in store once they get their shipment.
Moral of the story, The whole "Warranty is void" stuff doesn't really matter if the guy at B&N thinks you have an awesome device.
Oh, and for future reference for those of you who don't know, you can locate the serial number within the Micro SD Card slot. (as long as you have that, then you have a warranty)

Glad you had a good experience, my wife had the total opposite.
Same issue, my thoughts are that the mini-USB charging port that they use is longer than a "standard" plug port, thus the leverage issues causing the connector to easily bend out of whack.
Anywho, so my wife takes in the non-recharging nook and cord, and I had put the stock image back on but didn't know that I needed to do the 9-reboot system image refresh, so there were still some rooted elements on the phone.
Worker drills down into the "extras" menu and sees the rooted apps still on the device, then proceeds to berate (with a manager standing behind her!) my wife on how rooting the nook voided the warranty and how what she was tired of "people tampering with their machine and then asking us to fix everything" for 5 minutes in a voice loud enough for half the store to hear.
Needless to say my wife (a non-techie) was extremely embarassed and upset. She at least had the presence of mind to ask the employee to try out the cord on one of the store nooks and (surprise surprise!!) it didn't work!
Since the nook wasn't the issue the store replaced the cord (wonder if this is a recall-worthy issue?) and my wife left. I have since sent a letter to the regional manager expressing my disappointment at how she was treated, but wanted to give a word of warning that if you suspect the cord just take the cord itself into the store and ask them to try it on one of their in-store devices rather than have to deal with irate and rude salespeople for an unrelated issue.

Oh man, that is EXACTLY what i was afraid of.
That really sucks that your wife had to go through that. I can only imagine how my girlfriend would have handled that. (and me when she got home :| ) haha.
The guy i talked to at B&N said that he even wanted me to show his supervisor and that she had wanted 2.2 on her NC as well.
I even left my contact info for them to reach me if they ever wanted me to do so for their nooks.
I'm just glad it went over so well because it's not likely to happen most of the time.
And I think you're totally right about the length of the charger. It IS too long and it makes it easy to bend to become lose and break!

Cstanner17 said:
Moral of the story, The whole "Warranty is void" stuff doesn't really matter if the guy at B&N thinks you have an awesome device.
Oh, and for future reference for those of you who don't know, you can locate the serial number within the Micro SD Card slot. (as long as you have that, then you have a warranty)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a great story. I'm glad it all worked out.
I had to return my nexus one and it had an unlocked boot loader. People say a lot about "warranty" without actually reading it. And a lot of haters will tell you its void cause they never took that step.
Most of the time if the problem has nothing to do with rooting or if it's a hardware problem you're good
oldweasel said:
Glad you had a good experience, my wife had the total opposite.
Same issue, my thoughts are that the mini-USB charging port that they use is longer than a "standard" plug port, thus the leverage issues causing the connector to easily bend out of whack.
Anywho, so my wife takes in the non-recharging nook and cord, and I had put the stock image back on but didn't know that I needed to do the 9-reboot system image refresh, so there were still some rooted elements on the phone.
Worker drills down into the "extras" menu and sees the rooted apps still on the device, then proceeds to berate (with a manager standing behind her!) my wife on how rooting the nook voided the warranty and how what she was tired of "people tampering with their machine and then asking us to fix everything" for 5 minutes in a voice loud enough for half the store to hear.
Needless to say my wife (a non-techie) was extremely embarassed and upset. She at least had the prexsence of mind to ask the employee to try out the cord on one of the store noos and (surprise surprise!!) it didn't work!
Wince the nook wasn't the issue the store replaced the cord (wonder if this is a recall-worthy issue?) and my wife left. I have since sent a letter to the regional manager expressing my disappointment at how she was treated, but wanted to give a word of warning that if you suspect the cord just take the cord itself into the store and ask them to try it on one of their in-store devices rather than have to deal with irate and rude salespeople for an unrelated issue.
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Click to collapse
This never happens to me or my wife . I have a talent for embarrassing purple in public. One I almost never get to use since I believe people shouldn't be treated that way. I would have probably taken a trip down there to chat with them. Good job on the letter and keeping your cool. This was all done In front of the manager? And what is their machine? It wasnt "ours" on the receipt....

One thing I noticed over the weekend on a car trip - it seems that the charger from my droid works just fine on my Nook (though not vice-versa due to the prong length), so if they give you warranty hassles you might have a cord lying around to use as a backup.

