Hello all,
I am discouraged that I find the need to make this post. However, this situation has become so ridiculous and inexplicable I feel the need to do so, sadly.
I'll start by saying that I am a strong supporter and satisfied user of the Airspy products and I plan to continue to use and purchase them. I also will say that prior to this issue I have never had a problem with Airspy US. I have made several purchases from them and received properly working devices in a reasonably timely manner.
Unfortunately, the Airspy Mini I received from them this time around is defective, and therein lies the problem. The following is a factual overview of the events that have occurred up to today's posting. It's a long post but I feel as though it is the only way to accurately outline the true absurdity of the issue.
On 11/5/23 I purchased the Airspy Mini at the cost of $114 shipped. It was shipped out the following day. The US Postal Service did their usual fine job and sent it through the same distribution center twice until it finally landed at my house on 11/13. Due to my schedule I was unable to test the device until 11/18/23. I initially overcame a bad coax cable issue but thereafter determined immediately that there was a problem with this mini. The issue I have pretty much mirrors the post made by @wgbecks back in 2021 ( Is Airspy US still in business? ) Unfortunately I was not aware of that post until today. Anyway that same day I emailed Airspy.US and advised them of the problem I was observing. I received a reply same day and was asked if I could take a screenshot and describe my setup, which I did. In a second email I sent screenshots of the new Mini vs. an older one I had. Both were connected to the same antenna via a Stridsberg Multicoupler. Both were set to the same gain setting and of course the same frequency. There is clearly a difference. Those screenshots are attached to this post for what it's worth. The overload in the new mini is clearly seen. Again I received a quick response, asking for the ESNs of each device, which I provided. At that point I was advised that they would reach out to "HQ" about this. I replied that I'd wait to hear back. That was all still on 11/18/23.
And then the problem began...
On 11/21 I emailed requesting a status update. Same day response indicated they had no news yet but HQ was very busy that week. At this point I'd have expected I might get a return authorization number so I could get a working Mini, which I suggested in my next email. They indicated they wanted to identify the issue first. I found that a little frustrating. I feel that they should have sent an RMA# at that point, sent me a properly working device, and then tried to figure out what was wrong with the defective one. I alluded to this in my next email and was advised they wanted to see if they have seen this issue before, they weren't questioning the testing I've done, they just wanted an opinion from the design team or factory. Once again I agreed to wait. The wait continued over and beyond the Thanksgiving holiday, and November turned into December. On 12/1 I emailed and once again requested an update. I received an email back the same day indicating that they did hear back and would reply to me soon, and that they were very overloaded today. So I'm thinking to myself, you had time to respond and tell me that, couldn't you just tell me what the verdict is?
At this point things truly began to deteriorate.
On 12/8, having heard nothing back, I emailed and requested either a replacement or a full refund, and suggested that this was beyond absurd at this point. I did not receive a response. On 12/13 I emailed again requesting the status, and sent a link to a thread at RR that outlined some other Airspy US issues. I indicated I was ready to start the 2023 version of the thread ( Is Airspy US still in business? ) and asked for them to please provide a solution. I received a response the same day, indicating they should be able to resume RMAs within the next couple of days and that Black Friday sales had stressed their capabilities. However, there was no follow-up with RMA# info, so on 12/20 I email yet again and advise them that clearly their interpretation of "the next couple days" is different from mine. I get a response the same day indicating they are trying to make every effort to get all RMAs processed by the end of the year. We are now over one month into this.
How I've been so patient to this point is beyond me, but what else can I do, so I wait as it is now of course holiday week. On January 3, 2024 I email again, wishing them a Happy New Year and ask for a status update. They reply same day advising that they had to stop RMAs for end of year inventory but will be resuming them on Sunday (I assumed they meant 1/7/24). I email back and tell them I want a refund and I'm not interested in a replacement at this point. I received no response.
Along comes January 12. I have still heard nothing. I email and advise that this will be my last attempt to solve this issue amicably and advise them that in lieu of an acceptable solution I will be posting factual commentary on the situation in a public forum. Once again, no response.
To try one last time, a final email was sent by me yesterday (1/18). 1/18/24 was exactly two months to the day that I discovered the problem. I have received no response up to the moment of this posting.
So to summarize, since their email on 1/3/24 I have had no further communication with them. They have my money. I have a defective device that I immediately placed back in the box upon discovering it was in fact defective. There it sits in a drawer in the radio room waiting for its next move, if it ever occurs.
If you've made it through this novella to this point, thanks. Is anyone else out there having current problems to this level with this company? I'm obviously aware of the past issues posted here, but I was never involved in any of them and always had positive experiences until now. During this process, my emails to them have been generally cordial and polite. I'll admit my verbiage deteriorated a tad towards the end but I attempted to remain overall reasonable about it. I feel I was FAR more reasonable and patient than a lot of people might have been.
I get it, electronics break and it's not the fault of the seller, but they represent the product and should in my opinion take care of their customers when a brand new item fails out of the box. This should not be this difficult.
I am contemplating my next moves. I'm not sure how effective a complaint at the Better Business Bureau will be or if this issue even meets whatever guidelines BBB has. From searched info here I did find MCH Communications listed at the BBB website. I'm not sure how that works but I may be finding out. This type of public posting is not my style. I try to solve problems at the lowest possible level in the most above board manner possible. However, enough is enough. Today I did try calling the MCH telephone number in the BBB Listing but it went directly to voicemail.
Going forward I will make future purchases of Airspy products directly from Itead, as has been suggested in other posts at this website.
I am discouraged that I find the need to make this post. However, this situation has become so ridiculous and inexplicable I feel the need to do so, sadly.
