Customer treatment: The Prusa way
So i was in the market for a new 3D printer and i have this friend who recently bought a Core One and was so excited about it he recommended me to buy the same kit.
Due to tax regulations it was benificial for me to buy it through his company. I build it, and start using it. Apart from the fact that the side filament sensor stopped working after 2 months i was very happy with the printer.
But trying to solve that non-working sensor the problems started. I just wanted to buy a new sensor and reached out to Prusa. Never talked about warranty, just wanted my printer to work properly. If they consider it warranty (it is about 6-7 months old now) fine by me.
I was informed by Prusa i bought it through a reseller and they could not help me, only supply to the original buyer. My friend is no reseller, he just bought it for me, and it has been operating in my house ever since, but no: only to the reseller...
At first Prusa seem to be willing: just hand over the invoice, a statement from the buyer and everything else, and we will transfer the serial number to you, dear "highly appreciated customer". After providing everything they asked for we got the final answer:
"It is not possible to transfer the serial number to another user. All the replacements are being sent to the customer who reaches the chat/email and informs us of the serial number. It's being sent to that customer to his/her address directly. If XXX B.V. reaches us and provides the serial number - we will do service for him and send the parts to him. "
Talk about a shitty way to treat your customers...
So it is not possible? NO, it is perfectly possible, you are just not WILLING to transfer it.
What if my friend becomes no longer my friend? What if he leaves the country (which he does in 6 months)? What if he dies?
I am extremely dissapointed in Prusa, a company which is representing itself as customer friendly and open for discussion organisation. Well, you can take that statement off your website and hang it in the toilet .
So be aware of the following: Don't buy a Prusa product through someone else's company. Don't buy a Prusa product within warranty from somebody else, don't try to help someone out in buying a Prusa product for them even if you recommend it, Prusa will take a very big and smelly shit on you.
I was ready to invest in upgrading my Core One to a Core One+ with the multi-head functions but as i am simply just being treated as a fraud for Prusa i revoke this and start saving for another brand of printer, hopefully a company who does care for their customers.
RE:
Can you imagine why this happens?
The "XXX B.V." company is a reseller of Prusa and for this gets a share and there also will be a contract. Such (manufacturer-daler/reseller) contracts regularly stipulates the "role" of the reseller, what the reseller has to do after he sold a product. In case of Prusa it seems to be eg handling support, spare parts etc., even when you are directly in contact with Prusa Support. Meaning, when you have a warranty issue, this - it seems - has to be handled through the reseller. This is not only a "Prusa Way", it's the way also other big, bigger companies/manufacturer as Prusa is are doing it and also chinese 3D printer manufacturer, when you by from a reseller!
In your case is this "XXX B.V." Prusa's customer and not you! You as enduser/customer have to deal with this "XXX B.V." and you will get support from them when you can show evidence that "you" bought the printer or have a kind of "ownership-transfer" (this kind of paper is legaly accpeted in my EU country) form your friend to you.
Summary...the reason for your situation you maybe find in the "fineprint" of the contract between Prusa and the reseller.
I recommend that you sort out the things in the way that you have legaly proof of ownership and deal warranty issues with the reseller. Did you contact the reseller btw?
Core One L
RE: Customer treatment: The Prusa way
Due to tax regulations it was benificial for me to buy it through his company.
Could you elaborate where the benefit came from? Did your friend buy it from Prusa at a discount, since he acted as a reseller? Or did your friend claim (vs. the tax authorities) that he is using the printer in-house in his company, never making the sale to you official -- and hence "saving" on VAT and tax-deductible corporate expenses? 🤔
RE: Customer treatment: The Prusa way
https://help.prusa3d.com/article/warranty_2288
"If purchased from a reseller, the warranty will be covered by the reseller."
Core One L
RE: Customer treatment: The Prusa way
Could you elaborate where the benefit came from? Did your friend buy it from Prusa at a discount, since he acted as a reseller? Or did your friend claim (vs. the tax authorities) that he is using the printer in-house in his company, never making the sale to you official -- and hence "saving" on VAT and tax-deductible corporate expenses? 🤔
...sounds like...but having different tax rates within the EU it's also likely possible that the EU country this "XXX B.F." resides or have to pay tax, has a much lower tax rate as the county the OP is living...
Core One L
RE: Customer treatment: The Prusa way
Off course i contacted the reseller, he is a friend who lives 2 streets from my house and he contacted Prusa also providing eveything they asked for to transfer the ownership to me.
So the situation is crystal clear, i am the owner although i did not bought it and the reseller(*) has stated by any means possible that i am the owner, he just bought it.
But no, Prusa only delivers parts to the reseller. And that is not taken warranty in account as they say it, them mention ALL services go to the reseller.
Great, so i better not have an argument with my friend or he better not die or i will never be able to get anything from Prusa anymore to keep the printer working.
(*) I would like it a lot if Prusa just acknowledge the fact that my friend is no reseller whatsoever, just someone who was trying to help me out by recommend me a Prusa printer. A mistake we won't make twice...
Just put the serial number on my name and let me enjoy the printer instead of feeding me all that bureaucratic bullshit on how it is not possible.