FONEBIZ Dodgy - Warranty NOT Include Assessing Fee??

simprosimple on 25/12/2015 - 16:48
Last edited 25/12/2015 - 18:40 by 1 other user

I bought an ex-display mobile phone from a store at beginning of 08 Dec 2015 (with a formal receipt with IMEI number from a multi-store retail operations store)

I bought the phone for $45.00, the phone is okay just have slightly issue. I sent the phone to FONEBIZ, and they said it's physical damaged and warranty voided.

But the phone is not that bad from my using experience. How do they clarify what's physical damage??

The company asked me to pay $643.50 to repair it or pay $49.50 assessing fee to return the phone to me

It's not worth it to getting it back, which cost more than I bought it.

I've told FONEBIZ I bought it as it as currently, it's an ex-display phone and it's mentioned on the receipt.

Are they legal to charge me Assessing Fee when the phone is under warranty, even they claimed its PHYSICAL DAMAGED??

Can I complain to ACCC?

It seems that's the way they steal the phone for LEGALLY and SELL IT

It seems they had very BAD REVIEWS

Mobile

Related Stores

fonebiz.com.au
fonebiz.com.au

Comments

  • whooah1979 on 25/12/2015 - 17:03

    did you buy a demo phone with cosmetic/physical damage? did the phone function as advertised when you tested before buying it?

    • simprosimple on 25/12/2015 - 17:17

      it's still in working condition, I knew there's some issue and the staff said there's warranty. That's why the phone is so cheap

      I can understand them for extra cost for repair, but $643.50 is ridiculous

      And also asking me to pay $49.50 to have the phone back doesnt make sense

      I think Im not the only one having issues issues with Fonebiz

      • whooah1979 on 25/12/2015 - 17:24
        +3

        so there were problems with the phone when you bought it. did you buy it cheap hoping that the problems could be fixed by fonebiz for free under warranty?

  • [Deactivated] on 25/12/2015 - 17:23
    +1

    Contact your state's Fair Trading office, if they didn't make the inspection fee known before you returned the phone then you shouldn't have to pay.

    Did you buy the phone from Fonebiz?

  • Olokun on 25/12/2015 - 17:23

    It you want advise I think you should at least clarify.

    • what phone it is
    • what is the physical damage
    • was the phone sold as new or as is
    • why did you send it to fonebiz and not to the store you purchased it from.
  • Baysew on 25/12/2015 - 17:30

    It seems they had very BAD REVIEWS(http://www.productreview.com.au/p/fonebiz.html)

    Well they have a rating of 2.7, OZbargain is worse at 2.6 (http://www.productreview.com.au/p/ozbargain.html)

    Do you think OZBargain is Dodgy ?

    • [Deactivated] on 25/12/2015 - 17:47

      Well, did you want an honest answer or a dishonest answer?

      • Baysew on 25/12/2015 - 18:20

        Just an answer based soley on productreview.com.au

    • NeggerOfDeals on 25/12/2015 - 20:05

      ozbargain should rename its self OZTROLL and have the slogan.. "IF YOU WANT YOUR BUSINESS TRASHED ADVERTISE A DEAL ON HERE AS WE HAVE THE BEST TROLLS IN AUSTRALIA"

      (profanity) lol.

      • Axelstrife on 25/12/2015 - 21:24

        did one of them really say we are way too cheap??? lol that's the whole idea of Ozbargain to get the cheapest.

    • try2bhelpful on 27/12/2015 - 14:17

      I think some of the people posting on ProductReview may have missed the point of this site. That said some of the people posting replies here can be real (profanity laden rant here) that need to do something about their sociopathic tendencies.

  • ozhunter on 25/12/2015 - 19:23

    Are they legal to charge me Assessing Fee when the phone is under warranty, even they claimed its PHYSICAL DAMAGED??

    Yes. Warranty covers manufacturer defects.

  • boonanza on 25/12/2015 - 21:17

    Merry xmas & good luck with your nEw PhOnE :)

  • adzzz on 25/12/2015 - 21:38

    When you sent the phone in for repair, you would have signed a warranty repair document. That would indicate that if there was any physical damage / water damage etc on the phone and it is found to have a defect that was not caused by some manufacturing fault, you will need to pay the service fee to receive the phone back.

    If you never signed that document, you may be able to argue that you didn't know (but in my experience, telcos never send off phones to repair centres without having you sign that)

    Source : Worked 5+ Years at a Telstra tech bar.

