Impeding 360 Purchase - M$ Support Q's

W00dy · 4 Apr 2006 at 09:55

Thinking of getting hold of a 360 at the moment, and my only concern in M$ support in the event of the thing failing.

AFAIK the High Street retailer I am thinking of buying from will replace the item for 3 months and then after that it is down to M$ support.

The only problem is that I work all day and couldn't wait in for couriers to collect and return the item if it failed - could anyone give me some reassurance as the returns procedure, particularly if you can get items picked up/replaced via a work address.

Not tempting fate that I will have any probs, but seeing that some people have had failures, I would like to understand the warranty/returns procedure before purchase

Also, as for a 1st game, would you suggest PGR3 or RR6?

Thanks

Wyrdo · 4 Apr 2006 at 09:57

Why can you only take it back to the retailor within 3 months? As far as I know and I know VIRII knows about this thing you can take it back to the retailor and get it replaced for a long time after the purchase.

Your contract is with the retailor, not Microsoft.

I'll let VIRII explain more as he knows about this stuff

Nismo · 4 Apr 2006 at 09:58

W00dy said:
Also, as for a 1st game, would you suggest PGR3 or RR6?

PGR3.

As far as MS support goes, on the whole they seem to be excellent. Remember there is always a middle man, in this case the courier, and you are more likely to have problems with them (if at all) than with MS.

Also, I would be very surprised if you couldnt arrange a work pick up/delivery.

Phil99 · 4 Apr 2006 at 10:01

The 3 month thing is BS, you've got at least a year by law, more if you can prove it was faulty at time of sale.

Davey_Pitch · 4 Apr 2006 at 10:04

The shop you buy it from are legally obligated to replace your Xbox360 for you should it break. You bought it from them, so your contract is with them. The Sale of Goods Act is your friend here if they say it's not them that have to repair the product and they try to fob you off. A couple of key points from it...

It is the seller, not the manufacturer, who is responsible if goods do not conform to contract.
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 (my emphasis).
If a consumer chooses to request a repair or replacement, then for the first six months after purchase it will be for the retailer to prove the goods did conform to contract (e.g. were not inherently faulty)
After six months and until the end of the six years, it is for the consumer to prove the lack of conformity.

To break it down, if your Xbox 360 develops a fault within the first couple of years (which is what we would reasonably expect any electrical item to last), then the retailer will be the one you speak to about getting it repaired or replaced.

See http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/facts/salegoodsact.htm for some more info.

W00dy · 4 Apr 2006 at 10:13

Thanks for the quick replies, and putting my mind at rest

- exactly why these forums are the best

Oh, and cheers for the recommendation of PGR3

VIRII · 4 Apr 2006 at 10:34

yup as Davey says.
The sale of goods act is a superb bit of legislation for the consumer.
I have taken things more than 3 years old back to the retailer and demanded refund/replacement and received it after threatening to get Consumer Direct involved.
(note that they can say that as you've had some use out of it that they don't have to offer a full refund).

Too many of us get fobbed off by retailers who (quite rightly) think we don't know our rights.

peter_hutson · 4 Apr 2006 at 11:02

VIRII said:
yup as Davey says.
Too many of us get fobbed off by retailers who (quite rightly) think we don't know our rights.

I completely agree but often the service staff in shops also don't know your rights. They believe whatever pap the companies warranty department feed them. Unfortunately, it's the poor sap on the shop floor that has to sort the problem out. While some smugg git in head office refuses to budge.

VIRII · 4 Apr 2006 at 11:16

peter_hutson said:
I completely agree but often the service staff in shops also don't know your rights. They believe whatever pap the companies warranty department feed them. Unfortunately, it's the poor sap on the shop floor that has to sort the problem out. While some smugg git in head office refuses to budge.

This is very true which is why I don't waste my time with them but go direct to their customer services department or manager.
It can help to bring a copy of the SoG Act with you (as per daveys link from the DTI).

I would guess that 95% of people do not know their statutory rights at all and that includes shop workers, consumers etc.

NokkonWud · 4 Apr 2006 at 11:19

W00dy said:
Thinking of getting hold of a 360 at the moment, and my only concern in M$ support in the event of the thing failing.

Microsoft (it's an S, not a $) have one of the best customer services I have ever dealt with.

Also, for the first game, I'd say Burnout: Revenge is better than either of those, though PGR3 is awesome too. I think Burnout or Call of Duty 2 are the best games out for it.

Wyrdo · 4 Apr 2006 at 11:20

VIRII said:
This is very true which is why I don't waste my time with them but go direct to their customer services department or manager.
It can help to bring a copy of the SoG Act with you (as per daveys link from the DTI).

I would guess that 95% of people do not know their statutory rights at all and that includes shop workers, consumers etc.

I certainly wasn't aware of my rights until reading some of your posts recently. I wish I'd had a better understanding of them in the past.

Davey_Pitch · 4 Apr 2006 at 11:40

wyrdo said:
I certainly wasn't aware of my rights until reading some of your posts recently. I wish I'd had a better understanding of them in the past.

I think a lot of people are the same, and it never hurts to have at least a passing understanding of the Sale of Goods act, as well as the Distance Selling Regulations if you buy over the internet a fair bit.

W00dy · 5 Apr 2006 at 10:10

Just a follow up post, got hold of a Core Pack last night with PGR3.

O - M - G :eek:

totally blown away with it.

Even on my crappy 28" CRT Widescreen TV it looks great

One more question :

Is it worth getting the advanced SCART lead - I only have SCART input to the TV - will the image quality be noticably better ?

Thanks

Wyrdo · 5 Apr 2006 at 10:22

It will be better but by how much seems to depend on the TV.

NokkonWud · 5 Apr 2006 at 11:49

W00dy said:
Just a follow up post, got hold of a Core Pack last night with PGR3.

O - M - G totally blown away with it.

Even on my crappy 28" CRT Widescreen TV it looks great

One more question :

Is it worth getting the advanced SCART lead - I only have SCART input to the TV - will the image quality be noticably better ?

Thanks

If your TV takes RGB then get the RGB scart it improves the picture immensely!

Good call on joining the Xbox360 massive

. Post your Xbox Live! name in the thread and TSG will add you to the-reviewers list. More people from here will add you and then ask you into online games etc..

.