UPDATE 10/22/08: Casio has acknowledged its mistake and sent Sam his Casio in full working order, plus an 8 Gig Class III SD card.

Sam can’t get his 6-month-old Casio camera repaired under warranty because Casio’s U.S. repair center says the camera has been opened. Sam writes that he’s even sent in copies of his fingerprints to compare to the inside of the camera, but so far Casio won’t budge. We have a particular dislike of Casio and won’t buy from them again due to their incompetent repair facilities, so we sympathize with you, Sam. Since he’s getting nowhere with Casio’s customer service, he’s written the following letter to their Executive Customer Service and their Complaints Department in Japan.

Sent via Fax & Mail to: 973-537-8972 (Casio- Dover, NJ)
Sent Via Mail to: 6-2, Hon-machi 1-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-8543, Japan
To: Casio President Kazuo Kashio, Executive Customer Service, and Complaints Department:

On April 24, 2008 I purchased a Casio EX-F1 camera from Sandrian Camera shop in Clinton, NJ (USA). I loved the form factor and the capabilities of this truly remarkable product. On October 5,2008 I tried turning on the power to my camera. It would not power on and only a red status light would blink on and off. As the camera was only six months old I took comfort in the fact that I had bought it new from an authorized Casio camera shop, thus the 1 year warranty would cover this glitch.

After contacting Casio I was instructed to send in the camera, insured, at my expense to Casio’s repair center in Dover, NJ (USA). About five days later I was sent an email stating that the estimated cost of repair is $470.75. Assuming this had to be a mistake I called up Casio only to be told that the warranty is voided because the camera appeared to be dissembled and a finger print is located inside. Outraged, I began a search to contact some level of executive customer service or higher management in Casio.

Eventually after leaving messages with Casio’s technical representative and customer service I was told that a senior technician would take a second look at the camera. Two days later I received a phone call from Adrienne, a customer service rep telling me that Casio would not honor the warranty and my two options are to pay $14.95 to have the broken camera shipped back or pay $470.75 to have the camera repaired. Either way my camera’s warranty is voided.

As a consumer and avid Casio camera user (numerous of the exlim series) I took a chance and immediately bought your flagship camera immediately after it came out. I now fear this to be a mistake. On both fronts I am at a loss to Casio’s position to not stand by their product and to not honor the warranty. Now my only options are to pay for a camera that should not have been broken in the first place, and not have any warranty on it? I did not open the camera at any point in my short six months of ownership. I did not let anyone open the camera, and it has always been in my direct possession.

Using logic, why would any one open up a $1000.00US camera that is covered under warranty? I am not a technical person, I am a marketing manger, I wouldn’t even know how to open it.

I bought the camera brand new and I can have, if necessary the camera shop (Sandrian, Clinton NJ) write a letter stating they sold me a brand new camera. Casio should stand on its reputation and stand behind its product and once again restore a consumers faith to purchase Casio products again, which I am confident Casio will do.

Left with no choice I will have open up a case with the Better Business Bureau (USA). I am consumer looking for options as I have reached no resolution with Casio. As an avid camera user I am a member of numerous web blogs, camera groups and consumer protection websites. While I am sure my case is an isolated one, I will begin to explain my predicament and course of action to [anyone] who will listen. As a consumer, how can I stand behind any Casio product in the future if I know for 100% fact I never opened the camera, [never] gave it to anyone to open, and bought the camera brand new from an authorized agent? I purchased your flagship camera in the correct manner (not grey market), and I have followed the correct channels to have the camera replaced, and all Casio has told me is either pay $14.95 to ship back my broken camera or pay $470.75 to have it repaired (again with a voided warranty, when in reality it that should have more then 6 month left on it ).

I am looking for any assistance. I hope I can resolve this issue with Casio as soon as possible and once again restore my faith to continue to recommend and purchase your products (as I have avidly done in the past). I simply want a 100% functioning Casio Ex-F1 with full intact warranty. If there are components inside my camera that Casio would not represent as a brand new (when I purchased it), I expect Casio to replace the camera with a brand new one. I took a chance in buying Casio’s first attempt into entering a higher end camera market. I hope that I can continue to do as I had in the past and voice positive remarks and convince others with my opinions to purchase your products.

Thank you for you time.
Sam
Casio Camera user since 2002