Warning, do NOT buy Leadtek video cards

[scecie]

Hi all,

I apologize ahead of time for how long-winded this is going to be. I am going to post this on several forums just to get the word out. This is, more than anything, a warning to people about the difficulty of dealing with LeadTek tech support. I bought a GT6600 from them in early 2005 (through ewiz.com). After a while the fan on the card went bad and damaged the cards ability to render 3D. I called and got an RMA number and sent the card in (at my own expense through UPS) with an RMA form they had sent to me. They returned the card pretty quickly and I found that they had replaced the fan, but the GPU was still having issues. I believe the only way they could have missed that is if they did not even test the card before they sent it back.

I contacted them again through email explaining what had happened and asked if there was something that could be done so that I wouldn’t have to pay the near $10 shipping fee to return the card again. I also mentioned that this was a pretty major inconvenience and my experience with the GT6600 has been pretty unsatisfactory. I also made sure that he understood that this would be the 2nd time I would be sending the card in and I asked if they could offer me an upgrade on the card, even if I had to cover the difference in cost. I received a response from John Zhang ([email protected]) giving me a new RMA number, but completely ignoring the other comments I made.

After being unable to get them to address my unhappiness with the support and product, I decided to bite the bullet and send the card back in (at my own cost again) using the original RMA form since I had not been supplied with another. After 3 weeks I sent an email to John Zhang again asking if the card was close to being fixed. He responded by saying “Hi, We will send you the card this week”. I waited a week and a half and after receiving no card, wrote back asking if I could get a tracking number. He responded by saying that they had not received the card and I needed to verify the delivery with UPS. I got my UPS tracking information and forwarded that back to LeadTek. They returned saying it was delivered to the wrong address. I called UPS to verify the address it was sent to, which was the address on the RMA form and it was, but UPS claimed that the company had moved and the card was forwarded to another address. I responded to LeadTek and asked them to verify the address I had shipped to. I also explained that the card had failed delivery to the original address I had, which is the only address I had received from them. I again asked them if there was any kind of management escalation process there for disgruntled customers. I do want to point out that I was being very calm in these emails and wasn’t using any strong language at all. My email was responded to with the new correct address…and that is all. The other contents of my message were completely ignored.

This was the last straw for me. I had no recourse with this company because they would not even acknowledge any of my complaints. I checked out the Better Business Bureau and found out that I am not alone. I filed a complaint through them and am going to have to wait at least a couple of weeks to get a response. I also had UPS put a tracer on the package in an attempt to possibly collect on the insurance I put on the package for a miss-delivery if they are unable to retrieve it. I hope this doesn’t come off as whiney, but I had to vent somewhere and let people know to stay away from LeadTek at all costs. If you have made it this far, I am also going to paste in my email with John Zhang that shows what I was talking about in responses. Keep in mind this is only one example. I have had several like responses from [email protected] unnamed technician(s).

Email (start at the bottom):

Hi,

Our addres was:

RMA Department
LeadTek Research Inc.
910 Auburn Court,
Fremont, CA 94538
Best regards,

John Zhang
[email protected]
RMA Department
Tel510)490-8076 Ext.506
Fax510)490-7759
LeadTek Research Inc.

-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn [mailto:****@msn.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 11:34 AM
To: John Zhang
Subject: Re: RMA# W20060612-23679
John,

Let me verify the address I was supposed to ship to, just let me know if this is correct or not:

RMA Department
46732 Lakeview Blvd
Fremont, CA 94538

This was the address I gave them, but they had a failed delivery to that address for some reason. I have had them put a tracer on the package to find out where it is and if it is retrievable. They said this could take 3 or 4 weeks, so I guess I'm out of a video card until that happens at the very least.

I just wish that my card had been fixed the first time I sent it in to you so I wouldn't have been double charged shipping cost and then this wouldn't be happening either. I don't know what to do, since this particular problem has nothing to do with you guys. It has just been a frustrating process ever since my first RMA was returned not repaired.

I guess I'm probably barking up the wrong tree, but if you have any kind of escalation process with your management can you check into it for me? What do you guys normally do for customer appeasement when someone has to send in a card twice for the same issue...I mean, it would have taken a very quick sandbox text to see the card wasn't fit to be returned to the customer. I've tried to get a response on this from [email protected] but they ignored my questions when responding to my emails. It has been very frustrating, but I would appreciate it if you could at least give me an answer since nobody else would.

Thanks,
Shawn
From: John Zhang
To: Shawn
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 11:42 AM
Subject: RE: RMA# W20060612-23679

Hi,

We checked this RMA carefully, and we did not receive the card.

I checked UPS using your tracking number 1Z5X32X10311287061. You delivered to the wrong place. Your package went to Santa Clara, and signed by AUS. Ask UPS re-delivery if the package did not return back to you.

Best regards,

John Zhang
[email protected]
RMA Department
Tel510)490-8076 Ext.506
Fax510)490-7759
LeadTek Research Inc.

