Refund on Phone in Warranty Partly Paid by a JB/Telstra Plan Promo

Hi all, trying to figure out what I'd be entitled to refund-wise for my in warranty pixel 4 purchased from JB hifi. The deal was $200 + sign up to one of those rip job JB hifi telstra plans that had less data and more expensive than going direct. I've had 3 replacement devices sent through google RMA, all 3 with faulty batteries that have swollen the device. Went to google again but all they are offering is replace again.

I'm totally done with it and want nothing to do with them anymore so keen to go down the refund path, question being, how is it actually calculated? Retail price of $1049 listed on the receipt? $200 due to sly fine print contract wording edging you out of any money paid there? Some sort of pro-rate of $200 + whatever they determine to be plan amount paid? trying to get my ducks in a line before heading in, have not turned up any anything trying to google/scoure the ACCC consumer rights page. I'd honestly be totally happy if JB offer up some similar phone from a different manufacturer. I just want to give pixels a wide birth.

Thinking someone has surely been down a similar path and can offer some insights, cheers.

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Comments

  • $200 minus the contract outstanding balance

    The phone was essentially free

    You're paying for the plan

  • -1

    I'd be entitled to refund-wise for my in warranty pixel 4 purchased from JB hifi

    Honestly Nothing… The Pixel 4 is now a few year old device and has served you well over the few years of service.

    You paid $200 for a device, and as you said above the 'plan' that was attached to this 'near free' phone has been done and dusted. You got 2+ years out of a $200 device you paid for. Sounds like a good deal to me,

    If the 2 year phone plan is done as you said, then you're out of warranty, so if the OEM is willing to repair it, then take the refurb unit from them and sell it. If you think you'll get some $1k refund after the warranty has expired etc, then yeah nah.

    • -1

      You got 2+ years out of a $200 device you paid for.

      No he didn't. The Pixel 4 came out in October 2019. He says it's still in warranty. Ergo, he hasn't had the phone for two years yet.

      • No he didn't. The Pixel 4 came out in October 2019. He says it's still in warranty. Ergo, he hasn't had the phone for two years yet.

        So take the repaired device if its in warranty and sell it. Case closed.

        • This is the most stress free approach. Sell and change.

    • Firstly, it's been the worst phone I've had to date, hence being issues 3 replacement units since purchase. Has not remotely "served me well". Secondly, 2 year warranty 1 year plan. Plan is done, warranty is not.

      At the minimum I am entitled to $200 should I choose to accept, I am simply seeking the facts so I can weigh up my options.

      • I am simply seeking the facts so I can weigh up my options.

        You won't be getting a refund if that is what you are wanting. Take the repaired phone, sell it for $200, move on with life.

    • -1

      Stop talking out of your arse, Australian law allows for the replacement or refund for major defects at the choice of the customer while it is still under warranty or within a reasonable time since it was sold.

      • Stop talking out of your arse, Australian law

        I suggest you go look up the law. A bad battery isn't a 'major' issue, but a minor one that can be repaired in no time at all.

        • +2

          It has failed 3 times, even if you were correct two minor failures are enough to count as a major one (there was an update to the law on Dec 2020)

          A swelling battery makes the device unsafe though, counts as a major failure, no matter how easy it is to repair.

  • +2

    YOU signed up for the “rip job”, not anyone else. If you don’t do your research, then no one is to blame but yourself.

    As to your phone being busted, I too would get the refurb, and sell. Or go into store, and see what they’ll offer you. But pretty sure they’ll just offer the same thing as directly from Google

  • +4

    Get a replacement then sell that one. Done.

    • -1

      My moral compass is getting in the way of that route. 3/3 replacements have had battery swelled and phone shuts off at random. No way can knowingly bait and switch someone with that.

      • +3

        Well. My moral compass prevent me to claim a refund for 2 yrs+ old device in your case :)

        Just put disclaimer on your ad stating that it's a replacement blablabla so the buyer can decide if they want to take the risk.

  • +3

    I would follow the advice above. Get a replacement and sell it. My gut feel is there's something in your environment that's contributing to the same fault across multiple phones (like an aftermarket wireless or car charger) and with a Google refurb unit, it should be better than someone buying a random second hand one.

    • +1

      It's the genuine pixel charger, has never caused issue charging my work phone. All 3 replacements have had battery issues from day 1 of receiving draining from 50 to 0 in about 30 minutes. Googling rufurb pixel battery swelling netted plenty of other people having the issue, pretty confident it's cheaping out on parts. The original brand new one didn't have battery problems, was mainboard related for that.

      • Ah that's a shame - so it's sounding like the 'new' batteries that google are putting in their refurb devices? That's rough. I knew there were other battery issues apparently related to the software, but swelling is undeniably cell/charger/cable related.

        Honestly can't suggest anything else @dreadpiratedan. Super unlikely you'll get any money back after this long, and such a low device purchase price

        • It’s a genuine charger……they’re not immune to failures too. Genuine doesn’t mean free from defects, just ask people who buy Range Rovers haha

  • +2

    Replace again and sell on eBay: that’s as good as you will get

    • +1

      I really hope op sells phone on eBay, and then posts on here that he’s been scammed (sorry op!)

      • Haha lol. If they take enough pictures etc they will be in the clear if some buffhead tries to scam

  • If this isn't the original device purchased from JB they won't help right?

    They'll check the serial number which is different to that on the receipt/contract and say sorry can't help. Different device.

    • It was JB who recommended going straight to Google in the first place for speed for processing sake + there's paper trial of IMEI's linked to RMA's, so I certainly hope they don't give me grief lol.

  • Yeah I suspect refurbs don't have new batteries unless it was sent in for a battery issue before being refurbished or the battery health is less than xy%. Who really knows.

  • " rip job JB hifi telstra plans that had less data and more expensive"

    I'm wondering if I should feel sad about my $59 300Gb per month 5G mobile data plan…

    Nah. It was way cheaper than any comparable Voda or Optus offer, even using the resellers.

  • Not sure now "I'm in warranty" = "you're not in warranty". Opinions that it's an old phone are irrelevant, the fact is I am in warranty.

    Spoke with JB and they wanted to send it off for assessment.

    So I then spoke to google again and due to the 3 units failing from refurb replacements, they are sending a new sealed unit.

    To those who weren't total narcissists and offered genuine advice, thank you.

  • take the new phone and sell it you should get more then $200 for it

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