My charger is doing the same thing. I have had my nc since saturday, the plug was already bent slightly. I thought ok, it must be that way on purpose until sitting with it charging and my hand bent it back the right way. Recall sounds about appropriate. I think if it gives up. I will pay the 25 bucks to avoid such cases... you never know how they are going to react to the warranty/rooted thing.
I did have a similar scare with my phone. It was severly tweaked. The screen went wacky and when i called to get an insurance replacement, they sent a warranty replacement instead. Needless to say i was never so glad that they acidentally sent the replacemet to california rather than colorado. In the extra trip time, my phone died completely and i still haven't been charged for the warranty/rooting issue
Whew...
Moral is, I have had my NC for less than a week and may need a new charger soon...
Sent from my Nook Color using taptalk

A standard Micro USB charges the Nook just fine, just takes a little bit longer then the Nook cable. I keep the nook one by my bed, and just use the cable that came with my Samsung Moment for my desktop/laptop.

Nburnes said:
A standard Micro USB charges the Nook just fine, just takes a little bit longer then the Nook cable. I keep the nook one by my bed, and just use the cable that came with my Samsung Moment for my desktop/laptop.
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Does the standard cable have the neat glowy bit? Though I agree its a good substitute when you need a new one. They should fix their **** and not use our rooting as an excuse.

Nburnes said:
A standard Micro USB charges the Nook just fine, just takes a little bit longer then the Nook cable. I keep the nook one by my bed, and just use the cable that came with my Samsung Moment for my desktop/laptop.
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Yea i do the same. I bought some cheapos from Monoprice.com and they work excellent.
and for those of you that have not heard of monoprice. I ordered 4 10 foot gold plated connectors, w/ ferret magnet HDMI cables, and 4 10 foot Micro USB cables for 30bucks shipped.
Shameless plug but saving money is good.
-RioT- said:
Does the standard cable have the neat glowy bit? Though I agree its a good substitute when you need a new one. They should fix their **** and not use our rooting as an excuse.
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I'm telling you right now if i need to replace my USB cable i'm walking w/ an old one and walking out with a new one. The USB cable has nothing to do with the rooting process. nor the rooted device. It's completely a defective part regardless of the condition of the device.

Nothing like lousy customer service to upset your customer base. When you receive lousy service you're more likely to talk about it with family and friends then you are if you receive good service. That's not to mention the fact that your spending money in their store/place of service is what pays their salary.
Good for you for writing to the regional manager and calling the employee and manager out on their lousy service.

amstarshine said:
Nothing like lousy customer service to upset your customer base. When you receive lousy service you're more likely to talk about it with family and friends then you are if you receive good service. That's not to mention the fact that your spending money in their store/place of service is what pays their salary.
Good for you for writing to the regional manager and calling the employee and manager out on their lousy service.
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lol so true. Look ad this thread for example. It was actually about a god experience but one bad employee (and a bad manager) set off a chain of ugly.

For some reason these types of employees have this mindset that they are helping the company's bottom line by pulling this kind of stuff when it comes to returns, exchanges, warranty. In reality...this kind of treatment is exactly why people start boycotting stores and taking their business elsewhere.
Like they say...don't bite the hand that feeds you.

come on guys just read all the threads on here about people returning their 'broken' nooks to b&n after they screwed them up.
obviously this person had too many bad experiences and took it out on someone they shouldn't have.
just try to think about what these people have to deal with every day before you get all judgmental.

lafester said:
come on guys just read all the threads on here about people returning their 'broken' nooks to b&n after they screwed them up.
obviously this person had too many bad experiences and took it out on someone they shouldn't have.
just try to think about what these people have to deal with every day before you get all judgmental.
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Click to collapse
When you work in customer service you can't go all ape**** on someone just because you had a bad day. That's just not a valid excuse. Either you give them what they want or you deny them in a courteous and respectful manner. If they don't accept your answer that's what your manager is there for. In this particular scenario, it sounds like the manager was already there. But regardless...you should never put yourself in a position where the customer can say that you were treating them poorly. Even if you were correct in your assessment of the situation, things can still go bad for you.
If you can't keep your cool, you probably don't want to have a job where you have direct interaction with customers.

My job is nothing but customer service all day. Do I deal with people who drive me nuts and try to advantage of me? Of course! But that doesn't mean I let them know that. There are professional ways to handle those types of situations and then there are the ways that get your company talked about in a negative manner on forums such as this.
I'm not judging. I have over 20 years of customer service experience. I know what good service is and what it means. It's what keeps people coming back to the place you work. It's what pays your salary at the end of the day. That and honesty.
Let's be honest here...do you keep going back to places of business where you get lousy service time after time after time? Most people don't.

