No replacement phone received. Poor customer service!!

[Sunny_side]

I ordered a Samsung S21 through their trade in deal at the end of April thinking it was a good offer. I received my S21 but was disappointed to find a week after that calls weren't connecting and people on the other end could not hear me. By this time I had already sent my trade in phone to them and the trade in process was completed. I called up Samsung to ask for a replacement to which they said I would need to send my faulty phone back to them. I said I wanted a replacement first as I'd be without a phone but they said they couldn't do that but guaranteed me that I would receive a replacement within 7-10 working days. My faulty phone was collected by DHL on 14th May, I called on Monday 24th May to chase up where my replacement phone and customer service said they have raised a log with logistics to find out what is going on and to give them 24hrs, I waited until Wednesday to get back in touch and they said same again, to wait 24 hrs as the only way to get in touch with logistics was through email. I waited and called today only to be told that they can't provide me with a replacement phone as their system had changed in May. I am now left with no phone, they are saying they will only give me market value of my trade in phone (s8) which is completely unacceptable as I have traded it in with them for the value of £250 which to me is a sale. I have asked them why they can't provide me with a replacement they say they do not have this process. They haven't given me a refund yet. I have asked for full price of the s21 to be refunded so I can go buy another but they can't guarantee me that eitherm absolutely diabolical. And to top it off, the manager I spoke to had the cheek of saying I would have to return the Harmon Larson speaker that I got free with the phone! Such disgusting and appalling behaviour from a billion dollar company. Apparently refunds are processed by logistics? Why? And why hey can't send me out a replacement is beyond me! Anyone else having similar problems with Samsung??

[George1988]

Aren't there any free consumer rights lawyers in UK?

[George1988]

If Samsung continues treating their customers like this, people should stop buying their products!

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @Sunny_side 

Unfortunately I've faced poor support from the Samsung Online Shop Team too when I had to send back a Note 20 Ultra 5G Exynos version as it too had signal and connection issues. 

I also sent back the free Samsung Buds Live earphones, and I sent back the Samsung Leather Back Case as that has been discounted due to the sale of the phone.

Samsung arranged for DpD to collect it all but on Samsung receiving the parcel the refund didn't happen for the phone.

They did refund the free Samsung Buds Live for £0.00 

After numerous emails and phone calls it appears they couldn't find the Samsung case so we're withholding over £1,200.00 for the sake of a £35.00 case !

I asked them to refund the phone and continue their investigation of the case but that didn't happen either.

I ended up having to find the official Samsung online page to email the UK CEO directly to get a resolution.

When an item has been given for free then if a person is returning the main item then the freebie has to be returned too.

You may find they won't refund the money until that has been returned.

In regards to the trade in of a phone they'll look at your personal assessment of the phone, and then assess it themselves when it's received, which can occasionally mean the original offer can be amended as their assessment differs from yours. I would assume they'd contact the owner to advise and give the option to go ahead or have the phone returned to them. I'm not sure as I won't use that type of trade in option.

This is why I either trade my phone's into my local Samsung Experience Store.

Or sell them privately,  not to auction sites such as ebay,  and I usually get a better return in amount that way.

If a phone has been returned and meets the conditions and criteria then Samsung has to refund what you paid for the phone. 

These are expensive devices so they won't send out a replacement until they've recieved the original. 

Some phone manufacturers will only send a new one out if they are permitted to charge a person's Credit or Debit Card first.

You could speak to Citizens Advice about this but I'd recommend to use the page I used to send the CEO Department a message.

In the UK we also have Consumer-Rights-Act 2015. 

A person paying by Credit or Debit Card can ask their Bank to intervene in regards to forcing a refund.

I wish you all the best with this. 

[Sunny_side]

I'm so sorry to hear about your experience too. I'm sure we're not the only ones. I received a free Harmon Kardon speaker which they said I have to return. I don't. Really care about the speaker as it's the phone I want and need. I have paid for it and the Samsung trade in deal went through and was completed fine. So when they received my S8 they completed the transaction for the trade in deal. I would take this as they accepted the £250 for the S8 (my husband ordered the same phone at the same time trading in his S5 which he got £200 for and he experienced no problems with his phone) it's just unfortunate that I had the problems. My gripe is that MTR who do the trade ins are now offering me £30 refund for my phone which is apparently the market value. I haven't accepted this. I have asked for my original phone back along with the remainder or they give me full refund for the s21 so I can go and purchase another. My faulty phone wasn't sent back out of choice and I haven't broken any sales agreement. When I called again yesterday they had the audacity to say to me that they couldn't offer replacement as their IT systems had changed. Apparently they moved to a new system in May and my order number is from the old system which they can't process on the new system. I asked for a replacement 10th of May which they said they could do. My phone was collected on 14th May and then they have the audacity to tell me a replacement isn't possible after me chasing them on the 27th May! I am outraged. So now they are offering me my remainder refund minus the trade in value and the refund from MTR which is quite frankly not good enough.

I have spoken CAB and they have advised me and I have also used the UK CEO page to contact them. How can they get away with such poor customer service is beyond me!

I sincerely hope you manage to get your refund too .