UK Sugden Audio AMP's warranty - good for customers?

I'm living in Japan. About 2years ago, I imported Sugden A21Amp from Sugden UK factory. However, my lovely the A21aiS2 has terrible issues, it's DEFECTS! My A21 AMP main transformer has been making slightly abnormal buzz since about one year ago. But I didn't care it. However, recently, these past about two weeks, this buzz has changed to very louder! In one day morning, it seemed that a mains fuse in the back panel was blown when I turned on the Power Switch (Push Power Switch). I changed it to the spare new main fuse, and I pushed the Power Switch. But the mains fuse was blown again...So, one month ago I sent it to UK Sugden factory...Now, Sugden was fixing my A21 amp's defect! My Amp is under a warranty for five years, and the repair fee should be free! It's OK for customers!

But Sugden are asking 100GBP to me as Return Carriage, however, they said that Return Carriage is just contribution.

Sugden said that once I pay 100GBP they will despatch my amp to Japan soon!

I would like to suggest to them the terms of my contribution of return carriage. I am just able to pay to SUGDEN after our checking whether all of functions on my A21 amp works well here, in Japan. I cannot contribute without our testing & checking all of functions on my A21 amp.

There is no responses from them... My amplifier is totally a hostage for 100GBP!!!

Proforma 27Sep16 A21aI Rep »


イギリスのSugden Audionについて・・・Bad company!!!

Sugdenは酷い会社です。
当初、アンプが自然的に故障したことを告げると、保証期間であるにもかかわらず、コストがかかるので自ら修理しようとせずに、
日本で自前でエンジニアを見つけて修理して欲しいとせがまれました。私はそれには納得がいかなかったので、Sugdenの同意を
得て彼らのところにアンプを送りましたが、保証期間であるにもかかわらず、何かあるごとにお金を要求してきました。
関税費用の一部を負担しろなど・・・。それらの支払いは、アンプは保証期間でありかつ、defectだからという正当な理由で断りました。
そして、今回は。。。
Sugdenは事前に具体的な要求金額を明示することなく、アンプの修理が済んだ時点で、送料として１００ポンドのお金を要求してきました。送料を寄付して欲しいとは、聞いていましたが、突然、請求書を送ってきました。つまり、100ポンド払わないと、アンプは渡さないとぞ！と言っています。彼らはどうしても私から、ちっぽけな、お金が欲しいのです。それは、きっとどんな理由でも良いのだろうと思います。ひどい会社です。Sugdenとはもうこれ以上、関わりたくありません。だから仕方なく、妥協案ということで折半の５０ポンドの支払い案を提示しました。また、PayPalでの送金が出来れば、Bank Transfer Feeの５０００円も不要なので、100ポンド全額支払うという提案も同時にしました。一番、心配なことは、きちんと修理されずに、リターンされることです。多くの労力とお金が無駄になります。それだけは避けたいです。

 

It is what is returned without an amplifier being repaired properly that I worry most.
Much labor and money are wasted.
I want to avoid only it.

 

I don't think repairs cover the transportation. It depends on the warranty. Usually, people go through dealers and the dealers handle transportation fees - or they repair the unit themselves. When you import something yourself you may have to take on these costs yourself because it is likely you paid less for the product as there is no dealer upcharge.

You can wait for other replies but it is my understanding that warranties do not include shipping costs. They should but I don't think they normally do. This is partly why I advise people to buy stuff they can actually get repaired locally and to go through dealers who have people on staff who can make repairs. You will probably have to pay them the 100GBP.

 

Shipping is usually paid by the customer. If I had to send my equipment in for repair, I would have to pay shipping.

 

Usually it is you pay one way and they pay the return but Hong Kong isn't close so they may want you to pay shipping both ways.

 

Paying shipping is normal.

 

It probably shouldn't be normal though. If you buy something from a store - the reason you buy it from a store is for the service. So the expectation should be that if something breaks under warranty the store deals with ALL the costs including shipping. At least "back in the day" this was standard practice.

Then along the way it changed but it shouldn't. If I pay $1000 for an item whatever it is wherever it is made and it has a 1 year warranty - I should NOT be out a dime if the thing blows up in 3 months when it's not my fault. I should not have to pay $300 (30% of the item's price) to ship it out and back to get fixed. Why? Because if I knew I was buying a pile of crap - I would have spent $1300 on the competing perhaps better unit that doesn't need to be shipped around the world.

And if you're not going to stand by the product because it is sold far away from the plant then you have no business selling stuff far away from the plant. If you are in Canada and you sell to Japan then you should have the shipping costs factored into your warranty plan - charge an extra $10 per unit and then if one in 20 have to be returned you have the $200 from the 20 units you sold to cover the odd one that has to come back.

