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[bilyth]

Hi there, this is as much of a warning as it is a review of x10 customer service from my experience.

Now, I have to say that the x10 product is very good & affordable imo, & tech support is great & customer service is good- IF YOU LIVE IN THE US.

I requested on multiple occasions that i receive soft start wall switches & was told the ws467 would fit the bill. Now, unlike US orders, in Canada we are required to pay the initial shipping charges which i thought was ok. But, the switches i received were not soft start switches (i also requested switches that had dimming knob which the ws467 doesn't have but that's another issue). I played with it for a while & in the end tech support confirmed that the date code sticker indicated the switches pre-dated soft start capability.

So- i received the wrong product (in 2 ways- not soft start & no dimming knob). I believe a good business would replace the switches while covering all shipping charges especially since i already had to pay upfront for shipping. But x10 refused to do so..telling me i was responsible for paying the return shipping for replacement. After arguing my point for a while; I was told i could receive a gift certificate (not a credit to my credit card) in the amount of the shipping costs.

I still don't think this is completely acceptable. And a further slap in the face, if i want to use my $11 gift certificate say to purchase a $12 module, i have to pay an additional $10 in shipping again!

I've dealt with multiple companies in Canada & US..and i have never been asked to pay for shipping on defective or incorrect items that were sent to me. In fact, other companies would even credit me the initial shipping costs because of the error & inconvenience they caused.

Anyways, i was prepared to purchase further kits & modules for family members & to spread the news on the rather unknown product in Canada...but i find this method of business completely unacceptable. I'm not keen on doing any further business with them.

So for potential canadian customers, be warned- if you ever receive wrong or defective items from x10..you will end up paying shipping costs until you get the right products.

I'm currently waiting for my ws12a replacement switches & am concerned that again they won't be soft start...not sure what i will do then; i doubt i want to pay again to ship them back for replacement. If anyone has further suggestions what i can possibly do..please feel free.

thanks.

[Knightrider]

What would the possibility be of contesting the charges with the credit card company? Just a random thought.

[bilyth]

What would the possibility be of contesting the charges with the credit card company? Just a random thought.

Which charges would i contest? I mean, they are willing to replace the items at the same cost i paid for...just not the shipping charges. Not sure how i could contest the shipping costs. Or you mean contest the initial shipping costs that they charged me? Still not sure that would fly..those shipping charges paid for other things including the swithces...plus i did receive everything.

further thoughts?

[Knightrider]

Sorry to offer bad advice, since x10 is willing to work with you (sort of).  I might suggest that in the future, you try purchasing your components from another vendor (ebay works well for me)

[bilyth]

fair enough.

I would've thought x10 as company would be relatively large & successful...and easily accomodate their customers when they have made mistakes.

i'll look at ebay the next time i need components...but as for starter kits; it seems like x10 website has better deals than ebay.

but you're right; i won't be buying components from them anymore.

thanks.

[dave w]

Did you get the name of the original sales rep?

If you made it clear to the initial rep, you wanted the "Soft Start" wall switches, X10 should eat the shipping costs. I suspect the Customer Service is not convinced you made this clear in the initial order so is stone walling on the shipping costs. Call again and ask to speak to a supervisor.

X10 made a boo-boo when they upgraded certain modules but did not change model numbers.

[bilyth]

Did you get the name of the original sales rep?

If you made it clear to the initial rep, you wanted the "Soft Start" wall switches, X10 should eat the shipping costs. I suspect the Customer Service is not convinced you made this clear in the initial order so is stone walling on the shipping costs. Call again and ask to speak to a supervisor.

X10 made a boo-boo when they upgraded certain modules but did not change model numbers.

I have copies of 3 different chat sessions where i keep asking the sales rep if these modules are soft start & that i'm specifying that this is what i want (the sales rep names are on there). I also have an email copy of the tech support rep who confirmed that the date code i have is not soft start.

I've forwarded all these emails to the cust service rep & already asked her to discuss this with whatever supervisors because i find it unacceptable...Nothing. I called the other day & was told that the person i was emailing WAS the supervisor. They gave me the same run around over the phone.

The problem (they say) is they would definitely cover the shipping costs if I was in the US..somehow they cannot for canada? UPS isn't that different here..they can't email me a shipping label or arrange something with the carrier??? Or just credit the shipping costs to my credit card?? I dont' get it! A gift certificate is just a ploy to make me buy more..& like i said i can't just use it as is..i'll need to pay an additional $10 to ship..even when I requested to use the GC on an item to ship together with the replacement switches- they said they'd still charge me $10 to ship! makes no sense.

I'm not sure what else i can do. The only thing i could think of was I told them that I am going to post my bad experience on forums. I also told them over the phone that i'm not interested in doing further business with them...they gladly ended our phone call.

If there are other x10 forums i can write to..let me know...seems like the only way i can get some form of peace.

[bilyth]

excerpts:

..( t 22:32:39 ) can you tell me what specials you have on lm465? & what would be an equivalent wall switch- that has dimming, soft start, & gradual dim/brighten feature? ...( Edolia 23:05:21 ) As long as they are incandescent then  you can use any of our push button  dimmer switches ( Edolia 23:05:30 ) Such as the ws467 ( t 23:08:14 ) ok ( t 23:09:06 ) does it have soft start, gradul dimming?
( Edolia 23:15:21 ) Yes the ws467 does and the lm465 ( t 23:16:43 ) ok. thx.

...( william 12:33:19 ) X10 Order Confirmation #xxxxxx-xxxxxx I specifically asked the csr prior to ordering that i needed a wall swicth t! hat had soft start capability (like hte lm465 lamp module) as well as dimming ability when i'm at the switch.can you confirm if these two aspects are true on the ws467 that received.i suspect they do not have either of these aspects..but i was promised that it would.
( Marie 12:34:31 ) Give me a minute to find your answer
( william 12:35:51 ) ok
( Marie 12:40:25 ) You would have to call Customer Support at 1 800 442 5138 and ask them if they can take care of this.
( william 12:41:10 ) ok, well are you confirming that it doesn't have soft start? i just want to know that first.
( Marie 12:42:35 ) It does have soft start. ....

tech support:

...Greetings!

Yes, 06L49 datecode units predate the switch to SoftStart. I was under the impression we had shipped all older units out, but it looks like there were still some left. ....

i don't think they can argue that i didn't make it "clear" i wanted/needed soft start with my initial order...

[dave w]

i don't think they can argue that i didn't make it "clear" i wanted/needed soft start with my initial order...

Nope, you made it clear you wanted the "Soft Start".

[Tuicemen]

Since Canadian orders (or Ontario ones at least) are shipped from Mississauga I suspect that warehouse only has the older models! As Knightrider suggested use another vendor!

[bilyth]

Well now i know & will use another vendor.

But i at least want other people to learn from my experience- that canadian orders may recieve old stuff & you will get screwed with having to pay to return the wrong items...

[Knightrider]

I believe that little jewel of information deserves a "helpful", especially from all of our friends to the North!

[zach1234]

I believe that little jewel of information deserves a "helpful", especially from all of our friends to the North!

I second!!!

[bilyth]

just want to add that x10 csr is now willing to send whatever item i use my gift certificate for with my replacement switches without additional shipping costs (which at least makes sense!)

Finally a little love. It would have totally defeated the purpose of useing a $11 gift certificate & add $10 for shipping..i would've never used it.