Ok.....here is the skinny......

Ordered my Roku box on Monday and paid the $20 2nd day shipping.

Received box today (Wednesday) and went to plug the thing in and received no status light and the unit was dead.

Call customer support and they were nice but told me to process the RMA would take 2 days to review and a new unit would be sent out FedEx 2nd day so 4-6 day total turn around.

I explained that this was not acceptable as I would expect Roku would ship the unit out next day and overnight it to make a customer happy.

When I was told I would not receive the new box till mid next week I requested a refund on the unit. When I did this they told me I would have to ship the unit back at my expense and I would receive a refund for the box only and not the original shipping costs.

So I figure if I want to return the unit I am out $30 all because I received a bad unit and wanted a refund due to the RMA turn around time.

Netflix claims it takes Roku 48 hours to turn an RMA and when my initial order was turned in less then 1 day...actually same day I placed the order on.

I also requested to speak to a manager and was told one was not available but could call me within 24 hours.

I have never seen a company work like this on a bad item they shipped out. All I requested was the issue to be resolved and resolved quickly and 4 days to turn an item that I paid 2 day shipping is not acceptable.

I am hoping someone at Roku can help and get this expedited tomorrow as I am wanting to cancel my netflix account and never buy a Roku product again as this is not the way to do business and keep customers happy.

ANy Roku employee feel free to contact me - PM

Hopefully you checked all the obvious before concluding it was DOA (working outlet; good ethernet link; proper A/V connections, etc).

Worth checking all this in the event it's only the indicator not lighting up but the rest of the unit is functioning.

"Call customer support and they were nice but told me to process the RMA would take 2 days to review and a new unit would be sent out FedEx 2nd day so 4-6 day total turn around.

I explained that this was not acceptable as I would expect Roku would ship the unit out next day and overnight it to make a customer happy."

Just a question:

What was wrong with the customer service you were offered as stated by you?

You chose NOT to take the offer of a free exchange.

Personally I have never seen shipment cost refunded if I wanted a full refund. That is normal policy by vendors.

What gives you the right to expect the 2nd box to be shipped overnight at Rokus expense?

grow up.

There is no programming available through the ROKU device that is so great you can't live without it. Chill out and wait the 4 days.

I personally would have never paid th extra money for the speedy shipping in the first place. I order mine with standard shipping and had my unit in less than a week.

Yes, you are frustrated but take a deep breath. The unit will be here before you know it and all will soon be forgotten.

rbenjamin wrote:

grow up.

Im not really sure that the above statement applies. I see nothing wrong with the OP's original problem. When you get used to good service you start to expect it from every company you deal with. Let me explain and maybe you might understand (at least my point of view as i am only guessing at the OP's point of view).

I ordered my roku box and paid extra for the 2 day shipping only to find out that they were on back order. I felt it was bad business that they didn't put on the website that it was not in stock. I usually buy most of my stuff from the internet and I, being the impatient man that I am, will usually have it rushed to me. If I go to a store, I buy something and I get out and get home and play with my new toy. Its the way I am. When I am dealing with business's on the internet I expect the same type of service. If I purchase something and pay extra to get it to me quickly, then it should get to me quickly.

One of the best companies I have ever dealt with on the internet is Mushkin. That is the type of service I feel all companies should base their model on. Im not talking about price but more about customer service. If you order something from them and its bad, They will overnight a new one to you and give you a return box for your return. no postage is paid by you at all except for your initial investment in their product. That just makes good business sense to me. I have never ordered another piece of memory from anyone but them and I always receive excellent service from them every time regardless if a problem arises.

So I feel and the OP may be in the same frame of mind, that a good business will do whatever they can to keep you as a customer and that is what makes people loyal to companies regardless of pricing. Again, it just feels right dealing with folks like that. I can go on and on about the wonderful services I have had from many different companies dealing with anything from computer parts to tv's or remote control planes. I do not fault the OP his feelings on what happened, This might have turned him off completely from ever dealing with Roku again and that is sad as Roku may have a lost what could have been a loyal person to their products and future products. Sure its not the end of the world to Roku but if it happens enough to enough people, it can hurt them where it counts the most and thats in the wallet.

