Spike alert
Under controlStory of the week
Sunk by their own service report
Jason's Samsung dryer didn't just stop working – its drum insulation melted. In his words: “a common known fault where the drum insulation fails and melts.” Under the Australian Consumer Law, a big safety defect is considered a major failure – which means the consumer can choose the outcome they want, not the company. And a melted drum definitely seems like a serious safety concern.
Jason chose a full $1,742 refund. Samsung spent the next three weeks trying to choose differently:
- The repair push. “They initially said that they would arrange for repair, which I declined,” Jason told us – “the only remedy I will accept is a full refund.”
- The paperwork play. Samsung sent a “Service Repair Disclaimer” to sign before any technician visit. Sign it and you've quietly agreed to the repair path. We rejected it and required written confirmation the visit was inspection-only.
- The own goal. Samsung's authorised technician inspected the dryer and wrote the case-winner himself: “melted heat insulator / Back Cover melted” … “Refund of unit requested.”
.png)
Samsung then offered store credit; Jason held out for cash. The full refund was confirmed in writing on 17 August – after a month without a dryer in the middle of winter.
What you can do:
- If a fault makes a product unsafe: you pick refund, replacement or repair. Put your choice in writing early and repeat it.
- Want a refund? Don't sign repair paperwork. Ask for written confirmation that any technician visit is “inspection only”.
- Let them inspect – a fault report from the company's own technician might give the conclusion you're after.
