Galaxy Buds 2 (not pro) & Samsung's shocking service! Can I appeal?

[PowderedToastMan]

I got the Buds 2 as an early B-day present back in April this year.

In recent weeks I noticed a small crack had appeared on the right bud just above where the R is. The sound quality hasn't changed any but my concern was sweat during exercise getting in & besides that they were only 6 months old!! 

I've done nothing whatsoever that my have caused this. I haven't dropped them, sat on them, sat something on them. Sure I could be feeding that to Samsung & it be a lie but I've got literally zero to gain from lying on this forum & it's the truth! 

Last week they get picked up to be checked over for repair. 

Today I get an email saying the damage isn't covered under warranty & I'd need to pay £64 for the repair. 

That's Pd me right off! I've done absolutely nothing to cause the damage. It must be some design flaw or whatever & now it's suddenly my fault for their poor design? 

Have any of you ever successfully appealed a warranty claim where you were initially refused repair (for free) but you got the decision overturned? 

Or have I got more chance of hell freezing over & I should just have them returned & use them as they are, with the crack? 

[AndrewL]

@PowderedToastMan: I'm sorry to hear of your disappointment regarding the issue you have experienced with your Galaxy Buds2, and the outcome of your recent engineer's inspection. Please be aware that the engineer will have performed thorough tests to check for any defects in the Bud which might have caused it to crack unexpectedly. If no defects were discovered in this instance then a charge would be applicable to cover the cost of the service, as physical damage is not covered by our standard warranty. I do appreciate that this is not what you were hoping for, however we do stand by the engineer's decision in these situations, as they are in the best position to diagnose the problem. 

[PowderedToastMan]

@AndrewL - what situation am I in right now then?

I don't wish to pay £64 for a repair on some buds that if I jump online now then the first listing I saw was £115 so £64 is a fair chunk of that.

So what I'm getting at is - can I say no I don't want to pay that (&have them returned to me)

Or do I need to pay that anyway because they've been inspected, so the only way of me getting them back is to pay?


A bit disappointing. Was a long time Apple user. Great service but grew tired of their phones & their OS.
The first time I call on the Samsung service & this happens.

[AndrewL]

@PowderedToastMan: You do have the choice to opt out of the service, whereby the Buds will be returned to you unrepaired at no cost. 

It is certainly regretful that you feel this way, as this is naturally not the experience we want our customers to have with our products and services. While this is understandably disappointing, please be assured that our Support Team are always on hand to help with any issues you may have, however please understand that they are only able to operate within the terms and conditions of our warranty. 

[PowderedToastMan]

Thank you for your response.

I appreciate that however I feel the warranty is now what many may believe it to be. I thought that had I not damaged the buds (& a subsequent Googling check showed others complaining of the same) then surely I would be in luck & have the warranty cover this.

Anyway, it does not & it seems I've no choice but to accept that.

I'll use the buds until they no longer work at which point I'll then look at other brands.

[Edwardjohn]

I understand exactly where you are coming from. From my ongoing experience with a guide to my s24 ultra smart phone. Samsung seem to have ʼno commitment to honoring their warranty promises..

[Jikir]

The same message they sent me. It's a really bad experience .

[PowderedToastMan]

@Edwardjohn @Jikir I got in touch with Samsung Live Chat last night.

The official is that my bud displays "impact damage" - so they're essentially calling me a liar when I say I've not dropped it. I got in touch with a supervisor but he wouldn't waive the charge either.
He then tried to tempt me with an offer, a 'considerable discount' he said. Know what it was?

He sent me a link to the Pro Buds 3 & said I could get £30 trade in also.

This offer is available to anyone who goes on the website!! It's not a special discount for me personally as what a company may refer to as a 'goodwill gesture' at all.

I pointed out that the £30 trade in will be for 'good order' buds & I'm quite sure Samsung will move the goal posts again & say mine aren't good and maybe give me £0.03....... If I'm lucky. He said no if they work, as in sound output, then I'll get the £30.

But I don't trust Samsung now to not move the goalposts. Besides that, that offer isn't significant enough to me to even consider taking them up on it.

I really feel like Samsung are just like the company I work for - rather than the customer being their focus they prefer to abandon the customer when the customer needs help. Rather than acknowledge OK these buds are cracked & we'll help out (I also provided them links of others complaining of the same, some after only weeks of use - and always white ones) they prefer to just say it's the customers fault & not covered under warranty.

Apple were always great when I was with them.

I had a bike accident. I asked Wahoo if I could get a quarter turn piece to glue to the back & they gave me 40% off a new unit because they were like ***** feel bad for your situation.
Wahoo also gave me a new sensor when I suspected my existing one was faulty. I never even asked for it. They just outright offered - and didn't want the sensor back at all to check over.

I was considering replacing my Roam with a Garmin at some point. I'll not be doing that now!