Memory is becoming increasingly expensive. But what happens when RAM breaks? A gamer had to experience this the hard way: The seller refuses to exchange the defective model because prices are so high.
RAM and storage media have been getting more expensive for months and experts say prices will continue to rise. However, one user recently had his memory fail. Annoying, but under normal circumstances, you can usually exchange the damaged model thanks to the warranty.
However, in one case this did not work. The YouTube channel Hardware Unboxed reports that a seller refused to exchange the defective RAM. In the meantime, the seller has responded to the video, but according to the YouTuber, the problem does not seem to be an isolated case.
If you are looking to buy RAM right now: You can track the current prices for memory live in our RAM price ticker.
Seller refuses to exchange defective RAM, prefers to refund the old purchase price
What exactly happened? A user sent his broken memory back to the dealer. The dealer confirmed the defect with a PassMark test but then informed the user that he would not receive a replacement kit. Instead, he offered a refund of the original price of 155 AUD. However, the current purchase price is now four times that.
Although many similar sets are currently in stock, the store informed the buyer that a replacement would be an “upgrade”. If he had accepted the offer, he would have had to pay a further 400 AUD or more for a similar set afterwards. That is why he rejected the refund.
How did the seller respond? The seller has since reached out directly under the channel’s video and explained that they want to add some further information. In this case, they see the mistake as lying with the customer and not the seller:
Hello! I completely understand the frustration in this case and want to provide you with some further information regarding the handling of this warranty claim. If a product is submitted under warranty at Umart, we offer the customer, depending on their preference, either a replacement or a refund, if replacement items are available.
In this specific case, no replacement item for the product was available at the time the warranty claim was processed. Therefore, the claim was completed in accordance with our warranty procedure with a refund.
We understand that such situations can be frustrating, especially if product prices may have changed since the original purchase. Our team is always striving to resolve warranty cases as fairly and quickly as possible according to our policies.
Is this an isolated case? The approach of the Australian retailer does not seem to be an isolated case either: In a comment directly under the retailer’s response, Hardware Unboxed stated that they have several similar cases where buyers faced similar issues with this retailer. They recommend that you should rather contact the manufacturer of the product directly.
Memory has become really expensive. Some users are now going so far as to buy hardware that is 18 years old: DDR3 RAM and compatible processors are significantly cheaper. Dealers report that sales of old hardware have risen rapidly: Users are currently buying 18-year-old hardware out of desperation because modern memory is currently far too expensive
