Would you buy "Factory Seconds"?

Rhonda SG

I finally decided to get myself a printer, esp since I have started my course. I've long eyed the Epson RX690, as the reviews I've read seem to recommend this product.

I carefully scrutinised the Epson Shop Online website, and came across products categorised under "Factory Seconds" and I read the following :

From time to time some units are returned to us for the following reasons :- Slight cosmetic damage to the unit. The unit was refused delivery. The unit is no longer a current model. Or the unit was "Dead on Arrival" and subsequently has been repaired and fully tested back to manufacturer's specifications.

These units are substantially unused, except for checking and quality verification by Epson's own service department to ensure they perform properly. A new set of ink cartridges have been installed in the unit for testing purposes, should the ink levels in a cartridge be below 75%, then an additional new cartridge will be included in the box.

Due to the fantastic price reductions offered on Factory Seconds, stock volumes move quickly and Factory Second products are only offered on a "while stocks last" basis. The standard Epson product warranty for Factory Second products is reduced to six (6) months from Epson's invoice date.

Epson's normal terms and conditions of sale apply to Factory Seconds orders.

Now, considering that a factory second costs AUD184.30 as opposed to its usual price of AUD349.00, it's a whopping 47% discount!

I'm just wondering, would you purchase a Factory Second?

fudgester SG

Provided that it's just a slight cosmetic defect.... yes.

Kuali Baba SG

I'd go for it if it were something less essential, unless it's just cosmetic damage.

elindra SG

I'll get it if it's a cosmetic defect but not a repaired item

Rhonda SG

You don't get to choose.

I actually placed an order on Saturday, received delivery today about an hour and a half ago. I was happily opening up the box and following the instructions in the StartUp leaflet and then, when I pressed the Power button to turn it on, it said, Printer Error, please turn it off and restart again.

Which I did, again and again...

So I finally called up the Service line, satisfied that it wasn't something bimbo-tic like me having forgotten to remove some tape or press some button or something...

I think it was something about the robotic way the Aussie bloke answered my call, cause I ended up becoming extremely irritated. I know he tried to be 'officially polite', but he did say things that were kinda... condescending... you know, this undercurrent of "not another silly Asian" thing.

AAAaaaarrrrgggghhhhh!!!

Anyways, I did get a surprise call back from a very sweet female staff who offered to ship a replacement printer tomorrow and have someone pick up the faulty one back. She had a really sweet manner in the way she handled the call and I thanked her more than once. I could've purred for her! Hehehe!

I'm going to write to Epson to compliment her because she did a great job.

But hmm...I think I'd better wait till I actually get the delivery because quite a few Aussie service people will smile make you lots of sweet promises but then you realise a few days later... all empty promises only. Actually, my Singaporean friend who's just arrived here said the same thing about the customer service people here - they typically sweetly offer to rectify things for you "tomorrow" but you'll end up calling them again and again for quite a few "tomorrow"s until maybe fifteen tomorrows later, you FINALLY get things done.

Kuali Baba SG

Something puzzles me. If it passed the same Q.C. after repairs (which means it can be expected to perform as well as the other products), why is the warranty reduced? And why go through all the trouble to tell the customer that it had a difficult birth?

Rhonda SG

I did think about the reduced warranty too. But heck, with new printers, it's a 12-month warranty. With factory seconds, it's a 6-month warranty, but at almost half price. I told myself, if it worked beyond six months, fantastic! But if it kaputs by then, oh well, consider it "printer rental" at AUD38 a month, and then go get another spanking new one!

No worries, mate!

Kuali Baba SG

No worries, mate!

Even then, I don't think model cycles are that short. And if they're hedging the truth about the Q.C., it's just not worth the misery of a malfunction when you're printing out an assignment.

Rhonda SG

Even then, I don't think model cycles are that short. And if they're hedging the truth about the Q.C., it's just not worth the misery of a malfunction when you're printing out an assignment.

There are printers in the hospital library, printers in the wards, and printers in the internet cafes. So I'm not exactly pulling my hair out thinking about worst case scenarios here.

Worse comes to worse, just go buy an el cheapo printer in the meantime lor. My Singaporean friend got a cheapo one for AUD79 only.