Defective Exchanges @ Gamestop

I have to say, that's one of the things I like about having an actual store to go to and deal with customer service face to face.
There's no way for them to put you on hold for 45mins to an hour, there's no waiting for the call or email that never comes, just to call back and find out there is no record of your complaint or call.
So I called my local Gamestop, the same girl that sold me my N7 was on shift. I asked her if she had any in stock for an exchange, she said "no, but let me pull it up in the computer". She tells me of 3 stores that have some in stock and asks if I need their number or address...
Since the next store was like 5 blocks away, I just drove there. They only had 1. I walk in and the sale person says "hey, hum, those aren't supposed to be sold yet, I don't think I can do the exchange until the SD of 8/7" (lol). He calls his manager, she didn't answer. He called another one on his cell, and that one told him, if I have my receipt and product, there was no problem doing the exchange.
He asks me what's wrong with it, I tell him I've randomly had a black line flash 3 times in the last week~. And although I was reluctant to exchange it after reading some of the stories behind other's defective units, as mine's was in top shape. He says yeah but if you can get a new one free, why not right? I said, yeap you're right.
So 5 mins later I walk out with my new exchange.
Now I am afraid to open and inspect it.. Heart's beating fast, I think I am gonna faint.. someone call 911..
Yeah, I really don't want to find out this one's defective.. I really, really enjoy this tablet. :silly:
-CC
P.S. Anyone know if you get the $25 credit again when registering a new unit on the same account?
EDIT: 23,618 units between serial numbers on my two units
OBSERVATIONS: This unit's back is darker than my previous one. The power and volume buttons feel more clicky, plasticy and tend to stick out more especially on the bottom. I am guessing different materials sources.

clockcycle said:
P.S. Anyone know if you get the $25 credit again when registering a new unit on the same account?
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Click to collapse
Why would you get another $25 added to your account? There is/was a loophole where you could, but on new accounts with a different credit card on file I believe. Don't be surprised if Google closed it by now.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

nikon120 said:
Why would you get another $25 added to your account? There is/was a loophole where you could, but on new accounts with a different credit card on file I believe. Don't be surprised if Google closed it by now.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
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So then if I active it on another account it would get the credit, but not on the same one, if I have previously already done so?
I think the loophole you mention is where you could factory reset to get your credit in case you hadn't the first time around, correct? That's not what I'm talking about. I am talking about a new sealed never been registered unit.

I went to my store about a defective exchange, they only had 1 in store and it was on reserve so the guy called around then said he'd email the supplier. When it comes in they'll call me and I can exchange it out.

clockcycle said:
So 5 mins later I walk out with my new exchange.
Now I am afraid to open and inspect it.. Heart's beating fast, I think I am gonna faint.. someone call 911..
Yeah, I really don't want to find out this one's defective.. I really, really enjoy this tablet. :silly:
-CC
P.S. Anyone know if you get the $25 credit again when registering a new unit on the same account?
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OK enough drumroll... WHAT'S THE VERDICT???? Worse? Same? Better??

IPvFletch said:
OK enough drumroll... WHAT'S THE VERDICT???? Worse? Same? Better??
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Just got a chance to sit with it. Initial outlook looks good, set up account, loaded up some apps. Unlocked bootloader, rooted, now applying updates. Sure wrong order, but I'm just getting her done..

Which root method you using? Toolkit v1.5.2? Glad to hear this one's HW is better. Praying mine is legit too! Should be here ~Monday..

IPvFletch said:
Which root method you using? Toolkit v1.5.2? Glad to hear this one's HW is better. Praying mine is legit too! Should be here ~Monday..
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Click to collapse
Originally yes, on this unit I did it manually, but basically the same exact thing the toolkit does, as it just does it for you via a script.
Honestly though, my first unit was perfect. I am not sure it was attributed to hardware, but more towards software, as it only seemed to be happening while in chrome and it might not have been google's or asus's fault. I didn't want to find out after it was too late to get an exchange.

I hear ya clockcycle.. I too have a love/hate relationship with Android... I typically love the HW and need to fix the SW.. But in the end, I'm always VERY happy...

