Attention!
Are you considering purchasing a Samsung product?
Please read this first.
Up until recently, I had been a loyal and devout Samsung consumer. With thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of purchases to my credit.
My last and most recent purchase was a Samsung Z Fold 3 at $2000.00
At the time of purchase my Best Buy sales person along with a Samsung rep. told me, that for any reason at all (within the first year) I am entitled to a free screen protector replacement, as the one that comes with the phone can not be replaced by the consumer "at this time" .
She then proceeded to explain, that the only one that is approved for this replacement is either a company called, "You Break I Fix" or an authorized Samsung repair center.
So I proceeded with the purchase.
...4 months later.
I notice at the top and bottom of the folding portion of the screen, the screen protector appeared to be separating from the screen.
At first, just a fraction of an inch, but over time, steadily advancing to the point that it delaminated the entire length of the folding hing portion of the screen...
That's when I decided to stop into our local U-break I fix repair store. They proceeded to explain that they do not repair the screen protectors for Best Buy or Samsung anymore, as the process for doing so has proved to be beyond their capabilities. I then proceeded to Best Buy. (30 miles out of town) I explain my case and after an hour or so of heated conversation and getting nowhere, one sales member offered to make me an appointment at another Best Buy repair store that was located in (Can you believe?) a neighboring "state", about an hour away from there.
The following day, and after another hostile conversation. A Best Buy manager informed me that they could not do the replacement and I would have to send it into Samsung.
The next day I attempted to contact Samsung support. (No easy task) They told me they would fix it under warranty for free and will send me a prepaid shipping label . So I sent it out.
After a week, I receved an email that stated "Not covered under warranty" $500+ to repair. No reply phone number, no e-mail, just payment options.
To shorten this up a bit. I found the next few days excruciatingly exhausting while navigating the endless amounts of handoffs, trade-offs from different support personal only to be routinely hung up on, disconnected and mis- directed (lied to).
Now the icing on the cake: In the mix of trying to get this situation resolved, A suction cup that was attached to my windshield landed on the dashboard, and then on top of my open phone screen as I was making a call.
At first glance there appeared to be absolutely no damage. The next day I noticed that there was a couple of pixels missing beneath the screen, (about the size of a pinhead) allowing only bright white light to be seen. (This by the way wasn't even remotely in the vicinity of the area in question for warranty) Although it was like adding salt to the wound, (because any other standard type of screen protector would have protected against this.) I understand that this was an accident, and wouldn't be covered under warranty and didn't request it to be.
With that said, this is how it played out,
Samsungs management told me that it was their policy, that when a screen protector warranty replacement comes in, that if there were any other signs of wear or damage (even unrelated) the screen protector would not be covered under warranty and it would be a $500+ charge.
Side Note:
After several additional visits to Best Buy in attempt to rectify the situation. I was approached by one very understanding brave sole who jeopardized his own position to inform me as to what I was up against.
They told me this was not the first time they had an issue with this phones screen protector...
and that U break I fix have stopped doing it because its to difficult to replace. They went on to say , they were told that it can only be properly done during manufacturing,, and to just tell customers that we DON'T have any in stock and not sure when they will be in, and to advise customers to contact Samsung.
This person also went on a limb to say" Samsung repair has found that its easier to replace the entire screen with the protector already installed from the plant, than to try to install it themselves.
This inevitably resulting in the implementation of a policy that states "if there appears to be any other imperfections on the phone other than a faulty screen protector, it will be their policy to void the warranty of the screen protector, and to tell the customer, that due to the unrelated wear and tear, it is their policy to replace everything not just the faulty screen protector at a cost of $500+.
This person also went on to say he was not sure if this would even fix the issues with the faulty screen protectors and that I may be up against the same problem every 4-5 months at the same $500+ cost. (Thank you lord, for there are still some good people out there.)
I can not begin to explain the emotions and stress endured during the struggle of this mind melding process of mega giant corporate deception and deviant behavior, only that I never ever want to hear again in my life, the almost robot-like instilled phrase, "No worries sir, we are here to help."
At this time I have no other choice but to pay.
I have no other form of communication or way of doing business with the outside world. My life has been put on hold by a simple faulty screen protector on a $2000.00 phone.
I thought I was buying the best product from the Best place.
I WAS REGRETFULLY WRONG,
There apears to only be one thing left that stands between us, and the greedy, devent behavior of corporate conglomerates ,,and that is, FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
... and their working on that now.
