JasonF

Very Disappointed With USCutter

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I received a refurbished 48" Copam from fedex yesterday.  My first impression was not too good.  The box was very flimsy cardboard, and all wrinkled up, and even crushed in a few areas.  I then opened the box to find pretty poor packaging.  There was only a few pieces of styrofoam to protect the whole cutter.  No bubble wrap or even foam peanuts. It seems pretty strange to me that such an expensive product is shipped with such minimal packaging and protection.  I have attached pictures so you can see what I mean.

 

So I moved passed the poor packaging and removed the Copam.  Overall it looked to be in good shape.  The only problem I saw was a nick in one of the end caps, and it was missing a screw.  I expected a little cosmetic damage so I again moved passed this.

 

I then plugged the cutter in and turned the switch on....and nothing.  The Copam would not turn on at all.  So I called USCutter to explain the problem.  I was told that they would send me a new power supply, and I would have to change the part myself.  This seems like a pretty poor solution to me.  It's not like this part is just located on the outside of the machine, and will take a minute or two to change.  I now have to take apart the whole machine, remove this part, and install the new one.  I am mechanically inclined, so I should be okay with this, but what about people that are not?  How are they supposed to fix the machine they just received in the mail the day before?  

 

I find it pretty outrageous that I have to disassemble the machine I just paid $1300 for, and never even used one time.  If I wanted to do that I could have probably found a broken Copam online and just rebuilt it myself, and probably paid a fraction of the price.  But instead I ordered from a company that I trusted would sell me a working machine.  So now what if during the dis-assembly a part or wire breaks?  I am pretty sure I will be held responsible since it broke while I was working on the machine, and that will be more money and time I have to spend FIXING this machine, instead of using it for the purpose I bought it for.

 

Then when I asked if I could have either next day, or second day shipping on the new part, I was told they can only send it ground like everything else.  So despite the fact that I have waited a week to receive my machine, I now won't even be able to attempt to fix it until next week when the new part gets here.  So maybe I might be able to use it in another week, that is if I can even get it working.  

 

Sorry for the long post.  I am just pretty angry with this whole thing.  I understand problems can happen when purchasing refurbished products, but I did not expect to be fixing the problem myself.  I would have thought they would just send a new one.  

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That is the packing from the factory - you don't want peanuts floating around and broken bits getting into the cutter. as for the solution - this is the same warranty that they state online for even new cutters - they will send new parts for you to put in even if it wasn't a refurb unit - it is clearly stated in their policy.  now with a refurb that box has probably been shipped twice - years ago when I bought a couple of copams I do believe they were double boxed.  You do have to wonder about that "tested sticker though".   seems the refurb units aren't as good of a deal as they used to be.

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That makes sense about the peanuts. But I still think bubble wrap should have been used. I guess I missed that part about the warranty only being replacement parts. I suppose that's my fault for not fully reading. I don't feel that is an acceptable solution for a product that arrived dead. That may be a fair solution to a product that died after a year, but when it arrives like this, I am simply doing their job for them and fixing what they should have.

I thought the same thing about the tested sticker. I highly doubt a power supply went bad in the shipping process. I am quite confident that someone just assumed this thing should be working and saved some time by slapping the sticker on.

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I watched the video that came with the software. The packaging on that unit was much better. But like I said, the packaging was just the first issue that gave me a bad impression. I would have never even made this post if everything was fine after that.

What really annoys me is that I have to fix a machine that arrived dead.

To me this is not a warranty claim. A warranty claim is when a product that was originally working starts having trouble after some time. A product that arrives dead is simply a faulty product, and should not be dealt with as a warranty issue. Again, I should not have to do their job for them and fix something that should have never been broken yet.

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my first one was a p-cut - power supply capacitor blew up after 20 min - it was installed backwards from the factory.  after 2 power supplied, a motherboard, I paid shipping back and they sent a new one - that was on a NEW unit - but the warranty clearly states that is the service they provide so I had no one but myself to blame for not reading the policy.  in about 3 weeks from the initial order I had a working cutter.

 

since then i just remember that I am buying from aldi's and not the prime meat market and there is a risk to take for buying at the lowest price.  if you wanted top notch service we would always buy from the nearest graphtec dealer that offers on site support.

 

By the way that capacitor blowing at 2am in a quiet basement will almost cause a cardiac arrest!

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I agree that I am at fault for not fully reading the terms.  I just cannot understand how anyone can think sending me a part to fix my unit that arrived broken is acceptable.  I don't agree that there should be a risk of receiving a non-working product.  This is not a cheap product, and the expectation to receive a working product is not unreasonable.  

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You may have already tried this, but one thing you can do is take off the right side end cap (only has 2 or 3 screws securing it) take a look inside and check

to make sure all the ribbon cables and connectors are connected securely to the motherboard. Might be worth a shot.

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Okay so I just called USCutter back, and they did agree to send me another unit.  The gentleman I spoke with this time agreed that I should not have to fix a unit that I just received.  This makes me feel much better about the company as a whole.  I understand things can go wrong, and faulty units can still be shipped out, but it's nice to know that the company is willing to do what is necessary to make things right.  Now hopefully the next one arrives in working condition.  

