bhatti Posted March 15, 2004 Share Posted March 15, 2004 Hi, This is with reference to a recent purchase of a pair of Klipsch RF3 II from a store in Pakistan. I bought the pair for approximately $780 (about 3 days ago) from a store (called HIFI Gallery) which is not listed on the Klipsch website. The HIFI gallery guys told me that the supplier of the Klipsch speakers is infact an authorized Klipsch dealer (DESERT SOUND) based in another city. Since the DESERT SOUND people were based in another city I didnt call them up. After I brought the speakers home, I went through the website again and read the note regarding unauthorized dealers. I called HIFI Gallery and enquired about their status and their terms and conditions regarding warranty (which I had assumed would be as per Klipsch terms and conditions). I was shocked to hear the HIFI Gallery people say that the speakers carried no warranty what so ever ... not even for a day(even though that they were sealed pack and were new). I called up the DESERT SOUND people and asked them about their terms and conditions ... They said that they did offer a two years comprehensive warranty and also confirmed that the HIFI Gallery actually sells speakers supplied by them and that the HIFI Gallery are a sort of a dealer of Desert Sound. I called HIFI Gallery again but they would still not agree on the warranty part. Even after a lot of debate I could only manage to get a service warranty of 6 months and that too without parts. I was constantly being reminded that the Klipsch products are very robust and reliable and that I should just not worry about the warranty as it would not be required any way. Frustrated I asked the HIFI gallery to take the speakers back to which they refused until I agreed to pay $55 plus carriage in compensation for opening the speakers package and for having it used for 3 days. I returned the speakers and paid them their $55. Futhermore I was asked to come back the next working day to collect my money. I feel cheated and am a bit saddened by the whole affair ... I am a bit more upset because of the fact that the supplier of the Klipsch products is an authorized dealer of Klipsch and who knows pretty well that these products are being sold without warranty and without Klipsch actually knowing about it. I would still like to buy the Klipsch but after going through all this I am thinking about going to another product range, such as B&W which have a better dealership in Pakistan (trained and monitored by B&W). To be honest I didnt like the Klipsh when I first heard them in my room. But the speakers sounded much better after 3 days even better than the B&Ws ... and it didnt feel nice to return such a thing... I thought I should bring this into your notice. Though I might not be a Klipsch user any more... some one else from my city may benefit from this experience or Klipsch may decide to enquire about it and have a better control on the sale of their products in Pakistan. Thank you.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted March 15, 2004 Share Posted March 15, 2004 Hard to know what to say here? The Klipsch speakers in question did not have any problems with them. So why did you return them? A re stock fee at anyplace is probably expected. You said you did not like them at first. So why did you buy them then? Then you say you DID like them later? Wow, that was a fast turn around. In a world obsessed with warranty issues and I guess in some cases they are important I will say this. I have owned Hersies since 1980 in HS and off to college, and k horns since 1989 in my house. They have been played at low to regular listening volumes most of thier lives. Sometimes a little too much even. Nothing, has ever broke. (Knock on wood for good luck.) Most warranty add ons in the stores, if not all of the 3rd party warranty stuff people buy, ESPECIALLY as an add on from say a Best Buy here in the states, are worthless insurance money you give them out the window. And remember, add ons that BB uses makes Best Buys huge returns also. In 2004, most companies cannot afford to put out shabby equipment of any kind. Sometimes warranties do make sense, such as a lap top. I just do not think if everything seems fine, you got a good and fair price on both sides for the equipment too... Why your so stressed out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tankhokie Posted March 15, 2004 Share Posted March 15, 2004 yep, always ask for stuff in writing. if it is store policy, it is written down somewhere. keeps you from getting burned. in reality, how many speakers do you know of that break after 6 months? kinda like trying to buy a warranty on a kitchen table---as long as you don't abuse it, it will last a reeeeal long time. if it is bad, probably will show within the first week or so.(assuming that it is just a passive speaker) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhatti Posted March 15, 2004 Author Share Posted March 15, 2004 ---------------- Thank you for the reply, Yes the speakers did not have a problem with them ... but I have seen various friends having had blown a tweeter or at times a woofer..With no warranty and the scarcity of the parts .. the service centres charge absurd amounts of money to obtain the parts from the manufacturer. It is a normal practice to charge 2 to 3 times the actual amount. Imported items do have a problem with parts in my country... except for SONY, Technics and B&W who have very good service centres. As for the turn around... what I meant was that I didnt like the way they sounded in MY ROOM when I first listened to them ... I loved the speakers in the showroom... thats why I bought them. Yet I never thought of returning the speakers ... I imagined it was more to do with the amplifier or the acoustics of the room... and when either my ears got used to it or becoz of the break in, I had the problem with the warranty. I do admit that it was my mistake that I didnt have the warranty policy written on my receipt... I was