The Twilight Zune, or the ongoing Saga of Zune repair and (non) customer service

WALLSOFTEXTAREAWESOME!

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Hold your breath someone is about to tell the greatest lie EVER!

My first zune, a black zune original 120 arrived around the 2nd week of February this year. It worked wonderfully for a month at which point the hard drive just collapsed under my huge 3 gigs of info. It took a little over a month to send it in, get it replaced, and get it back. I had zune # 2 for about a week before, well, I'm not sure what happened. It wasn't good, but it was sudden and unprompted. I tried for two months to get a request for service online, because I didn't want to waste phone time with some random service agent. I pay by the minute and that time goes to friends/loved ones. But the requests kept coming back with errors.

Finally I caved and borrowed my mother's phone to call. I spent fifteen minutes trying to explain to the agent that I already submitted repair requests/checked the forums/did the button combos. Then she tried to explain some weird prompt to me which I could not understand through her very thick, very Indian accent. I kept asking her (politely) to repeat herself please, and she made some snarky comment. My mom yanks the phone away and yells at her (since when is my mom a protective mama bear type?) then demands to speak to the supervisor. We're directed to a second, kindlier lady who after speaking to us for a minute or two emails me a link to print off my shipping label. Why didn't they do that in the first place? So great,  now it's in the mail (on June 26th).

It arrives in Texas 5 days later and, according to the online statues was being serviced for an entire month. Then the status somehow changes back to print label selected, like somhow I hadn't shipped my zune yet. I let it stay like that for 1 or1 1/2 weeks just in case it was a bug in the system or they resent the request when they shipped it back. But nothing happened, so I call customer servive. I spent an hour on the phone trying to explain to C.S. that it was not a U.P.S. problem, it was not my problem, it was their problem. Then, again within a matter of minutes, I'm redirected to some nice man in Texas who tells me that they had lost my zune but had now found it. It was fixed and would be shipped the next day to arrive in about a week. Sounds great, huh? But it was a lie.

In lieu of getting my zune in the week, I got a phone call from the zune originals team. I contacted them via email and they gave me some regrettable news. My zune had not actually been fixed. The zune I had ordered in black now came only in my "choice" of blue or red ( both of which I loathe, honestly my two least favorite colors). I sent them an email with my story and they apologized and sent me a zune adapter. Gee, thanks. But an accessory that was on sale for $15 will not do much to cushion the blow of the loss of a piece of technology that cost me $280. Do they know how hard it is for a teen with no job to get hold of money?

So, my new blue zune arrives on August 22nd, almost two months after I sent it in. I let it charge, sync it and listen to maybe 20 songs. The next morning turn it on, check the battery(it says 100%) and listen to a song. Half way through it, the device shuts off. I get the dead battery sign with no backlight. Never got the one with the light you usually get. So I plug it in. After 3 hours I check-nothing. I try 5 different usb 2.0 ports, the zune F.M. car transmitter, the zune AC adapter and two different syncing cables. Then the screen goes completely black, I try everything above again, and still get nothing. So I check online and get told it is dead and to send it in! After one day! Epic, epic, epic fail!

So I sent it in and now it is supposedly being serviced. I'm sure zune # 4 will soon be on the way. The only way zune can beat themselves is if they send me a zune that is ALREADY dead. We'll have to see how they mess up this time. Honestly, my $10 mp3 player lasted longer than all my zunes combined 20 times over! That is pathetic. But I don't have the money to buy another player, so I'm stuck in the evil Microsoft machine. If you have the money, I suggest that you get yourself out now friend! ASAP, it will eat you alive! 

* As an update, my zune was sent back to me UNREPAIRED (after they lost it in their plant for a week). Now I have to send it back in, but am having problems with submitting repair requests again. Let's hope they fix it this time!