 

I will keep you guys updated with the status of the next cutter.  

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The hazards of buying refurb sometimes......I will only buy when there is a tremendous savings like a $30.00 computer. What is the new price on that machine. Any way good luck hopefully everything will turn out.

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$250 off the price of the new one with the stand - but the new larger copams are not in stock and have not been for quite a while. so basically you are not getting a stand taht would be 150+ and saving 100. on the refurb. .  . .   once going though the copam is a solid performer for more than 15 years with almost no changes to the design

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$250 off the price of the new one with the stand - but the new larger copams are not in stock and have not been for quite a while. so basically you are not getting a stand taht would be 150+ and saving 100. on the refurb. .  . .   once going though the copam is a solid performer for more than 15 years with almost no changes to the design

Everything I have read the co pam is a decent machine but at the price point unless I needed that large a cutter I belive I would spring for a graphtec or roland 24 in . The one sign shop I install for has a 48 in graphtec but 95% of the vinyl stocked is 24 inch.

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i had a 50" for a while - was a waste of space so next one I updated to went back to a 24" - vinyl is much more limited above 24" also - comparatively.  so unless you are using black, white, red, or very very basic colors it is a big waste and as printers have come around it is taking a bigger bite out of that market 

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A new 48" Copam is $1500, and the refurb is $1225.  The stand is $60, so even with the purchase of a stand the savings is still $215.  But I am going to make my own stand, and I anticipate the cost of that to be around $25.  So the savings is $250, which is pretty good to me.

 

I went with a 48" because I would like to leave the option open to get into tint.  I don't want to be limited to the size of things I can make.  However, I do realize most of the time I will only need 24".  I just wanted to have the flexibility.

 

There is something I would like to clear up though.

 

Refurbished products should not come with any risk.  A refurbished product is something that was previously used, and then rebuilt using new parts to return the product to the same condition as a new product.  So in essence, a refurbished unit should work exactly the same as a new product.  Now I did know that a refurbished unit may have cosmetic defects, which I am fine with.

 

Now the difference is buying a used product in "as is" condition, that has not been refurbished.  This is when a level of risk is assumed.  For example, if I just went on Ebay and bought a used Copam, then I would just have to take the sellers word for the condition of the product, and that is where the risk comes from. 

 

But when something is said to be refurbished, than the implication is that the machine was rebuilt using new parts, and in the same working order as a brand new unit.  Now obviously that was not the case with my unit, and I suppose whomever is in charge of quality control is to blame for that, and that is something USCutter needs to work on.  But at the end of the day they fixed their mistake.  So hopefully the next machine is as advertised.

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"Refurbished, used/ rebuilt" in anything is always a risk no matter where it comes from. Or else it wouldnt be cheaper then new. Its great they are fixing the issue but I still disagree with coming on here and making this thread on it. You already said you didnt read all the info when you bought a rebuilt machine, sometimes a problem can come along with rebuilt, you just happen to have been the unlucky 1 to get it.

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"Refurbished, used/ rebuilt" in anything is always a risk no matter where it comes from. Or else it wouldnt be cheaper then new. Its great they are fixing the issue but I still disagree with coming on here and making this thread on it. You already said you didnt read all the info when you bought a rebuilt machine, sometimes a problem can come along with rebuilt, you just happen to have been the unlucky 1 to get it.

I disagree that refurbished and used carry the same risk level. I'm sure if you called uscutter they would tell you they're refurbished machines carry no risk.

I also understand that things can go wrong sometimes. I did not make this thread because I was unhappy about receiving a bad machine. I made it because I was unhappy about having to rebuild a machine that I just received and never once powered on. A customer should never have to fix a product that just came in and never worked from the start. That should be an automatic replacement.

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I disagree  with the risk factor also, as USCUTTER is very forward on even a NEW machine carries a risk of DOA, as spelled out.

 

Dead on Arrival

Although machines are tested at the factory before being boxed, a small percentage of machines may arrive Dead-On-Arrival due to various problems in transit (shaking, vibration, etc). We do not make exceptions to our conditions for DOA products - you would be required to follow our standard procedures as per above to obtain warranty repair. By purchasing one of our products on eBay, please realize that this is the small risk that you take to obtain pricing that is about 1/2 retail prices. If you do not accept these terms, please do not buy a machine from us via eBay.

 

 

These machines whether sold on EBAY or the USCUTTER site are still the same NEW machines.   And that is their policy spelled out.

 

 

And you have no absolute proof that , the cutter that you purchased, did not work, when it left the USCUTTER facility.   It was in the hands of a Shipping company.  until it reached you.   You did not pick it up direct from USCUTTER. 

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Thats the point I was trying to make. Mz Skeeter just can word things better then I can sometimes lol

 

Whether you like the policy or not about having to replace a part on a DOA machine, you agreed to that when you purchased if you would have read all the info on you purchase

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I disagree  with the risk factor also, as USCUTTER is very forward on even a NEW machine carries a risk of DOA, as spelled out.

