A blatant ripoff, and lousy service

[Lacessit]

About three years ago, I bought an air purifier for my studio apartment, well-known brand. 7000 baht. Being a belt and braces person, also bought a spare air filter for 800 baht. Has done a good job in combination with the aircon, keeping the PM 2.5 in Chiang Mai at bay while I sleep.

 

I change out the air filter, then go shopping for a new one today. Two of the outlets listed on the manufacturer’s website aren’t there any more. Wind up at Power Buy next to Airport Central. The service department says yes, we have that model number filter. Has to be ordered from Bangkok. Excuse me? Not counting the defunct sites, you have 19 company outlets in CM, and not one of them stocks the filter part? Strike one.

 

How long will it take to get here from Bangkok if you order it for me? 1 – 2 months. Strike two.

 

How much will it cost? 2790 baht. Almost half the cost of the whole unit. Strike three.

 

I am going to backwash the two filters I have, then use them until either they or the unit fail.

 

I don’t know which bean counter came up with this scam, but they are not the sharpest knife in the drawer if they think customers will come back for more of their product line.

[CharlieH]

Sell the set cheap get the money on filters. Same as printers, cheap as dirt, sting them on the ink.

Old sales tactic well practiced,

[Lacessit]

26 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Sell the set cheap get the money on filters. Same as printers, cheap as dirt, sting them on the ink.

Old sales tactic well practiced,

Doesn't explain why the 800 baht filter costs 2790 baht now. That's price inflation in the Zimbabwe class.

[cornishcarlos]

7 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Doesn't explain why the 800 baht filter costs 2790 baht now. That's price inflation in the Zimbabwe class.

 

Next time buy 3 spare filters @ 800 baht when you buy the unit ????

 

Have you looked on Lazada for the filter part number, you might find there is a generic filter that fits 

[CharlieH]

7 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Doesn't explain why the 800 baht filter costs 2790 baht now. That's price inflation in the Zimbabwe class.

May be an idea to post make model of filter may be someone has a better price or knows of one etc.

Just a suggestion

[Lacessit]

Just now, CharlieH said:

May be an idea to post make model of filter may be someone has a better price or knows of one etc.

Just a suggestion

Thanks. I don't want to get into a tangle with Thai defamation laws, where I understand the truth of an allegation is irrelevant.

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Next time buy 3 spare filters @ 800 baht when you buy the unit ????

Won't be a next time with that brand.

[cornishcarlos]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

Thanks. I don't want to get into a tangle with Thai defamation laws, where I understand the truth of an allegation is irrelevant.

 

I don't think posting the filter photo and part number will get you locked up !! You'd be surprised what's out there waiting for you... Mazda wanted about 800 baht for an AC cabin filter, I paid 190 for the same filter !!

[CharlieH]

4 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Thanks. I don't want to get into a tangle with Thai defamation laws, where I understand the truth of an allegation is irrelevant.

Unlikely if you dont name the store concerned, just give the make and model of the appliance/filter, could have been bought anywhere.

[Thian]

I had the same with a Toshiba airfilter...no new filters for it in whole BKK and when i called toshiba and told them how disappointed i was (and also would not buy a new toshiba laptop or anything else from now on) they called me back after 2 hours...they offered to order one from Japan for an enormous price which was higher than a new machine with filter.

 

So i 'll never buy a Toshiba product again....

[Thian]

1 hour ago, cornishcarlos said:

Next time buy 3 spare filters @ 800 baht when you buy the unit ????

 

They offered me an extra filter when i bought my air purifier but it has an active charcoal filter as well and those expire...

 

I also thought that if i buy a big brandname product i can always buy new filters....can not!

 

I think it's possible to just buy any filter and make it fit, just cut it to size and use tape to mount it in....

[Thian]

1 hour ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

I don't think posting the filter photo and part number will get you locked up !! You'd be surprised what's out there waiting for you... Mazda wanted about 800 baht for an AC cabin filter, I paid 190 for the same filter !!

I needed a new headlight bulb for my motocy....1200 baht at 1 honda dealer and 1900 at another one.

 

I bought a bulb in Tesco for 150 and it works fine....

[Thian]

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

you have 19 company outlets in CM, and not one of them stocks the filter part? Strike one.

Power buy i guess?

 

I also bought mine at Power buy....and a year later they didn't have filters for it. Also not in any other shop which sold toshiba air purifiers. Since then i vacuumed the filter regularly but it sure could use a new one.

[scorecard]

5 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Doesn't explain why the 800 baht filter costs 2790 baht now. That's price inflation in the Zimbabwe class.

Is there perhaps a site that sells generic filters that would fit your machine?

[CNXexpat]

No Xiaomi air purifier I guess. These filters are easy to get. 

[impulse]

And I thought vacuum cleaner bags were the only hard to find replacement filters...  (Not really, but that drove me crazy)

 

I ended up finding them on Lazada for an extremely reasonable price.

 

[tomazbodner]

6 hours ago, Thian said:

I had the same with a Toshiba airfilter...no new filters for it in whole BKK and when i called toshiba and told them how disappointed i was (and also would not buy a new toshiba laptop or anything else from now on) they called me back after 2 hours...they offered to order one from Japan for an enormous price which was higher than a new machine with filter.

 

So i 'll never buy a Toshiba product again....

Had exact same experience with Toshiba... and many others before. Which was main reason to move to Xiaomi (other than display so you can actually see how bad things are and if the thing is actually working). Filters available online and every Xiaomi shop. Once burning season is over, on sale so I stock up. You really need to buy several spare filters the moment you buy purifier (or basically anything in this country) as going back a week later to same shop you'll be greeted with... oh, this old model... no have...

[Thian]

10 hours ago, impulse said:

And I thought vacuum cleaner bags were the only hard to find replacement filters...  (Not really, but that drove me crazy)

 

I ended up finding them on Lazada for an extremely reasonable price.

 

We have a Franke hood in the kitchen, the lights were broken...i have been to 10 shops, all dealers of Franke and nobody had the lightbulbs.

 

I finally bought them online from lazada, 33 baht a piece. They had to come from china.