I'm not trolling! I have a difference of opinion to you. I haven't got an SB setup although I was considering it and if I had and then I'd seen the obvious issue (it takes a hell of a lot for someone like intel to admit publicly there's an issue so I'd guess it's more than 5% risk, this is a PR disaster not to mention the issues with OEM partners etc etc) and then seen you carry on selling the boards with a disclaimer along the lines of "if you're daft enough to buy this we're making it clear you did it off your own back so we're in the clear" and then to try and make money off the back of it just shows you're just not aligned to treating your customers well!
There's another option you know, ignore your competition, ignore whether someone might be taking stuff off sale because they don't have stock, ignore the fact you might miss a few SB sales and use your considerable buying power to lean on the OEMs for support, for guaranteed swapouts in the future if anything goes wrong, go win something for the consumer and in the meantime take the stuff off sale and bill someone for the lost revenue.
That happens regularly enough to me and thats only if we've managed to put the wrong sodding barcode on something not if it's likely to take down a PC which lets be hinest is the centre of all your customers lives!
It's a difference of opinion, not trolling. I was merely pointing out what I think is questionable business practice, albeit in a slightly tongue in cheek way but if I'm trolling fox is my boss.
How is it questionable business practice?
People want Sandybridge still irrelevent of this issue, by removing from sale we prevent those customers been able to buy, now thats real bad business. By leaving them for sale we please all, those who want to buy can and buy knowing the board could manifest an issue but will still be covered by warranty and if a recall occurrs still be able to get their board swapped out. In what way is this bad practice, its not because believe it not there is no gun helds to customer heads saying you must buy.
Secondly you say we should be working hard to make sure the situation is resolved in a manner that gives customers best end result, do you really think we've not been doing that for the past 48hrs, myself and other managers within OcUK have sent emails to Intel and all motherboard vendors with our expectations of how things will be dealt with and that we have high expectations and also expect OcUK nor its customers to be out of pocket. If you really think we've not been doing this then I am surprised but its been our number one priority. Were still selling the boards and shall continue to do so simply because customers can buy a board now, tomorrow or next week and if a recall happens they can simply get the board swapped out or if a problem manifest they can simply send it back under warranty and get a new B3 replacement. How does taking the boards off sale change our ability to lean on the vendors? I can tell you now it makes no difference.
We have gone out of way to keep customers updated, do you see competitors interacting with customers at 10pm at night and answering questions? Do you see competitors putting bright red text on descriptions that there could be an issue and news bulletins on the website and all over their forums? I think we have gone out of our way, however what you don't see is all the work we do in the background to ensure our customers are looked after above and beyond, as we find out more or have answers they will be posted.
I think it just takes the ****ss quite a bit that some of you come across all high and mighty trying to make out you clearly know better and saying were not doing enough or its in some way wrong were still selling boards.
Then to come out with comments saying bill Intel for lost business, well that clearly shows how you have no idea. Intel might cover cost involved of swapping out boards but trying to bill them for lost business they'd laugh at you and probably cease supporting us alltogether as they have not instructed us to remove from sale, its only been a suggestion.
If they instruct to remove from sales and all etailors follow then yes they will be removed and as such no sales will be lost as customers will simply buy 1156 or 1366 products but until Intel give such order and all follow we shall give our customers extra by giving them the options and not taking those options away.
I see us as doing more, not less.