Follow up on replacement unit. Seems a bit slower to sense/react to rotating and touch requires more pressure, less sensitive.
Sent from my grouper using Tapatalk

Funny. I bought my tablet at a GameStop and since then I have been to 5 more stores between Houston and Dallas and the only store that agreed to exchange my N7 didn't because I got to Waxahachie 20 mins after they closed. (My fault obv.)
One store refused to even though they had one in stock claiming only "That's a tablet. We can't do that. You have to contact the manufacturer."
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda app-developers app

eawooten said:
Funny. I bought my tablet at a GameStop and since then I have been to 5 more stores between Houston and Dallas and the only store that agreed to exchange my N7 didn't because I got to Waxahachie 20 mins after they closed. (My fault obv.)
One store refused to even though they had one in stock claiming only "That's a tablet. We can't do that. You have to contact the manufacturer."
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They tried that as an option on me, I told them the manufacturer told me to deal with the place of purchase according to their policy and until that option is exhausted to resort to dealing with Google/ASUS warranty..
Some times some employees take returns personally, just get another rep on the phone or go in the store, FIRM but respectfully..
I ended up having to exchange this replacement as well, but really nothing wrong with the first one, 2nd one they were willing to exchange. 3rd one is just a "perfect" as the 1st and 2nd were... YMMV

clockcycle said:
Follow up on replacement unit. Seems a bit slower to sense/react to rotating and touch requires more pressure, less sensitive.
Sent from my grouper using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It really shouldn't be that different than your old unit. That's strange that touch would require more pressure.

I went back and for a replacement at the store I missed in my earlier post. It was still there a couple o days later.
Now, I'm experiencing a very slight screen lift that I could probably lay ignore, and flicker that is a reliable semi-hourly infuriation.
I think I'm going to have to exchange this for a third unit once the good serials start flowing steady.

taC nayN said:
It really shouldn't be that different than your old unit. That's strange that touch would require more pressure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless the replacement unit was assembled in another plant and or used materials from another source. Happens often. My 3rd unit acts differently as well. It's also less sensitive. It didn't want to apply the updates, once it "did", the about still claimed I was on the original and when I checked for an update would tell me I was up to date. After applying the screen protector, this unit also did not respond to touches at all (as others have reported with their units) but both my previous units were responsive with 1-2 hour(s) of drying. Which leads me to believe touch screen was a different brand from another source, or sensitivity settings are different. Who knows..
-CC
P.S. It's ok, it works..

You are making me all nervous now, I hope mine is the right amount sensitive when it shows up tomorrow(hopefully). I didn't know they used different materials on a line of devices. Interesting.

Second & Third Wave of Nexus 7's

Got a call from Gamestop today to come pick up my Nexus 7, originally I was schedule to receive it on the third wave around Aug 8th.
I let the dude know I didn't want to pick it up due to all the problems I'd been reading about and was wanting to wait it out for the second & third waves.
My question is this: Are these second and third waves going to be any different from a manufacturing standpoint? Or can we expect to endure the same problems most first wave users are being plagued with? Google's aware of all these problems, but are they doing anything different to amend them? I'm reeeeally not trying to risk picking up a defective device and have to go through the whole defective unit return.

I am extremely interested in any professional opinions on this too (quotes from employees?)
Mine is currently reserved at gamestop, waiting for that call/text.

One more thing... I was told by the Gamestop employees that any defective exchanges would be done from the stock in-store (wouldn't this just be more of the same wave of defective tablets?) and can only be done within 30 days and after that you will have to go through the manufacturer.... Would this be Asus or Google? And are we better off purchasing through the Google Play store themselves? In the unfortunate case of the unit going bad after the 30 day grace period is up from Gamestop.

From the conversation I had with the representative when I was doing warranty exchange on mine, anything after the initial wave of devices should not have the screen creek issue. They are making sure all the screens are secured properly now. The other reason I was returning mine was because of the terrible screen flicker, he did not touch on that and said, "he has only heard about a few cases of the screen flicker."
So it looks like the screen creek should be fixed for sure but I am not sure about the other issues.

roush611 said:
From the conversation I had with the representative when I was doing warranty exchange on mine, anything after the initial wave of devices should not have the screen creek issue. They are making sure all the screens are secured properly now. The other reason I was returning mine was because of the terrible screen flicker, he did not touch on that and said, "he has only heard about a few cases of the screen flicker."
So it looks like the screen creek should be fixed for sure but I am not sure about the other issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the guy at my Gamestop was completely clueless to any of these device problems. I'm pretty worried about dead pixels, even if they're not showing up right away, but down the road. I'm seriously considering getting back my deposit and waiting for Google to address these issues and let us know they've been fixed. Because at this point, I feel that it's almost like playing russian roulette with these early units. :/

hullbay said:
Yeah, the guy at my Gamestop was completely clueless to any of these device problems. I'm pretty worried about dead pixels, even if they're not showing up right away, but down the road. I'm seriously considering getting back my deposit and waiting for Google to address these issues and let us know they've been fixed. Because at this point, I feel that it's almost like playing russian roulette with these early units. :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just go get the damn thing, if there's a problem then take it back or call Google, it's got a one year warranty for that stuff. Everyone still waiting on theirs from Google, and you won't go pick yours up now wtf, I got mine from GameStop a week and a half ago and it's fine. Stop being a vagina and go get it and have fun with it.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

First, you must keep in mind that more people are going to a forum to complain than compliment. That's just human nature.
I believe the screen flicker has more to do with your wifi connection than the device.
I pre ordered mine through Google so I guess that would make it first wave and it's a near perfect as a tablet can be.