* Another update: contacted support and they snail mailed me a new label. Shipped it about 9/22. They are experiencing a backup of service requests so I'll expect my zune sometime in the next two weeks. RIGHT! If they don't at least send it sometime in that time I'll not be fum to deal with. I'm at 4 1/2 months with 20 hours of zune time.

 st0icr4ven wrote:

I purchased my Zune in Nov of 2006 I did not register the device until April of 07.  I had to send it in for repairs Dec of 07.  Called Tech Support explained the problem.  The coffin was sent to me (free of charge), I sent the device to the Service Center and they in turn sent me a brand new device.  The Warranty for my Zune 30 that I purchased in Nov of 06 does not expire until April of '08 (12 months AFTER the date of registration.  The number for Zune Support is 1877-GET-ZUNE.  You're angry but you're angry at the wrong company.  Sounds like BestBuy screwed you over not MS.  I've had to send both of my zunes in and had them both replaced and I had no problems getting this done.  Usually people run into problems with Tech Support when they try to act as if they know more then tech support and try to belittle them.  ~shrugs~ Dunno what you're problem is but the problem was definately NOT on the part of MS.

wow...I don't even know where to start with you.  I guess the fact that you've had 2 units replaced, isn't a big enough heads up for you.  The fact that BestBuy complicated the man's life with some stupid error hardly detracts from the fact that they (bestbuy) are selling a crappy line of MS products called ZUNE ..

The point of the saga you moron is that ZUNE is junk...the MS support is ANYTHING but helpful, that everything that can go wrong DOES. 

The guy who wrote this detailed experience is basically demonstrating for us all WHAT COULD and may happen to US!!

I'm convinced that the latest software update is a complete failure.  It has killed more units than made any of them "a better listening experience.."  I can't even use my player...to think that I may have to encounter the same or even similar experiences to replace a product that is just a few months old just makes me sick.  But try doing it from overseas like I will have to do...

 

maybe its a microsoft thing because with my xbox 360 I had a total of 8 ref numbers and one guy made me promises of free stuff for all I had been thru. and I got charged twice for the repair and the repair never happend and I got screwed in the end. so trust me I LOVE MICROSOFT!!!biggest bunch of liars

Wow, I never thought it was that bad. I had my zune Replaced once, and got a nice refurbished zune. It had the same problem. The fact was, I sent it in on December 25th, called on like December 20th or something, and went on Vacation for Chirstmas for a week and a half. When I came back, I received a new zune 2 days after arrival back. And the really weird thing is, I spent just over 20 minutes on the phone, and my surprise was.... They told me what the Problem of my zune is. I haven't even said anything, and the guy told me that his file says that My zune Hold button is malfunctioning, and asked me to try a few things, which I refused to because I already asked for help here and on a different forum, and have tried everything that could be possible. So he politely just put me on hold and 2 minutes later said I will receive the package soon, and told me to follow the directions in the box.

You can't legally record telephone conversations unless you notify them that the call is being recorded. So, if you take that route, make sure to inform them at the beginnnig of each and every call.

Of course, they outsource to a different country, so the laws might be different.

Theoretically, couldn't you threaten legal action if you had recorded all of the support conversations over the phone?

 

But wait...they have lots of money... 

Your message has touched us all, but most importantly has opened my eyes.
 
I was an avid zune user with the first gen 30GB, now I have a broken 80GB piece that never worked, synced, or connected once. Not only hours after pulling it out of the box did the thing decide to break.

Your experience has provided me with understanding that you really cant expect anything from anyone. All promises, nothing delivered. Its all a game to them, just trying to keep up with apple. Not saying which company is better or worse, but they both just want your money. All of it. Credit card required for registration, are you serious?

They disregard your cries for help after promising you so much happiness. A great device that can wirelessly sync to computers, other devices, had big bright screen, touchpad, everything you want in an mp3....yet 80% of them, don't work, they other 19% break after 6 to 12 months use. How can they say they developed a technology for use if you can't use it?