I'll start by saying that I am a strong supporter and satisfied user of the Airspy products and I plan to continue to use and purchase them. I also will say that prior to this issue I have never had a problem with Airspy US. I have made several purchases from them and received properly working devices in a reasonably timely manner.
Unfortunately, the Airspy Mini I received from them this time around is defective, and therein lies the problem. The following is a factual overview of the events that have occurred up to today's posting. It's a long post but I feel as though it is the only way to accurately outline the true absurdity of the issue.
On 11/5/23 I purchased the Airspy Mini at the cost of $114 shipped. It was shipped out the following day. The US Postal Service did their usual fine job and sent it through the same distribution center twice until it finally landed at my house on 11/13. Due to my schedule I was unable to test the device until 11/18/23. I initially overcame a bad coax cable issue but thereafter determined immediately that there was a problem with this mini. The issue I have pretty much mirrors the post made by @wgbecks back in 2021 ( Is Airspy US still in business? ) Unfortunately I was not aware of that post until today. Anyway that same day I emailed Airspy.US and advised them of the problem I was observing. I received a reply same day and was asked if I could take a screenshot and describe my setup, which I did. In a second email I sent screenshots of the new Mini vs. an older one I had. Both were connected to the same antenna via a Stridsberg Multicoupler. Both were set to the same gain setting and of course the same frequency. There is clearly a difference. Those screenshots are attached to this post for what it's worth. The overload in the new mini is clearly seen. Again I received a quick response, asking for the ESNs of each device, which I provided. At that point I was advised that they would reach out to "HQ" about this. I replied that I'd wait to hear back. That was all still on 11/18/23.
And then the problem began...
On 11/21 I emailed requesting a status update. Same day response indicated they had no news yet but HQ was very busy that week. At this point I'd have expected I might get a return authorization number so I could get a working Mini, which I suggested in my next email. They indicated they wanted to identify the issue first. I found that a little frustrating. I feel that they should have sent an RMA# at that point, sent me a properly working device, and then tried to figure out what was wrong with the defective one. I alluded to this in my next email and was advised they wanted to see if they have seen this issue before, they weren't questioning the testing I've done, they just wanted an opinion from the design team or factory. Once again I agreed to wait. The wait continued over and beyond the Thanksgiving holiday, and November turned into December. On 12/1 I emailed and once again requested an update. I received an email back the same day indicating that they did hear back and would reply to me soon, and that they were very overloaded today. So I'm thinking to myself, you had time to respond and tell me that, couldn't you just tell me what the verdict is?
At this point things truly began to deteriorate.
On 12/8, having heard nothing back, I emailed and requested either a replacement or a full refund, and suggested that this was beyond absurd at this point. I did not receive a response. On 12/13 I emailed again requesting the status, and sent a link to a thread at RR that outlined some other Airspy US issues. I indicated I was ready to start the 2023 version of the thread ( Is Airspy US still in business? ) and asked for them to please provide a solution. I received a response the same day, indicating they should be able to resume RMAs within the next couple of days and that Black Friday sales had stressed their capabilities. However, there was no follow-up with RMA# info, so on 12/20 I email yet again and advise them that clearly their interpretation of "the next couple days" is different from mine. I get a response the same day indicating they are trying to make every effort to get all RMAs processed by the end of the year. We are now over one month into this.
How I've been so patient to this point is beyond me, but what else can I do, so I wait as it is now of course holiday week. On January 3, 2024 I email again, wishing them a Happy New Year and ask for a status update. They reply same day advising that they had to stop RMAs for end of year inventory but will be resuming them on Sunday (I assumed they meant 1/7/24). I email back and tell them I want a refund and I'm not interested in a replacement at this point. I received no response.
Along comes January 12. I have still heard nothing. I email and advise that this will be my last attempt to solve this issue amicably and advise them that in lieu of an acceptable solution I will be posting factual commentary on the situation in a public forum. Once again, no response.
To try one last time, a final email was sent by me yesterday (1/18). 1/18/24 was exactly two months to the day that I discovered the problem. I have received no response up to the moment of this posting.
So to summarize, since their email on 1/3/24 I have had no further communication with them. They have my money. I have a defective device that I immediately placed back in the box upon discovering it was in fact defective. There it sits in a drawer in the radio room waiting for its next move, if it ever occurs.
If you've made it through this novella to this point, thanks. Is anyone else out there having current problems to this level with this company? I'm obviously aware of the past issues posted here, but I was never involved in any of them and always had positive experiences until now. During this process, my emails to them have been generally cordial and polite. I'll admit my verbiage deteriorated a tad towards the end but I attempted to remain overall reasonable about it. I feel I was FAR more reasonable and patient than a lot of people might have been.
I get it, electronics break and it's not the fault of the seller, but they represent the product and should in my opinion take care of their customers when a brand new item fails out of the box. This should not be this difficult.
I am contemplating my next moves. I'm not sure how effective a complaint at the Better Business Bureau will be or if this issue even meets whatever guidelines BBB has. From searched info here I did find MCH Communications listed at the BBB website. I'm not sure how that works but I may be finding out. This type of public posting is not my style. I try to solve problems at the lowest possible level in the most above board manner possible. However, enough is enough. Today I did try calling the MCH telephone number in the BBB Listing but it went directly to voicemail.
Going forward I will make future purchases of Airspy products directly from Itead, as has been suggested in other posts at this website.
Well...had one been issued I'd have sent the damned thing back, and my *****ing would be about why I hadn't received a refund or a replacement. My emails regarding this were abundantly clear.
