ASUS Already On Government's Radar for Warranty Issues
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses issues with Asus's warranty practices, highlighting over a hundred consumer complaints and the FTC's involvement. The host offers to assist Asus with customer issues but is rejected. To aid consumers, a warranty toolkit is introduced on gamersnexus.net, providing legal definitions, rights information, and templated replies for warranty claims. The script also features an interview with Nathan Proctor from the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), focusing on consumer rights and advocating for change in corporate behavior through education and potential policy changes. The conversation emphasizes the power of collective action and the importance of standing up against unfair practices.
Takeaways
- 📋 Asus has reportedly mistreated over a hundred customers with warranty issues, and the FTC has evidence of these actions.
- 📲 The speaker offered to help Asus address customer complaints but was rejected, which is seen as a sign of disregard for customer satisfaction.
- 🛡️ A warranty click toolkit has been created on gamers nexus.net to help consumers understand their rights and how to respond to warranty issues effectively.
- 📝 The toolkit includes legal definitions, explanations of consumer rights, templated replies for warranty claims, and guidelines on documenting devices and manufacturer interactions.
- 📚 The video discusses consumer rights and protections, with a focus on US-specific laws, but also mentions broader principles applicable elsewhere.
- 🔗 A Google form has been provided for Asus customers to compile evidence of warranty issues in a standardized way for potential FTC action.
- 👕 A shirt sale is mentioned as a way to fund consumer advocacy and reporting efforts, featuring a design with PC components and a golden foil finish.
- 🔎 The speaker intends to investigate other manufacturers' warranty practices beyond Asus and has conducted undercover warranty investigations in the past.
- 🤝 The video emphasizes the importance of market leaders like Asus setting a positive example for customer support, which can influence the entire industry.
- 🤔 The discussion includes an interview with Nathan Proctor from the Public Interest Research Group (PERG) about consumer rights and the potential for legal action against companies like Asus.
Q & A
What is the main issue discussed in the video script regarding Asus?
-The main issue discussed is Asus' handling of warranty claims, where they have allegedly denied valid claims and pressured customers into paying for unnecessary repairs, affecting over a hundred people.
What action has the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) taken regarding Asus' warranty practices in the past?
-In 2018, the FTC sent a letter to Asus expressing concerns about their warranty coverage and practices, specifically mentioning issues like voiding warranties for firmware issues or if products were tampered with or repaired by unauthorized personnel.
What is the purpose of the warranty click toolkit created by Gamers Nexus?
-The warranty click toolkit on Gamers Nexus is designed to inform consumers of their rights and provide templated replies and guidelines to help them with warranty claims, ensuring they can get a productive and speedy response from manufacturers.
What is the role of Nathan Proctor in the discussion about consumer rights?
-Nathan Proctor is the Senior National Campaign Director for the Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) Network, working on right to repair advocacy. He shares his expertise on consumer rights and discusses strategies for influencing corporate behavior.
How can consumers protect themselves from unfair warranty practices?
-Consumers can protect themselves by understanding their rights, using resources like the warranty click toolkit to draft responses for warranty claims, documenting their device issues, and seeking guidance from consumer rights organizations.
What is the significance of the FTC's updated policy statement in 2021 regarding warranties?
-The FTC's updated policy statement in 2021 emphasized their commitment to enforcing warranty laws and pursuing companies that violate terms of warranties, signaling a stronger stance on consumer protection in this area.
What steps can consumers take if they believe their warranty claim has been unfairly denied?
-Consumers can file a complaint with the FTC through reportfraud.ftc.gov, gather evidence, and use resources like the warranty click toolkit to construct a case, potentially leading to an FTC investigation.
How does the script suggest that companies like Asus could improve their warranty practices?
-The script suggests that companies should follow the law, treat customers fairly, and consider the long-term benefits of positive customer experiences and brand reputation over short-term cost savings.
What is the potential impact of a company like Asus being investigated by the FTC for unfair warranty practices?
-An FTC investigation could lead to the company being required to change its processes, provide compensation, and publicly acknowledge and rectify the issues, as seen in cases like Harley-Davidson's agreement with the FTC.
How can consumers contribute to changing corporate behavior regarding warranty practices?
-Consumers can raise awareness, file complaints, support advocacy groups, and use social media to share their experiences, which can influence public opinion and corporate behavior.
