terpfan1980 terpfan1980

Belkin support sucks, DO NOT BUY BELKIN products

Belkin support sucks, DO NOT BUY BELKIN products

Big fat warning in advance to anyone that ever considers purchasing a Belkin product -- DON'T DO IT.

Most especially don't do it if you aren't prepared to find that their so called "lifetime warranty" on their product is anything but.

Why am I attacking what should be a fine company that stands behind their products? Because they don't, or should I say, won't stand behind their product.

Recently I purchased a used/like-new Belkin Bluetooth adapter via eBay. There-in lies the problem. In it's infinite wisdom, Belkin's support staff has decided that because I purchased through a third-party, I must go back to said third party to get the item replaced or repaired, and then that third-party may in turn get the replacement. Unfortunately, since I purchased the item from a third party, Belkin feels that they can void their own warranty and ignore their promise to their customer.

Such exclusions can be common place, but I've never experienced difficulties with Belkin products, and in fact have had to get some Belkin products which I purchased from retailers such as CompUSA or others replaced. In those instances, Belkin has generally stood behind their products, which I greatly appreciated.

But it is not acceptable to me that Belkin has now decided that they can void their warranty because someone has purchased an item used, or from a third-party vendor.

Not providing support reflects incredibly poorly on Belkin. They used to be a company I would go out of my way to buy products from, but if they wish to start trying to weasel out of providing support for their products, than they are most certainly no better than any other provider I can buy from, and also most certainly not worth spending any sort of premium on. Their prices have traditionally been higher than cheaper alternatives, but again, they deserved to be paid higher prices because they stood behind their products.

Now they no longer wish to stand behind their products, and instead wish to use technicalities to avoid having to provide replacement for their products. Such business practice is shameful. When a customer is honest with Belkin about where they purchased a product, they are turned away, where if someone lies to them and says that they got the product as a gift, or purchased it long ago from a retailer like CompUSA or Best Buy they will continue to receive support.

The best answer I have is to vote with my wallet, and to encourage others to do the same. DO NOT BUY BELKIN PRODUCTS. They won't support you, especially if you buy from a third party. Give your money to other vendors that will provide support. I know that Belkin just cost themselves big at my normal place of employment, and any future place of employment I might be involved at. Congratulations Mr. Tyler and the Belkin customer service department for a great reputation that you've now ruined.
129,504 views 55 replies
Reply #51 Top
Received EXCELLENT service from Belkin after buying one of their routers after going DSL....talked to a tech because I wanted to use their firewall instead of the one WindowsXp gives you...the guy talked me through each step & took alot of time for the set-up with me - was real courteous - sorry this happened to you since I've had good luck with Belkin products!
Reply #52 Top
Terp: yep, but they have only your word. You have to understand these companies don't fix these products and mail them back to you. It wouldn't be worth the money for them to even test what went wrong with the card. They set up a certain set of criterea, and then take anything back for any reason. That criterea is what makes the process profitable for them.

As long as it is only their defects they have to worry about, they can replace things. Every time a product changes hands the risk goes up for Belkin that the defect won't be their fault, and that they are financing other people's negligence.

I take your word for it that what you say is wrong is really wrong. You have to understand that they can't, though. If they did anyone who bought anything of thiers at Ebay, or a garage sale, or found it in a dumpster, could hit them up for a new product. They'd either have to employ people to check every item that gets returned or eat the cost of the replacements.

There are people who make money, sad as it is, by snagging the big, limited-time rebates on items at stores like Best Buy, and then re-sell them for retail on Ebay. You have a $150 hard drive, Best Buy does a one-day only sale where you get it for $89 with a manufacturer's rebate. You buy it, mail in the rebate, then sell the drive for $120 on Ebay.

It sucks, and that's why I don't buy stuff like that on Ebay. Watch the sales, watch legitimate resellers on the Internet.
Reply #53 Top
Explain you rsituation to the seller on E-bay and see what he is willing to do. Have him call Belkin and get an RMA for the item and then you send it in. If he's a reputable seller he will be more than willing to help you in any way so you can use the item he sold you. And if all else fails, leave a negative feedback on his e-bay account, if he's making any amount of money from e-bay he'll do whatever it takes to get that negative feedback off his account.
Reply #54 Top
Wow, that was a heck of a thread you guys!!! I think you are free Sir Bichur...
Reply #55 Top
fact is you bought a used item from a private individual..I my self could not expect a manufacturer to honor a warranty, when the item I bought was not purchased from a licenced distributor/retailer. your gripe should be with the seller. since he has taken it upon himself to act as resaler.

even a thread about "Ebay making sellers offer 30 day warrantys for all sold items" would have made more sence to me, than this one has .......


Terpfan1980 - The only way Belkin would honor your warrenty is if you had the original sales recipt from a store - not ebay.


Sorry about the yellow lines in my first comment I'm OK now I was trying to qoute Apocalypse_67 (1st one) & Phoon. Hg_Eliminator really hits the nail on the button. This is how companies protect themselves from people who buy used parts from others who then try to get new ones from the companies. If companies did that all the time they would go bankrupt the first year. I've bought items from ebay but I try to get something that is still in the box and from a company (reseller) because of just such things. Take this as a lessen learned and don't blame Belken. Oh one of the items I've purchased from ebay (and I still have) is a 5 port Belken usb hub I've had it for 4-5 years now. When it goes I'll get another one .