Doom-It's not about 'good customer service', it's about reasonableness. An RMA process that takes 2 days is reasonable (Roku should be allowed time to receive, inspect, test, and respond, and we know they are a relatively small company-not an Amazon). Shipping out 2-day after RMA approval is reasonable (a balance of speed and cost..overnight eats the entire margin on this $100 box). I've had MUCH longer turnaround times from very good companies, while I would still consider them having performed 'good customer service'. I feel for Chad, and empathize with his frustration, but things happen, and an occasional bad unit gets shipped...Roku's response isn't what Chad wants, but I don't think it's unreasonable, despite the additional $20 loss on his order.

I feel that the shipping is too high given the weight and size of the box even for regular shipping.

wideasleep1 wrote:

Doom-It's not about 'good customer service', it's about reasonableness. An RMA process that takes 2 days is reasonable (Roku should be allowed time to receive, inspect, test, and respond, and we know they are a relatively small company-not an Amazon). Shipping out 2-day after RMA approval is reasonable (a balance of speed and cost..overnight eats the entire margin on this $100 box). I've had MUCH longer turnaround times from very good companies, while I would still consider them having performed 'good customer service'. I feel for Chad, and empathize with his frustration, but things happen, and an occasional bad unit gets shipped...Roku's response isn't what Chad wants, but I don't think it's unreasonable, despite the additional $20 loss on his order.

Well that is debatable. To some, good customer service is quick turn around times, to others its fast turn around times. For me, I understand where he is coming from. I also understand reasonable but for some the two are not compatible. When I mentioned mushkin before, my dealing with them were outstanding. I ordered some 2-2-2 memory but when trying to run it in 2-2-2 mode the system would randomly lock up. If I raised it to 2-3-3 it worked fine. I called tech support and explained to them what it was doing and they said yep, bad memory. They will ship me out some new memory and I am to return the old. I was happy, no fuss no muss. The NEXT day I received the new memory. Swapped it out and it worked fine. Shipped the old one back and have never looked anywhere else for memory, They are my one stop shop when it comes to memory. That is why I say all companies should base their model from them.

I do however understand that some smaller companies can not absorb certain costs like that if they are working with a very fine margin and I am not as quick to just say give me my money back. For some others, they live by mushkins type of service and if they cant get it, they will go elsewhere so I can see both sides, but to tell someone to "grow up" because they didnt like the customer service they received is not nice and not needed anywhere.

Just to give you another example of what I feel is good customer service. I also fly RC planes and I am still an amateur in the field. I ordered my first balsa kit from a company called mountain models, they are a small company that really tries to please its folks with the models they create. Anyway, I got it and built it (a lot of building mistakes in the process) and on my first flight with it, it crashed. It was complete builders error. I had flown it for about half an hour when on one of my takeoffs as soon as it got into the air, the control horn popped out of the rudder and it did a nose dive into the ground. Destroyed the model. I got home, placed an order for another kit. Afterwards I realized I was missing another part so I called them to see if I could get it added to the order. In talking with the owners wife, I mentioned that one of the hardest parts of building my plane was bending the landing gear correctly. When I got my kit in, I noticed that they went ahead and pre-bent the landing gear for me. Now you tell me how many companies will take the time for that kind of service. They didnt have to do that, I had already paid for the model but they decided hey why not take the extra few minutes and help this guy out. And you know what, it made a loyal customer out of me. I buy stuff from them all the time even if it is a tad more expensive then other places because they care about their customers. So, 2 days to rma something may be fine in many peoples eyes, but its not for everyone.

Sadly my dealings with playing MMORPGS over the last many years has brought my expectations down when it comes to customer service and when I see companies like mushkin and mountain models, it just amazes me at how some companies are still willing to do what it takes to make their customers happy, while others are not as willing to do the same.

