Unless you’ve been living on another planet the past two weeks, you will have heard about the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. Pre-orders were overwhelming, reviews were great, and sales were brisk – so much so that Samsung had to delay the launch in a few countries to ensure they had enough devices to satisfy the current demand. Then, information popped up that one had exploded, then another – Samsung halted sales and did their own study and found out there was a small percentage of defective batteries causing the problem. Samsung had no recourse – due to the non-removable battery design – and had to issue a total recall, which is looking like it could cost Samsung financially quite a lot. Not to mention the bad publicity and those customers that went elsewhere.
Now the big question is how does a current Galaxy Note 7 owner that lives in Canada exchange their device for a new one? Or possibly switch to another smartphone? Well, there are options and here is a recap of those details. Samsung has put up their exchange page where users can give Samsung their relevant information. Once submitted, you should receive a response within 48 hours, and if you have any questions you can call 1-800-517-3507 to get an answer. The form will give you the option of having a new one shipped to you, or you can pick up your replacement in a local store.
In terms of the carriers, Telus seems to have the most customer friendly policy as they state that if you bring in your Galaxy Note 7 now, you can get a loaner until the new Note 7s arrive or exchange it for a new device of equal or lesser value. They said, “Out of an abundance of caution, we recommend that you return your Note 7 and take advantage of your replacement options.” Bell is putting the options back in Samsung’s hand by offering toll-free numbers if you want to discuss it or if you purchased your device online. Bell will also allow you to exchange it for a Galaxy S7 Edge or another suitable phone if you do not want to wait – so no temporary loaners. To round out the Big Three, Rogers will allow you to send back your Note 7 and get a loaner from the store or exchange it for a different device. Normally you have 15 days to return a device, but the Note 7’s return has been extended to 30 days, and no restocking fee is charged. SaskTel said they would call their customers to return the device for a refund. MTS claims to have already called all of their customers to offer them a loaner or refund while Videotron has not yet announced a policy but will soon call their Note 7 customers.