The most popular issue is screen lifting on the left portrait side. Other complaints are nowhere near as common.
After I returned my 16 with screen separation to Sam's, I called Google CS twice this weekend to find out what's being done about this, in order to make a better informed decision about buying another one. Both reps I spoke with were aware of the issue but said that it was very rare, a bad batch.
Although I knew that they were understating the frequency of this problem, I did decide to order the 8. My experience with the first one was overwhelmingly positive, and I missed having it. Mostly it was the rationalization that if I order from the Play store I can exchange it as many times as I need to.
If I was aware of the information that would be posted Monday, I probably would have waited.
In case you missed it, someone disassembled theirs with a heat gun and gave us the current working theory for why this is happening.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=29194958&postcount=372
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=29202762&postcount=391
You really should read his analysis, but I'll summarize. There is a ledge around the inside of the frame. It is covered with double-sided tape. The display rests on this ledge and relies on its adhesion to stay seated. The ledges for the top and bottom sides of the device are the widest (12 and 16 mm), and the right ledge is 6.5 millimeters.
The left ledge is the only side that isn't a constant width. The top and bottom portions of the left ledge are 3 mm, but there is a middle portion that is even narrower to make room for the touchscreen input cable. It's only 1.5 mm wide.
Since this is the common point of separation, it seems likely that the adhesive on the left ledge is not strong enough to fasten the display to such a narrow contact area.
Full credit to Simon Haddow (nexus7dude) for this information and these images.
If he's right, the cause of left side screen lifting is present in all units. The obvious possible solutions are to either redesign the frame, which would be disastrous, or to increase the strength of the adhesive being used on this ledge.
Some people are being told by CS that it was a gluing problem. If that's true, new units should have a stronger bond, at least along the left ledge.
My order will be delivered tomorrow. I'm not optimistic that they've already made these changes to outgoing units.
But at the same time, as long as Google honors its role in Play store warranties, I expect to be happy with this purchase.

pxlitup said:
The most common issue is screen lifting on the left portrait side. Other complaints are nowhere near as common.
After I returned my 16 with screen separation to Sam's, I called Google CS twice this weekend to find out what's being done about this, in order to make a better informed decision about buying another one. Both reps I spoke with were aware of the issue but said that it was very rare, a bad batch.
Although I knew that they were misrepresenting the frequency of this problem, I did decide to order the 8. My experience with the first unit was overwhelmingly positive, and I missed it. Mostly it was the rationalization that I can exchange it as many times as I need to.
If I was aware of the information that would be posted Monday, I probably would have waited.
In case you missed it, someone disassembled theirs with a heat gun and gave us the current working theory for why this is happening.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=29194958&postcount=372
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=29202762&postcount=391
You really should read his analysis, but I'll summarize. There is a ledge around the inside of the frame. It is covered with double-sided tape. The display rests on this ledge and relies on its adhesion to stay seated. The ledges for the top and bottom sides of the device are the widest (12 and 16 mm), and the right ledge is 6.5 millimeters.
The left ledge is the only side that isn't a constant width. The top and bottom portions of the left ledge are 3 mm, but there is a middle portion that is even narrower to make room for the touchscreen input cable. It's only 1.5 mm wide.
Since this is the most common point of separation, it seems likely that the adhesive on the left ledge is not strong enough to fasten the display to such a narrow contact area.
Full credit to Simon Haddow (nexus7dude) for this information and these images.
If he's right, the cause of left side screen lifting is present in all units. The obvious possible solutions are to either redesign the frame, which would be disastrous, or to increase the strength of the adhesive being used on this ledge. Some people are being told by CS that it's a gluing problem. If that's true, they should be correcting units by using a stronger bond, at least along the left ledge.
My order will be delivered tomorrow. I'm not optimistic.
But at the same time, as long as Google honors its role in Play store warranties, I expect to be happy with this purchase.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good info. Ill be keeping an eye on mines down the road. If it eventually lifts in the area shown, then ill just send it in to get stronger bond applied. I ordered through playstore and haven't noticed anything. But that's what warranties are for. This is something that will easily be covered of it does happen. I can see why some units are having this happen. Based on your summary and the pics.

sway40 said:
Just go get the damn thing, if there's a problem then take it back or call Google, it's got a one year warranty for that stuff. Everyone still waiting on theirs from Google, and you won't go pick yours up now wtf, I got mine from GameStop a week and a half ago and it's fine. Stop being a vagina and go get it and have fun with it.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree 100%. People complain about the problems. They don't complain about fine units. I'm sure many many more people have good units than bad ones. And if you happen to get unlucky... return it! Some people....

