700 Yuan Router Breaks 15 Days Before Warranty Expiration, Manufacturer Offers Only a 10 Yuan Refund
According to HKEPC, a Hong Kong consumer, Mr. Pan, purchased a Linksys E8450AX3200 router which malfunctioned 15 days before the end of its three-year warranty. However, the manufacturer refused to repair or replace it, offering only a refund of 10.14 Hong Kong dollars based on a depreciation formula according to the remaining warranty period, despite the router originally costing 740 Hong Kong dollars.
Linksys’s calculation is: Product purchase price × Remaining warranty days ÷ Product warranty period, which is 740 × 15 ÷ 1095 = 10.14 Hong Kong dollars.
Linksys stated in an email that this method is based on a globally unified compensation standard set by headquarters “to ensure fairness and consistency for all customers.”
After a screenshot of the email was shared on social media, it sparked widespread criticism. Netizens pointed out that the lifespan of a router is usually much longer than the warranty period, and the three-year warranty is a promise to ensure the product functions normally or is repaired/replaced within three years, not that the product’s value becomes zero when the warranty expires.
HKEPC subsequently inquired with Linksys Hong Kong, and it was verified that, due to the E8450 model being EOL (end-of-life) and out of stock for replacement, the outsourcing company directly executed the refund procedure.
Linksys Hong Kong acknowledged that this approach was inappropriate and has contacted Mr. Pan, promising to replace his router with a router of the same level or a newer model.