Computer Dealer cheated me by selling HP 530 from Grey Market.

My name is Apoorva & I am from Mumbai. Last year in June, 2008, I purchased HP 530 Laptop from my computer dealer from whom I used to buy my computer needs. At the time of purchase, all I received was a Delivery Challan but did not receive my Proof of Purchase copy. I questioned him about this but he said that this is all what you get (Delivery Challan).

Also, he delivered this HP 530 Laptop at my house in an HP Carry Case (which is considered as "Product delivered in an Open Condition") and when I have seen all laptops being sold in a seal box at various shopping malls in Mumbai, I did question him about this open way of delivering the product to which he replied:

" The place from where I receive this laptop, they open it at their end and supply the laptop in an HP Carry case". I was quiet surprised at his answer given back and was less matured and experienced at that point of time to understand what horrible trouble I will be getting into.

This year, in the month of April, my LCD screen developed faults wherein the liquid from within started to spread around. I was shocked to see this horrible condition of my screen b'coz till last midnight at uptill 2:30 am, I was working on my HP 530 Laptop and than kept it in on bed in extremely safe area before going to sleep. Now, at 8:00 am, when I getup and looked at the LCD screen, liquid from within had spread. So, uptill 2:30am last mid-night, the screen was absolutely working fine and nobody touched my laptop between these few hours, I really wonder howcome did this issue arise?

Therefore, I took this HP 530 Laptop along at my PC dealer's office which he further sent it to some small time service centre of HP known as: "Ashtech Infotech Pvt Ltd" for LCD screen replacement. They rejected my LCD screen issue and sent it back to my PC Dealer. I was extremely annoyed at my PC dealer b'coz he gave all big promises and hope that he will always be ready to provide me the best support & services thereby always ready as a backup whenever I face an issue only if I am ready to purchase laptop from him.

However, when it came the actual time in the month of April to standby his promises made, he simply took "NO PAIN" & "NO EFFORTS OR HIS KNOWLEDGE" at all in convincing Ashtech Infotech with the actual reason for the issue to asrise in my HP 530 Laptop's LCD Screen.
Like an ordinary worker's attitude or a "Delivery Man", all he did is forwarded my laptop to that Ashtech service centre who without any proper investigation or didn't felt the necessity to talk to the customer (That's me) who own this HP 530 Laptop to understand the reason for this issue to arise and plainly returned my HP 530 Laptop. This is seriously disgusting ! ! !

Therefore, once I got to know of my case rejection, I talked to HP Bangalore that evening about the manner in which this issue has arise and I also sent them the pictures (via email) which I had captured earlier with my Nokia cell phone. Finally, HP Bangalore understood the actual reason and said that it is HP’s product fault and not of customer and they requested me to deposit my laptop with their HP Service Centre, Andheri (e). Next morning, I collected my HP 530 Laptop from my PC Dealer’s office (Since my PC Dealer wasn’t ready to deposit my HP 530 Laptop at the Andheri (e) Service Centre by himself & remain adamant) and took it to HP Service Centre at Andheri (e). Before admitting any case, they do thorough checking of the laptop and they found following issues with my HP 530 laptop:

a) There were ball pen marks on the LCD screen body from the top at both the ends.
b) The corner of the LCD body from the top was slightly scratched.

Apart from all these issues, I also noticed that the Fan was not rotating at much higher speed then before. Also, double click doesn’t work anymore. My HP 530 laptop now starts to get heat up early which wasn’t the case before. Therefore, I understood that at time of sending this HP 530 laptop to my computer dealer, there weren’t all these faults at all but when I collected my HP 530 laptop back, I saw all these faults. That means that Ashtech Infotech Pvt Ltd located at Mahalaxmi, Mumbai didn’t only rejected my case but they further damage my HP 530 laptop and smartly like a culprit sent back the laptop to my Computer Dealer’s office. I did question my computer dealer on phone about these faults while waiting at the HP’s Andheri (e) service centre but he kept quiet and didn’t answer.

Later, after a week’s time of depositing my HP 530 laptop with the HP’s Andheri (e) service centre, I got to know through HP Bangalore’s email that the product I purchased was supposed to be shipped to Dubai but if it is sold here in India, it is a grey market product thereby I am being cheated by my computer dealer. HP immediately cancelled all the warranties on this HP 530 laptop and declines to replace the LCD screen. I visited HP Service Centre and got my HP 530 laptop back home.

