What's the IBM return policy?

Message

gentoo · #1 Post by **gentoo** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:04 pm

I just can't do the T43 anymore. The fan wasn't a problem at first, but now that I've started using it in silent rooms, it's too much. What is the IBM return policy for Thinkpads? Does it matter if I used the EPP program? I just want to exchange it for a T42.

I can't find this information anywhere on my receipts or on the IBM/Lenovo website. I hope I didn't wait too long.

Edit: I did wait too long. It is 30 days. Has anyone tried to exchange a Thinkpad after the 30 day mark? I've only had mine for 37 days. Is there any leniency on this?

#2 Post by **BillMorrow** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:16 pm

you can try, but it IS a 30 day return..

EPP or not should not make any difference..

#3 Post by **K. Eng** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:16 pm

Past the 30-day mark, you are pretty much screwed. If you really can't deal with the fan, you could try to sell the machine on the For Sale/Trade board here, or eBay.

Sable · #4 Post by **Sable** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 9:10 pm

It's 30 days from delivery/receipt correct?

varicella · #5 Post by **varicella** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:06 am

I wonder if it is 30 total days or 30 business days...

#6 Post by **BillMorrow** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:29 am

last i heard it was 30 days from the invoice date..
invoice date is when they bill your CC and start the shipping process..
which, from HK, can take from 2 days to a week..

if an RMA can be obtained, then you are ok..

so call and try..

snowdog · #7 Post by **snowdog** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:47 am

BillMorrow wrote:last i heard it was 30 days from the invoice date..
invoice date is when they bill your CC and start the shipping process..
which, from HK, can take from 2 days to a week..

if an RMA can be obtained, then you are ok..

so call and try..

I did the same thing. I ordered my T42P-GVU last Wednesday 06/22/05 and received it today. Now before I did this IBM told me that I can RMA my T43-266873U before July 6th which is the 30th day anniversary of "invoice date". I'm calling for the RMA tomorrow. I hope it works out.

andyli · #8 Post by **andyli** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:20 am

If the invoice date and rec'd date are very different, they will take that into consideration (I contacted them about returning something that might have been defective when I didn't have the unit itself because it took another 2 weeks to ship the unit vs. the CD Drive - for the X41). But I also had them note my account (and I called back and another representative was able to read it back to me).

gentoo · #9 Post by **gentoo** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 4:17 pm

I just got word back from Lenovo. They're going to accept my return even though it's past the 30 day mark. I think what I had going for me is that while the invoice was dated 5/17, I didn't receive the machine until 5/25, which put my RMA request at only 32 days.

I had to escalate my request through three levels of customer service, but they were always polite the entire way. Now I just need to figure out which T42 I want. I'm looking at the K5U.

mysbca · #10 Post by **mysbca** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 4:33 pm

gentoo wrote:I'm looking at the K5U.

How about the M3U? For about $70 more, you get 1.8GHz P-M vs 1.7GHz P-M, 7200rpm 60GB HD vs 5400rpm 40GB HD and bluetooth.

gentoo · #11 Post by **gentoo** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 4:56 pm

I didn't realize the M3U was only $70 more. Definitely something to consider. Now, before I make another purchase -- there are no fan problems with the T42s, correct?

ZildjianKX · #12 Post by **ZildjianKX** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:31 pm

gentoo wrote:I just got word back from Lenovo. They're going to accept my return even though it's past the 30 day mark. I think what I had going for me is that while the invoice was dated 5/17, I didn't receive the machine until 5/25, which put my RMA request at only 32 days.

I had to escalate my request through three levels of customer service, but they were always polite the entire way. Now I just need to figure out which T42 I want. I'm looking at the K5U.

Did they charge you for return shipping, ie making you pay for it yourself or otherwise charging you? What reason exactly did you give for the return? Thanks.

Photios · #13 Post by **Photios** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:39 pm

I called my Rep today to inquire about a T42p. Through our conversation, I got him reading this forum on the fan problems that we're experiencing. Anyways, I asked him about returning my machine, and he said that the 30 days begins the moment you receive the unit. That's good news.

After getting off the phone with him, I thought about it a bit and I placed an order for a T42p, basically the same unit that I already have, except that the T42 is roughly $300 more. That $300 will be worith it if:
1) the fan problem is resolved or at least tolerable
and
2) I do'nt have to hit the escape key to boot from my Seagate 100g drive and IBM/Lenovo does not update the T42 BIOS to do this in the future.

