Returning Creative Earbud EP630 (Item Number 310-9246)

My Creative earbud EP630 (310-9246), that I received with my XPS M1330 notebook, was defective and complaining to the technical support, which took almost 3 hours to explain and get a replacement, resulted in they air shipping me a replacement the next day.

During my call I was told something like: "...once you receive the part, please keep the packaging as it will have a return air bill for your old part. Please re-package the old part, then attach the air bill to the box and call DHL to come pick it up within 10 days. The phone number will be included with the package..." However, there is no air bill in the box.

I tried contacting the technical support but the lines seem too busy to reach me today. Even the chat isn't working right now. In the meanwhile I discovered this wonderful discussion forum and trying to see if anyone had similar experiences and willing to share in my thread. I did try the search function here but did not come across any similar threads, so please be gentle on me if I have missed out such threads. I would appreciate if you could point me to such threads by providing the links in your post.

In the meanwhile, my boyfriend has trashed the non-working earbud without my knowledge and I discovered that the product costs $29.99 at Dell's website.

Since the air bill has not been sent to me yet, what will happen if I sit quiet and do nothing about it? Will I be charged or will my warranty be suspended?

What should I do if Dell sends me an air bill? I feel being honest with Dell might result in they suspecting a fraud and that might lead to problems later when I really have an issue with my notebook. Should I pack a look alike earbud from Dollar Store or ask Dell to charge me as I have lost the damaged part?

I want to be honest but given my experience with Dell during the ordering and later during the request for replacement, I felt they were suspicious about me. The guy, seemed like an Indian due to his accent, was downright rude. He felt I was trying to get another earbud and keep both of them at Dell's expense. I don't know what to do now. What would you do if you were in my situation?

 

I'm not sure I fully understand what you're saying. From my experience Dell doesn't care if you keep the ear buds. Each time they send me a new m1330, I help myself to the xps wipe cloth, and the ear buds. And I make myself sleep at night by saying two things. The first of which is, they have no idea what I used the xps wipe cloth for and as a result should not take it back. The only reason they'd need it back is to destroy it, because they absolutely should not be giving something like that to another customer. Same for the ear buds. They shouldn't be accepting ear buds back once you've put them in your ears. Cuz as a customer if i ever found out that they shipped me a pair of used ear buds i'd be pretty pissed.

When you called them, did they say send back the entire computer or just the earphones? I suggest you call again and talk to someone else. But as far as I know, the earphones are free*, so I'm not sure you're able to complain about a gift.

 

This might not be related to the OP but when I returned my M1330, I was told to return everything that originally came in the notebook including the remote control and ear buds (Back then there were no microfiber cloth or disc sleeve folder). I was explicitly told that my return items should match the original packing list and I have to include the packing list in the return box. I did as suggested and got my refund very fast.

 

I never realized they were that expensive. Is anybody sure that we are getting the same thing bundled with our XPS M1330/M1530 notebooks or are we getting a stripped down version?

I feel that you are not being ethical on your side. It is a different matter that Dell didn't charge you or question you on that. You cannot cover up what you did by rationalizing what Dell might do. Further when you say "...Each time they send me a new M1330..." I wonder how many items you have collected. Please don't take it personally as I might be looking at it from a different perspective.

 

No offence intended but I wonder why NBR has encouraged such usernames like that of the OP. I find it distasteful and inappropriate in this kind of forum.

 

They asked me to return just the earbuds but there was no air bill in the replacement box. Given the price at which they sell on their website I doubt if they are free. I guess, we might be indirectly paying a subsidized price with our notebook.

Mons Pubis means a mound of fatty*tissue covering the pubic area in women. Being a woman, I don't find it one bit distasteful.

 

I know I'm not being ethical. But who cares, as far as they're concerned, i lost the headphones. And if I was ever given a proper system then i wouldn't have had to ask for a replacement, thus never getting anymore headphones. It's Ellianth's inconvenience tax.

Them asking her to mail back the headphones seems like a waste of postage and time.

 

OMG...is there ANYTHING that people won't complain about!

 

If I am paying either $29.99 or a part of it for the earbud, although indirectly, when purchasing a notebook and find it defective, I believe I should be entitled for a replacement.

 

I'm sure if you got something that didn't meet your standards you'd complain about it. Don't look down on other people when they do what you'd do.

I must have forgotten to ask this before. For my own curiosity, what was wrong with the headphones that you received?

 

I disagree. Yes, Dell cannot resell the Dell wipes or Ear plugs. But maybe they have an agreement with Creative that allows them to get the $3 they paid per pair returned to them for each pair they send back.

By your logic, the M133O sleeve that came with it should also not be returned because they can't reuse that easier since it's dusty now and will never again look brand new.

Dell originally sent you a system including earbuds - if you return/exchange/replace it, you should return/replace/exchange everything you got.

I would call Dell and tell them what happened. Since it most likely will cost them more to ship it back to them, I'd request Dell to allow you to simply throw out the defective part rather than having to return it, and do whatever they say to do with it.

 

Uh, just find a time you can reach Dell tech support and ask them if you need to return it. If you do then they will provide you with a pre-paid label (maybe an envelope with a stamp, lol), but otherwise they might just tell you not to worry about it. I'm pretty sure earbuds and wipe cloths are NOT going to bring down Dell financially....

 

Distasteful.

I may have thought that until I tried the earbuds, just for fun, and honestly, they're really REALLY good, and worth complaining about. Better than me Sony delux earbugs £35 ($70)

 

Hey, I didn't get ANY earbuds with my recently delivered 1520. Nor a sleeve or micro-fiber anything! Should I be mad?? ;-) Then I don't even know if they are standard equipment.... lol

 

You shold get creative ear bud.... sleeve and micro fiber cloth comes with xps models not with insperon models

 

Thanks. I was going to blow off the earbuds (I have plenty of headphones), but if they go for 29 dollars, maybe I should give them a call!

 

Don't worry about the earbuds, they are crap, imho! On the other hand, the sleeve is very useful and I would definately ask for it; Even if you already have a third-party sleeve, you just might want/prefer the Dell version later on...

 

Oh yeah? Well I have an agreement with them where when I pay 2000 dollars for a computer it shouldn't have a million manufacturing defects. So consider the earphones compensation. The sleeve I count as a major component, and decided not to keep it. I didn't say anywhere that me stealing the headphones was right, all I did was post a little joke about how i help myself sleep. So don't lecture me on ethics.

 

I chatted with Dell support today. He told me that my case can be closed only with a return from me, otherwise I would be charged for the same. He said he would e-mail me a UPS waybill for the return. As I did not get any e-mail, I called up again only to be told that I do not have to return anything but he did not know why my case has not been closed yet.

I am afraid that I will be charged in the next few days as my case has not been closed. I don't know what to do.

 

I think Flamenko and Khris might be able to help you with your issue.

 

How do I get these Canadians to help me?

 

I have done ALOT of warranty exchange business with Dell over the years.
Almost always, I do my own replacement labor myself, so I have Dell just send warranty replacement parts to me directly.

Sometimes, the cost and hassle of returning something is determined by Dell to be too high. Or, the net cost of the part is so low...

Check the packing list that came in the box. It will always say if a return is required - or not.

Bottom line, if there is a return shipping label in the box, you need to return the part - if not, foggetaboutit.