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Tito
Community Member

Trying to return an Stadia Premier in UK: NIGHTMARE

I'll try to summarize my experience contacting Google Support via chat several times, 3 Case ID's and more than 12 emails exchanged.
  1. I ordered Stadia to be received on address A. Due to several issues with Chromecast I want to return within 14 days (even if it didn't had issues, based on EU law it would be my right to return it and get a full refund)
  2. I went to store.google.com,clicked the return option (within 14 days) and I received an email with some return labels that show address A as collection address for UPS (an address that I can't use anymore)
  3. I contact Google via chat asking them to please change the pick up address in the labels as I don't have access to address A anymore, so I ask them to change it to address B (my home).
  4. Since then 2 Case ID's were opened. They completely ignored me on the first one despite sending me an email and I already exchanged 12 emails on the second Case ID (which was opened more than 11 days ago) but I keep being told stuff like "forwarded it to our specialist and we're waiting for the response from them" whenever I email them asking for updates.
 
Needless to say, the 14 days that would make me eligible for a mandatory refund are well gone. Google said that since I reported the issue before 14 days they'll help me with the buyers remorse, but considering how they handle things I won't be surprised if once the product is returned I have to face a new nightmare to get the full refund done.
 
After mentioning the issue on Twitter 3 or 4 times they asked me to send them a DM two days ago, but they didn't even read it yet. I contacted them via chat once again right before pressing the submit button of this post and I was told again that an specialist is working on it
 
@GraceFromGoogle can you do something about it to get this escalated? PLEASE
2 Kudos
7 Replies
oztrich
Community Member

I'm having a slightly less trying, but equally unrewarding experience in returning my founders editions.

Received my bundle on 20th Nov, put in for return on 25th and got the RMA details.  Bundle was confirmed as delivered by Royal Mail on 2nd Dec - expected to get an email from Google at least to say it was there and being processed, but nothing.

After a week I did a live chat and was told package had definitely arrived, and refund would take 14 business days from the day it was received.  This is despite the help page about returns saying "without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract".  No mention of "business days", although I understand why that makes sense.  14 days is supposedly from the "decision to withdraw", which would be when the RMA is issued rather than receipt of package.  And 14 days is meant to be the upper limit either way, not a fixed term.

Today is the 14th day for me, so I've had another live chat where the representative contradicted herself multiple times and suggested the refund was processed on their end and I needed to contact my financial institution to determine why the money was not in my account.  When I asked for the precise date the refund was processed so I could make further enquiries she said she needed to contact her "higher tier" and would email me the details.  I'm not holding out much hope.

I had a pretty high opinion of Google before this, but it's becoming an incredibly stressful experience.

0 Kudos
Tito
Community Member

As you said it's quite frustrating and stressful. 

The only reason why I don't want to take a more serious action contacting a consumer rights organizations its because I fear that they could retiliate closing my Google account. :disappointed_face:

I just want them to comply with the terms of sale and the laws that we have in UK/Europe , but so far I'm being ignored and I'm having a terrible customer service! I really wonder what else I can do to return the product and get the full refund... 

0 Kudos
Jerdaz
Community Member

+1 I returned the stadia founder edition over 14 days ago (I has issues with surround sound). Getting a return label was no problem. However, after posting it, I haven't heard anything and they aren't responding to my mails and haven't issued a refund. What's the problem for them, this is a simple return & refund within 14 days!?!!

 

This is the worst digital shopping experience I've had in years. Normally at this point, I would dispute the payment with my credit card company, but in this case this would put my google account & email at risk. I don't think I will ever buy physical goods from them directly anymore.

0 Kudos
Jerdaz
Community Member

Ah, this morning they mailed me confirming the refund within 14 days :slightly_smiling_face:

 

My guess: They didn't have the refund process working yet when stadia went live. Their agile team only delivered it this week and we had to wait for it.

 

They also cancelled all my founders benefits as expected:

- No more founder badge

- #1285 attached to gametag

- pro games are gone

- Cannot stream any game any more (not even the free destiny 2)

0 Kudos
Tito
Community Member

I got my return labels finally today so I can finally return the package.

It's been more than 2 weeks since I requested it and the initial 14 days to return the package and get the refund are gone, but I hope that they keep their word when they said that as I contacted them within 14 days they would refund me. Let's hope it's done quickly.... I'll keep you posted

0 Kudos
oztrich
Community Member

Great news @Jerdaz, and fingers crossed for you @Tito.

No change for me, refund still not been processed - it's beyond the 14 day window whichever way you look at it now. :disappointed_face:

0 Kudos
Tito
Community Member

An update on my Case, Google receive the Stadia back on 24th December. Today on 30th December I got an email saying that I will receive the refund within 14 days. Quite slow process compared to other major companies, but as long as it get's done without me having to contact them again and again I'll be "happy"
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