-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn [mailto:****@msn.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 7:48 AM
To: John Zhang
Subject: Re: RMA# W20060612-23679
John,

Here is the tracking information for the package I sent with my video card. It was delivered on 7/10/06.

UPS Tracking number: 1Z5X32X10311287061

Thank you,
Shawn
----- Original Message -----
From: John Zhang
To: Shawn
Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 1:04 PM
Subject: RE: RMA# W20060612-23679

Hi,

Our receiving said we did not receive your defective card back to us yet. Please check your delivery company if you did send card out to us.

Best regards,

John Zhang
[email protected]
RMA Department
Tel510)490-8076 Ext.506
Fax510)490-7759
LeadTek Research Inc.

-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn [mailto:****@msn.com]
Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 12:01 PM
To: John Zhang
Subject: Re: RMA# W20060612-23679
John,

I haven't seen the card yet, is there a tracking number for it?

Thanks,
Shawn
----- Original Message -----
From: John Zhang
To: Shawn
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 11:47 AM
Subject: RE: RMA# W20060612-23679

Hi,

We will send you the card this week.

Best regards,

John Zhang
[email protected]
RMA Department
Tel510)490-8076 Ext.506
Fax510)490-7759
LeadTek Research Inc.

-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn [mailto****@msn.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 9:11 AM
To: John Zhang
Subject: Re: RMA# W20060612-23679
I was hoping to get an update on the status of my RMA# W20060612-23679.

Thank you,
Shawn
----- Original Message -----
From: John Zhang
To: ****@msn.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2006 4:29 PM
Subject: RMA# W20060612-23679

Dear customer,

Here is your RMA numbers: W20060612-23679.

Instructions:
Upon receiving the RMA number, package the product properly for safe
Shipping in a shipping box together with the print-out of the filled Online.
RMA Request Form or the print-out of this email. Keep all manuals, software,
cables and other accessories with you. Send back only the product itself.
WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MISSING OF MANUAL, SOFTWARE, OR ACCESSORIES.

Write the RMA number prominently and legibly outside the shipping box and
ship it to the following address via UPS or FedEx. You must pay the freight
for the return.

RMA Department
LeadTek Research Inc.
910 Auburn Court,
Fremont, CA 94538

Keep your tracking number and the RMA number for your record. For questions
about your RMA status, please write to [email protected] with the RMA number
as the subject reference.
The RMA number is valid for 20 working days from the date of its release by
Leadtek Research Inc.

Best regards,

John Zhang
[email protected]
RMA Department
Tel510)490-8076 Ext.506
Fax510)490-7759
LeadTek Research Inc.

[humanity]

I don't look forward to dealing with that again. My Leadtek GeForce 6600GT failed on me for the THIRD time. I went ahead and upgraded, but I'll still RMA it on principle and to potentially defray some of my upgrade costs.

[speedyaxon]

Wow, I wish you the best of luck.

It seems like customer service in a lot of places is declining or non-existant.

[Timman_24]

Wow, that is a bunch of BS. The guy "tech" guy can't even spell correctly. They totally ignore your other questions too. It makes me think their customer service is based in India or something. The workers probably pick out key lines in your email and respond to only them because they cant read the rest.

Thanks for the heads up. I will definately remember this when I am looking for another card in the future.

[talldude]

BFG ftw.

[kenrippy]

good luck with that bs. it sounds like you'll need it. and welcome to sharkys too

[Boneycat]

Wow I'm really sorry to hear that. That does indeed suck. Did you try calling them by any chance? I'm sure you have, just thought I'd ask.

[Motoman]

You can file a report with the Better Busniess Bereau if you like...

[Un4given]

You can file a report with the Better Busniess Bereau if you like...

Last paragraph, third sentence.

[scecie]

Thanks for all the feedback and empathy...it's amazing how much better I feel after getting this off my chest. It's been a long time since I felt the need to rant like that, but I haven't ever had a customer support issue like this before. There is something especially infuriating about being flat ignored.

Boneycat,

I did try and call them, but all you get for the tech support is a voice mail and they didn't return the two messages I left. I even went (by went to I mean transferred the call) to the sales office in the same building and the rep there at least tried (since sales people usually try to make people happy I suppose) but the tech support rep refused to talk to me through that channel as well.

Kenrippy,

Thanks for the welcome

[Boneycat]

So you went to the actual location in Fremont and they still wouldn't help you? OMG!

[klarence1981]

I even went to the sales office in the same building and the rep there at least tried (since sales people usually try to make people happy I suppose) but the tech support rep refused to talk to me through that channel as well.

Turned down in person? wow

[simple]

Leadtek obviously could give a rip about its customer.

If i were chuck norris id roundhouse kick those mfers into space..

GL bro.

[proxops-pete]

Hmm... time to boycott Leadtek!

[scecie]

Ack I'll have to edit that post...when I say "went to" I actually meant I called and talked to. My bad, they are evil...but maybe not that evil.