Poll Returned SP3: received new or refurb unit?

[DeltaXray]

Just wondering, there seems to be sporadic reports of some people receiving new units having returned a SP3 through the warranty process, and others receiving refurbs (which don't even appear to have been refurbished!).

Anyone who has returned an SP3 what is your experience and what country do you live?

 

[79jonesy]

I got a refurb in the UK. Turned up in a padded envelope inside a brown box. It's going straight back as it's in a worse condition than the machine I'm trying to replace!! Ho hum.

 

[gtext]

Takes longer but if your in the refund period and your dealing with the MS store I think your better getting a refund and re purchasing. You get another refund period and your guaranteed to receive a new SP3.

We do have a couple of retail stores in Australia selling the Surfaces, but no MS stores.

 

[FlySwatter]

It came in a simple cardboard coffin, so obviously a refurb. Looks brand new and I've never had a moments trouble with the replacement. More than I can say for the original unit that died a half hour after it was powered on.

 

[lbtaylor1984]

Received it brand new in a quilted bag in a brown box, it came with the factory plastic films where as the reforms are just in the quilted bag. Checked it all over as I had a 3 day discussion with MS over the mortality of supplying customers with refurbished units after returning units damaged from shipping or poor manufacturing

The simple answer is if you speak to Microsoft and arrange an exchange with SURFACE SUPPORT you will receive a refurbished unit, if you ask for any exchange from MICROSOFT STORE you will receive a new replacement, there is no explanation as to why but this is the case.

Currently stock levels in the EU are extremely low so near enough everyone should receive a NEW replacement as nothing has been refurbished yet to send back out.

 

[raqball]

I just received my replacement and by the way it was delivered you'd assume it was a refurbished unit. Same cardboard box that FlySwatter describes..

I am not convinced its a refurbished unit though for a few reasons.

1) Has the SP3 even been out long enough for their to be refurbished units?
2). It's a perfect unit. The other 2 units I've had were new in box and both had issues. This unit, if it's a refirb, is perfect!

Refurbished unit or not, I am a very happy camper with whatever it was they sent..

 

[UltraDroid]

I own two refurbished AT&T phones and haven't had one minute of problems with them. Before I bought them (two separate incidents) I had asked out super technician Grenefroggie what his thoughts were and he said that refurbished phones go through a vigerous testing before they're returned to the phone pool. I took his advice and never regretted it.

 

[leeshor]

If anyone purchases something and then decides to return it - it can't be sold as new so they need to call it a refurb even if there was nothing wrong with it in the first place. I know in many cases people think or feel there is a problem when there wasn't something wrong with the hardware but they got frustrated anyway and sent it back.

In short, a refurb doesn't necessarily mean anything was actually done other than the original SN washed from the system, a factory reset and a rudimentary test.

 

[HarnessTech]

My original SP3 is from lot 1427. The replacement was a refurb from lot 1423. The replacement is going back as it has more problems than my original.

 

[lbtaylor1984]

My post pretty much covers the issue as I spend 3 consecutive days discussing the refurb issue with the MS team

 

[driekus]

Kind of annoyed now. I ordered a Surface Pro 3 for my wife and had battery charging problem that technician couldnt fix.

Was told specifically on the phone that we would be receiving a brand new and not refurbished tablet. They claim it would be checked by technician and boxed. I am guessing that they lied to me.

Now have another expensive brick that wont charge and they want to do this all over again and not issue a refund.

Never heard of laptops having trouble charging before and to have two in a row like this is pretty bad. Btw I have tried all the tricks.

 

[malberttoo]

Kind of annoyed now. I ordered a Surface Pro 3 for my wife and had battery charging problem that technician couldnt fix.

Was told specifically on the phone that we would be receiving a brand new and not refurbished tablet. They claim it would be checked by technician and boxed. I am guessing that they lied to me.

Now have another expensive brick that wont charge and they want to do this all over again and not issue a refund.

Never heard of laptops having trouble charging before and to have two in a row like this is pretty bad. Btw I have tried all the tricks.

Hi driekus, welcome to the forum!

I have seen several times cases like yours, and what many members have started doing is simply returning the unit for a refund, and then buying another new one. It is your right, so you may have to be firm if the tech tries to talk you out of it.

That being said... many members here have received refurb'd units and are very happy with them, so I don't think that just because you're going to get a refurb means that it will necessarily be an inferior unit. Everyone's MMV in this case.

In your case though I definitely understand your issue, and don't blame you at all for wanting a new one.