Just talked to a Google rep. We have a 15 day "grace period" where we can get facilitated exchanges through Google. After that we hhave to deal with Asus.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

ikn0wagh0st said:
Just talked to a Google rep. We have a 15 day "grace period" where we can get facilitated exchanges through Google. After that we hhave to deal with Asus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haven't they been telling people that warranties for Play store purchases will be handled by Google for the first year?
I hope you're trolling.
EDIT: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1773057
There's an entire thread about it.

pxlitup said:
Haven't they been telling people that warranties for Play store purchases will be handled by Google for the first year?
I hope you're trolling.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Believe me, I wish I was trolling. I'm sure every rep is saying something different. Try calling, the wait time is under a minute.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Ya I've returned 3 here in canada (2 staples, 1 best buy) all had glass separation issue
im terrified to go buy another one, but i dont know how long to wait, not sure if 2nd batches have been shipped to canada, if they have been fixed even; no idea, im just gonna wait as long as i possibly can

I just picked up my N7 at FutureShop this morning and everything seems to be fine.. been watching the transformer movie to kill the batttery and nothing blew or anything..
Of course I do too have the same problem with the screen being slightly lifted.

ikn0wagh0st said:
Believe me, I wish I was trolling. I'm sure every rep is saying something different. Try calling, the wait time is under a minute.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just got off the phone. He reassured me that this was absolutely not the case and that Play store orders will be handled by Google for 12-month warranty claims.
I asked him if there was any documentation of this, and he said that he would send me something.
E-mail from Google said:
The Nexus 7 is manufactured by ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Please contact Google
customer support for service on the ASUS limited 12 month warranty for the
Nexus 7 if purchased from Google Play, and refer to the warranty card in
the Nexus 7 packaging or visit www.asus.com for details on the ASUS
limited warranty.
If your Nexus 7 wasn't purchased from Google Play, please contact ASUS
directly for warranty service by using one of the contact options at
www.asus.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't found the warranty on ASUS website yet, but I did find the Nexus 7 warranty on a Google support page. It looks disturbingly like an edited version of the above.
http://support.google.com/googleplay/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2662734
Google Play said:
The Nexus 7 is manufactured by ASUSTeK Computer Inc. ASUS provides a limited 12 month warranty for the Nexus 7. Please refer to the warranty card in the Nexus 7 packaging or ASUS for details on the ASUS limited warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

SS2006 said:
Ya I've returned 3 here in canada (2 staples, 1 best buy) all had glass separation issue
im terrified to go buy another one, but i dont know how long to wait, not sure if 2nd batches have been shipped to canada, if they have been fixed even; no idea, im just gonna wait as long as i possibly can
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly my point in all this.
Sighx said:
I just picked up my N7 at FutureShop this morning and everything seems to be fine.. been watching the transformer movie to kill the batttery and nothing blew or anything..
Of course I do too have the same problem with the screen being slightly lifted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is everything fine, yet your screen is being lifted? Lol. That's unacceptable.
--
Big key words are "if purchased from Google Play". So for everwhere else selling it, Asus handles the warranties after the 30 day "grace period" ie: Gamestop? Which is what I was originally told by the employee. Wonder how well they are with this whole scenario. Might just grab my deposit back and hold out a month or so and re-order from the Play Store when they've had a chance to work out these kinks. If anything, I feel like re-sellers won't be getting these newly fixed units as quick as well as the guarantee of the 12 month warranty from Google themselves, rather than try to deal with ASUS.

