Scan offers £25+vat for a graphics card which fails after just less than 2 years

[Louise Galletly]

My teenage son saved for his own computer and bought all the bits from Scan. He paid £180 for the nVidia GeForce 7900 GT graphic card in May 2006 so he could do the kind of gaming he likes. Less than 2 years down the line - and with the card still in warranty - he's getting speckles on the desktop and black screens. We return the card to Scan who detect a fault but say they are rejecting the warranty - whatever that means. We pursue the issue and are told that the card is no longer manufactured and to wait for XFX to tell us how much they will give us to buy a new card. Eventually we find out we are being offered £25 because you can buy this discontinued card online for that amount. We check this out and discover that you can buy a used card for $80 in a Canadian classified ads section, or bid for a used card on eBay bidding price starting at £29.99 or get a new 7900 GS (not even GT) for £95 - but as yet we haven't found a stockist to purchase our 7900 GT for £25. Any ideas?
Trading Standards tell us that a reasonable amount to ask for by way of compensation would be two thirds of the cost of the card since we have only had a third of the usage under our statutory rights (which extend to 6 years by law). That would amount to £120. Wesley Aldred has paid £25 back onto my card ignoring my written statement that I do not accept this amount as fair compensation. This amount is an insult. Scan has admitted this is a faulty product and admitted liability by offering compensation. However they are failing to replace the card like-for-like or to enable my son to purchase another card that would allow him to use his computer.
My son has been sold a product which developed a fault after almost 2 years of usage and Scan computers refuses to rectify the situation adequately.
Where's the deep desire to provide customer satisfaction that I keep hearing that Scan prides itself on?

[Logitech]

Ouch

Have you tried taking it up with XFX directly ?

[Disturbedguy]

To be honest I don't how you can claim the card as being faulty.

The card has worked for almost two years, therefore it has developed a fault and was not sold to you faulty. I don't see how you can expect to receive more compensation as for one the card isn't produced any more and two as already stated the card wasn't sold to you faulty, it developed a fault.

Am pretty sure SCAN wont replace like for like, as any card you replace it with now, will more than likely be more powerful and better, therefore its not like for like imo.

[Madafwo]

The 6 years you quote is I believe the length of time you have to make a claim against a company, not how long the item should last for. And only a judge can decide if you have a case to make a claim under that.

Have you requested your local trading standard office contact Scan regarding the issue? Or that Scan's local trading standards office contact them on your behalf?

[Mithrandir]

I thought the first year would be from the retailer then its the manufacturer thereafter. I could be wrong though.

[staffsMike]

This has happened twice just recently. You have done (or tried to do) the right thing. Reject the money and ask for an equivalent card, usually you will get an 8600GT which isn't amazing but is near enough equal to your sons card.

If they don't want to do that, point out that if they can offer the people who just bought a GTX280 for the full asking price within the first week a certain amount of refund as they were so inpatient to wait for the cards to drop in price.. I'm sure they can give you an 8600GT

[Blitzen]

My teenage son saved for his own computer and bought all the bits from Scan. He paid £180 for the nVidia GeForce 7900 GT graphic card so he could do the kind of gaming he likes. Less than 2 years down the line - and with the card still in warranty - he's getting speckles on the desktop and black screens. We return the card to Scan who detect a fault but say they are rejecting the warranty - whatever that means. We pursue the issue and are told that the card is no longer manufactured and to wait for XFX to tell us how much they will give us to buy a new card. Eventually we find out we are being offered £25 because you can buy this discontinued card online for that amount. We check this out and discover that you can buy a used card for $80 in a Canadian classified ads section, or bid for a used card on eBay bidding price starting at £29.99 or get a new 7900 GS (not even GT) for £95 - but as yet we haven't found a stockist to purchase our 7900 GT for £25. Any ideas?
Trading Standards tell us that a reasonable amount to ask for by way of compensation would be two thirds of the cost of the card since we have only had a third of the usage under our statutory rights (which extend to 6 years by law). That would amount to £120. Wesley Aldred has paid £25 back onto my card ignoring my written statement that I do not accept this amount as fair compensation. This amount is an insult. Scan has admitted this is a faulty product and admitted liability by offering compensation. However they are failing to replace the card like-for-like or to enable my son to purchase another card that would allow him to use his computer.
My son has been sold a faulty product and Scan computers refuses to rectify the situation adequately.
Where's the deep desire to provide customer satisfaction that I keep hearing that Scan prides itself on?

I am going to get pulled for this but.......this is a blatant rip and dont stand for it.

If the card is discontinued, and its not possible to repair, you should be entitled to a replacement of similar standard.

Unfortunately, if XFX (poor company) only offer £25, then Scan will pass this onto you.
I would persue this further if i were you as the premium that XFX, and therefore Scan charge, should cover this card for a reasonabl amount of time.

It may be 2 years old but that is what a warranty is for and if it fails, you should get more than £25.

This is the second thread like this in a few weeks and its plainly wrong.

[FifthFreedom]

During the last few weeks, I have come to understand that this is how the warranties work on PC components so unhappy customers are commonplace unfortunately. You should push for the closest similar card in performance and not accept their refund.

