Buyer Beware: miniDSP Flex RCA arrived USED & Defective - Ghosted since May 3rd (Claim started April 18th)

[BJL]

This is a cautionary story. When I last ordered from miniDSP, I made certain to have third party insurance, and for an expensive purchase this is probably always a good idea when ordering from a geographically distant manufacturer, especially now with high import taxes, apparently everywhere. Even the best company is bound to have occasional errors.

 

[Roland68]

This is a cautionary story. When I last ordered from miniDSP, I made certain to have third party insurance, and for an expensive purchase this is probably always a good idea when ordering from a geographically distant manufacturer, especially now with high import taxes, apparently everywhere. Even the best company is bound to have occasional errors.

Mistakes are human and can happen anywhere; no amount of ISO or other certifications can prevent that.

What matters, however, is how those mistakes are handled.
At our company, too, there have been instances where packages got mixed up or a customer was sent the wrong or a defective product—it happens.
But the very first thing we do in such a case is ship the ordered product to the customer—at no extra cost, of course.
Everything else is sorted out later.

Companies like MiniDSP are simply foolish when it comes to customer relations.
This incident has already cost MiniDSP far more in lost sales and profit than it would have cost them to simply ship a new unit to the customer right away.
It will simply deter many customers from buying their products.

 

[DenonMate]

But they owe him the device he ordered and paid for over two months ago.
To this day, he still hasn't received it.

If a manufacturer or retailer delivers a product other than the one ordered and paid for, they must bear all costs and handle all issues associated with the exchange, as they—not the customer—are the ones responsible for the situation.

And to make it clear from my side. The Ticket “get lost in translation for month” story they come up with now after he started the thread can someone believe or not.

 

[Roland68]

And to make it clear from my side. The Ticket “get lost in translation for month” story they come up with now after he started the thread can someone believe or not.

If I understood correctly, @Karlaka did contact MiniDSP at some point. Even if there were issues with the ticket or the ticketing system, that really should have been noticed.

Anyone who has ever dealt with complaints or problems involving Chinese merchants or companies knows the drill: stalling for time, burdening the customer with tedious tasks (taking photos, making videos, etc.), going silent, and so on. Industry estimates suggest that, as a result, over 50% of claims are never actually processed—and in the low-price segment, that figure exceeds 80%.
It is a highly effective tactic, and for some merchants, it is even a business model.

 

[Karlaka]

I want to sincerely thank everyone for the support and empathy shown regarding my situation. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I find Mort’s comment regarding this being 'silly' to be quite partial. Perhaps in his country, these types of logistical and financial processes are straightforward, but that is certainly not the case for everyone. There are many parts of the world where these procedures are significantly more difficult than in my own. I believe companies should be fully aware of these realities and strive to offer fair solutions, especially when the mistake was entirely their own.

I want to clarify my position to ensure there is no misunderstanding: my goal is not to get a 'freebie' or an unearned handout. I am simply advocating for a solution that acknowledges the logistical and economic reality of being an international customer.

To give you a better idea of the challenge, I have attached a screenshot of a sample purchase attempt through Parts Express. As you can see, even using a discount code, the costs are prohibitive. The basic shipping option is not only expensive but also the most insecure, and all three available shipping methods carry high handling fees upon arrival. Furthermore, once the unit arrives in Argentina, I am required to pay import duties of approximately 50% on the combined value of the product and shipping costs. This brings the final price well over $1,200 USD, and effectively forces me to pay taxes on the same type of product twice. I want to be clear that I do not blame miniDSP for these specific local tax and logistical particularities, but it is important to emphasize that I am in this difficult position solely due to an error on their part, not mine.

Currently, I am still in dialogue with miniDSP to evaluate potential alternative solutions that don't involve the prohibitive costs of a physical international return. I truly appreciate the support of this community in highlighting that this is, at its core, a matter of how a company chooses to treat its customers when things go wrong.

 

[DenonMate]

If I understood correctly, @Karlaka did contact MiniDSP at some point. Even if there were issues with the ticket or the ticketing system, that really should have been noticed.

Anyone who has ever dealt with complaints or problems involving Chinese merchants or companies knows the drill: stalling for time, burdening the customer with tedious tasks (taking photos, making videos, etc.), going silent, and so on. Industry estimates suggest that, as a result, over 50% of claims are never actually processed—and in the low-price segment, that figure exceeds 80%.
It is a highly effective tactic, and for some merchants, it is even a business model.

But as I said this times are nearly over if they are really interested in B2C. There is no more hiding if customers worldwide tell their experiences and someone uses modern tools before he hands them their hard earned money.

 

[Mort]

This brings the final price well over $1,200 USD,

I would never have spent that on an item coming from HK unless I was comfortable losing it. I would also do my due diligence.

