At first the screen appeared O.K., but after about a month the screen didn’t appear to be as bright; I thought it was my imagination. However, by November of 2009 it was apparent that there was a problem and I called Samsung. I got the call centre in the Southern USA.

The Samsung representative I spoke to there was very affable and told me to return the monitor for repair. I did so. About six weeks later I received a parcel containing a monitor similar to the one I had returned. It wasn’t my monitor but a second-hand substitute that was scratched and very used-looking.

I phoned the Samsung call centre again, and once more received a helpful and affable response. This time, I was told that even though Samsung has a 1- year warranty on their monitors, I would only get a used replacement as they only give new product in the first 3 months of the warranty. They would give me another used monitor if I returned the replacement.

To cut a very long story short, I am now on my third repacement; each monitor they’ve sent me has been substandard to the original one I sent to them. They’ve all been scratched, have had missing bumpers on the base, and one was filthy.

I think that as I sent them a monitor that was, except for the fading screen, in excellent condition, the very least they should do is give me replacement of the same standard. I also feel that they should publish the warranty on the OUTSIDE of the model box so that customers are aware that they will be getting a second hand…they like to call it ‘refurbished’… replacement.

Yesterday I received an email from a person at Samsung Canada(I managed to source his number through a business investment site). His response to my 5- month wait for a replacemnet of equal condition to the one I had initially sent them? You guessed it: send back the model I now have; they will send me a larger replacement model…but it will be previously used.

I will NEVER buy anything else from Samsung. As far as I’m concerned they have no business ethics and, despite their very nice call-centre reps., their customer service STINKS.

I’m old enough to remember when a warranty covered repair of the product or a new replacement. Anything less is not acceptable. It leads me to suspect that Samsung is aware of problems with their products and are out to scam the unsuspecting buyer.

Used and abused in Canada

So after a month of fighting and getting nowhere, we went to the business where we bought the TV. They told us they would fight Samsung over this issue. After a week they told us the same thing. So now I was supposed to just accept the fact my TV was broken and walk away, however, the fight was not over. My girlfriend messaged the head office of the company from which we bought the TV, and they said they would try and work with samsung to resolved the issue. Two months of waiting to find that Samsung refuses to answer them as well.

So we made arrangements to have the TV driven to closest city 3 hours away, where it was taken t an approved Samsung repair center. Their technician says it wasn’t our fault and forwards the paperwork to Samsung. STILL Samsung refuses to replace our TV. They say they are going to still go by the pictures, instead of listening to the repair center. We immediately launched a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I advise everyone else to do the same. Get the word out how crooked Samsung really is to everybody.