TEquipment Refurbished/Returned Oscilloscope Sold as New?

[Devov]

Below are a few pictures of the warranty void sticker on the Rigol 1054Z Oscilloscope I recently ordered from Amazon (fulfilled by TEquipment).  There's no way a sticker could end up looking like that naturally right?  I've ordered several other items from TEquipment directly and they've been in pristine condition.  Do you think they dump refurbished/returned items on amazon orders? 

I've contacted TEquipment about the issue, requesting a sale/return history on this scope.  It has been 2 days and I have not received a reply (typically they respond quickly).  I left negative seller feedback on Amazon, but it was removed.  Apparently seller feedback can't mention the product (though they leave positive reviews which mention products).

They could just blame me for the damaged sticker, but so far I have not heard anything from them.

I could initiate a return, but I don't have the original box so I don't know how well that would work.

Edit: The scope seems to be working perfectly fine.  I realize that a return at this point would be a mess.  I kinda just want TEquipment to acknowledge that they sent me a poorly screened return.  Or tell me that the SN has no previous sale history, but that seems pretty unlikely.

Much thanks,
-Kris

[wraper]

I would say that sticker was just torn off without device been disassembled. There is some part of the sticker left connecting both pieces of the case. How you managed to throw away original box without checking the product first?

[Devov]

How you managed to throw away original box without checking the product first?

I saw it when I opened it, but figured "well, it is mostly in place".  It wasn't until my bench multi-meter and power supply arrived with completely pristine stickers that I contacted TEquipment.

[Fraser]

And you threw the box away !

Had you kept the box you could have likely returned the unit for exchange. Without the box I would say your chances of an exchange have diminished considerably. I would always reject a piece of new equipment that had tampered seals. The seals are present for a good reason..... To provide evidence of tampering or the non new status of a product that has been repaired. Such products should be sold as graded returns or in some cases 'B' grade returns.

Sorry you now have good reason to be concerned about your new purchase, but you should have acted as soon as you saw the seal damage.

Fraser

[TheSteve]

Certainly does look odd. Almost like it was picked at and maybe heated. How does the scope itself look and work? Without the box I'd say returning it would be awful tough.

[Devov]

Certainly does look odd. Almost like it was picked at and maybe heated. How does the scope itself look and work? Without the box I'd say returning it would be awful tough.

The scope seems to be working perfectly fine.  I realize that a return at this point would be a mess.  I kinda just want TEquipment to acknowledge that they sent me a poorly screened return.  Or tell me that the SN has no previous sale history, but that seems pretty unlikely.

[kg4arn]

Call them. They have been very responsive to me.

[alank2]

TEquipment are good folks.  Just chat with them, much faster than waiting for an email response.

[alsetalokin4017]

It certainly looks to me like that sticker has been tampered with. It has been subjected to high heat, as shown by the shrinkage in the gap and the visible texture of the case plastic. It also looks like it has been picked at, and maybe embossed or rubbed back down to get it to stick.

Here's what the untouched sticker looks like on my DS1054z, sent from TEquipment directly.

(By the way, I also sort of suspected that my scope may have been a return or a demonstrator, since I had to return my original one under warranty and received this one as a replacement. This one has a much earlier serial number than the one I returned, and also came in a single box rather than the nice double-boxed first (but defective) one I received.


By "working perfectly fine"... does that mean you can reproduce all the various bugs we've noticed in the scope? Like the freezing, and the math timing error, etc?   

[Orange]

All new RIGOL stuff comes in a sealed box from RIGOL. With RIGOL tape on it. If the taping is torn, cut or damaged, you have received an opened box. So not a new instrument.
Also companies that do you a so-called favour by stating that you got an instrument with the latest software on it actually don't do you a favour.
They put the latest FIRMWARE on it, so you can't unlock it any longer. Be particular suspicious on DS2072A series. The latest firmware has a problem with unlocking and downgrading.
 

[wraper]

It certainly looks to me like that sticker has been tampered with. It has been subjected to high heat, as shown by the shrinkage in the gap and the visible texture of the case plastic.

There is no shrinkage, moreover there is no warranty sticker left. Only the bottom layer of the sticker left, missing parts on the side were removed together with a sticker. I could imagine this as manufacturing defect too. When applying the sticker, top layer of it could be left on the carrier tape, while bottom layer left on the scope. Anyway, I'm pretty sure, case wasn't opened as both sides of the leftovers of the sticker are still connected together, that would be impossible if the case was opened.

[TheSteve]

It is curious that some Rigol items come double boxed while others don't. The first DS1054Z I bought was double boxed, the second one was not. After receiving the first one double boxed it didn't inspire confidence when the second one wasn't.

[Orange]

It is curious that some Rigol items come double boxed while others don't. The first DS1054Z I bought was double boxed, the second one was not. After receiving the first one double boxed it didn't inspire confidence when the second one wasn't.

I think this has to do how many units are ordered from RIGOL, and how they ship this bulk package. I have had from the same distributor single and double boxes. But all had RIGOL tape intact, that is the most important hint if you receive a RIGOL box

[nctnico]

And you threw the box away !

Had you kept the box you could have likely returned the unit for exchange. Without the box I would say your chances of an exchange have diminished considerably.

That depends on which law you are under. In the EU you are not required to keep the original box for a return. As long as you pack the product equally or better than the original packing material a seller cannot refuse a return.

[crispy_tofu]

 Maybe TEquipment can provide some insight into this - they seem to have been online in the forum yesterday...   

[Mark_O]

And you threw the box away !

Had you kept the box you could have likely returned the unit for exchange. Without the box I would say your chances of an exchange have diminished considerably.

That depends on which law you are under. In the EU you are not required to keep the original box for a return. As long as you pack the product equally or better than the original packing material a seller cannot refuse a return.

I really see no reason to return it.  And I agree that discarding packaging before you're confident you're not going to return it is unwise.

But the other way an exchange could occur would be to have TE send him a new unit, and then he uses THAT packaging to return his current scope.  That leaves him with no packaging, which is fine since he'd simply toss it anyway.

[nbritton]

But the other way an exchange could occur would be to have TE send him a new unit, and then he uses THAT packaging to return his current scope.  That leaves him with no packaging, which is fine since he'd simply toss it anyway.

Yeah. If they won't exchange like that then simply buy a new one and return the old one using the new packaging. Make a habit to hold onto your boxes for at least as long as the return period, the failure rate is high in the beginning...

[jwm_]

And you threw the box away !

Had you kept the box you could have likely returned the unit for exchange. Without the box I would say your chances of an exchange have diminished considerably.

That depends on which law you are under. In the EU you are not required to keep the original box for a return. As long as you pack the product equally or better than the original packing material a seller cannot refuse a return.

I really see no reason to return it.  And I agree that discarding packaging before you're confident you're not going to return it is unwise.

But the other way an exchange could occur would be to have TE send him a new unit, and then he uses THAT packaging to return his current scope.  That leaves him with no packaging, which is fine since he'd simply toss it anyway.

Yeah, I have done exchanges this way without a box many times. It is generally how warranties are handled, tequipment can just treat it like a warranty replacement, where they don't expect people to keep the box.

Also, I really like the irony of getting the "warranty void if removed" sticker repaired under warranty.

[Devov]

They still haven't replied to my email (and I have been too lazy to call).  I spent half of last week in bed with a nasty cold.  I've kinda given up on it.  I'll just deal with it, it isn't an expensive piece of equipment.

On the plus side I did finally clear all the cardboard boxes out of my apartment!    In two months I'll have Christmas boxes to leave sitting in a pile for months all over again.