SS2006 said:
Ya I've returned 3 here in canada (2 staples, 1 best buy) all had glass separation issue
im terrified to go buy another one, but i dont know how long to wait, not sure if 2nd batches have been shipped to canada, if they have been fixed even; no idea, im just gonna wait as long as i possibly can
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here,
I've bought 2, 1 from staples and 1 from Future Shop. Mainly it is the screen flicker problem. If ONLY google would smarten up and RELEASE A ****ING STATEMENT and let us KNOW if some of these issues could or will be fixed in a future patch!

qwerty123321 said:
Same here,
I've bought 2, 1 from staples and 1 from Future Shop. Mainly it is the screen flicker problem. If ONLY google would smarten up and RELEASE A ****ING STATEMENT and let us KNOW if some of these issues could or will be fixed in a future patch!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 Exactly.

hullbay said:
Yeah, the guy at my Gamestop was completely clueless to any of these device problems. I'm pretty worried about dead pixels, even if they're not showing up right away, but down the road. I'm seriously considering getting back my deposit and waiting for Google to address these issues and let us know they've been fixed. Because at this point, I feel that it's almost like playing russian roulette with these early units. :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wtf is wrong with you? So a couple of people come to a forum to cry about a device issue, while others stay off the forums and love the device, and that makes you want to not buy the N7? Toughen up buttercup.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Returning my Nexus 7 to Google Deutschland

Hi all,
I just wanted to share my experience with Google Play in Germany. I am a native of Australia, but I have been living in Germany for about three years. As such, my German language skills are pretty good, but I often find it hard to speak over the phone. I noticed that my Nexus 7 has left side screen lift a week ago; I have a C8O, which is otherwise perfect, but I figured I should be completely happy with the device and not just partially happy. I also wanted to avoid any possible problems in the future. Additionally, the capacitors in my charger sound like they are going to pop at any second, so that was also of concern.
Anyway, I called their customer support, and the person I dealt with (Annette) was fantastic. She was patient with me, and when I described the problems, she straight away offered an exchange for a new device. So, I will order a new device today, and ship the problematic tablet back after I receive the new one. Which means I am not tablet-less; another surprise. Lets see how the return process goes, but so far, so good. Fingers crossed I receive a C9O with no manufacturing defects and a charger which doesn't sound like its about to explode!
Cheers,
0

That is great.
I live near Germany and I got my Nexus 7 with 1 bad pixel, considering for RMA...

once they receive the original device back. it will take you about two months on average to get your money back. But this is only if you stay on them about it.. Its all over the net about this trouble.. My bank has filed a Dispute with them for me and about 10 or there people who live in the area of my city for this exact issue.. you are very likely to get another device as bad or worse then the one your sending back...
So if you do not see your money in two weeks file fraud with your back. GOOGLE Needs to step up and fix this issue..

erica_renee said:
once they receive the original device back. it will take you about two months on average to get your money back. But this is only if you stay on them about it.. Its all over the net about this trouble.. My bank has filed a Dispute with them for me and about 10 or there people who live in the area of my city for this exact issue.. you are very likely to get another device as bad or worse then the one your sending back...
So if you do not see your money in two weeks file fraud with your back. GOOGLE Needs to step up and fix this issue..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've seen so much of this about, what a terrible method of a returns process, charging you for another device because the device you bought is broke?
What if it was a kid who'd saved all his pocket money to get the device, only for it to be broke, do they expect that kid to spend night and day doing paper rounds so he can buy a second, in order to return the first?
Sounds to me like this is their plan, and hope that alot of the customers do not complain and therefor they have sold that person two devices.
Very bad move of Google and totally destroying for their reputation in my opinion.

erica_renee said:
once they receive the original device back. it will take you about two months on average to get your money back. But this is only if you stay on them about it.. Its all over the net about this trouble.. My bank has filed a Dispute with them for me and about 10 or there people who live in the area of my city for this exact issue.. you are very likely to get another device as bad or worse then the one your sending back...
So if you do not see your money in two weeks file fraud with your back. GOOGLE Needs to step up and fix this issue..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am hoping that this won't be the case - They have not yet informed me that I will need to purchase a second device in order the RMA the first I purchased. Until they tell me that, I will wait and see. Regardless, German banks are, in my experience, very particular about fraud; I have contacted my bank previously about a charge which I didn't recognise and it was reversed the same day. I will see what happens, but thanks for the heads up

google will send you a email with a link in it. This link is to start the replacement process. What it does is charge your card for a second device. They send it to you. When you receive it you send them the old device.. Then you have to wait . after 14 days you call them to get the charge taken off your card. then it takes them about 3 weeks to get back to you. then a week or so later if you keep calling it will show up in google wallet that its been refunded.. (This is where im at in the process) . Im told by google they have given me my money back and to call my bank. My bank says THEY HAVE NOT and to file fraud charges. This cost 65.00 per device so i have waited and been putting pressure on google.. I will file the charges monday. I Asked my lawyer friend and he says that he might be able to MAKE Google come to Kentucky for a small claims case for the charges .
I Would if you can try to contact asus and see if they can let you send it to them to be REPAIRED.. atleast you know someone will be looking at it . If you go thru all of the above and end up with another bad device . Asus thou i think there support is lousy here in the us.. Are for better then Google..
Just my opinion sorry if i took this thread in the wrong direction.. But its something that many are having issues with and you have the right to know. Some people have had good experience in the exchange process. But it seems only a few .
Good Luck ..

