[markw]

Hi peeps

I think i've finally made a decision that i'm gonna go for the ECoS system. I am very much against "Rip off Britain" and as such have no problem buying from european sources however in the past that has mainly been for low cost items and the ECoS most definately doesn't fit in to that bracket

.

I'm off to the dortmund exhibition in a couple of weeks and thought i might be able to get a good deal if i buy the system whilst i'm there, looks like i should be able to save best part of a £100 notes, but i'm a little concerned about warranty and aftersales support if i do so. What are your experiences and opinions on this.

Thanks and have a nice day.

Mark

 

[80class]

I am in a similar situation myself so will be interested to hear what people have to say...the other option is the states but it works out more than the EU with vat added.

Rob

 

[ME 26-06]

Hi folks!

I can only speak for buying in Germany; if you buy from a dealer (as opposed to "private seller"), German legislation requires that dealer to give ANY customer a two-year warranty on whatever goods (s)he bought. For the first half year, you don´t have to prove that you did nothing wrong, as it is suspected that the defective good was flawed when purchased. After this six-month-period, the customer would have to provide evidence that the malfunction is not caused by him mishandling the defective device. This, however, does not void any further manufacturers´ warranties. It is the minimum required by law.

In addition, you can return mail-ordered goods within 14 days of receipt, no questions asked, if they don´t meet your expectations. This also is a legal requirement.

If you return defective goods, the dealer has to reimburse your s+h costs, unless the returned goods´ value is less than 40 Euros iirc. From the UK, it may be wise to contact him first and agree on how the package is to be sent to him. Many dealers have agreements with, say, UPS or DPD, and would want you to ship with them to minimise their cost.

As for aftersale support, I´d go straight to ECos manufacturer.

Oh yeah, and if you want to buy it directly at the Dortmund Expo, be sure to ask for the "gesetzliche Gewährleistung" (gay-setz-licke gay-vair-lais-toonk) and whether the seller offers it (cf. my first paragraph). Make sure to save your sales receipt, the "Quittung" (Kvitt-oonk) as a proof of purchase, as the dealer will be the one to contact should your purchase be defective, not the manufacturer (and if an extended warranty allows you to turn it in to the manufacturer, he too will want to see your proof of purchase).

If you have any more questions about German consumer´s legislation, or how to say (email) something in German, feel free to pm me or ask here on the forum.

Tom

 

[Brian Considine]

Sometimes it is not the retailer who profits from the "rip off Britain" senario.

Often we see traders on the european mainland selling for the sort of price we have to pay ourselves (even buying direct from the manufactures) - however, without going into all the facts & figures to show our (& other retailers) positions it's impossible to justify (& buyers certainly are not interested - only the bottom line).

We have been told by a number of customers that our prices are competative & fair, so by the time you take the shipping & so on into account the gap narrows.

One well known German Retailer adds the following to his website prices ;
1) Shipping (fair enough).
2) Percentage for insurance (compulsory).
3) Credit Card surcharge.

Just double check the exact amount before making that final descision !

 

[Doug]

I've had good relations with companies in Germany. Language is a barrier sometimes, but I maker the effort to try and communicate in German.

I type my email in English, put it through Google translator and then paste the German above the English and send both. I think that they appreciate the effort as would any foreigner who doesn't speak English.

 

[neil_s_wood]

I buy a lot of stuff direct from Germany and haven't had any problems with communication. Most Germans speak English quite well and I've found them easy to deal with.

 

[John]

Dear All,

I would also recommend ordering from Austria. You will find most Austrians speak good English, and as they have a very high dependence on the tourist industry, I would claim that their English is better than the average German, but this is just a very biased opinion after 30 years of living in Austria

.

If you are interested in some really high quality DCC equipment from Zimo or CT (Tran), I can recommend Arnold Huebsch's Website. I now order all my DCC equipment through him and he has been very helpful.

Of course I have the advantage that I can return things to him easily as I live locally, but I actually use the post most of the time as it save me a trip right across Vienna.