05-04-2021, 02:22 PM
(03-15-2021, 01:31 AM)johnnykeys Wrote: Thankyou for replying.
First off, I WISH it was just a dead pixel. I was more than willing to accept that, as it is written on the product page of the phone.
I was ready to spend the required hours to trial and error the software too, as a linux enthusiast.
I was willing to unscrew the phone and conduct and simple procedures towards fixing it... but now... it just seems like I am paying to participate in a problem.
I believe this is not a scam. I repeat - I believe this company is not a scam.
Consider this however: How would a customer know the difference when their order is CLEARLY DEFECTIVE FOR ANY REASONABLE USE and is then given slow, incredibly vague (and frankly time-wasting) customer support, until the point of requesting a refund, only to be told there is a 15% restocking fee (on top of shipping).
If the return was because of 'not liking' or 'change of mind' that would be acceptable. Why not send out a plastic replica and then demand a 15% restocking fee when the customer returns it? Laws protect consumers for a reason - and it would be a terrible shame for the Mobile Linux industry to be marred by practices that are indistinguishable from a scam.
Also, if non-working pinephones are worth so much, would you purchase it if I list it on ebay for the purchase price? honestly? Ebay listing fees aren't that cheap. I'm not very wealthy, this phone was a dent in my savings!
Wanting a linux phone free of spyware, with privacy & privacy switches and also not wanting to conduct electronics surgery are not mutually exclusive ideas. I believe it is counter productive for this product that you want to succeed - to insist that they are one and the same.
I will indeed continue to be in the market for a linux phone. I hope the pine customer service doesn't turn off too many people like it has myself.
eg "If you wish for a refund instead of trying to get stuff working again"...
-Customer support
Believe me - I tried for many hours to get it working. I waited days for support responses. Perhaps this condescending response is just a translation issue.
Again thanks for your reply,
I am glad that you are happy with your working purchase.
Best regards,
John
Late to this party but I really feel this type of problem too. The business model: get your paying customers to do as much R & D for you as possible. Presumably so they appreciate the learning experience and buy what you sell them to "help" them out. It is a dirty business model and I hope that isn't the case here. Years ago I bought a lovely huge array LED grow light from China. The company was Mars. A third of the board failed after three months, and after two months of back and forth dealing with replacement LEDs shipped from China that I had to solder, without improvement, I had to cut my losses. If a large number of products that slip by quality control require customers to solder, that should be revealed up front. Dead pixel my ***. My phone's hardware issues so far are muddied by the possibility of the "software issue." If I do spring for a linux notebook to help me fix my phone, it won't be pine64. I ask for help as a noob and I just get lots of code muscle flexing and no plain speaking, or I get shunted to iirc or forums that ARE NOT QUALIFIED customer service.