My God - This evil computer dealer has left no stone unturned in harassing and torturing me. Neither did he provide any efforts in convincing Ashtech Infotech in getting my LCD screen replaced when my case was very genuine and beyond this, Ashtech Infotech damaged my laptop and not ready to take the blame and now this cunning computer dealer has sold me the product of Grey Market thereby ending my last hope left of replacing the LCD Screen due to my effective, genuine and efforts put in convincing HP Bangalore team...all these went in vain only b’coz of this ruthless computer dealer.

Now people all here kindly tell me, what I should do to achieve justice and teach this culprit computer dealer and that Ashtech Infotech an extremely strong lesson.

I have an extreme strong point to ask HP and which HP is liable guilty for – Why none of their products sold in the market carry an HP Proof of Purchase copy Bill nor HP Warranty card than no matter if it is Printer, Desktop, Laptops, etc... You go to any possible small or big markets in India and checkout for HP products; I can guarantee that there’s no warranty card accompanying the product at all. B’coz this is the only possible way of identifying the actual genuineness of the product purchased. All you will get is the shop’s bill copy and that’s what I got from my Computer dealer therefore I couldn’t make out that this HP product I purchased is from Grey Market. But still, I did question my computer dealer about HP’s “Warranty Card” to which he said that there’s nothing as such Warranty card supplied by HP and the product registration has to be done online which he said will do it but he didn’t do that as well! ! ! !
Now, I strongly believe that HP India has to take up the responsibility of replacing my LCD screen b’coz at first place, it is HP’s fault of “NOT PROVIDING WARRANTY CARD OR HP ORIGINAL BILL” which can become “Source of Identification for the genuineness of the HP product purchased.
However, my computer dealer is a BIG CHEATER & culprit, so no point of approaching him, HP has backed out and now I as a poor helpless harassed customer is being expected to invest anywhere between Rs. 15’000 – Rs. 18’000/- to get the LCD screen replaced. That means if I do this, the final cost of my HP 530 Laptop will rise to 36’500 + 15’000O = Rs. 51500 (HP 530 Laptop Original Cost + LCD screen replacement cost).

I am completely helpless ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

My FINAL advice to you all going through this post:

"STAY AWAY FROM HP PRODUCTS B'COZ YOU NEVER KNOW YOU MIGHT GET ONE - A GREY MARKET PRODUCT RESULTING INTO YOUR PRODUCT'S WARRANTY BEING CANCELLED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT AND YOU WILL BE LEFT WITH NO OPTIONS OTHER THAN TO REPAIR IT AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE B"COZ HP WILL SIMPLY BACKOFF"

And to talk about the Law of India, it is extremely slow, much worse and highly corrupted to approach for justice.

Thanks all for reading this painful grievance of mine. Let's see what future has in store for me.

Regards,
Apoorva.

Sorry to hear what happened with you.

I'd like to bring your attention to the foll points-

1>If you keep your Lap running whole night with LCD on, I may be damaged. LCDs are very delicate.

2> using laps on Bed/Pillows is a BIG mistake. The cushioning blocks undermounted fan to Suck air and cool the CPU. The CPU may have overheated and suffered permanant damage.

yeah one thing, new laps DO come in SEALED plastic bags and Boxes.

One more thing, HP quality is very bad...so is service... i've suffered too.

Hi There! Yes, I truly understand what you have mentioned:

"If you keep your Laptop running whole night with LCD on, than it may be damaged. LCDs are very delicate."

Before closing the Laptop's LID, I made sure that the Windows has "Shut Down" and that Laptop has been "Turned off". So this point rules out in my case.

"Using laps on Bed/Pillows is a BIG mistake. The CPU may have overheated and suffered permanant damage."

I never keep the laptop directly on Bed / Pillows. I understand that this can block the Air ventilation from the bottom and side as well at times. And on that day, I kept laptop on the table while I was working on it till mid-night 2:30 am. Then the laptop was carefully Turned Off. Also, it was disconnected from the Power Adapter (Which charges the laptop) before keeping it on bed. I am still shocked to learn the liquid being spread from within for no genuine reason. How on earth could that happen?

Regards,
Apoorva.

I read your whole post yesterday and I can understand your frustration.

Regarding harassment you faced due to dealer's cheat, you may file a case against him selling you grey market stuff, you dont' have proof of purchase but atleast you can sue that why you kept in blind.


Regarding LCD, its Liquid Crystal Display .. it contains liquid crystals which change orientation as per current supplied to them and hence creating vision. For your Lappy, I strongly suspect that it was being under some pressure or weight ... hence caused internal leakage in the LCD.

May be you put something heavy upon it or at night..as you said was on safe place on bad, you accidentally pressurized it.

