Poor Samsung service

jamesm007 · 11-05-2008, 04:07 PM

I am venting a little and wanted to wait and post something positive about Samsung when I received my GX10. I sent it in a month ago and still dont have a clue when I will get my exchange unit back. They could not repair it in 6 days so they put in for an exchange; it was approved 3 weeks ago. I was excited and impressed with thier service. However they are set up for compact cameras and not dSLRs in the U.S.A..
Every Samsung representative I speak to does not know what a GX10 is. I am dealing now with executive customer service and they dont know what a GX10 is, they gave me an ETA for exchanges of 7-14 business days. well its 14 business days and thier records show they have not even ordered a replacement because I guess they cant find a replacement. I spoke with Gial today and now she says 7 - 21 days. This is sad and pathetic service. Samsung wants to be a player in the dSLR market, in some regions of the world they are, but in the US my advice is not to buy Samsung, because honestly they are not set up yet to support them. Pentax USA from what I read can fully support thier dSLRs in the USA, Samsung does not even know what a dSLR is, much less support it. Sad but true.
I have been told so many different stories its not funny. One person 3 weeks ago said its in "quality control" and it will ship in a couple days. That was a lie. And can you imagine how I felt thinking I would get my GX10 back soon and find that was just made up! The problem is they usaly are quick, but for compacts P/S cameras, so everyone was thinking I would get it soon. All executive representatives say they will call me back with an update and never do. Now I am working with Pat at Samsung and she says she has never seen anything like this. When it goes in for exchange they have it, or offer a different model, of if they cant get it, offer you your money back. I can get my money back, and may; but that takes 7-21 business days. If I dont get my GX10 back in a week I will put in for a refund and buy the Pentax K20 while I can still get the 3 year warranty. I have never had such a run around and told so many stories and lies from a Company in my life. I got the address for the office of the president. Its not really the Samsungs president office, but it is the highest place for consumer complaints Samsung offers. That is my last hope, Pat, and that office, or I will wait for my money and go Pentax.
So be warned if buying Samsung dSLR in the USA, they are not able to support them. I tell the truth, and wanted to write a much more positive post than this, I am not mad, I am very unhappy and disappointed with them. If thier going to play they really need to get thier act together or just pull out of the USA dSLR market. I write to help others, if others in the USA have had better experience than me and my dSLR repair or exchange, please let me know. As it stands dont buy Samsung dSLRs in the USA if you want support. My posts are to help others and this is also a vent, but still a warning for others as well. I dont think anyone in the USA can buy Samsung dSLRs anyways LOL. I was the only one, that's how I feel.

DNeal · 01-11-2009, 02:31 PM

What was the outcome James?

jamesm007 · 02-08-2009, 12:27 PM

Originally posted by DNeal

What was the outcome James?

Sorry I did not see this and my reply is very late.

Samsung finally told me the unit shipped I believe a few days after this post. My replacement was superb. So... if they just would have been honest when I was seeking info I would not have complained. However when I called I was given a couple different stories, and people never called me back as they said they would. Communication is the key, don't tell me its in quality control and should ship in a few days, when the truth is you don't know. Just tell me you don't know. Tell me it might take a few weeks, tell me the truth.

Overall I feel fairly good about Samsungs service for my dSLR. If the repair shop can not fix it in about one week, you will get a replacement. And they try to get you the unit in less the two weeks. I guess what I like is Samsung does not make you wait for weeks and weeks. I think it took 4 weeks, not bad considering most of the problem was getting the GX10 its not common in the USA and they had to order it.

Now the replacement is not brand new, but looks brand new and performs leaps ahead of the old. My SR benefit went from one stop to 4 stops, the AF is sure and no more OOF shots, even wide open at the wide end, the VPN is gone in jpegs and very low in RAW. The daily dust in the OVF is gone. Overall this camera performs superior to my old. They made a lot of quality control improvements to them.