As for my roku box, I love it, plain and simple. Do I feel I was short changed on my $20 fast delivery, yep I do but because of how nice the system is in general, I overlook the loss of $20 this time. But that doesn't make me feel like I am going to be a loyal customer that would be willing to go to roku first on the next advances of video streaming.

DoomsDay wrote:

wideasleep1 wrote:

Doom-It's not about 'good customer service', it's about reasonableness. An RMA process that takes 2 days is reasonable (Roku should be allowed time to receive, inspect, test, and respond, and we know they are a relatively small company-not an Amazon). Shipping out 2-day after RMA approval is reasonable (a balance of speed and cost..overnight eats the entire margin on this $100 box). I've had MUCH longer turnaround times from very good companies, while I would still consider them having performed 'good customer service'. I feel for Chad, and empathize with his frustration, but things happen, and an occasional bad unit gets shipped...Roku's response isn't what Chad wants, but I don't think it's unreasonable, despite the additional $20 loss on his order.

Well that is debatable. To some, good customer service is quick turn around times, to others its fast turn around times. For me, I understand where he is coming from. I also understand reasonable but for some the two are not compatible. When I mentioned mushkin before, my dealing with them were outstanding. I ordered some 2-2-2 memory but when trying to run it in 2-2-2 mode the system would randomly lock up. If I raised it to 2-3-3 it worked fine. I called tech support and explained to them what it was doing and they said yep, bad memory. They will ship me out some new memory and I am to return the old. I was happy, no fuss no muss. The NEXT day I received the new memory. Swapped it out and it worked fine. Shipped the old one back and have never looked anywhere else for memory, They are my one stop shop when it comes to memory. That is why I say all companies should base their model from them.

I do however understand that some smaller companies can not absorb certain costs like that if they are working with a very fine margin and I am not as quick to just say give me my money back. For some others, they live by mushkins type of service and if they cant get it, they will go elsewhere so I can see both sides, but to tell someone to "grow up" because they didnt like the customer service they received is not nice and not needed anywhere.

Just to give you another example of what I feel is good customer service. I also fly RC planes and I am still an amateur in the field. I ordered my first balsa kit from a company called mountain models, they are a small company that really tries to please its folks with the models they create. Anyway, I got it and built it (a lot of building mistakes in the process) and on my first flight with it, it crashed. It was complete builders error. I had flown it for about half an hour when on one of my takeoffs as soon as it got into the air, the control horn popped out of the rudder and it did a nose dive into the ground. Destroyed the model. I got home, placed an order for another kit. Afterwards I realized I was missing another part so I called them to see if I could get it added to the order. In talking with the owners wife, I mentioned that one of the hardest parts of building my plane was bending the landing gear correctly. When I got my kit in, I noticed that they went ahead and pre-bent the landing gear for me. Now you tell me how many companies will take the time for that kind of service. They didnt have to do that, I had already paid for the model but they decided hey why not take the extra few minutes and help this guy out. And you know what, it made a loyal customer out of me. I buy stuff from them all the time even if it is a tad more expensive then other places because they care about their customers. So, 2 days to rma something may be fine in many peoples eyes, but its not for everyone.

Sadly my dealings with playing MMORPGS over the last many years has brought my expectations down when it comes to customer service and when I see companies like mushkin and mountain models, it just amazes me at how some companies are still willing to do what it takes to make their customers happy, while others are not as willing to do the same.

As for my roku box, I love it, plain and simple. Do I feel I was short changed on my $20 fast delivery, yep I do but because of how nice the system is in general, I overlook the loss of $20 this time. But that doesn't make me feel like I am going to be a loyal customer that would be willing to go to roku first on the next advances of video streaming.

But that's my point..you regret paying a 20% premium, which was YOUR choice (I agree the shipping, even regular, is too high), and nothing to do with Roku. It has nothing to do with customer service, DOA or otherwise. It's a HUGE letdown after built-up expectations of a great unit, which the NP truly is, to be in Chad's circumstance. Roku will make him whole, if he chooses, in 4 days...and I think if he feels that's unreasonable, then he's being unreasonable.