Hmmm

Sue him!

Hi Ricky,

Thanks for your reply!

"you don’t' have proof of purchase ....."

Well, I had got "Proof of Purchase copy" from him but that was later at the time of collecting my Hp 530 Laptop from his office and taking the same to HP Service Centre for LCD screen replacement (which on my genuine convincing power, HP Bangalore was ready to approve and replace my LCD Screen). However, even at that point of time, while demanding for my Proof of Purchase copy, my computer dealer was giving all unpractical & useless answers and not ready to provide the "Proof of Purchase copy" but after long arguments, with great difficultly, we managed to obtain the Proof of Purchase copy from him. When this bill was shown to the HP Service Centre in Mumbai, they said that this Proof of Purchase copy cannot be considered as valid since it doesn’t have your computer dealer’s Stamp and my HP 530 Laptop’s serial number. However, atleast HP Service Centre did try to co-ordinate at that point of time with me by requesting for a soft copy of a proper Proof of Purchase copy by email wherein the Proof of Purchase copy should have Company’s Stamp, My HP 530 Laptop’s serial number & the signature of the computer dealer.

And they said that if I can manage to email this soft copy to them on the same day before 17:30, than it will be forwarded to the replacement department via email on same day for quick processing. I pleased & begged in front of my computer dealer on phone (Since now he was in possession of all my money, I was helpless) to kindly try to arrange for a soft copy before 17:30, but look at this notorious computer dealer’s stupid argument, he tells me to come back at his office and collect the proper Proof of Purchase copy as if I am his slave when in first place, it was his responsibility to provide perfect bill to me.

But I explained him that neither I have to come back at HP Service Centre from my house nor he has to come all the way from his office to HP Service Centre, all he need to do is “Scan and Email” me the Proof of Purchase copy via email which I will further forward it to HP Service Centre as per their request. When I went back home, and called up his office again, I got shocked to know that neither did this idiot send me the Proof Of Purchase copy via email, forget about that, he didn’t even take the initiative to start with the procedure which according to me should take not more than 30 mins and I got so frustrated to learn that like an irresponsible person, he left his office for his personal work and didn’t care about my issue no matter whatsoever. This is extremely bad!!!!

I on the other side was waiting desperately for the scan copy but this evil computer dealer did not at all bother to help me out. Later in the evening, he says that before leaving the office, he left the responsibility on his office staff. Extremely disgusting that can be! Why would his office staff care to work so genuinely? So, this is the entire painful story of mine. The sun went down and I was sitting back home helplessly. This is merely a money minded business game wherein if I had just made 50% payment to him, than he for sure would make the Proof Of Purchase copy arrangement anyhow without a single excuse b’coz he then knows that he needs to recover the money from me. But now since he is in the possession of the 100% money, he can take me completely for granted and treat his customer as a dog who has to follow what he says.

And the main problem is that we live in a country like India where “Law & Order” are extremely corrupted and are always in favour of such cheaters and it is such slow that even if I think of filing Consumer Case at that point of time, it will take atleast 2 yrs for my case hearing to come. So, all liberties and enjoyment and work flexibility are always on the side of these culprit computer dealers and customers on the other hand are treated like a slave just b’coz entire payment has been made without realizing that the service on the product it yet to be utilized as and when required.
B’coz when me make a payment for buying a particular product, we all as a Customer forget that we are also paying for something that is invisible and cannot be touched or feel. That is – “Service”!!!

My apologies....

This is disheartening...

Even if you get your problem sorted, i still insist you proceed to Consumer court and Put a halt on That Fraudulent dealer

Dear Ricky,

Hi There! No, that's not the case out here. I take utmost care of my products and this HP 530 Laptop is quiet dearer (precious in one's regard) to me therefore in noways I can think of putting any heavy object on it. And anyway'z, as I already mentioned, I had properly Shut Down Windows, Turned Off the Laptop and after closing the LID of the Laptop, I did kept it on bed but in an extremely safe place.

Therefore, there's no chance of it being extremely pressurized by me as you wrongly mentioned. I am a technical person, have worked with DELL support therefore I understand how delicate the screen can be. I am aware of it so it becomes even more important for me of how to take proper care of it.

Regards,
Apoorva.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ricky

For your Lappy, I strongly suspect that it was being under some pressure or weight ... hence caused internal leakage in the LCD.

May be you put something heavy upon it or at night..as you said was on safe place on bad, you accidentally pressurized it.

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DELL support?

Then whats holding you from excersizing your power!?