Taffy · 03-06-2009, 02:32 AM

Originally posted by jamesm007

I am venting a little and wanted to wait and post something positive about Samsung when I received my GX10. I sent it in a month ago and still dont have a clue when I will get my exchange unit back. They could not repair it in 6 days so they put in for an exchange; it was approved 3 weeks ago. I was excited and impressed with thier service. However they are set up for compact cameras and not dSLRs in the U.S.A..
Every Samsung representative I speak to does not know what a GX10 is. I am dealing now with executive customer service and they dont know what a GX10 is, they gave me an ETA for exchanges of 7-14 business days. well its 14 business days and thier records show they have not even ordered a replacement because I guess they cant find a replacement. I spoke with Gial today and now she says 7 - 21 days. This is sad and pathetic service. Samsung wants to be a player in the dSLR market, in some regions of the world they are, but in the US my advice is not to buy Samsung, because honestly they are not set up yet to support them. Pentax USA from what I read can fully support thier dSLRs in the USA, Samsung does not even know what a dSLR is, much less support it. Sad but true.
I have been told so many different stories its not funny. One person 3 weeks ago said its in "quality control" and it will ship in a couple days. That was a lie. And can you imagine how I felt thinking I would get my GX10 back soon and find that was just made up! The problem is they usaly are quick, but for compacts P/S cameras, so everyone was thinking I would get it soon. All executive representatives say they will call me back with an update and never do. Now I am working with Pat at Samsung and she says she has never seen anything like this. When it goes in for exchange they have it, or offer a different model, of if they cant get it, offer you your money back. I can get my money back, and may; but that takes 7-21 business days. If I dont get my GX10 back in a week I will put in for a refund and buy the Pentax K20 while I can still get the 3 year warranty. I have never had such a run around and told so many stories and lies from a Company in my life. I got the address for the office of the president. Its not really the Samsungs president office, but it is the highest place for consumer complaints Samsung offers. That is my last hope, Pat, and that office, or I will wait for my money and go Pentax.
So be warned if buying Samsung dSLR in the USA, they are not able to support them. I tell the truth, and wanted to write a much more positive post than this, I am not mad, I am very unhappy and disappointed with them. If thier going to play they really need to get thier act together or just pull out of the USA dSLR market. I write to help others, if others in the USA have had better experience than me and my dSLR repair or exchange, please let me know. As it stands dont buy Samsung dSLRs in the USA if you want support. My posts are to help others and this is also a vent, but still a warning for others as well. I dont think anyone in the USA can buy Samsung dSLRs anyways LOL. I was the only one, that's how I feel.

Hi James, I'm sorry to hear of your troubles, but my experience is the total opposite. My GX10 had a problem with the custom W/B whatever I set, it was BLUE. Grey slates on our roof, came out a lovely shade of blue, green grass on the mountains here, turned out with a BLUE tint. So I bit the bullet, after hearing of the terrible Pentax service, here in the UK, I was a little umm let's say apprehensive is putting it mildly, lol. So off it went, 3 weeks to the day, a parcel arrived here. Upon opening it there was my Sammy, with a service note saying that Samsung were sorry for it breaking down, and that they had replaced the main board. So I charged the battery and took it outside to test. Everything was perfect, and it has been ever since. Samsung are new in the DSLR market, so I think they are having teething problems. Personally I think they are a great company, and wouldn't hesitate to wholheartedly recommend them, as they were marvellous wheb I couldn't get an update for my GX10 too, (bl**dy AOHELL problem, that I've since sorted out ;-) ). I phone the Sammy helpline and was given a phone number in SOUTH AFRICA, thankfully, (or I WOULD have been up in arms too), it was a freephone number. But the chap there put the update on a web site of theirs down there. No luck, I still couldn't get the update. I phoned the bloke back, and after he tried everything else, he went away for a few mins. and came back to tell me that his manager, would host the update on HIS OWN PERSONAL web site, for the next six hours for me to try to get it. I got it first try, cos I'd found out the problem with my ISP. But they went that extra few yards for me.
I'm sorry this turned into such a long winded account, but, as the BT advert used to say, "It's good to talk," they don't mention anything about the paying for it, though, do they? ;-)

waxling · 03-06-2009, 07:21 PM

I too have had a horrible experience with Samsung service, in Australia, to the point where I have conciously decided to black list ALL samsung products from my house (much to the horror of the TV-phile within me). Any company with this much apathy for its customers doesn't deserve any.