Outlines
📜 Asus FTC Complaints and Consumer Rights
The video script discusses the issue of Asus potentially mistreating customers with warranty claims, with over 100 people reportedly affected. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has evidence of these complaints. The script mentions an Asus apology that lacks substance. The focus then shifts to consumer protection, offering advice on how to safeguard against poor customer service, with a specific emphasis on US consumer rights. The video is part of a series addressing Asus's practices and aims to help customers with warranty issues. A warranty toolkit is introduced on gamersnexus.net to assist customers globally with legal definitions, rights information, and templated replies for warranty claims. The script also mentions the possibility of filing a report with the FTC and encourages affected Asus customers to share their experiences.
🛡️ Advocating for Consumer Rights and ASUS Improvement
The script continues the discussion on Asus's warranty issues, emphasizing the desire for the company to improve for the sake of its customers. The speaker offers assistance to Asus in resolving customer complaints but is rejected, which is seen as a sign of disrespect towards customers. The video's broader goal is to create a resource for consumers to successfully file warranty claims and to educate viewers on their rights. The US is the primary focus due to the speaker's familiarity with its laws. The script mentions an interview with Nathan Proctor from the public interest research group (PERG) to discuss consumer rights and the intention to file an Asus-specific report with the FTC. There's a call to action for affected customers to fill out a form to compile evidence for potential FTC attention.
🌟 Positive Examples of Warranty Handling by Arctic and Fractal
The script contrasts Asus's approach with that of two companies, Arctic and Fractal, which have handled warranty issues exceptionally well. Arctic proactively addressed an issue with a liquid cooler pump, offering customers repair options, while Fractal recalled a product with a potential safety hazard and fixed it before widespread distribution. These examples demonstrate that companies can act in the best interest of consumers, which can also lead to increased sales and a better reputation. The speaker encourages Asus and other companies to learn from these examples and to prioritize customer satisfaction.
🛠️ The Importance of Right to Repair and Consumer Advocacy
Nathan Proctor, the senior national campaign director for the Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) network, discusses his work on right to repair advocacy. He shares a success story involving Google Chromebooks, where PIRG's pressure led to Google extending the support period for security updates, benefiting schools with thousands of devices. The conversation highlights the challenges of advocating for consumer rights, especially when dealing with large corporations. The script underscores the need for regulations and laws to ensure companies treat customers fairly, even when they have already made their money from the sale.
📝 Addressing Warranty Issues and FTC Regulations
The script delves into the complexities of warranty issues, especially after a product has been purchased and the consumer is within the company's ecosystem. It discusses the role of competition law and antitrust law, specifically the concept of tying, which prevents companies from forcing customers to buy additional goods or services. The FTC has previously taken action against companies, including Asus, for violating warranty terms. The speaker suggests that if enough customers report issues, the FTC could investigate and potentially take action against Asus, as they have done with other companies.
🤝 Collaborating for Change: FTC's Role in Consumer Protection
The script outlines the process of how the FTC could potentially intervene in a company's warranty practices if there is a systemic issue affecting numerous customers. It uses the example of Harley-Davidson to illustrate how the FTC can investigate, evaluate processes against objective information, and work with the company to establish a fair resolution. The FTC aims to remedy the situation with firm standards and timelines, ensuring that companies comply with regulations and treat customers fairly.
🗳️ Empowering Consumers and Encouraging Action
The final paragraph emphasizes the power consumers have in a democratic society to influence corporate behavior and shape regulations. It encourages viewers to take action, join organizations like PIRG, and support advocacy groups that work on their behalf. The script acknowledges the rarity of such democratic power and the importance of using it to effect change, as exemplified by the successful extension of Chromebook support by Google.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡FTC
💡Consumer Rights
💡Warranty
💡Asus
💡Right to Repair
💡Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
💡Non-Apology
💡Consumer Advocacy
💡Templated Replies
💡Systemic Problem
💡Market Leader
Highlights
Asus has allegedly mistreated over 100 customers according to FTC receipts, prompting potential legal action.
A public figure offers to mediate between Asus and its customers but is rejected, indicating Asus' disregard for customer satisfaction.
A warranty click toolkit is introduced on gamersnexus.net to assist consumers in dealing with warranty claims.
The toolkit includes legal definitions, consumer rights information, and templated replies for warranty claims.
Guidelines are provided for documenting devices and seeking manufacturer guidance to prevent claim denials.
A collaboration with the public interest research group aims to educate consumers on their rights and support them against uncooperative companies like Asus.
