Let’s pretend you ordered a $50 yo-yo from an online store. You get the yo-yo in the mail, it’s new and sealed in the package, and nothing wrong noticeable from the outside of the package. You remove the yo-yo from the package and immediately discover scratches, significant ones, around the rim of the yo-yo. If you are sure the online store is not at fault, because the packaging is intact, and believe the damage occurred through the manufacturer. What would you do:
A. Return it to the online store and request a new one.
B. Contact the manufacturer (the brand) because it’s their fault, and ask them to remedy the problem.
C. Just deal with it, it’s only a $50 yo-yo.
There are more options, but I’m curious which one sounds closest to the way you’d handle the situation. This happened to me. I’ll reveal which one I did later. Thanks.
Hmmm…so far you guys are all saying A is the best option. I’ll wait for a few more people to weigh in on it, and let you know what I ended up doing from there. Thanks.
New in the package yoyos should theoretically be without any flaws or damages. Of course, that’s different than with axles being tuned and similar issues.
Option 1 is to contact the place of purchase for an exchange or refund. HOWEVER, if the seller is merely front-ending the sales and it’s actually being handled by a third-party vendor, then that request should be properly directed to the third party vendor. HOpefully this third party vendor is honoring all their agreed upon obligations or else it can cause a lot of problems for the reseller.
I had a Speed Dial come with a broken dial. It was promptly replaced. 1 email. YYE rocks!
I did this with a $20 yoyo. Sorry, I like my stuff fully working. If I put dings or scratches in it, I’ll suck it up. But out of the box bad? No, I’m not going to tolerate that.
Now, my dv888 has a couple of tiny ano flaws on it, purchased from YYE. Those do not bother me in the least. That’s my choice. But that isn’t damage.
Option 2, should the place of purchase not be responsive OR has otherwise said to do so, then the next step is to contact the manufacturer directly. Some places of purchase will actually recommend doing this with some brands. With Guitar Center, I bought a phantom power supply. 1 use and it was toast. I contacted Guitar Center, who pretty much didn’t want to deal with it and told me to send it to the manufacturer. The manufacturer said send it back to the place of purchase. Good thing I had a warranty contract. Guitar Center did handle this poorly, by sending me a refund of the purchase price. I really needed the phantom power unit. I got boned right before an event as a result. But this is a somewhat isolated incident.
Option 2 should be a second attempt, based on the point of sale either NOT responding or directing you to do so.
Option 3: Sure, you can always suck it up and live with it. Heck, it’s only a $50 yoyo, right? Why not a $15 plastic? Why not a $135 metal?
Okay…I kept you in suspense long enough. I went with option C, but when you hear some details I didn’t give you, you’ll know why. This was a YYJ throw, the SR-71…around $50, and it was a YYE purchase. There is no way the store could have seen the damage through that green YYJ box. When I saw it, I thought of sending it back for another, but I have three of these, so I made that one my “beater.” Also, it gave the yo-yo a little character. Weird thing about that yo-yo is that I put a new string on it and it immediately turned the string and my hand black. Metal dust I think. I knew the string was new so I played with the black string awhile and changed it after cleaning the yoyo off. Something happened with that one at the factory…plays good though. Under the circumstances, I didn’t think it was worth the effort to return it. I’d return a more expensive one that I only own one of them. I love that yo-yo and all it’s character…second to my DM2 of all YYJ throws. Here’s a video of the scratches on it, note the right side and bottom outside on the rim. Sorry can’t post a pic at the moment…
Lol I didn’t even notice he was the one who commented…I just read the comment without reading the name. What’s the chance of that one? Glad you pointed it out, I would have missed it. By the way, I have a blue, a black and a Nickel one!
Other than my first purchase of the DM2 that got me hooked hardcore into yoyo, the name on the yoyo, outside of the MODEL name, the player’s name really doesn’t mean that much to me.
I mean, how many signature yoyos do I have? Plenty.
Granted, I’m super pleased with Andre Boulay and his DM2 and Legacy II, it tempts me to want to try his Trinity as well. I do also admit that the Mickey signature yoyos work very well for me as well. However, name or not on it, all I care about is how it performs for me.
Just keep in mind, a LOT happens to a yoyo from the time it’s “born” until the time it “arrives home” in your mailbox. With so many being made, stuff can slip through the cracks. It’s not intentional, nobody wants a bad product leaving the factory. As always, it’s always the purchaser’s money and decision how they wish to handle problems. In the end, if the end user is happy with it, then so be it and all ends well. No harm, no foul.
I agree that even YYJ could not be aware of something this small, unless they manufacture throws at the home office. Even then…there’s room for human error. I’d presume whatever factory process it went through, it slipped through the cracks at the buffing and cleanup stage or whatever it’s called. Things happen…sort of my consideration when I thought of calling and mailing it back, and waiting for them to receive it, then waiting to get a new one in the mail. It is interesting to know how you guys would have handled it though. Trust me, if it was a MMN…option A all the way ;D
Over the years I have received an occassional yoyo that has had problems. I just quietly send it back explaining the problem. It’s a great way to resolve the issue and doesn’t bring unfavorable attention to the company or the retailer.
My original question was whether most would consider those facts even a real “issue” to resolve. I didn’t hence option C, but sounds like you’d go with option A. I think I’m in the minority, which I suspected, but wanted to confirm. There is no unfavorable attention in my opinion one way or the other, because this error happens in every business on earth. This thread was based on a customer’s reaction to it when it occurs.
By the way, I have a blue, a black and a Nickel one!