Poor product support

  • 29 January 2023
  • 5 replies
  • 53 views
P

Sharing a recent experience with Sonos Support and lost confidence after a history of purchasing multiple products. The support issue we experienced relates to a known design weakness posted by many users across multiple channels, which is a power supply failure. In the fall, we experienced a power outage and after power to the house was restored we noticed three of our Sonos products would not turn on. Two (Playbar and Beam in separate rooms) were plugged into surge protectors and one (Play:3) directly into the wall. Three other products showed no issue. All are out of warranty but the Beam only just out. 
When I spoke with Support their best offer is to return to Sonos in exchange for a 30% discount code. So now we are asked to spend even more money to replace the products with a history of power supply quality issues across their portfolio.
Does this sound reasonable?

Thankfully, the Playbar was purchased from Costco, who took it back with a full refund. The others were purchased from Sonos directly with no other recourse than take their discount on new products. 

This lack of customer focus has the signs of a class action lawsuit in the making. Until then, we are encouraged to secure our investment by purchasing from a supplier with greater commitment to their products and customers. 

5 replies

buzz

Often associated with power grid failures are very large, destructive voltage transients. A given unit can only withstand a certain level of transient energy. The transient energy could vary in your house outlets and some outlets might not have transmitted the same level of transient energy. Finally, transient protectors vary in quality and can fail due to previous transient hits — essentially the transient protector has sacrificed itself to protect equipment. Unfortunately, it requires very expensive test equipment and a trained operator to fully evaluate the quality and current condition of a surge suppressor.

The two surge suppressors that failed to protect their client should be replaced.

Ken_Griffiths

Most manufacturers tend to provide warranty cover on their products for one, or maybe two, years. Many of our electrical products here (not just Sonos) have that sort of period of cover, perhaps with one exception of our main LG TV, which came with a 5 year warranty.

I personally choose to cover my products outside their manufacturers warranty period with small appliance extended warranty insurance to help provide that extra peace of mind. It’s why that type of insurance-cover exists.

Reading your post it also sounds like the power-surge protection is the major thing that really failed in your particular case. That said I’m sorry for your loss, but I’m paying out for ‘extended warranty’ insurance cover, which I may never use (one hopes). C'est la Vie.

P

While this is a plausible explanation, there are other electronics plugged into the same suppressors without issue. I have not found similar power supply complaints from the those products. Admittedly, this is a process of elimination coupled with significant record of the same quality issue reported from other users. Unfortunately, plausibility does not equal truth. 

buzz

There may be some recourse with home owner insurance.

Airgetlam

And each piece of electronics will have their own level of susceptibility to power fluctuations, depending on what chips are in use. Sonos devices, since the majority of the contain essentially a full computer, might be more vulnerable than other connected devices. And the use of the word ’fluctuation’ is careful, many electronics are equally impacted by voltages that are too low as they are in voltage spikes that are too high. 

Bruce

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