My Acer experience

Well, I gave Acer a chance...

I purchased a Acer Ethos AS5951G-6879 from a authorized retailer here in Canada.

On every retailer / reviewer / Acer's own Product web page it states that the unit has 4 memory dimm slots. It NOWHERE states that the system is limited to two dimms if an i5 processor is installed in the notebook.

Under these pretenses I purchased the notebook, thinking it was a great deal for the price that I paid. That was assuming that I actually GOT what I though I paid for.

Upon receiving the notebook, I attempted to upgrade the notebook using all four dimm slots. The notebook powered on yet the screen remained black and the no hard drive activity. I thought that it might be one of the memory slots, so I immediately started to test each individual stick thinking that one of the modules might be faulty. Each memory module passed without any errors detected. After this I thought that it must be something wrong with the dimm slots in the motherboard so I contacted Acer about an RMA.

When I was talking to the CSR he didn't really know anything about the notebook, nor could he find any documentation. I explained to him what the situation was and that I need it fixed. He said that the only documentation that he could find was that the notebook model in fact did support 4 dimm slots and that it was broken. He immediately set up an RMA and I sent it in that day to minimize down time.

Then, after almost a week, I finally received notification that my case had been closed, no shipping or tracking number were updated in the RMA information request. Because of this, I did not know that the notebook had been sent back to me two days prior. I did not receive the notebook because currently doing my medical internship I don't have a lot of time to be back at my apartment. I was really relying on Acer logistics to come through for me on this... Because there had been two failed attempts, the notebook was then sent back to Acer. I had to pay for the return shipping because they had attempted once already. Alright, fine... I realize that there could have been a little better communication, but hey... C'est la vie. So I finally got my notebook home and looked at the invoice and under the comments was written "No work done. 4 memory slots are usable on i7 version only". Sent away for nothing?! At first I thought this was just repair department stupidity and that he just didn't want to change anything as long as the unit was running.

I knew that I wasn't crazy and that I had not seen anything relating to this anywhere in researching the notebook. I then immediately called the sales department to see what the actual story was. The guy was very nice and from what I could tell was very knowledgeable when it came to notebooks. Initially from looking at the acer website, he could not find ANYTHING stating that the additional two dimms would not be able to be used if the unit was not an i7 model. He then put me on hold while he researched and asked people around the office for additional information on the subject. Nobody knew nor could find anything on the subject. He told me that even in the i5 repair and service manual it has all four memory slots listed as being usable. He then put me in touch with the "engineering" department... The told me the EXACT same thing that he said.

Feeling that I had been cheated, I called the customer service department. After getting through CS1 in India, I was finally connected with someone in CS2 department in Texas. She took my case down and said that she would do everything she could do to help me resolve the situation. She was very nice and contacted me every day to update me on what progress she had made in relation to the case. After the 4th day she decided that she could not find any information that would lead her to believing that the i5 model could not support the 4 dimm slots. She then told me that someone from the client resolution centre would be in touch with me within 48 hours to "finally resolve" the situation with me. I told the agent that since the next day (today) was my day off if she could contact me today that I would be able to talk with them.

Sure enough, today a phone call came around noon. I thought that the person would be understanding to my situation and that something could be done to properly resolve the situation since I was now unable to return the notebook (out of return time) and the additional memory that I had purchased (out of return time). She basically said that if I looked at the Acer Canada website that I would be able to see asterisks stating that the configurable memory is different on each model. Now this is where it gets good. Just recently the website has been changed, and all information on the Acer Ethos models has mysteriously disappeared. I told her that I could not do this because the website had been changed and that the information was no longer there. She said "oh, well it was there". Now, what she doesn't know is that I've already taken screenshots of the websites before the website was "updated". I constantly asked her "was it really there?". I always got the "yes it was there. It's just unfortunate that it isn't there anymore" answer all the time. I then told her that I had in fact taken the screenshots of the website before the information had been taken down and that it did not in fact have any reference to hardware limitations depending on model number. At this point she got VERY defensive and angry at me for not telling her that I had in my possession the screen shots of the old website. After she calmed down, she then told me that it was not there, but instead on some mysterious "system notation" page that was linked on the old website. Essentially she was saying "the info is there. You just have to go on a massive undertaking to find it. But again... I have no proof of this".

I told her that I was very upset regarding the situation and that I feel that I have been essentially scammed by Acer for not providing any documentation (remember, I went through CS1, Sales, Engineering and CS2) about that the hardware limitations associated with the notebook. She then said 100+ time "I understand that you're upset". I said "I just want what I paid for". Then she came up with the defense that I hadn't in fact paid for the additional dimm slots because I bought the i5 model. Now I don't know under what logic she was obtaining that, but I was under the impression that what is written on the producers website is what you will be getting. I pay for A (based on the information) and I get B. Then she reminds me that I have a warranty and that they will take care of any issues involving the notebook. I told her "yeah, so do all of your competitors as well. You know why you provide the warranty? Because you have it stated on your website and also on numerous forms of documentation. Shen then goes on the whole "I understand, I understand" binge... I finally end up asking her what the whole point of the phone call was, since she obviously had no intention of helping my situation. No answer... She then asks me if I have any additional questions and I just hang up...

I can't believe how bad Acer has become... I've owned 4 acer notebooks and never have I experienced something like this before...

It's truly amazing what large companies will do to screw customers now a days. I'm currently talking with my cousin who is a corporate lawyer to see what legal options (trust me, I don't want it to come to that) I have and will just have to go from there.

Thanks Acer


**EDIT** I'm not going crazy, am I? Am I asking too much in this instance? I asked them to either allow me to refund the notebook or give me the model that has 4 usable dimm slots, since that's what I was under the impression that I was paying for.

 

Did you read the full Terms & Conditions before you ordered the laptop? And if so was there anything in there along the lines of eroors and ommissions excepted - we reserve the right to cancel all orders should there be an error or omission in any of the specifications or pricing of the product? Did they state at all that due to a policy of continuous improvements the exact specifications may vary from those described? Or is there any mention of that in the User Manual for the laptop?

I'm not sure if it's the same in Canada but here in the UK you have rights under the Sale Of Goods Act 1979 - also known just as SOGA. There are also rights under the Distance Selling Regulations

Take a look here for more info
Consumer Rights: "Give me my money back!"...

Consumer Rights in Canada may be somewhat different from here in the UK but I'd expect the principles to be pretty much the same?

Why not ask if they'll let you swap out your i5 for the i7 model if you pay the difference between the original price of the i7 and the amount you're out of pocket for the i5, shipping, insurance, postage and telephone calls, lost wages, and perhaps a good will gesture towards the inconvenience and stress you've had as a result? By the time they pay for that lot you may even be due some money from them! Even if they don't offer some kind of goodwill payment they may well cover the rest of the associated expenses. If not, see what the best compromise they're prepared to offer is and see where that gets?

Just a suggestion... hope it helps

 

Hi there!

I've already been in touch with the place that I purchased the laptop at. They simply said that because I was over the allowed return period, that now it was between me and the manufacturer only.

I tried reasoning with Acer. I asked if it would be possible to change to the i7 model at additional cost but they didn't budge an inch. They basically saw it as compensation to me and they made it clear that they would never be doing that. I really like the notebook and would like to stick with it. I just wish that I got what I was under the impression I was paying for.