By Christopher Elliott
There’s a blob on the screen of Pam Harper’s new Samsung TV. She wants a refund or replacement, but the company wants to fix it. Who’s right?
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I purchased a new 50-inch Samsung smart TV on sale for $416 at Target recently. It doesn’t work and I’m trying to get a refund or replacement.
After I set up the TV, I noticed that the remote wasn’t working correctly. A red light kept blinking and the remote would freeze, unable to connect with the TV. I called and a Samsung technician talked me through several steps and determined it was a faulty remote. Samsung sent me a new remote.
Earlier this month, the TV stopped showing an image. It just displayed a small strip of color at the top with the remainder of the screen totally black. It then switched from black to dark charcoal and back. Then no picture would show at all and the sound was only intermittent.
Several times a huge, rounded uneven black “blob” would appear around the middle of the screen, obscuring a big part of the picture.
I’ve contacted Samsung on several occasions, finally appealing to the office of the president. A representative told me they couldn’t help because the TV warranty wouldn’t include a replacement.
I have absolutely no faith in this new TV. I was advised not to bother with buying an extended warranty, but now I wish I had. Can you help me get a replacement or a refund?
— Pam Harper, Kihei, Hawaii
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Your TV should have worked for more than a few weeks. And yes, while it’s technically true that your Samsung warranty doesn’t cover a replacement, the company should have done more than just refer you to a local repair shop.
Samsung did the right thing when it sent you a new remote. But when the rest of your new TV malfunctioned, it should have replaced the TV, too.
It doesn’t work that way, though. Take a look at your warranty, at www.samsung.com/us/support/service/warranty/UN50TU8000FXZA. It says the company will repair or replace this product “if found to be defective during the limited warranty period specified above.” But Samsung gets to determine whether to repair or replace, not you. And the company wanted to repair by sending a technician.
It looks like you tried to make contact with a nearby authorized repair center, but you couldn’t connect. Meanwhile, your TV sat in your living room during the pandemic, a useless blob.
It looks as if you reached out to one of the higher-level executive contacts at Samsung — see www.elliott.org/company-contacts/samsung/ — and this was their final decision. But I list more names on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org, and you might have appealed to one of the managers.
I’m not sure if an extended warranty would have covered you any better. Normally, an extended warranty only covers your device for more time. You were still well within the warranty period when you contacted me.
I asked Samsung about your case. In response, the company offered you a full refund.
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Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer for Elliott Advocacy. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help with any consumer problem by contacting him at www.elliott.org/help • © 2021 Christopher Elliott.