I have (had?) a Samsung GX10. Don't get me wrong, I loved the camera, took 1000's of shots with it, but the service support was pathetic.

Short version of the story is:
1) camera's top LCD got broken
2) sent camera off for paid repair
3) camera came back 3 MONTHS later fixed. The warranty expired just before its return.
4) during checking (after it came back) I discovered 2 things:
a) somehow someone had hand written numbers on some visible component (the bit you look through) of the viewfinder, then not quite rubbed them out. No one can explain to me why this would have happened.. I can only assume that either it was part of re-calibration or someone swapped out a faulty part.
b) in the process of confirming a), I discovered a previously ignored CCD alignment issue i.e. all photos were taked with a slight rotation to the right... the silly thing is I'd had the camera so long without noticing it, I had started unconciously compensating for it.. which I am still trying to unlearn.
5) so I send the camera back, this time to get it all fixed under warranty.
6) repair center declares they are not responsible for either of the problems, so now there is a 3 way argument between the store, the repair center and Samsung over who will be paying for the repair.
7) after a month, I've had a gutfull so I go out and buy a Pentax K20d, swearing to never deal with Samsung again.

PS I still don't have the camera back, and its been almost 2 months this time... a total of almost 5 months.

antman · 03-30-2009, 04:54 PM

My experience with Samsung in Australia has turned me off them too.

I sent my GX10 in as the anti-shake started misbehaving in July.
Service agent requests changeover in August.
After much stress and millions of phone calls I do not get a new unit till February!!!

Samsung need a special support section for their DSLRs. The support unit had no idea about the product, and kept losing my records! (incompetence or intentional?)
Fortunately I got a GX20 as a replacement, but otherwise I can't recommend them to my friends anymore, despite them having a great product.

11-05-2008, 04:07 PM	#1
jamesm007 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Detroit MI, USA Posts: 508	Poor Samsung service I am venting a little and wanted to wait and post something positive about Samsung when I received my GX10. I sent it in a month ago and still dont have a clue when I will get my exchange unit back. They could not repair it in 6 days so they put in for an exchange; it was approved 3 weeks ago. I was excited and impressed with thier service. However they are set up for compact cameras and not dSLRs in the U.S.A.. Every Samsung representative I speak to does not know what a GX10 is. I am dealing now with executive customer service and they dont know what a GX10 is, they gave me an ETA for exchanges of 7-14 business days. well its 14 business days and thier records show they have not even ordered a replacement because I guess they cant find a replacement. I spoke with Gial today and now she says 7 - 21 days. This is sad and pathetic service. Samsung wants to be a player in the dSLR market, in some regions of the world they are, but in the US my advice is not to buy Samsung, because honestly they are not set up yet to support them. Pentax USA from what I read can fully support thier dSLRs in the USA, Samsung does not even know what a dSLR is, much less support it. Sad but true. I have been told so many different stories its not funny. One person 3 weeks ago said its in "quality control" and it will ship in a couple days. That was a lie. And can you imagine how I felt thinking I would get my GX10 back soon and find that was just made up! The problem is they usaly are quick, but for compacts P/S cameras, so everyone was thinking I would get it soon. All executive representatives say they will call me back with an update and never do. Now I am working with Pat at Samsung and she says she has never seen anything like this. When it goes in for exchange they have it, or offer a different model, of if they cant get it, offer you your money back. I can get my money back, and may; but that takes 7-21 business days. If I dont get my GX10 back in a week I will put in for a refund and buy the Pentax K20 while I can still get the 3 year warranty. I have never had such a run around and told so many stories and lies from a Company in my life. I got the address for the office of the president. Its not really the Samsungs president office, but it is the highest place for consumer complaints Samsung offers. That is my last hope, Pat, and that office, or I will wait for my money and go Pentax. So be warned if buying Samsung dSLR in the USA, they are not able to support them. I tell the truth, and wanted to write a much more positive post than this, I am not mad, I am very unhappy and disappointed with them. If thier going to play they really need to get thier act together or just pull out of the USA dSLR market. I write to help others, if others in the USA have had better experience than me and my dSLR repair or exchange, please let me know. As it stands dont buy Samsung dSLRs in the USA if you want support. My posts are to help others and this is also a vent, but still a warning for others as well. I dont think anyone in the USA can buy Samsung dSLRs anyways LOL. I was the only one, that's how I feel.