A report specific to Asus is being prepared for submission to the Federal Trade Commission to address warranty issues.
Consumers with Asus warranty issues are encouraged to fill out a Google form to compile evidence for FTC consideration.
The discussion includes a call to action for consumer education and advocacy, transcending the specific case of Asus.
Examples of companies like Arctic and Fractal are highlighted for their exceptional handling of warranty claims, serving as a contrast to Asus.
The potential positive impact on sales when companies address warranty issues correctly is discussed, using the examples of Arctic and Fractal.
The importance of setting industry standards for consumer rights and warranty claims is emphasized.
The role of competition law and antitrust regulations in ensuring consumer mobility and fair treatment is explained.
The concept of tying in antitrust law, which prevents manufacturers from forcing additional purchases, is discussed in relation to warranties.
Asus had previously been in trouble with the FTC for warranty violations, indicating a pattern of behavior.
The FTC's recent enforcement actions against companies like Harley-Davidson for illegal warranty practices are detailed.
The process for the FTC to investigate and enforce changes on companies found in violation of consumer protection laws is outlined.
The power dynamics between consumers and manufacturers are discussed, encouraging consumers to be proactive in asserting their rights.
Resources such as the Right to Repair campaign and organizations like the EFF and Consumer Reports are recommended for consumers seeking help.
Transcripts
if Asus has done this exact thing to
more than a 100 people and the FTC has
receipts about it that is enough for
them to go after him you know you were
showing me your phone and you're just
there was just email after email after
email of people with complaints if all
those people filled out this form 100%
the FTC would do
something acus has posted a second
apology it's the classic recursive
apology apology from a corporation after
it's non-apology where it's apologizing
for that non-apology so we're not going
to give the light of day it mostly says
the same stuff there's nothing concrete
or substantially different in it it's a
longer version that is less accusatory
but it basically says the same thing so
uh this video is not only about Asus
we're going to be talking about how to
protect yourself from getting screwed as
a customer talking about some of your
consumer rights some of this is very us
specific some of it is wider reaching
applies basically anywhere we're in the
US those are the laws that are the
easiest for me to research and
understand uh but as far as the Asus
part because we do want to close it that
story line This is basically part three
it might be the final for now uh again
we did a a similar thing last year with
them so there's always room for more
especially with Asus and we'll see maybe
we talk to them in the future but just
to get it out there publicly I asked
Asus if I could try to help them with
their own customers by which I meant hey
I have an inbox full of very upset Asus
customers I would like to help you help
them and they rejected the offer which
is cowardice and uh in my opinion anyway
and in the very least kind of shows what
they think of their own customers um so
anyway what we're doing now this because
this does go beyond Asus we can do
something productive and help some of
the people with all of these warranty
issues in general uh maybe even get some
policy passed that's kind of one of the
next things I'm starting to look into
but we have something for you all first
so we've created a warranty click
toolkit on the gamers nexus.net website
this is freely available there are no
ads on the page for any thirdparty
services and this web page contains some
legal definitions some explanations for
a US audience to inform you of your
rights but it also contains templated
replies that you can use in any region
and adapt for your own warranty claims
these are written to help you get a
productive and hopefully Speedy response
to your warranty issues with any
manufacturer we also have guidelines on
how to document your device suggestions
on how you could confirm everything in
writing and seek manufacturer guidance
every step of the way so they can't
you out of a claim and how it's
a push back against rejections of valid
claims if you happen to face one like we
did our hope is that with this
information you'll have some confidence
to be able to successfully push back in
many common scenarios of rejection of a
valid claim and we've even pointed you
towards if you're in the US at least a
couple of laws that you can reference to
maybe just get escalated to a supervisor
and have it resolved further we're
compiling a report with the public
interest interest research group they
were recommended to me by LS Rosman
Nathan Proctor from it's pronounced perg
will be joining us today in most of this
video to talk about consumer rights so
the goal here is consumer education uh
and just trying to help people as much
as possible when the company is uh
acting in the way that Asus is so we're
also going to be filing that report that
we are working on which is Asus specific
with the Federal Trade Commission so I
am going to be either personally
submitting it or submitting it to the
public interest research group who will
then bring it up as high as I can to the
FTC these reports are pretty powerful so
they are important now for everyone in
our audience who has had an Asus
warranty issue even if you've already
emailed it to us and thank you we have
lots of them now please also visit this
genius link on the screen it's GE ni.
