Yay first Sigma purchase ending in disaster.

The other thing you can try is mentioning you'll contact the credit card company.

When you buy something via credit card, the credit card usually extends the warranty an additional year (read your terms of service to be sure). In this case, if they won't cover the material they sell, you can also go back to the credit card company.

Since they cover it for a year above and beyond the Manufacturer's Warranty, they can be of help in resolving this. Also, getting the company involved with the seller often produces results. While it's no fraud, the credit card companies really frown upon vendors screwing with warranty issues since they offer that additional warranty and might get stuck with the bill.

No guarantee, but if you don't get anywhere with the vendor, mention you'll be going to the credit card company and lodge a complaint against them. If that doesn't move them and Sigma won't help, try the credit card company.
 
We have a linked credit account we don't let go over the interest free period. It's unlikely that the CC company will want anything to do with it now that the bill's been paid. But we'll see as a last recourse. At the moment I'm still at the bottom of working my way up.

It's also worth noting that this is not a black mark against Sigma in terms of customer service yet. Unfortunately Sigma have no presence in Australia and I'm talking to one of their authorised service points, a completely different company. Tomorrow I'll get the email of a Sigma rep if possible, and then copy them in on any conversation with this service point. That may nudge these idiots in the right direction.

Gonna be an interesting day tomorrow :)
 
Well, I think that the service center people you talked to are idiots. Its obviously under warranty. They fix it and then they get paid by sigma for their parts and labor. There is no reason to refuse the work, The person you talked to was probably just stupid. Try calling again; don't say that you just bought the lens though, just provide the lens and receipt.
 
We have a linked credit account we don't let go over the interest free period. It's unlikely that the CC company will want anything to do with it now that the bill's been paid. But we'll see as a last recourse. At the moment I'm still at the bottom of working my way up.

It's also worth noting that this is not a black mark against Sigma in terms of customer service yet. Unfortunately Sigma have no presence in Australia and I'm talking to one of their authorised service points, a completely different company. Tomorrow I'll get the email of a Sigma rep if possible, and then copy them in on any conversation with this service point. That may nudge these idiots in the right direction.

Gonna be an interesting day tomorrow :)

Sounds like a plan just as a little warning or w.e. you want to call it, it seems like sigma's email system is very unreliable. Sometimes it takes a couple or hours to get a response and I've had times where I don't get a reply for a week. They always pick up though when you call so that might be a better option if you don't get an email in a decent time frame and want to contact them before the day is up. GL
TJ
 
Escalate it with Sigma. B&H have every right not to accept it for refund or exchange, a 30 day return policy is more than fair, not their fault you were away when the lens arrived.
 
It's also worth noting that this is not a black mark against Sigma in terms of customer service yet. Unfortunately Sigma have no presence in Australia and I'm talking to one of their authorised service points, a completely different company. Tomorrow I'll get the email of a Sigma rep if possible, and then copy them in on any conversation with this service point.

First, we're sorry you're having any problem with a lens you purchased from us. Second, according to Sigma, they do have an authorized network in Australia. It's C.R.Kennedy&Company Pty.Ltd.(Sigma Photographics), and they can be reached via [email protected].

I'll be happy to look into the circumstances of your purchase, but I feel obliged to point out B&H does have a return policy and we do publicize it. While we can sometimes be elastic about it, we cannot always do so. I will know more Monday (NYC time).
 
Hi henryp, nice to see B&H has a presence on this forum.

CRKennedy and Co are the ones I originally contacted. They are very hard to get a hold of and I am still awaiting an email repose.

I also sent an email to B&H again earlier today requesting assistance. Just to be clear I am not asking to outright return or refund the lens. I would be happy with any assistance that could be provided with the warranty claim given the utter lack of service I have been getting from C R Kennedy and CO.

I've sent you a email regarding this. Cheers.
 
I would be happy with any assistance that could be provided with the warranty claim given the utter lack of service I have been getting from C R Kennedy and CO.

I'd be happy to discuss this for you with C R Kennedy and CO or Sigma USA if you think it'd be fruitful.
 
What a pain in the keester. I do not practice law in Australia and have no idea what the legal system is there but I know how I would handle this mistreatment. :grumpy: Sucks.
 
Signs of success :)

Tomorrow my lens will be FedExed to Sigma Japan who have kindly decided to honour the warranty. They said that would and should be the normal process for such international orders and normally the shipping is offered at the owners expense, but they have offered to cover it in my case.

Many thanks to Henry from B&H for helping communication issues by mail bombing Sigma America, and the Australian network with all details.

It is however quite inexcusable that each of the subsidiaries / networks try to palm the warranty off on each other when all any of them needed to say was that Sigma Japan will handle warranties of this kind. The worst was C R Kennedy who clearly stated that they will send the lens to Sigma Japan and it will not be covered under warranty. Heck these local dealers don't even handle the repairs, how do they get to decide this in the first place :mad:

I'll let you know how it goes, and if they fix my lens properly or if the QC on their repairs department is as bad as it is on the production line :)
 
Many thanks to Henry from B&H for helping communication issues by mail bombing Sigma America, and the Australian network with all details.
Thank you. I am glad this is moving towards a resolution and happy I could help in any small way.

FOLLOWUP:
Our contacts from Sigma USA have escalated this to Sigma Japan. Our buyer will meet with them during the PMA show this week. I hope to have more info Thur or Fri.
 
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Result!

Thanks very much to Henry and the folk from Sigma Japan. They appologised for the response I got out of the Australian Service Point and offered to do a warranty repair on the unit and pay all shipping costs.

Few days later I get an email saying lens is fubar and they offered a complete replacement. Replacement performs well.

Thanks again to Henry for his help at B&H.
 

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