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01-11-2009, 02:31 PM	#2
DNeal New Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Wrexham, UK Posts: 7	What was the outcome James?

02-08-2009, 12:27 PM	#3
jamesm007 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Detroit MI, USA Posts: 508 Original Poster	Originally posted by DNeal What was the outcome James? Sorry I did not see this and my reply is very late. Samsung finally told me the unit shipped I believe a few days after this post. My replacement was superb. So... if they just would have been honest when I was seeking info I would not have complained. However when I called I was given a couple different stories, and people never called me back as they said they would. Communication is the key, don't tell me its in quality control and should ship in a few days, when the truth is you don't know. Just tell me you don't know. Tell me it might take a few weeks, tell me the truth. Overall I feel fairly good about Samsungs service for my dSLR. If the repair shop can not fix it in about one week, you will get a replacement. And they try to get you the unit in less the two weeks. I guess what I like is Samsung does not make you wait for weeks and weeks. I think it took 4 weeks, not bad considering most of the problem was getting the GX10 its not common in the USA and they had to order it. Now the replacement is not brand new, but looks brand new and performs leaps ahead of the old. My SR benefit went from one stop to 4 stops, the AF is sure and no more OOF shots, even wide open at the wide end, the VPN is gone in jpegs and very low in RAW. The daily dust in the OVF is gone. Overall this camera performs superior to my old. They made a lot of quality control improvements to them.

03-06-2009, 02:32 AM	#4
Taffy New Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Posts: 16	Originally posted by jamesm007 I am venting a little and wanted to wait and post something positive about Samsung when I received my GX10. I sent it in a month ago and still dont have a clue when I will get my exchange unit back. They could not repair it in 6 days so they put in for an exchange; it was approved 3 weeks ago. I was excited and impressed with thier service. However they are set up for compact cameras and not dSLRs in the U.S.A.. Every Samsung representative I speak to does not know what a GX10 is. I am dealing now with executive customer service and they dont know what a GX10 is, they gave me an ETA for exchanges of 7-14 business days. well its 14 business days and thier records show they have not even ordered a replacement because I guess they cant find a replacement. I spoke with Gial today and now she says 7 - 21 days. This is sad and pathetic service. Samsung wants to be a player in the dSLR market, in some regions of the world they are, but in the US my advice is not to buy Samsung, because honestly they are not set up yet to support them. Pentax USA from what I read can fully support thier dSLRs in the USA, Samsung does not even know what a dSLR is, much less support it. Sad but true. I have been told so many different stories its not funny. One person 3 weeks ago said its in "quality control" and it will ship in a couple days. That was a lie. And can you imagine how I felt thinking I would get my GX10 back soon and find that was just made up! The problem is they usaly are quick, but for compacts P/S cameras, so everyone was thinking I would get it soon. All executive representatives say they will call me back with an update and never do. Now I am working with Pat at Samsung and she says she has never seen anything like this. When it goes in for exchange they have it, or offer a different model, of if they cant get it, offer you your money back. I can get my money back, and may; but that takes 7-21 business days. If I dont get my GX10 back in a week I will put in for a refund and buy the Pentax K20 while I can still get the 3 year warranty. I have never had such a run around and told so many stories and lies from a Company in my life. I got the address for the office of the president. Its not really the Samsungs president office, but it is the highest place for consumer complaints Samsung offers. That is my last hope, Pat, and that office, or I will wait for my money and go Pentax. So be warned if buying Samsung dSLR in the USA, they are not able to support them. I tell the truth, and wanted to write a much more positive post than this, I am not mad, I am very unhappy and disappointed with them. If thier going to play they really need to get thier act together or just pull out of the USA dSLR market. I write to help others, if others in the USA have had better experience than me and my dSLR repair or exchange, please let me know. As it stands dont buy Samsung dSLRs in the USA if you want support. My posts are to help others and this is also a vent, but still a warning for others as well. I dont think anyone in the USA can buy Samsung dSLRs anyways LOL. I was the only one, that's how I feel. Hi James, I'm sorry to hear of your troubles, but my experience is the total opposite. My GX10 had a problem with the custom W/B whatever I set, it was BLUE. Grey slates on our roof, came out a lovely shade of blue, green grass on the mountains here, turned out with a BLUE tint. So I bit the bullet, after hearing of the terrible Pentax service, here in the UK, I was a little umm let's say apprehensive is putting it mildly, lol. So off it went, 3 weeks to the day, a parcel arrived here. Upon opening it there was my Sammy, with a service note saying that Samsung were sorry for it breaking down, and that they had replaced the main board. So I charged the battery and took it outside to test. Everything was perfect, and it has been ever since. Samsung are new in the DSLR market, so I think they are having teething problems. Personally I think they are a great company, and wouldn't hesitate to wholheartedly recommend them, as they were marvellous wheb I couldn't get an update for my GX10 too, (bl**dy AOHELL problem, that I've since sorted out ;-) ). I phone the Sammy helpline and was given a phone number in SOUTH AFRICA, thankfully, (or I WOULD have been up in arms too), it was a freephone number. But the chap there put the update on a web site of theirs down there. No luck, I still couldn't get the update. I phoned the bloke back, and after he tried everything else, he went away for a few mins. and came back to tell me that his manager, would host the update on HIS OWN PERSONAL web site, for the next six hours for me to try to get it. I got it first try, cos I'd found out the problem with my ISP. But they went that extra few yards for me. I'm sorry this turned into such a long winded account, but, as the BT advert used to say, "It's good to talk," they don't mention anything about the paying for it, though, do they? ;-)