The OP will suck it up and pay the 100GBP - but it's very likely he'll never buy another Sugden or ever recommend them. It seems kind of dumb to me to do that for $100.

This is why Bryston is smart. They sell basically a $1,000 amplifier that probably has about the same parts quality as a $1000 Rotel. But they sell their amp for $1800. Then whenever there is a problem (and there are) they look like roses because they cover everything and for 20 years. You paid your warranty and shipping up front - it's hidden in the price of the unit.

Still I think a good dealer can help out and not rip people off. I had a problem with a cable and the dealer here took it in spent 10 minutes and fixed the thing no charge and I didn't even buy the came from them. Another dealer sold me cables and wouldn't bother spending the 5 minutes to put the connectors on for me. I can do it and I did but it's tough when you don't have wire strippers and you don't do it often. They could have done it in 5 minutes where it takes me half an hour or more. Which dealer will I go back to? Not a difficult answer.

And then dealers and manufacturers are just stumped when they go belly up or never seem to be able to grow their business. Baffled they are.

 

This is 1 of the downsides of boutique amps with little or no service support in the buyer's country. Yes, there are exceptions. How many? Probably not enough.

 

I think the 100GBP charge is fair considering they performed the repairs for free and now have to ship the item back to Japan, which is quite a distance from the UK.

 

You are correct. Not to mention there will be no authorized service centers for boutique amps because of no schematics.

 

Kazu, My apologies. I said Hong Kong and I see you live in Japan. I am very sorry for my mistake. No disrespect was meant.

 

I took a gamble because it was cheap and picked up an older non working Sugden amp and my local repair guy had no problems fixing it, it wasn't expensive either, I suspect it's not something that uses exclusive parts that can't be obtained elsewhere.

 

I didn't have any luck trying to get my CAT amps serviced in Boston. I tried, and all it did was cost me money. I needed to go directly to CAT. Fortunately they are only a 6 hour drive from me. Shipping for both amps would have been 700 dollars.

 

The most important thing is that the rule is unclear about SUGDEN's warranty. Sugden should make it clear! I will not buy one more Sugden's other model amp though I intend to buy it. Btw, when I buy ProAc speakers from UK, I only paid just one way carriage for repair them as defect. I think they are a one of good companies because it makes customers happy and they have their pride and responsibility on their products.

 

If the OP imported the amp from the UK directly, is he not assuming some of the roles that a local dealer would have? Paying for shipping would seem to be one of those roles. Clearly, there are many fine amps available in Japan. If someone decides to import a non- dealer supported brand from half ways around the world there has to be an element of risk involved. In my experience that risk often has a cost. I don't think it's fair to call them a bad company because they don't cover shipping but am sympathetic that the OP is having a bad experience. Hopefully the repaired amp will let him enjoy his music and forget the past trouble!

 

Sugden said that "repaired fee of charge even thought out of guarantee". Even thought my amp is under 5 years warranty. I did not give any damage to my amplifier, I am not satisfied with their such a interpretation.

 

I am sorry for your distress This seems to be very shoddy behaviour on the part of the manufacturer. I have never personally experienced this situation. Perhaps get your amp back and sell it after finding a better product/ company to deal with. I had a problem with a VPI turntable which was out of warranty by about 6 years. VPI promptly repaired and shipped back with no charge to me other than the shipping to them. Excellent company and product.

 

The Warranty clearly states it is valid only under the following circumstance:

"The guarantee is NOT transferable and only covers the product if it is purchased in the country to which it was originally supplied."

Sounds to me they're doing you a favor fixing it for free, and only asking for shipping!

The Warranty page can be found here:

Sugden Audio - High End Amplfiiers & Hi-Fi »

 

Thanks understanding my heart! your are kind, Daedalus!!!

Sugden said to me that "We are happy to repair your amplifier free of charge...." before shipping my amp to them from Japan.

 

Thank you. Best of luck to you with this situation.

 

It is a small company which could garner some customer good will easily enough by voluntarily stepping up and not taking refuge in legalities. Perhaps they or their dealers should not ship/ sell to customers who shall not be covered by warranty.I agree with you that they are within their Legal rights but.... I personally have purchased Japan Domestic Market Seiko watches. They would not normally be warranted but their seller in Tokyo steps up and takes care of customer. Very wise man.

 

I think Sugden did exactly as your stating, they "stepped up" and repaired an item that is clearly not covered by their Warranty. To ask that they also absorb the shipping costs is, in my estimation, asking too much from the company. I feel Sugden went above and beyond what they were required to do by fixing the amp and not charging the customer for parts or labor. As you also stated, Sugden is a small company. Therefore, they most likely do not have sufficient resources to cover shipping on all out-of-Warranty items, especially when the customer is overseas. This is, of course, just my opinion.