 

[Karlaka]

If I understood correctly, @Karlaka did contact MiniDSP at some point. Even if there were issues with the ticket or the ticketing system, that really should have been noticed.

Anyone who has ever dealt with complaints or problems involving Chinese merchants or companies knows the drill: stalling for time, burdening the customer with tedious tasks (taking photos, making videos, etc.), going silent, and so on. Industry estimates suggest that, as a result, over 50% of claims are never actually processed—and in the low-price segment, that figure exceeds 80%.
It is a highly effective tactic, and for some merchants, it is even a business model.

Exactly, Roland. I truly hope miniDSP proves they are not just another company on the long list that operates that way. I believe I have shown the utmost patience throughout this entire process, and I continue to maintain it. My goal is to reach a resolution, not to start a fight.

 

[Karlaka]

I would never have spent that on an item coming from HK unless I was comfortable losing it. I would also do my due diligence.

Mort, I appreciate your 'advice,' but your perspective is clearly limited to a specific reality that doesn't apply to most of the world. Suggesting that someone should only buy from overseas if they are 'comfortable losing the money' ignores the fact that we are talking about a transaction with a reputable manufacturer, not a gamble.

Furthermore, I did my due diligence, and the error lies with the manufacturer's shipping process, not my lack of research. Your comment implies that consumers should bear the cost of a company's logistical failures simply because of their geographic location. That isn't 'due diligence'; that’s victim-blaming. I am here to share my experience so others are aware of the risks when dealing with certain companies, not to be told that I should have expected to be treated unfairly.

 

[Mort]

Mort, I appreciate your 'advice,' but your perspective is clearly limited to a specific reality that doesn't apply to most of the world. Suggesting that someone should only buy from overseas if they are 'comfortable losing the money' ignores the fact that we are talking about a transaction with a reputable manufacturer, not a gamble.

Furthermore, I did my due diligence, and the error lies with the manufacturer's shipping process, not my lack of research. Your comment implies that consumers should bear the cost of a company's logistical failures simply because of their geographic location. That isn't 'due diligence'; that’s victim-blaming. I am here to share my experience so others are aware of the risks when dealing with certain companies, not to be told that I should have expected to be treated unfairly.

They are working on fixing it. Your just one global consumer of a high priced luxury audio item who seems inappropriately upset at some unfortunate logistical misfortune. You'll eventually be made whole. Story over.

 

[Roland68]

They are working on fixing it. Your just one global consumer of a high priced luxury audio item who seems inappropriately upset at some unfortunate logistical misfortune. You'll eventually be made whole. Story over.

This isn't the first time MiniDSP has offloaded its problems onto the customer.
Just within my circle of friends and acquaintances, there have been five cases involving issues that were not caused by the buyers.
All of these situations were protracted and nerve-wracking; even when the problems were finally resolved—solely thanks to the customers' persistence—everyone was left bearing the burden of extra effort, unjustified return shipping costs, and so on. There was absolutely no compensation for the highly unprofessional conduct; quite the opposite, in fact.

Both I and at least ten others in my circle are potential customers for the Tide16. But for that to happen, MiniDSP needs to start acting like a reputable manufacturer.

However, MiniDSP’s behavior actually triggered a positive outcome within my circle. Since many of us use active speaker systems, we turned to excellent alternatives like Acourate—solutions that quickly demonstrated just how much room for improvement there was compared to MiniDSP. The number of MiniDSP units in use is dropping almost month by month, while the number of new acquisitions is zero.

 

[Ultrasonic]

Industry estimates suggest that, as a result, over 50% of claims are never actually processed—and in the low-price segment, that figure exceeds 80%.

Source?

 

[Roland68]

Source?

Commercial statistics. However, nothing may be published from them except for these approximate figures. Anyone can buy them, though.
However, in my own circle, I see how often such items are simply thrown away, because the hours of effort involved aren't worth it for an item valued at, say, €5–30.
That might be different now, though, since platforms like AliExpress and Temu offer free, standardized returns with full refunds.
That said, there are still cases covered by the warranty that aren't addressed by those policies.

 

[kemmler3D]

Mistakes are human and can happen anywhere; no amount of ISO or other certifications can prevent that.

What matters, however, is how those mistakes are handled.
At our company, too, there have been instances where packages got mixed up or a customer was sent the wrong or a defective product—it happens.
But the very first thing we do in such a case is ship the ordered product to the customer—at no extra cost, of course.
Everything else is sorted out later.

Companies like MiniDSP are simply foolish when it comes to customer relations.
This incident has already cost MiniDSP far more in lost sales and profit than it would have cost them to simply ship a new unit to the customer right away.
It will simply deter many customers from buying their products.