us/ Asus claim that's just a link
shortener so g. us/ Asus claim and that
will bring you to a Google form we've
created the goal of this is to compile
evidence in a quickly referenceable and
standardized way so a form so that we
can use it going forward such as if we
want to bring any of these matters to
the attention of the FTC before that we
brought you this video our limited foil
cyers skeleton V2 shirt directly helps
fund our consumer advocacy and Reporting
efforts it features a skeletal outline
on the front comprised of PC components
pcie slots RGB strips water cooling
tubes and fittings and a pump pump block
heart the back has a spine made of
mosfets inductors and vrm components and
both sides have a shiny brilliant golden
blue foil with an updated fit from our
original artisian variant of the shirt
so if you want one and want to support
us head over to store. Gamers access.net
this issue goes far beyond Asus and
we'll be investigating other
manufacturers as well we've done a lot
of undercover warranty investigations
over the years Intel for example was one
of them in the past uh but I have
something to say to Asus directly as we
kind of close out their part of the
story line so our objective is for Asus
to be better and the reason I want Asus
to be better is not for Asus it's for
the customers or our viewers because our
really primary objective at GN is
consumer Focus who typically has the
least power in the whole chain of events
uh and if by the way of helping
consumers Asus also betters its own
reputation it gets some marketing then
great everyone's happy and Asus that is
our goal there is no other goal here so
if you claim to be a leader in the
market like you do then set the example
by sales Asus you are the leader in many
of these markets and no one is in a
better position to support the customer
than Asus they shouldn't feel threatened
by their competitors at least in things
like motherboards even handhelds they're
doing pretty well compared to their
competition uh regardless of total
market sales so if as if you suddenly
support your customers properly then all
of the manufacturers who compete with
you such as gigabyte ASRock MSI other
motherboard vendors they are going to
have to follow in order to compete
that's the great thing about when the
market leader does something right
everyone else is going to have to follow
it to compete whereas if someone smaller
does it that might just give them an
opportunity to Leap Frog Asus eventually
and get to the top so this can only help
Asus and we really want you Asus to set
the right example okay let's get into it
so we want to create a somewhat
permanent referential resource for you
to check for help with your warranty
claims it has basic guidelines how do
you successfully file a claim this is
assuming of course you have a valid
claim uh and that it's not a scam
because companies have to plan for that
too which we can respect and understand
that but the way to plan for that though
is not to just turn around and scam the
customer instead so there's the line to
be drawn we have the website page that's
made we're going to update that whenever
we think of something new to add some
kind of advice or suggestions to post
there so that's supposed to just be
there forever for you to help out
bookmarket or whatever for when you have
a warranty claim in the future uh
consumer rights differ between countries
as I said our focus is mainly the US
it's the market we're in selfishly uh
and it's the one I'm the most competent
about in terms of having access to
lawyers or people who know the laws so
we can inform ourselves so that's our
main focus but there's some generic
stuff in there too for everybody now uh
this video mostly is focused on an
interview with Nathan Proctor from the
public interest research group or again
perg uh again recommended by Lewis
Rossman and it's a companion piece to
our interview with attorney Vincent
Augusta where we discussed warranty laws
in the US Magnus and Moss the act from I
think it was the 1970s and some consumer
rights there so we've got these two
pieces where what we're trying to do
again is really take the opportunity to
to provide consumer education that is my
personal objective here because you know
this Asus thing uh it it sucks that
they're doing this it is upsetting and
it's frustrating at the same time
there's kind of a limit to how far you
can get with being frustrated and so the
thing to do once you hit that limit is
to try and turn it into education that
can be used broadly not just for this
one instance that we've been reporting
on so that's what we're doing here today
again to reference the article so it
talks through several of these aspects
we'll leave most of them there for you
to just read if you ever need it as one
example though we have some details on
how to convert a warranty support phone
call into something in writing so
everyone's on the same page that way
this is something that attorney Vincent
Augusta recommended in our discussion
with him where he's talking about
getting everything written down so the
manufacturer the customer everyone knows
what's supposed to happen here our guide
for example says to reaffirm with the
support rep on the phone that you
understand the agreement or the next
steps properly read it back to them from
your notes and then ask for their email
or a general support inbox so that you
can follow up at which point you would
confirm this understanding send the note
say just confirming that this is what we
agreed upon or what the next steps are
and that allows you to get it into some
form of writing now of course they can