03-06-2009, 07:21 PM	#5
waxling New Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2	I too have had a horrible experience with Samsung service, in Australia, to the point where I have conciously decided to black list ALL samsung products from my house (much to the horror of the TV-phile within me). Any company with this much apathy for its customers doesn't deserve any. I have (had?) a Samsung GX10. Don't get me wrong, I loved the camera, took 1000's of shots with it, but the service support was pathetic. Short version of the story is: 1) camera's top LCD got broken 2) sent camera off for paid repair 3) camera came back 3 MONTHS later fixed. The warranty expired just before its return. 4) during checking (after it came back) I discovered 2 things: a) somehow someone had hand written numbers on some visible component (the bit you look through) of the viewfinder, then not quite rubbed them out. No one can explain to me why this would have happened.. I can only assume that either it was part of re-calibration or someone swapped out a faulty part. b) in the process of confirming a), I discovered a previously ignored CCD alignment issue i.e. all photos were taked with a slight rotation to the right... the silly thing is I'd had the camera so long without noticing it, I had started unconciously compensating for it.. which I am still trying to unlearn. 5) so I send the camera back, this time to get it all fixed under warranty. 6) repair center declares they are not responsible for either of the problems, so now there is a 3 way argument between the store, the repair center and Samsung over who will be paying for the repair. 7) after a month, I've had a gutfull so I go out and buy a Pentax K20d, swearing to never deal with Samsung again. PS I still don't have the camera back, and its been almost 2 months this time... a total of almost 5 months.

03-30-2009, 04:54 PM	#6
antman New Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: melbourne Posts: 11	My experience with Samsung in Australia has turned me off them too. I sent my GX10 in as the anti-shake started misbehaving in July. Service agent requests changeover in August. After much stress and millions of phone calls I do not get a new unit till February!!! Samsung need a special support section for their DSLRs. The support unit had no idea about the product, and kept losing my records! (incompetence or intentional?) Fortunately I got a GX20 as a replacement, but otherwise I can't recommend them to my friends anymore, despite them having a great product.