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Forum Discussion
Warranty registration complaint
Netgear has an adequate warranty for their products but their focus on serial number and providing support to only the original registered person discourages business purchases. Last year we p...
I completely agree with you 100% but unfortunately on this forum 99.9% of the netgear employees/fanbois will come in and tell you that netgear is great and above all else and you should just be happy netgear offers a 5 year warranty (if you can use it.)
Now mdgm may come in and say perhaps if you spend a lot of time proving how you purchased the item and the disconnect between how unclear netgear makes its warranty process apparent (IE it's the first thing that pops up when you turn the box on and go through the wizard, immediately asking you to register!) Doesn't say once you register you and only you are eligible for the 5 year warranty (or if it does it's in small print.)
So realistically when you purchase a netgear box don't take into account the 5 year warranty. Just buy a 2nd hand unit that will provide you with the same level of support (none) but won't come with the huge markup.
If you offer a warranty why not offer it on the product itself? Oh I know, because if ownership transfers then netgear's off the hook! I wonder what they do with people who buy them, register them, then aren't happy with them and send them back to the retailer... does the retailer just eat the cost of the unit?
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
FYI, In the USA, warranty and support costs have to be projected using reasonable assumptions and then entered on the accounting records as a reserve for future costs. European regulations are different as our other countries but they all focus on future costs. The point is if you shed a warranty obligation, you improve your financials.
My personal view of warranty is that it demonstrates the vendor confidence in their product design and longevity. Pretty basic stuff actually.
I am so irritated at this lack of corporate support that we are now starting the process of consolidation of individual records into one corporate record. We took one account and changed it …
First Name is ‘Digital’
Last name is ‘XYZ’
Company name is XYZ Inc.
Email is ‘digital@xyz.com’
Online change worked flawlessly. With this technique apparently we can have the analog of corporate registration for our devices.
We have submitted the first ‘batch’ of changes – involves a call to Customer Support for each device and then they need some internal email exchanges to merge records – old record and associated email address expunged and equipment moved to the master record/name.
I think that warranties should be transferrable (and that paid support should be available to people who buy used ReadyNAS).
Clearly support for business products should not be tied to individuals, but the company.
Thank you. Well stated.
Tell your friends at Netgear -- somebody has to start the process of change.
If a unit was originally purchased by a company then the company is deemed to be the original purchaser and the I.T. person for the company changing is fine. Recording the company name when you register products is recommended as is where practical having invoices (at least where the unit was shipped to you) mention the company name.
Sounds to me like it has been a while since you called in the front door like a real customer. I have recently and it is really a poor reflection on Netgear.
All of our devices are registered with the company name but that seems to make no difference.
Phone support is obviously off-shore and the agents read from their opening script. No common sense, either the name matches or no support. Appeal to purchase support are turned away – the unit is considered refurbished or used and in either case not eligible for any support.
One agent suggested I discard the unit and purchase another unit from a valid Netgear reseller.
This dumb business practice is not defensible on any scale in my view and damages the vendor reputation.
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