If you pay $20 for premium shipping and get a DOA unit than Roku should ship out a new unit to you (charged to your card) and then reverse the charge when the bad unit arrives. They should ship it out the more expensive method too. If it turns out the unit is fine then there should be a $30 convenience fee (or something like that).

Or the speedy shipping option could just go away.

The whole point is paying extra for speedy shipping gets you nothing but extra expense if the unit is bad. I'm too cheap to pay for speedy shipping myself!

cymen wrote:

If you pay $20 for premium shipping and get a DOA unit than Roku should ship out a new unit to you (charged to your card) and then reverse the charge when the bad unit arrives. They should ship it out the more expensive method too. If it turns out the unit is fine then there should be a $30 convenience fee (or something like that).

Or the speedy shipping option could just go away.

The whole point is paying extra for speedy shipping gets you nothing but extra expense if the unit is bad. I'm too cheap to pay for speedy shipping myself!

I agree with this post in general concerning a better way of handling RMA processes, however then folks need to deal with the hold of the monies on their credit cards. Ideally a choice should be offered. However you will never make the customer completely satisfied in an RMA situation, however choices go a long way.

Of course having these devices available at local retailers would change this up because you could then drive it back and exchange it. And of course there would be a premium to having these retailed, as the price would increase, and then there would be tax and oh my.

I would like to point out that those who are trashing the 20% premium for 2 day shipping are incorrect. It's a 4.3% premium... $5 more than standard shipping which puts the standard price at $115.

For those of you who can't afford it, I am sorry you can't afford $5; however if you choose to not pay it for frugal reasons, then you are a better person than me. I personally looked at $5 difference and said SURE! I, however, have never been called frugal... I want my toys NOW

Diana


<EDIT>
I wanted to make one other note... the OP's threat to cancel his Netflix account because of this.... I about fell off my chair laughing. This was surely the most silly thing I had read in a while, and sort of like saying I will never eat again because you sold me a defective pot.
</EDIT>

I think Roku should start charging $ 150 for the player.
Then they can justify sending out RMA's red label.

It's cost vs sale price folks.
If anyone here don't think the rules for shipments weren't figured into the overall business plan, they don't get this type of business at all.

Everyone loves the 100% refund guarantee at Walmart.

Has Walmart ever offered to give you money back for the gas you put in your car when you had to return a defective item?

The OP is being unreasonable, plain and simple.

Huntress wrote:

I agree with this post in general concerning a better way of handling RMA processes, however then folks need to deal with the hold of the monies on their credit cards. Ideally a choice should be offered. However you will never make the customer completely satisfied in an RMA situation, however choices go a long way.

Of course having these devices available at local retailers would change this up because you could then drive it back and exchange it. And of course there would be a premium to having these retailed, as the price would increase, and then there would be tax and oh my.

I would like to point out that those who are trashing the 20% premium for 2 day shipping are incorrect. It's a 4.3% premium... $5 more than standard shipping which puts the standard price at $115.

For those of you who can't afford it, I am sorry you can't afford $5; however if you choose to not pay it for frugal reasons, then you are a better person than me. I personally looked at $5 difference and said SURE! I, however, have never been called frugal... I want my toys NOW

Diana


<EDIT>
I wanted to make one other note... the OP's threat to cancel his Netflix account because of this.... I about fell off my chair laughing. This was surely the most silly thing I had read in a while, and sort of like saying I will never eat again because you sold me a defective pot.
</EDIT>

I agree with both of these posts, too. Perhaps Roku should eliminate expedited shipping altogether. Perhaps they should mark up and sell through Amazon, letting them bear the shipping/service brunt. Thanks for also pointing out the 20% vs. 4.3%, which makes the matter seem even more ridiculous in my mind. :p I could have driven across the bridge to Roku and avoided shipping charges altogether....but then there's the $5 GG bridge toll, and fuel, so it was a deal to me to have FedEx Home do the work for me for $7.75. I got mine two days after my order, but I truly felt for the many who had to wait for the slow boat. We've had a small number of DOA units reported, but none as melodramatic as this thread had evolved. Hope Chad got his new unit, and can enjoy it at last.