If they've already given you the £25 then you should reverse the transaction through your bank.

When it comes to Customer Services my method is keep contacting them until they do what you want. For example with SCAN, to sort out a return, I called every morning for 3 days. Each the first 2 days they told me "It usually takes 3 - 5 days" on the 3rd day they just said "would you like me to sort that out now for you?" Sooner or later they will get sick of you an give in.

[akaneria]

Louise i had the exact same problem with scan a month ago, please read my posts, not sure where they are, i'll try and dig them out for reference.

I had the EXACT same problerm, they admitted it was a fault with the card, and still within warranty, they only refunded me £35 for the card, i told them that i did not want the refund but an equivalent model, but they did nothing. I wrote them a letter stating that i would be taking legal advise, but i didnot follow it up, wasn't worth my hassle, had to go back to work the next week.
Firstly dont buy XFX and if it fails go directly to the manufacture!

[Madafwo]

During the last few weeks, I have come to understand that this is how the warranties work on PC components so unhappy customers are commonplace unfortunately. You should push for the closest similar card in performance and not accept their refund.

If they've already given you the £25 then you should reverse the transaction through your bank.

When it comes to Customer Services my method is keep contacting them until they do what you want. For example with SCAN, to sort out a return, I called every morning for 3 days. Each the first 2 days they told me "It usually takes 3 - 5 days" on the 3rd day they just said "would you like me to sort that out now for you?" Sooner or later they will get sick of you an give in.

So it took the 3-5 days that was orignally quoted? In my eyes all that did was annoy the people on the end of the phone so next time you have an issue they probably wont want to help you.

Why do people always assume it's a battle? It's not a case of giving in, it's a case that if you are phoning up every day they can't help other people who may have real issues. Waiting 3-5 days for a replacement really isn't that bad.

[not_my_ip]

I fully understand this kind of situation - £25 what can you buy with this. If not scan, XFX should replace card with something similar (8600GT?), but I still think scan should deal with this. Like I said in some other post, why some companies try to sell theirs cards with unlimited or very long warranty, what would you get after 5 years of using it? A fiver?

Quoted 6 years by trading standards is how long graphic card should last - of course If I remember it right.

Maybe a scan employee can throw some light on it

good luck Louise !

[Koolpc]

Surely it is not Scans problem but that of the manufacturer?

[not_my_ip]

I just found another thread which is similar to this one, sadly it was locked by scan without any update
http://forums.hexus.net/scan-care-he...at-refund.html

Anyway Scan can be liable under the Sales of Goods act for up to 6 years.

Sale of goods acts

• For up to six years after purchase (five years from discovery in Scotland) purchasers can demand damages (which a court would equate to the cost of a repair or replacement).

• A purchaser who is a consumer, i.e. is not buying in the course of a business, can alternatively request a repair or replacement.

• If repair and replacement are not possible or too costly, then the consumer can seek a partial refund, if they have had some benefit from the good, or a full refund if the fault/s have meant they have enjoyed no benefit

In my eyes it looks like full refund, but I'm not a lawyer

I thing some month ago one of Hexus mods had similar problem and he was more succesful

[Madafwo]

Sale of goods acts

• If repair and replacement are not possible or too costly, then the consumer can seek a partial refund, if they have had some benefit from the good, or a full refund if the fault/s have meant they have enjoyed no benefit

In my eyes it looks like full refund, but I'm not a lawyer

Unfortunately you have contradicted yourself in your own post.

Louise's son has had nearly 2 years usage out of the item, therefore has gianed some benefit, therefore can be issued a partial refund.

Don't get me wrong, I would not be happy at all if a near £200 card was refunded at £25. But the best thing to do in this situation is to contact Trading Standards and ask them to contact Scan. If Scan are doing anything wrong then they will be forced to increase what they are offering by Trading Standards. It's not the ideal outcome having to get them involved but that is what they are there for.

It's not compensation therefore Scan are not admitting liability for anything, they are simply honoring the warranty on the item which entitles you to either a repair, replacement or if neither are available a partial refund.

[jimborae]

My XFX 7900GT failed, similar symptons, similar age, I went direct to XFX and got a 8600GTS as a replacement. Not to unhappy with the result but it was a real pain in the ass.

[Oldjim]

It really is about time that Scan starting saying exactly what the warranty is if a card fails within the warranty period but is EOL
The XFX warranty as shown on their website http://www.xfxforce.com/en-gb/Help/S...formation.aspx states

HARDWARE PRODUCT WARRANTY DETAILS

WARRANTY PERIOD: XFX warranties hardware Product for a period of two (2) years.
WARRANTY INFORMATION
XFX warrants that the Product shall conform to and perform in accordance with published technical specifications and the accompanying written materials, and shall be free of defects in materials and workmanship, for the period of time herein indicated, such warranty period commencing upon the date of original purchase.

This warranty is limited to the repair and/or replacement, at XFX's discretion, of defective or nonconforming Product.

Nothing about partial recompense at all