Samsung Trade In Program

[Vulcan903]

I bought a Flip Z 5G for my wife and was going to trade in her Note 9. After the purchase a family member wanted the Note 9 after breaking there phone.

I started to get threating "we will lock your phone" messages on the flip.

I tried to contact Samsung Trade In.

E mail, no response.

Chat Function, does not work

Phone Number, message blames COVID and disconnects.

Yesterday they locked my wife's phone. She could not get the bus home as her pass was on her phone. No access to Google Pay. No way of contacting me. No way of contacting her boss to see if she could get a lift home after closing the shop she works at.

This has seriously impacted our feelings towards the Samsung brand. If a company wants to be heavy handed that's there decision but to then make it near impossible to contact them to resolve is a concern.

[Obsydian]

For once in a long Time I had no issues with the same scenario, someone bought my S20 Ultra after a trade in for £340 against a Fold3, this was two weeks after my purchase, I then replied to the trade in email stating I wish to pay the £340 rather than trade in, I received an email invoice, paid it, though officially today was my trade in closing date, so far no issues with the change of mind.

[AndrewL]

@Vulcan903: Did you select the Note 9 to trade in when you purchased the the Z Flip? If so, you would have been required to send it to the Trade In Team (MTR Group) within 7 days of receiving your new phone. If the device is not received in this timeframe then the team do reserve the right to remotely lock the phone, as per the terms and conditions of the Trade In Programme. In order to address this, please reach out to the Trade In Team at help@tradeinresponse.co.uk or helpdesk@samsungrecycle.co.uk and an advisor will be able to look into this for you. Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you. 

[Anonymous User]

Sorry but the OP has already said he tried everything he possibly could to contact Samsung.

He emailed - no response
He called - unable to connect due to Covid (Samsung is another company blaming Covid for poor customer service.
He Tried Chat - function doesn't work

Bar travelling to Samsung Head Office to speak to someone personally, what on earth does Samsung expect a customer to do?

This is yet another example of Samsung losing sight of the customer and their needs. Saying that Samsung "reserved the right blah blah blah is totally unacceptable and by making the comments you have, as a moderator, suggests you think it acceptable for Samsung to bar the device without knowing what impact it would have.

What if this man's wife was involved in an accident, was attacked, was taken ill etc etc etc

Why did Samsung make no effort to contact the customer by phone??? Oh, sorry, I forgot, as the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer one thing that is true is that Samsung does not want to talk to customers.

There is no excuse here. Samsung's actions and your response are reprehensible and have no place in this world.

Respect to the OP @Vulcan903 and hope that his good lady is safe and well.

[Vulcan903]

Thanks Nic. I spoke to Samsung support who sent an e mail to MTR. Its going to be Tuesday now at the earliest. It took three weeks to send thecrecycle pack by which time the family needed the phone so I am happy to pay the £100 trade in but its near impossible.
I might buy another Samsung phone tomorrow and then return it once her £1k Flip has been unlocked by Samsung/MTR.
I like my Samsung products but I've learned a lesson here. Do not recycle via Samsung. MTR are not set up for consumers queries.

[Anonymous User]

You are very very welcome.

I have a real issue with Samsung Customer Services (or lack of them) and with any company that hides behind Covid to try to justify poor customer service.

The key think here is that your good lady is safe. It is annoying that you have to wait (MTR will likely be open all over NY) but I suppose it could have been worse so no major harm done but........

I would push for a goodwill compensatory payment, you should get a Samsung E-Code for between £50 and £100 depending on how hard you push.

Samsung and MTR have absolutely no excuse here. Their process fails the customer at every level. All they had to do is pick up the phone but they won't, they prefer to hide behind email.

Have a great new year my friend and here's hoping the Flip 3 will be turned back on promptly.

[Vulcan903]

So...overnight Samsung put £100 on my credit card. I was not aware they stored this info.
Still waiting for the phone to be unlocked.

[Vulcan903]

4th January and still the phone is locked. I paid Samsung on the 29th December.
This is shocking and have contacted the Samsung UK CEO (no response).
I am going to refer this to OFCOM as Samsung has put my wife in Danger by locking her phone. And I am having to manage my wife's expectations to when she can speak to her family in Thailand.
Help@tradeinresponse.co.uk does not exist. There is no team there I am sure.
I am tempted to buy a phone tomorrow and recover the costs via County Court where Samsung will have to pay sor a solicitor to attend the hearing.