Product warranties support

[Tradie]

One of the key factors taken into consideration when purchasing products, support.

I started using Veti products because of issues I was experiencing with absolute rubbish quality and tool die misalignment, creating a terrible switching experience, I am sure if you are using the budget line,clipsal replacement you will know what I am talking about. Why Veti, on the off chance that you do experience a problem with their product a technician is sent to site and the either repaired or replaced (one failure since using the product, because it was modified to suit a dimmer)

The same reason I moved away from a lighting brand that I thought offered a premium product, until I started experiencing fail after fail with their floodlights, which results in a return to site, back to the wholesaler and back to site. Started purchasing Mesmerize lighting, they also have their challenges, the only difference is I dont waste time driving to site to replace faulty product, they send people to site and repair or replace.

Product failures and returns, something that is becoming an even bigger challenge, you buy a product from the wholesaler expecting the date on the product to be maybe about 3 months old (shipping from the far east takes time). 12 months later the product fails, no problem, until , suddenly the date is an issue, the wholesaler will not replace the product, it must be sent back for an assessment, no problem, I had to pay for a replacement and wait for it to be replaced, no big deal I use the product all the time.

I get a call from a customer, the outside lights do not switch off in the morning (daylight switch installed in December 2024), I only use National daylight switches, they are supposed to be the best or should I say use to be the best. I take it back to the workshop, thinking maybe it's not the PEC, test one that is dated 2016, no problem it works, hook up the one date 2023 (purchased December 2024), the light stays on. Go through all the paperwork, to return to supplier, have to purchase a replacement April 2025, take it out the box, check the date on the unit 05/2023, lucky these units have a 10 year guarantee.

I dont know about you, but lately every time something pops, the bad power grid is to blame, which means that no matter the 50 000 hours promised by LED suppliers, when it pops after 2 weeks or even 2 years, it's the grids fault. Making them very very expensive products, especially when you spending R300 on a fitting and one led module on the units pops.

[Thys LOW Elektries]

Cheap products are flooding the market cause everybody is trying to do it as cheaply as possible.
At one time, a COC was not valid if non-SABS products had been used in the installations.
I recently had to do a quick upgrade and bought a Top Brands 16A Industrial plug at the local hardware store since it was all they stocked.
The first plug had a bridge between neutral and earth, so I went back to the hardware and had it swapped out with another. The switch on the second plug broke after two days. I went through the same process with the hardware and got a third plug, that one melted after two days and needed to be replaced again.
After a "friendly" chat with the manager of the hardware store, in a very loud voice, I was given my money back.
The plugs don't have a SABS mark on them or an IE code, so I'm not sure if they are legal to use in South Africa!
Lesson learned! Stick to brands that have proven themselves reliable, like Crabtree.
Wth more and more products being imported, the chances of having more comebacks and more difficulties in exchanging those products when they fail are increasing daily.