Below is my latest email to Lee@Sony and Sony Galleria@Harrods, who I have to say are now being very responsive and trying to get this sorted. We all must accept that designing and manufacturing complex technical equipment can from time to time hit a stumbling block or two. How a company resolves this is a true measure of how good they are and now Sony do seem to be doing their utmost to solve this. However, that said their response has been a little confusing.
Hi Lee
I am very confused and find myself between a rock and a hard place.
Can you read through my reasoning below and then answer my question?
I just had a call from Rebecca at Sony (she would give no surname but would give contact details of 0845 600124 Option 2 ask for Rebecca).
She stated that Sony had now suspended all end-user shipments of this model until the manufacturing issue could be resolved and had fully briefed Sony’s dealer network of this issue.
Her advice was either
a) to return the TV for a refund, or
b) have it swapped out for a NX model.
There is of course your (Lee@Sony's) offer from yesterday
c) to swap out the set directly having “swapped couple of these 46” out in the last week and had some good feedback” which was an upgrade from your more conservative earlier comment “I am reasonably confident I can get you a better set”
I also now note from Sony UK’s website that the KDL-46HX923 is now being quoted as delivers in 2-4 weeks with a price of £2698 discounted down to £2,500.80.
I paid Harrods Sony Galleria £2,069.99 on March 5, 2011 which included delivery and a 5-year guarantee.
I am loathed to take a refund, wait for Sony to fix the manufacturing issue and then re-order perhaps paying an additional 30% (£628.01) plus delivery and get no five year guarantee.
It is of concern to me that the five year guarantee has now been dropped on both the KDL-46NX723 and KDL-46HX923 (see attached website PDF). As a customer it makes me wonder if the issue is likely to worsen over time and this is a one year “get out jail free” card for Sony.
I specifically wanted a set with “Background Intelligent Peak LED” rather than “Edge LED” as in theory the Background LED is much better for watching movies in letter-box format without suffering from uniformity problems (bright edges, dimmer centre) (http://reviews.cnet.com/2795-6482_7-399.html). I do accept the Background Intelligent Peak LED will cause some blooming.
So as far as I see the only economic option for me is currently c). But I am concerned that I am just going to get another set with the same issue (although hopefully to a “very minor level”) and will I still have a 5-year warranty?
Is there a chance of their being an option d)
d) I either keep or return the set for another 2-4 weeks (as quoted by the website) when hopefully sets will be available which are issue free which you can then ship to me?
Finally, I am now much more impressed with Sony’s customer service efforts to resolve this and am looking forward to an equitable outcome.
Regards
Richard