If it doesn't work, take it back to the lab and fix it before you sell it. They don't care, they just want your money, so they just barely throw together some plastic and metal that looks cool. Slap a giant price tag on it and say its leading edge, innovative, whatever...it's not...the software doesn't work, the battery doesn't work, this is rediculous....


Even with the xbox, laptops, other consoles and mp3 players like iPod....why can't they build them properly before putting them on market....medical industry has severe guidlines on issuing tested-safe pills to the public, making sure they are effective and not dangerous....but its ok to make people spend hundreds of dollars on junk that doesn't work...at all?

No, saying it worked for 3 weeks or 2 months and then had an error means it malfunctioned. It never worked properly....these things should be built to last for YEARS...not until the next model comes out....they make them only strong enough until the next cooler, better, smaller version comes out with an even bigger price tag.

You wouldn't spend $250 on cds or other music in a couple months. So why buy this expensive hunk of junk that breaks after a single year. It should last as long as a camera or something. And beyond that they make you pay for repairs and waste about 2 months of your time replacing it through sending it in the mail. Why bother buying it off the shelves if they dont work? Where's the convenience? Guess you always gotta wait for thigns to come and go in slow mail since retail provides defective merchandise.....

Giant, money hungry coporations will no longer get my funds, I'm going to spend it on live shows from now on.....

Hi All! I came across this thread when looking for something totally differerent. I have a recommendation for all of you. There is a website called planetfeedback dot com. You setup a profile and give a full accord of what happened. They then keep this as a record of what happened for public view. Next, they then forward the entire incident via regular snail mail to a higher-level exec at the company that can actually fix the problem. I did this with a Dell laptop and was contacted by Dell with a solution by Dell corporate within two weeks. My buddy did this with a Gateway computer and after all of his problems, Gateway's business division called him and gave him a new computer. Waiting three months for a Zune is nuts. Also, you should send this story to the consumerist website.

Yea I purchased my Zune from a grocery store called "Hy-Vee" and they had a speical run of 150.00$ 30 GB Brown Zunes since 80GB were coming out soon. I bought it in November they sold quick because they were cheaper then a Ipod and so any how... My Zune suffers from the LCD screen won't work just happend a few day's ago and the blacklight works but when you put enough weight on the screen it turns on and I can see the menu but when I lay off it the screen goes out. My warrenty ran out a month ago to be exact,... "Warranty Expiration: 2/13/2008 6:59:59 PM" and remember I bought this in Nov,2007 I forgot the exact date but it was in Nov that's when they came out at Hy-Vee.

After reading you post it I checked to see if my 30GB Zune that I purchased from CompUSA 12/17/2007 was registered. Well guess what?

It showed "Out of Warranty" 12/10/2007 Needless to say I was livid! I called the support hotline and got a young guy by the name of Brendan who informed me that he also showed my device to be out of warranty. I told him this could not be as it was just purchased 12/17/07 and therefore could not be out of warranty 2 days before it was purchased. He then proceeded to tell me that the warranty period starts from the date of manufacture!!!!! Can you believe this nonsense! He then went on to say that if I had a problem that needed to be repaired it would be free of charge and to just send the receipt in the box. I asked him if this is an ongoing problem and he said yes and quickly reiterated that all I have to do is send the reciept in the box for free repair. NO WAY I thought to myself...after reading what you have went through. I am begining to wonder just how widespread this "out of warranty/registration isssue" really is. I does not seem legal that a warranty period can start from date of manufacture. Everybody hope and pray you Zune stays in good working order, or should I say Zune should hope and pray because if this keeps up they could be dealing with a class action lawsuit.

 DarkX1337 wrote:

My Zune's screen just cracked this morning ... and I came on to see if I could find out how much it would cost to repair it.  Does anybody know how much it would cost and if it is possible to avoid a phone call to zune.

Cracked screens seem to be a very common quandary with Zunes.  I have seen several posts about a 3rd party repair center, Rapid Repair.  Try doing a search on this forum for rapidrepair or rapidrepair.com.  Good luck.