respond and disagree but at least that's
written down and you can take it from
there now the reason for doing all this
or the I don't know the underlining
principle for GN from our sort of
standpoint is uh gan's grown enough at
this point and I've grown dissatisfied
enough with how a lot of these not all
of them but a lot of the companies
handle these situations where we're
starting the process of taking our
findings as far up the chain as we can
so you at first it was kind of talking
to lawyers about it getting some on
camera discussion educate the audience
and it's getting people like Nathan
Proctor on today to talk about even more
of the consumer right side but the next
step that I'm starting to look at is the
process of taking some of our findings
for things like this Asus claim and
whatever else we uh may run into to
lawmakers so I've already begun that
process of uh basically figuring out who
we want to connect with on the Congress
or Senate side of things who makes the
most sense to talk to I'm sure I'll be
having conversations with perg with Le
Rossman anyone else who can point me the
right direction who has experience with
it uh and also I'll be contacting the
Federal Trade Commission just in general
so not necessarily for Asus although
that's an option too but just more of a
hey I'd like to establish a line of
communication kind of like we did with
the US consumer protection the US cpsc
which is an agency
um that we worked with for the NZXT
cases catching on fire issue uh kind of
like that except on some of this
warranty and support side of thing so
that's kind of what we're looking at
right now which is because we've we've
done this enough we've complained enough
and um the goal isn't to just complain
it's to actually get something done and
if the companies aren't going to do it
themselves then we'll find a way to make
them do it that's that's where we're
going with it so anyway I want to
briefly talk about two times
specifically that we've covered where a
company did exceptionally well with a
warranty type issue the reason I'm
bringing these back up is because I want
to set a road map where Asus or just you
all anyone can look at it and say all
right we get it what do you want Steve
and there's two examples Arctic and
fractal both did phenomenally with their
own warranty issues they were of
different severities so uh quick recap
we already covered them in Fall we'll
link them below if you want those
details but Arctic had an issue with
corrosion of its one of its liquid
freezer 2 Series of pumps so the
previous generation they had a serial
number range and they actually contacted
us before we found out about it on our
own which is amazing already and they
said we' found this big problem uh the
pumps are getting gunked up and it's
causing temperatures to be too high or
feasibly could cause failure of the
liquid cooler product so they told us
about it they explained what the issue
was they I think gave me like some kind
of I x-ray analysis materials analysis
or whatever of the failure and with all
that detail they then said here's what
we would like uh we want everyone to
know about this and that's awesome
because their feeling was they want the
customer to have a good experience with
the product they would hate for anyone
to have this problem and not know they
can get help for it or that it's an own
issue and so they did a uh an option
where you could either send it in to get
repaired or you could take a repair kit
and repair it yourself and that was
great handled excellently um really
professional handling of that fractal
had an issue similar to XTS where it had
a PCB and I believe it was the torrent
that was uh a poor design and could
short in a way that could potentially
cause it to uh burn or maybe even catch
fire if you have the wrong conditions
just like the H1 fractal also contacted
us in advance and they said we have this
problem we are pulling all of the
shipments of the torrent back this is
like before it was really fully hitting
the market and we're fixing all of them
and we'll send them back out again with
the fixed one so those are two examples
not going to get them further we have
videos on them but the point is that
companies can do stuff well and I
actually I won't specify which one but I
spoke with one of those two companies
after it was all said and done and I
said so how'd it work out and they said
well we fixed all the claims and
actually our sales increased so much
that it even covered the cost of fixing
everything which is awesome because
companies should be recognized and
rewarded for doing the right thing like
that that is exactly how the system
should work and uh I I hope that's
encouraging for Asus to look at this and
go maybe we need to recalculate how we
view warranty claims and if they don't
if large corporations don't then keeping
in mind that you know these smaller
companies have the mobility and they
have the motive to act in the interest
of the consumers whereas large
corporations will be more calculating
and one thing that changes that
calculation is laws and policy and
legislation and things where it now
there is a potential uh punitive aspect
to it
and that that Waits the outcome for the
consumer enough of that so closing out
on the Asus side of things specifically
if you've been affected by their
warranty processes in the past even or
especially you emailed us please fill in
the survey we've linked the emails are
not going to be used for any kind of
marketing uh it is explicitly so that we
can collect data in a spreadsheet so the
inbox doesn't doesn't automatically sort
of spread sheet if I it uh and use that