In general, totally agree. When I was selling audio products to the public, this was basically our approach. Problems are random, how you respond to them is not. Especially when selling on Amazon or something, the cost of a bad review can (for better or worse) be higher than replacing a product.

Don't forget that the manufacturer is not eating the whole retail cost, a shipped replacement should cost them half of retail, at most.

I think it's OK to ask for some proof of claims on the part of the user - photos / video are not unusual even with US-based brands. We used to ship a new unit, pay postage for the return at the same time, and just eat the cost of shipping. This was feasible within the US, not cheap, but cheaper than letting our reputation take a hit.

The main thing is quick communication and quick replacement once a claim is validated.

The funny thing is, it's not hard to get the opposite outcome of this thread, i.e. someone publicly blasting your company. I would say most people come into this type of support interaction with very low expectations. If you just solve the problem within ~48 hours without charging them money, people tend to be thrilled and sing your praises in reviews.

However, to play devil's advocate for a moment, there are plenty of fraudsters and unreasonable customers out there. Sometimes the only way to avoid a bad review is effectively to allow people to steal from you. It can be very hard to accept that on the manufacturer's side.

 

[Mort]

Commercial statistics. However, nothing may be published from them except for these approximate figures. Anyone can buy them, though.
However, in my own circle,

This is nonsense. You can't cite any source and you resort to a supposed 'friend' group to substantiate your baseless claims.

Did miniDSP beat you up on the playground?

 

[Roland68]

This is nonsense. You can't cite any source and you resort to a supposed 'friend' group to substantiate your baseless claims.

Did miniDSP beat you up on the playground?

So, has MiniDSP bought you off?

Sorry, but you are so blinded that you didn't even notice the sentence I quoted had absolutely nothing to do with MiniDSP; it referred purely to general tactics regarding claims involving Chinese retailers. Anyone can easily Google this topic, and I’m sure there are many members who have had similar experiences.
It’s a good thing everyone can see what you’re trying to do here.

It is very strange how you are championing a company that behaves this way.
It is even stranger how you dismiss an obvious problem an ASR forum member had with MiniDSP as if it were nothing. I hope you’ll be just as understanding if something like that happens to you—regardless of the company involved.

As for commercial statistics: hardly any private individual is going to spend thousands of euros on them. And yes, there are steep contractual penalties if too much of that data is published; after all, that is how those companies make their money.

 

[BJL]

Reading all the comments on the OPs unfortunate experience, I feel like I must live on another planet. Most payment processors, and certainly both that I most frequently use (Visa and PayPal) (and in rare instances for me, 3rd party insurance) offer buyer's protections. When I have received a non-conforming product, or had some other issue with a transaction, if the vendor doesn't resolve it within 48 hours, I file a claim, and I have to do this at least once a year, and let the payment processor deal with the problem. I never get personally involved in these types of disputes. It is too exhausting and stressful. 100% of the time, Visa and/or PayPal have resolved the issues for me, to my satisfaction.

It's not possible that I am the only person in ASR-land who uses a major bank credit card or PayPal. Doesn't anyone know that these payment processors will act as your advocate and deal with these types of problems? The only proviso is to give the vendor an opportunity to cure, document it in writing, and file the claim promptly if your initial (non-confrontational) effort fails. Yet there have been a variety of comments that suggest to me that people have been dealing with these unpleasant occurrences themselves.

 

[anonyless]

That's silly. They don't owe him a freebie.

i don't recall asking for your opinion or suggest they "owe" him a new device. all of your replies in this thread suggest you're not being very objective when it comes to Minidsp behavior so far - whether you're related to them or just being some sort of a "super happy customer" .
all of these doesn't change the mere facts as the OP presented them, and in a about a week , it's going to be 3 months since the OP raised this issue with Minidsp, and during this time he did not use the defective device he bought as new from their website. do you think he would get a proper solution by then? i have a strong feeling that he would not .
if it was me, I would have find a way to start a cashback procedure by now

 

[anonyless]

It's not possible that I am the only person in ASR-land who uses a major bank credit card or PayPal.

you're not. I buy a lot from AE, and don't think twice before using PayPal's dispute option when I have problems - after contacting the seller directly (not always possible in AE), and trying AE own POS "dispute system"

Doesn't anyone know that these payment processors will act as your advocate and deal with these types of problems? The only proviso is to give the vendor an opportunity to cure, document it in writing, and file the claim promptly if your initial (non-confrontational) effort fails. Yet there have been a variety of comments that suggest to me that people have been dealing with these unpleasant occurrences themselves.

you're absolutely right

 

[Mort]

The entitled outrage in this thread is precious.