I have been ripped off!! I will never buy Sony again. I will spread the word that SONY is a terrible company that does not support their products. Sony sells computers that do not function as per the specifications.

Throwing salt on the wound, Sony tech support still has not fixed the original problem and now they want me to pay for tech support because it is out of warranty.

My machine is worthless for playing DVD and BluRay disks but may make a nice toilet seat warmer.

I’m a long time Sony VAIO customer (actually I bought my first VAIO back in 1997-1998 and practically a new unit every single year. Currently this is my 11th VAIO, because I also bought for my wife and my daughter.) And I’m not counting all the Sony devices, Walkmans, Discmans, MD recorders, MP3 players, TVs, DVD recorders, video and photo cameras. I even purchased a desktop digital DV recorder/editor and Sony branded hard disks.

But this is over.

Last year I have my VAIO broken (touchpad) that the Service couldn’t repair. First they sent me back practically untouched. Secont shipment – touchpad still not working properly. Third shipment – touchpad replaced, but the computer automatically switched down 10-20 sec after power up. Finaly, Sony reimbursed the original purchase price. (I was without computer for 2 months.)

So I bought a new VPC-Z11 in 2010 for about $3,000.

February this year a small pixel fault appeared on my screen and started extending first vertically, than horizontally producing a nasty, hairy vertical line up to the top of my screen. (I have not damaged the screen.)

I called customer service only in March. They picked up my computer again, then a few days later somebody from Egypt let me know that they will not repair the computer free because they think I may have damaged my computer. (I have not but you have no opportunity to argue with an Egyptian guy, who is just picking up the phone and speaks a medium English, and receiving mails from Mr. NoReply in the name of a myterious Koji Mizuno.)

Apparently they outsourced the customer service of the repair to a Belgian company, who is trying to charge for every repair request, independently of whether it is a manufacturing error or not. Finally I have received my VAIO back with LCD unrepaired – ironically with an LCD cleaning cloth. Honestly, I do not appreciate this kind of arrogant corporate humour.

This is the end of my long story with Sony. I will never buy a Sony product again.

Lesson learned:
Every corporation is trying to maximize profit by reducing cost at your expenses. Outsourcing (socializing) problems and keeping (privatizing) profits only.
The only language they speak is “Money”.
So speak their language: DON’T SPEND MONEY TO BUY THEIR PRODUCTS.

My story tells what happens when short-sighted corporate financial zombies start to drive business. They don’t understand that Sony “was” about quality, this is why customers paid the premium price for a Sony product. Actually they think that the customers are the greedy guys in Wall Street, and not the ones buying their products, and quality is only an extra expense item for them.

Save your money, and don’t let yourself be manipulated by empty marketing bullshits. Saved money will help you survive the current crisis.

Let this crisis be THEIRS and not YOURS.

You can live easily without Sony (or any other corporation) but they cannot live without you or your money.

You seem to have been treated more badly by Sony Vaio than me. For instance, I only had to return my PC two times to discover that they were unable to fix the problem, whereas you had to return your PC three times.

The question that keeps occurring to me is how can we best advise potential buyers of Sony Vaio PCs – in advance – that, if their shiny new Vaio PC happens to go wrong, they could be entering Sony Vaio Hell?

It would be interesting to know how you discovered this site, so I can somehow promote it more widely.

Meanwhile, have you found a way through the customer service problems you’ve already experienced, or are you still arguing with Sony Customer Services?

Regards,

Alan

I, too, have experienced truly shocking customer service from Sony. I also wrote to the CEO and received no reply. My laptop has also been with Sony for ” repair ” three times with no repair having been carried out. Having spent £1,500 on a laptop which has been problematic since day one I would NEVER buy another Sony product never mind an expensive laptop. The cavalier attitude of customer services defied belief.

We should all boycott Sony products.

I suspect most people buying Sony Vaio PCs are unlikely to have any inkling of how bad things can become in terms of dealing with Sony Vaio technical support and customer services when things go wrong.

Your experience precisely echoes mine, particularly in terms of Sony Vaio refusing to acknowledge or deal properly with technical problems as they arise.

I imagine you found their arrogance and incompetence as irritating as I did.

In my case, Sony Vaio customer services actually lied to me (and I can prove this, through recorded phone conversations).

This prompts me to suggest you use a telephone recording service when next you need to call Vaio technical support or customer services.

I used EasyCallRecording.co.uk to record my key conversations with Sony Vaio Customer Services. However, I believe this service is no longer on offer. Do let me know if you discover any alternative telephone call recording services.

I’m sure you’ll agree with me that the gap between Sony Vaio’s brand reputation and the reality when things go wrong has to be one of the biggest unrecognised scandals in corporate performance globally.

Sadly, I’m not sure SonyVaioHell.com stands any chance of getting this message out across mass markets around the world.

Frankly, there has to be some way to use new social media channels to propagate the message that Sony Vaio PCs can be hugely problematic and, when this happens, Sony Vaio will deny liability, lie to you, rely on their legal department to ‘frighten you off’ from taking legal action, etc. I wish I knew what we could do to spread this message.

If you’re able to spread the word and we can get some momentum going, then I’m sure Sony Vaio will start to pay attention. Certainly United Airlines did when Dave Carroll recorded his famous song, “United Breaks Guitars” (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo).

Again, many thanks for your comment.

I wish you all the best in your efforts to get decent support from Sony Vaio for your new PC. If I can help any further, please let me know.

Regards as ever,

Alan