Exchanging a Microsoft Surface

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Clearly, Microsoft doesn’t want to be in business any longer.



  • Canucker

    Stupid policy in not informing him of the hold charge up front but this practice is also the norm with other companies for advance exchanges. Bigger issue is the lack of apparent QC of Surface tablets. Maybe MS expects users to simply have lower standards?

    • http://www.twitter.com/macmixing Dom Esposito

      I think it’s the users that have the low standards. Microsoft just gives them what they already expect.

  • http://www.facebook.com/currymac Gerry Curry

    Talk about a masochist!

  • http://www.twitter.com/macmixing Dom Esposito

    Apple does the same thing when exchanging a device without a trip to the Apple Store, but at least they tell you up front that they’ll be putting a hold on your card. Damn, Microsoft!

    • http://twitter.com/billyrazzle Billy Razzle

      Except Apple sends you a quality replacement.

      • http://www.twitter.com/macmixing Dom Esposito

        True story.

    • lucascott

      Yep. And if they haven’t actually shipped it you can cancel the repair. I’ve done it a couple of times myself with work stuff. Not informing the cx about the hold could be grounds for a legal complaint. Shocked that MS is so sloppy in that one.

      Also shocked that they don’t swap them under warranty at the stores but it seems they don’t if he had to arrange this mail in stuff

  • http://twitter.com/chintankamin Chintan Amin

    “Nitpicky? Maybe, but I spent ~$600 on this thing, shouldn’t it be well made?” If only there was a company that made $600 tablets with a reputation for well-designed and well-made products.

  • http://www.theuniversalsteve.com SSteve

    I like to bash Microsoft as much as the next reader of The Loop, but who expects to do an advance replacement and not have a hold on their credit card? The vendor has to be reasonably sure they can get their money if the return doesn’t show up.

    • http://twitter.com/colinmat Colin Mattson

      His issue wasn’t the hold—it was that Microsoft gave no notice of the hold. That’s contrary to both good customer service and card industry requirements.

  • http://sharonsharalike.com/ Sharon Sharalike

    What about the part where if they find tampering they will “retain the item and your credit card charged accordingly”?? They just get to confiscate it if you’ve opened it up? I don’t think so.

  • john_s

    My surface is just fine, no quality issues at all. Maybe you’re just using it wrong…

  • pawhite524

    This is why I advocate Tech Reviewer’s giving info on a manufacturer’s customer satisfaction ratings including breakdowns, return policy, etc before stating, “This is the best ____ there is,” based on a brief period of usage and a spec sheet. Reviews need to include this info to have any relevance for me and most people I know.