I'll give a full report on my findings once I get the T42p. I might even be forced to send in the T43p due to the fact that my 30 days expires in 18 days, and I might not have the T42 by then. Oh well!

gentoo · #14 Post by **gentoo** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:41 pm

ZildjianKX wrote:Did they charge you for return shipping, ie making you pay for it yourself or otherwise charging you? What reason exactly did you give for the return? Thanks.

I don't know if I'm being charged return shipping. They are sending me out return RMA labels that I can put on my box to ship back, but I don't know if the cost of that will be deducted from the amount they refund me. I have a feeling it will be.

I gave them the single, real reason why the T43 was not suitable for use in an office environment: it sounds like a gaming desktop, not a business laptop. There is no excuse for a laptop to have the fan at full rpms while it's just idling with no applications open.

Lenovo isn't ever going to come out and admit they have a broken product, and I never asked them to. I just told them that the machine doesn't perform as promised and that I'd like the opportunity to purchase a machine from them that does.

To be honest though, I think I got lucky. I don't think I could expect the results to be the same if I tried it again.

gentoo · #15 Post by **gentoo** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:43 pm

Photios wrote:I called my Rep today to inquire about a T42p. Through our conversation, I got him reading this forum on the fan problems that we're experiencing. Anyways, I asked him about returning my machine, and he said that the 30 days begins the moment you receive the unit. That's good news.

I would be very, very careful about this. The supervisor I spoke to said that my 30-day return policy started when my order was placed, not when it was shipped and definitely not when I received it.

Sable · #16 Post by **Sable** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 6:14 pm

I just spoke with a sales rep who told me the 30 day period begins the same time the warranty starts, which happened to be the same day (+/- a day or two) that I received the machine.

I will be calling tomorrow to arrange an exchange for my laptop...

andyli · #17 Post by **andyli** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:02 pm

gentoo wrote:
Photios wrote:I called my Rep today to inquire about a T42p. Through our conversation, I got him reading this forum on the fan problems that we're experiencing. Anyways, I asked him about returning my machine, and he said that the 30 days begins the moment you receive the unit. That's good news.
I would be very, very careful about this. The supervisor I spoke to said that my 30-day return policy started when my order was placed, not when it was shipped and definitely not when I received it.

Not true.

There are units that have a 30 day WAITING PERIOD before it ships. By your standards, the return policy would be gone before you got the unit.

ZildjianKX · #18 Post by **ZildjianKX** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 11:17 pm

gentoo wrote:
ZildjianKX wrote:Did they charge you for return shipping, ie making you pay for it yourself or otherwise charging you? What reason exactly did you give for the return? Thanks.
I don't know if I'm being charged return shipping. They are sending me out return RMA labels that I can put on my box to ship back, but I don't know if the cost of that will be deducted from the amount they refund me. I have a feeling it will be.

I gave them the single, real reason why the T43 was not suitable for use in an office environment: it sounds like a gaming desktop, not a business laptop. There is no excuse for a laptop to have the fan at full rpms while it's just idling with no applications open.

Lenovo isn't ever going to come out and admit they have a broken product, and I never asked them to. I just told them that the machine doesn't perform as promised and that I'd like the opportunity to purchase a machine from them that does.

To be honest though, I think I got lucky. I don't think I could expect the results to be the same if I tried it again.

Thanks for the response.

To all: Does anyone know if IBM charges for return shipping, and if so, how much?

Thanks!

gentoo · #19 Post by **gentoo** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 1:01 pm

So before I put my order in, can anyone tell me for sure if the T42 does not suffer from the same fan problem as the T43?

kaplanfx · #20 Post by **kaplanfx** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 2:23 pm

gentoo wrote:So before I put my order in, can anyone tell me for sure if the T42 does not suffer from the same fan problem as the T43?

I haven't "Heard" the T43 myself, but my T42 M3U which I highly recommend btw is quiet as a mouse under most conditions, and even when the fan comes on while playing WOW, the fan itself is very quiet. I don't think you will be upset with the machine.

-kaplanfx

What's the IBM return policy?

What's the IBM return policy?

Who is online