under the assumption that store would be offering the same services as that of the authorized dealer. I should have been more careful. May be you are right about the warranty bit... but you have missed my point. The Klipsch have an authorized dealer based in a city which is a 1000 km away from mine. As per their claims they are selling the Klipsch in my city through THEIR dealers... Klipsch website itself has a lot to say about warranties... why have the warranty if you are not going to pass it on to the user... especially the ones who need it the most.. ie. who live in countries where the manufacturer is not present...WHY have AUTHORIZED DEALERS at all... and if the speakers are that robust why is this dealer so afraid of passing a two year warranty to me when I am sure he would be getting the same from his supplier. I think its just a question of bad salesmanship than anything else and a loose control on part of Klipsch in monitoring the level of services being offered by their dealers. Thank you for the time you took to reply. I do appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m00n Posted March 15, 2004 Share Posted March 15, 2004 bhatti Good luck on what ever you decide. Hope Klipsch end up the route you go. Placement and room accoustics can play a major part in how a speaker sounds. Anyway good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tankhokie Posted March 15, 2004 Share Posted March 15, 2004 didn't think about that...so used to plentiful dealers. i hate to say this, but if i were in the same situation, i would go with the lesser speaker that had great service/parts. wow, 1000km is a long way, and if they are playing games with parts/warranty, it makes a tough choice on you. do you go w/the better speaker and higher risk? or take the lesser speaker with security. i mean either way, you are getting a good speaker but your ears are what matters. good luck with those shady "dealers" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerSix Posted March 15, 2004 Share Posted March 15, 2004 ---------------- On 3/15/2004 2:48:59 PM bhatti wrote: I didnt like the way they sounded in MY ROOM when I first listened to them ... ---------------- You need to take them out of the box first and not connect them to a cheap amp (one of your countryman had this same problem). ---------------- On 3/15/2004 2:48:59 PM bhatti wrote: ... and a loose control on part of Klipsch in monitoring the level of services being offered by their dealers. ---------------- Pokey: Mazel tov! As the newest member of the Klipsch Product Enforcement Team, you have been selected for a fun filled adventure to beautiful Pakistan. Your job will be to shut down all the evil grey markets? Gumby: "Oy! A sheynem dank" At the risk of appearing as the ugly American, but just how is Klipsch going to effectively monitor and enforce dealer practices in remote locations such as your country? There is only so much a company can realistically do. You're in Pakistan man! Not exactly an USA friendly environment. Klipsch is having a hard enough time containing the "grey markets" in their own back yard, much less halfway across the world. There are parts of your country that your own army won't venture into, so I wouldn't be so hard on Klipsch. Considering that the per capita rate for Pakistan is $2000 and the nearest Klipsch dealership is over a 1000 km away, I would think worrying about a warranty would be the least of your concerns. Oh well. You wouldn't be kAIn would you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhatti Posted March 15, 2004 Author Share Posted March 15, 2004 What can I say! I have learnt a lesson... cost me a little... but its over. Dont want to blame any one for it. May be I over reacted or something. Klipsch speakers are quality products, if only those could be matched with quality service here. Its not an unthinkable thing to wish for. Dont want to name any manufacturer, but even here in Pakistan, we do get warranties and customer service support (of even american brands). As for Pakistan.. I should rather not comment on it. This is not the right forum to discuss such things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rckpls Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Bhatti, Most repairs on any Klipsch speaker would only involve replacing parts. You could always order them directly from Klipsch or have a forum member help get what you need. I'm sure there are several of us that would be willing to help, if needed. Anyway, good luck and keep an eye out for Osama.....you could buy a lot of Klipsch with that reward!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Buying Klipsch outside the US is a bit different. I live in Oman, bought my speakers in Dubai from an authorized dealer. I found them on the Klipsch web site. Even with all that - they don't offer the same warrenty as in the US. Not sure if Klipsch requires that "on-paper" or not, but assumed they can't force such things even on their authorized international dealers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 It's not unusual for any equipment manufacturer to offer a better warranty domestically than they do overseas. Not the greatest example, but a valid one nonetheless: Thomson Electronics warranties all their televisions (RCA, ProScan, GE) for two years - in Canada In the US, the warranty is 1 year parts, 90 days labor on RCA, 1 year parts/labor on ProScan, and 90 days parts/labor on GE. When I worked at BB, I had a customer call up and angrily demand that we honor the Canadian warranty on the RCA he bought from us that quit exactly one week after the US parts warranty expired. After trying to explain the difference in the warranties and the why of it to him, I finally was forced to hang up on him because he wouldn't stop cursing me, BB, RCA, Thompson, and anyone else he could think of. Thankfully, I had enough sense not to say "see, told ya you shoulda bought the service plan" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.