  • dan76n on 25/12/2015 - 21:48

    Personally I think Fonebiz are shonky as I sent my phone away for repair and when it was returned there was a scratch mark on the back case which looks like they did it when removing the back.
    The paperwork they sent back with the phone has the scratch listed as cosmetic damage they noticed before repair.
    I took pictures of my phone prior to sending it away and there was no scratch. i also had a rear protector on it that I removed when I sent it so.
    Also the phone now has a slight bit of dust inside the camera lens that is slightly noticable when I light picture is taken.
    I'm not sending it back as this experience tells me they are very dishonest and I'd rather live with the scratch and dusty lens than deal with a business that acts like this.

    Regarding your issue, it sounds to me like you have purchased this phone cheap in an "as is" condition and sent it away hoping the "as is" issues would be repaired under warranty.
    If this is the case then unless they didn't tell you about the $50 fee then there's not much you can do.

    • akyeeeahdude on 25/12/2015 - 22:04

      I've now had two phones repaired by Fonebiz under warranty this year - a HTC One M7 and HTC One M8 (hmm what is it with HTCs…)
      Both times, no issues and they have been very quick.

      • BlazinPast on 02/08/2016 - 19:37

        Just stumbled upon your post. How much did you pay for the HTC M8 repair? Was it a major issue? Thanks

        • akyeeeahdude on 03/08/2016 - 17:43
          +1

          Free - under warranty.
          HTCs aren't very reliable to be honest. The M8 vibrator motor died. Haha too much use…

  • [Deactivated] on 26/12/2015 - 00:07
    +1

    From https://fonebiz.com.au/jobs/agreement.aspx, selecting Australia displays a lengthy Agreement.

    Miraculously, this Agreement also contains the following clause:

    2.5 Faults and items (including faults that arise from certain liquid and physical damage and tampering) that are not covered by the relevant MLW will be assessed as Non-Warranty repairs. An Inspection Fee of $49.50 (AUD, GST inclusive) will apply for all phones that we assess as Non-Warranty. The Inspection Fee must be paid before the submitted device is released. Where a quote is accepted, the Total Repair Cost must be paid before repair can proceed. Any Inspection Fee already collected will be deducted from the Total Repair Cost owing. In the case that the phone is required to be sent to another repairer, then a higher Quotation Fee may apply.

    You must've signed something containing this clause, for which they are charging you the Inspection Fee.

    • try2bhelpful on 27/12/2015 - 14:36

      The fact that there might be an inspection fee should be upfront in the terms & conditions. I had a bit of a poke around the website and I can't even work out how you got to this place. This does act as a timely reminder for people to be aware of what they are signing but I think this site could do better with its warnings before going through with an repair request.

      • [Deactivated] on 27/12/2015 - 14:47

        1. Go to https://fonebiz.com.au/jobs/agreement.aspx

        2. Where it says "I am located in", select "Australia" from drop down menu.

        3. In the Terms and Conditions that automatically populate, scroll down to paragraph 2.5.

        • try2bhelpful on 27/12/2015 - 17:55

          How did you get there from the home page?

        • [Deactivated] on 27/12/2015 - 18:19
          +1

          @try2bhelpful:

          1. Home page.

          2. Click on the "Begin the repair process now" red button on the right side of page.

          3. On the right side "Customers" column, click on the "Book in here" button beneath the "Customer Book In" heading.

          4. On the following page where it says "I am located in", select "Australia" from drop down menu.

          5. In the Terms and Conditions that automatically populate, scroll down to paragraph 2.5.

        • try2bhelpful on 28/12/2015 - 10:15

          @KaptnKaos: That is what I thought, you have to be actually booking in the repair before you see this. I still think that is should be part of the terms and conditions.

        • ozhunter on 28/12/2015 - 10:37
          +1

          @try2bhelpful:

          It is. It just doesn't show until you try to make a booking. It does state You MUST AGREE TO ALL the terms and conditions below in order to continue the booking for services. in the first bolded paragraph and asks you to tick a box confirming that you agree.

          Even if they made it before clicking "Begin the repair process now" on the home page, it wouldn't make a difference.

  • captobvious on 26/12/2015 - 00:07

    Im not having much joy with fonebiz. I have had dodgy repair work from them a couple times now

    • [Deactivated] on 26/12/2015 - 00:08

      Did you… drop the box?

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