Dealing with Amazon
 

I did my research before purchasing an LCD TV, and thought I'd be getting what I wanted. Unfortunately . . .

The zoom mode does not work as documented in the manual (Syntax Olevia 30"). It is supposed to stretch a 4:3 image while maintaining the correct aspect ratio (the pictures of the stretch mode in the manual are very clear about this), but it does not. The image appears to be expanded to 16:9 before stretching.

I've contacted Amazon (the vendor from which the display was purchased), and they claim they bear no responsibility for this issue and will not accept its return.

Olevia has also been contacted; they claim that they are aware of the problem but cannot offer any assurance of a fix.

Frankly, I'm quite dissatisfied and feel like I'm getting screwed. Does anyone have any suggestions for recourse?

Use the buyers protection built into your credit card?

Discover doesn't appear to have anything other than the option to dispute the charge. I guess that's my next step, if I can't get any satisfaction from Syntax.

I've also called Amazon's customer service number (you won't find it on any of their web pages . . . it's 800-201-7575). The individual I spoke with was sympathetic, but claimed her team lead would not offer an exception.

I've never had a problem returning an item to Amazon. Did you wait too long to try to return it?

-David

If there is any information on the Amazon site that speaks to product specifications contrary to the actual product you received, just start sending emails to Amazon customer service with details escalating the issue (reasonable emails, but with a slightly angry customer tone). Their CSRs are somewhere overseas, and you get a lot of variability in the responses. Often a first response looks like they did not even read the email or they just say no - regardless of the request. But if you have a legitimate case, eventually you will get someone who offers to correct the situation. I order a lot of stuff from Amazon - have had issues every now and then - they have always taken care of things once I get the right person.

If you just waited too long to return it, and have no buyer protection, then charge-back is probably your only option.

I also never had any problem with Amazon.com so far.

At least Amazon is much better than crappy ebay.com.

As long as you return within 30 days after purchase, they always accept return item without any reason.

My first contact with Amazon regarding the problem was 3 days after the display's arrival at my home.

In my last discussion with an Amazon CSR (via their extremely well hidden telephone number), I was told that I should have detained the gentleman that delivered the set until I had completely checked it out, and refused shipment had I not found it to my liking. Nevermind that the set was delivered on a day that was well below freezing here in Maine, and the display had been stored effectively in the deep freeze for days and required at least a couple of hours warm-up before operation.

When I called the shipping service to ask if that kind of thing was standard practice, they had a hearty laugh and claimed that if that were a requirement of Amazon's, they'd never deliver anything from them again.

I've been through at least 4 CSRs via email, and 2 over the phone. All are claiming that a) the display provides the stated features (it clearly does not, there are diagrams in the manual that are refuted by reality) and b) it's a TV larger than 27" so they will not take it back.

I spoke with Discover last night about disputing the charge. They're more than happy to do this, and seem interested in keeping me happy (I am a very frequent traveler and charge all of my airfare, hotel, car rentals, food etc. through Discover . . . they make lots of money from me :)). I'm waiting until I receive Amazon's response to my last missive before taking this step.

Ya know, this is one of these cases of "you get what you pay for".

I looked into these Syntax LCD's last year too, and decided against it. When they sell 30" LCD's for the same price others charge for 23" then you just know there is a downside. There are quite a lot of reviews where their quality issues are debated...

With respect, ScottC, no it's not. What I paid for was a specific set of features as documented on the Syntax and Amazon web pages. I did not get them.

If all of the material I watch was in 16:9 anamorphic format, I would be satisfied with this set. However, much is 16:9 to 2.35:1 letterboxed in a 4:3 frame (primarily SD broadcasts), so a true zoom facility was high on my list of required features. The display is otherwise very feature rich (many inputs, two tuners for PIP, detachable speakers). There are no backlight "hotspots" or dead pixels as far as I can see, and the picture quality at native resolution is very, very good. I would be very pleased with this set if the zoom feature worked as documented.

But product satisfaction is more than just the product, it is also the after sales service, obviously this product is not working as it should and at the price it is sold for I still feel safe claiming; you get what you pay for. This is the cheapest LCD TV brand around, and granted; image quality is certainly not bad on them, but they are no Sharp, Toshiba or Philips either.

At least most of their units have a serial port so perhaps at some point a firmware upgrade will be made available.

Did you try calling Amazon? Their phone support is very good, better then email one.

Looks like he did, Post #7.

I was going to suggest the same thing.

This isn't an Amazon issue so I don't see why calling them would be an option.

Unless of course it is to return the product.

Was this the LCD that was featured in Stuff Magazine a few months back?