The Saga of my Nikon Coolpix camera...or....Does the Squeaky Wheel get the Grease?

Back in July, I bought a new camera. After much research and thought I chose a Nikon Coolpix s6000. It was a rather new model with 4 cameras in the series.  I have been very happy with this camera until about 2 months ago. I started noticing funny things like an occasional WAY overexposed picture or WAY underexposed picture.  Then I noticed when I set the camera to flash (not automatic, but forced flash) it wouldn't always flash. I decided I better contact Nikon. The website at www.nikonusa.com has a handy way to ask the Nikon support people questions.  Basically you open up a "question" with them. (Later on in this, I'll refer to emailing or getting email from Nikon, and by this I mean through the website "My Questions".) So after I asked my question, I decided later in the day just to call them. The first person I talked to wanted me to reset the camera (I already had) and leave it with the battery out for 24 hrs. At this I asked to speak to a manager. The manager asked me to email (submit by the "My Questions" thing) examples of the camera acting up. After he saw the pictures and looked at the file info, he said it did indeed need to be repaired but it would be under warranty. He provided me with 2 day Air shipping labels through UPS, so I wouldn't have to pay to ship it in. He also told me that the turn-around rate for repairs was 7-10 days after they receive the camera. I was assured that I'd receive my camera  back before Christmas. In case you're wondering, Nikon does not make a policy of exchanging cameras. In other words, they weren't just going to send me a new one.

     According to UPS, Nikon (in NY) received my camera on November 30th. They didn't respond to me about the camera until Dec 7th! At that time, they said it was going to cost me over $100 to fix the camera (that was 4 months old) because it wasn't under warranty. I just about hit the roof at that statement. Immediately I was on the phone with them again. The girl I talked to said I hadn't provided proof of purchase. I had been told exactly what info I needed to give them when shipping it, and proof of purchase was not one of the things they mentioned. She told me to fax the proof of purchase attention to her and she'd take care of it. Fine. I faxed it. Six days later I had heard nothing.  After contacting them I found out the fax was lost, and the next guy I talked to let me scan it and email it to them. That was on the 13th.  Finally on the 15th I was told that the camera was under warranty and was finally able to be repaired.  Here we are now on the 20th and it is still being repaired.

     Today I called Nikon support again to see what could be done about all the delays. I just wanted to talk to someone in charge and tell them my experience with their support department.  I asked to speak to a supervisor and was transferred to one. After I talked to him, I asked to speak to someone above him. He informed me that I couldn't talk to anyone above him!! What? I'm not allowed to talk to anyone over him? You've got to be kidding. The internet came to the rescue though, and I found the corporate phone number. When I got in contact with the appropriate person, she said "How did you get that number? Support didn't give it to you, did they?" Hahaha!  How about that! She made a call to the service department and called me back to say they were making my camera a priority. She can't guarantee I'll have my camera by Christmas, but apparently it could happen.

   Now look, I understand that I'm not the only one that needs a camera repaired, but the number of times the ball has been dropped in this case is not acceptable. In the first place I shouldn't have been told I would have it back in 7 to 10 days if that wasn't the case.  I would have kept the camera until after Christmas if that was the case.  Also, if I hadn't called to check on the status of the camera, I'm not sure when I would have known that they lost my fax.

     I have spent hours of time on the phone with them now. They have had my practically brand new camera for 20 days and I have no guarantee when I'll get it back.  What will I get for all my trouble? Eventually I'll get my camera back. Is this too little too late? I'm afraid so.  I have been thinking about buying a Nikon D90 (a digital SLR camera, in case you don't know) for a while now. Someday....eventually....when I save my pennies.  I'm not so sure I want to deal with Nikon anymore. Maybe I better start looking at Canon.

From Drop Box