UPDATE:
Okay, so step two in the RMA process has finally been completed. After seemingly forgetting the fact that I called the week before last to organise an RMA, I called Google again on Monday. The guy I dealt with was a bit less understanding of my language difficulties over the phone, but we got there in the end. I got the email with the cart link, and clicked this and 'paid' on Wednesday morning (even though they don't charge your card, it seems that they simply check that your card can cover the extra charge if need be). I actually used a debit and not a credit card, and the balance hasn't been touched at this point.
My new device just arrived! It seems they express-posted it to me, which is generous of them. Its another C8O, same as my 'old' tablet, and thus far doesn't have obvious left-side screen lift - But I will charge it up fully tonight, and see whether it occurs under heat. Meanwhile, I will unroot and lock the bootloader again on the old unit, just in case...
Fingers crossed for a lift-free Nexus 7 - but with all the other problems around, I am not holding my breath!

lanyao1920 said:
That is great.
I live near Germany and I got my Nexus 7 with 1 bad pixel, considering for RMA...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
one bad pixel most likely doesn't turn your device into a faulty one. i am not sure how they deal with that problem, however my experience on other devices were, that they will replace the device only if it had like 7+ dead pixels.
just throwing in my 2 cents.
Wilks3y said:
I've seen so much of this about, what a terrible method of a returns process, charging you for another device because the device you bought is broke?
What if it was a kid who'd saved all his pocket money to get the device, only for it to be broke, do they expect that kid to spend night and day doing paper rounds so he can buy a second, in order to return the first?
Sounds to me like this is their plan, and hope that alot of the customers do not complain and therefor they have sold that person two devices.
Very bad move of Google and totally destroying for their reputation in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the end they will advertise with the most sold tablet just cause everyone had to buy another one for the exchange process on RMA
the0bserver said:
UPDATE:
Okay, so step two in the RMA process has finally been completed. After seemingly forgetting the fact that I called the week before last to organise an RMA, I called Google again on Monday. The guy I dealt with was a bit less understanding of my language difficulties over the phone, but we got there in the end. I got the email with the cart link, and clicked this and 'paid' on Wednesday morning (even though they don't charge your card, it seems that they simply check that your card can cover the extra charge if need be). I actually used a debit and not a credit card, and the balance hasn't been touched at this point.
My new device just arrived! It seems they express-posted it to me, which is generous of them. Its another C8O, same as my 'old' tablet, and thus far doesn't have obvious left-side screen lift - But I will charge it up fully tonight, and see whether it occurs under heat. Meanwhile, I will unroot and lock the bootloader again on the old unit, just in case...
Fingers crossed for a lift-free Nexus 7 - but with all the other problems around, I am not holding my breath!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope everything is fine.
I noticed my N7 had a faulty speaker yesterday and I brought it back to my retailer ( about 21 days passed after purchase ). I had my fingers crossed to get an immediate replacement there. But well they decided to send it to ASUS. So i am stuck with that. Guess it will take a few days longer that way. As the speaker problem is quite common, i am expecting a replacement. However now i am tablet free for the next 2 weeks i guess. Don't want to buy a new one just to cancel the deal within 14 days. Who knows, instead of returning the money, they'll just give me a gift card.
If anyone is interested, I'll update.

So - Long awaited update.
After two replacements with the same problem, they agreed to refund me once I had sent the tablets in and they were checked to ensure that they were not damaged (Of which they definitely weren't). I flashed both back to stock and relocked the bootloaders before I sent them in - They were as-new (aside from the sh*tty manufacturing problems).
The two replacement tablets were sent in on 30.10.2012. They confirmed that the tablets were received in The Netherlands on 31.10 via overnight express. I am still waiting for my refund, even though I was told it would take 'a maximum of 14 days once the tablets are received'. Its now been 42 days. The rep I have been dealing with tells me constantly that she has done all she can for me, and that she is waiting to hear back from another department. When I suggested that perhaps she should escalate the situation to a manager, she supplied me with a physical address where I could 'send my concerns'.
For a company laying claim to being the biggest internet company in the world, their customer service is nothing short of sh*t. I've experienced better customer service from Vodafone in the past - and that's saying something.
I have learned my lesson here - if you must buy Nexus products, buy them from a bricks and mortar store - NEVER BUY THEM DIRECT FROM GOOGLE.