 

Dead on Arrival

Although machines are tested at the factory before being boxed, a small percentage of machines may arrive Dead-On-Arrival due to various problems in transit (shaking, vibration, etc). We do not make exceptions to our conditions for DOA products - you would be required to follow our standard procedures as per above to obtain warranty repair. By purchasing one of our products on eBay, please realize that this is the small risk that you take to obtain pricing that is about 1/2 retail prices. If you do not accept these terms, please do not buy a machine from us via eBay.

 

 

These machines whether sold on EBAY or the USCUTTER site are still the same NEW machines.   And that is their policy spelled out.

 

 

And you have no absolute proof that , the cutter that you purchased, did not work, when it left the USCUTTER facility.   It was in the hands of a Shipping company.  until it reached you.   You did not pick it up direct from USCUTTER. 

 

I don't know if those terms are for ebay only products, but that clause is no where on the USCutter website, unless I am missing it.  

 

I understand I do not have proof that the machine was not working when it left USCutter.  I probably should not have made that claim.  

 

All I am saying is that a machine that arrives dead should be handled differently than a machine that has problems after some time.  I completely understand not shipping these machines back and forth every time something goes wrong.  It is much more cost effective to send just the part.  If this machine worked great for a few months, and then suddenly the power supply went bad, I would have no problem with USCutter sending me a new part, and changing it myself.

 

But when an item is purchased that is supposed to be in full working condition, that will be the expectation.  If the item arrives dead the company should do what is necessary to fix the problem.

 

If you purchased a brand new car and had it delivered to your door, and suddenly it wouldn't start when you received it, would you be happy if the dealer sent you the part and told you to fix it yourself?  Or would you want them to take the car back, fix it, and provide you with what you paid for?

 

I understand this policy is stated on the website, but in my opinion this is not a fair way to handle things.  I just believe that a warranty claim (a product that went bad after some time), and a dead on arrival product should be handled differently.

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If you purchased a brand new car and had it delivered to your door, and suddenly it wouldn't start when you received it, would you be happy if the dealer sent you the part and told you to fix it yourself?  Or would you want them to take the car back, fix it, and provide you with what you paid for?

 

I understand this policy is stated on the website, but in my opinion this is not a fair way to handle things.  I just believe that a warranty claim (a product that went bad after some time), and a dead on arrival product should be handled differently.

 

 

Again you didnt buy new, you bought refurbished so apples and oranges

 

 

Again, we dont always like policies but if you agree to them, no point in complaining about them later when the policy all of a sudden is inconvenient to you. If your machine wouldnt have had an issue you wouldnt still be complaining about the same policy

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I know I bought refurbished, but it was stated that this same policy applies to new machines as well.  So that was where my point came from.  

 

And yes I would have felt the same way about the policy even if my machine arrived perfect.  I would still not think it's a fair policy.  But that is just my opinion.  If someone is happy fixing a product they just purchased, then I applaud them.  I do not share that thought, however.  

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It seems like you only read what you wanted, BECAUSE this is also their policy below.  IF you didn't like ANY of their policies. Why did you even purchase here?  They are spelled out.  but now that you had a problem,  these policies should NOT apply to you,  Because you are JASONF!!!!   LOL....  It is also very clear in order to save on shipping costs, they do send replacement parts.    And when you made your purchase, you agreed to their rules and policies, whether you liked them or not.  If you didn't like their rules and policies, you don't purchase, and move on. Simple as that.  Not make a purchase and then bash a company because you didn't read the rules and policies.  No one forced you to make a purchase.    TOTAL different warranty than a vehicle!!!!   

 

 

Return Policy

After receiving your item, contact us within 30 days if you are not satisfied. Should you decide to return your item, your refund will be given as either money back or item exchange (your choice). Buyer pays return shipping.

If your machine needs warranty service (within the warranty term), you will be required to pay for shipping in both directions. In many cases, we can minimize the shipping cost by offering parts replacement options. If you need a replacement machine or part sent in advance, you will be required to pay a deposit for the part and you will have 30 days to return the original part or product in new condition. To send back a machine, we require that you send it in the original packaging, so please keep all packaging materials (in good condition) for the duration of the warranty period. If the part or product is damaged in transit to us, we will be unable to fix it and you will be required to pay for shipping the damaged item back to you.

 

 

Also from USCUTTER.com website

 

Defective Items

If an item arrives in an unusable condition, USCutter must be notified within 30 days of receiving the product or a return may not be allowed.

USCutter reserves the right to request proof in the form of pictures to prove defects as well as the right to send replacement parts for items under warranty.

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By the way, changing out a power supply in these cutters is a very simple process.

So easy a MONKEY could do it!

 

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Atta Gal Skeeter !!! You are 100% correct and humorous at the same time :thumbsup: . I also have a problem when people do not accept things as an adult . What is irksome to me is when they come on a forum owned and supplied bu USCutter to complain about an adult decision they made by buying from USCutter .

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