$15 to ship receiver?

[cjsiv]

So I cancelled my dish service this week. Hello OTA HD, tivo and netflix. After jumping through all the hoops with customer service, they informed me that it would cost me $15 to ship them their receiver back since I didn't pay for the protection plan. The local installer that I used 4 years ago said that they took care of any issues so it was not necessary to pay for it. They have provided phenomenal service and 2 years ago when my dvr went out, they showed up the next day with a new one, free of charge. I just find it odd that I have to pay to ship them back THEIR equipment. Guess that's their way of sticking it to me one last time. Makes me feel much better about the divorce I guess.

 

[Mr Tony]

yep. Dish use to send you prepaid shipping labels but they went cheap and now YOU have to ship the boxes on your dime (or dollar)

 

[cditty]

If I had Comcast, it would cost me $15 to drive from my house to their office and back, which is what I would have to do if I cancelled. They don't come pick up receivers. I don't see why anyone would expect a company they are cancelling service with to pay for you to return equipment. They paid to send it to you.

Dish has to make money too and all that scamming folks do to get this and that credit and free receiver upgrades, etc... makes the rest of our prices go up. That money has to come from somewhere.

Frankly, I am glad they are cutting out the credits and free upgrades. Pretty much the entire monthly service industry is going to the model wireless companies use... A free upgrade at the end of your contract, in exchange for another contract.

I know, flame me, flame me... Everyone wants something for nothing.

Dish is a reasonably priced service provider. I have HD, a dual tuner DVR with an OTA module and my bill is around $50 dollars a month, before my Club Dish credit from referring a friend kicks in. There is no other provider I can get a 4 tuner box from with all those channels for that amount of money.

 

[Mr Tony]

Comcast comes and gets their equipment...at least here in Minneapolis they do

 

[cjsiv]

When I cancelled cable, I could either take it back myself, or they sent you prepaid boxes. My 2nd receiver that I cancelled 2 years ago was sent back to DISH prepaid. I have been using various cable and sat companies for 15 years and this is the first time I have been charged to give them their stuff back. Just seemed odd to me. Guess there's a first for everything.

 

[bradleys]

I'll not weigh in on the morality of the fee. However, from an economic point of view, for me, it's cheaper than sending the box myself. From Seattle to Denver or El Paso is about $22, which is significantly more than the $15 that Dish charges. Plus, I have to find a box and pack properly to avoid being charged for damage. From Peoria the charge would probably be less, although you still have the box problem (unless you've kept the boxes the receiver shipped in, of course).

 

[Claude Greiner]

The reason why the installers came and replaced the equipment for free is because you where still a paying customer.

Since your cancelling service, why should they pay for the shipping?

 

[KAB]

Plus, you have to remember they pay to ship you the box.

 

[Mr Tony]

Directv still sends out prepaid labels when you exchange/drop receivers

 

[Slamminc11]

Directv still sends out prepaid labels when you exchange/drop receivers

then I guess he should have been with DTV when he left, it would have been $15 cheaper to quit...

 

[Mr Tony]

then I guess he should have been with DTV when he left, it would have been $15 cheaper to quit...

yep.
Plus D* don't nickel and dime ya to death with receiver fees and every time you cal in there's some type of fee ya gotta pay

 

[riffjim4069]

If I had Comcast, it would cost me $15 to drive from my house to their office and back, which is what I would have to do if I cancelled. They don't come pick up receivers. I don't see why anyone would expect a company they are cancelling service with to pay for you to return equipment. They paid to send it to you.

Not that I am defending Comcast...but the local Comcast office is within 4-miles of my VA home, within 6 miles of my siblings (all three) and parents homes, and both the Time-Warner and Verizon FiOS equipment offices are within 5-miles of my home in TX. Most cable offices are within a few miles of the areas they serve so you're definitely a statistical anomaly.

Anyway, this is just another example of why customers must evaluate the total price of having Dish Network service (or any other service for that matter) and not blindly accept their advertised price. Factors to consider:

- Equipment and other fees (highest of any provider)
- Two year contracts (must consider penalties if terminating service early)
- No discounts by bundling services (Internet and Phone)
- HD-Lite (Dish Network reduces 1/3rd of the picture quality...yet, they charge full price)
- Maintenance fees

 

[Stargazer]

Dish Network's handling (because they can) fee. Just another one for the books.

 

[KAB]

Dish Network's handling (because they can) fee. Just another one for the books.

Yada, yada yada

 

[plumfam4]

Dish is the Robin Hood of TV providers or wait are they the Section 8 leaders??? When you pay 50.00 in a fees a month it is time to leave!!!!

 

[Claude Greiner]

To dishnetworks defense, Directv does charge higher cancellation fees and is more Money per month

As far as comcast, yes they do have local offices but last time I went there to turn in a bad cable modem I waited an hour in line

 

[R0ss]

If I had Comcast, it would cost me $15 to drive from my house to their office and back, which is what I would have to do if I cancelled. They don't come pick up receivers. I don't see why anyone would expect a company they are cancelling service with to pay for you to return equipment. They paid to send it to you.

My receivers came with the installer, who is a local electronics retailer, I have no idea who paid for the shipping of the receivers to his shop. Same would be true for cable, the installer brought the equipment to my house, they should come pick it up.

Dish has to make money too and all that scamming folks do to get this and that credit and free receiver upgrades, etc... makes the rest of our prices go up. That money has to come from somewhere.

Of course they should make money that is what our free market economy is all about (unless...well we shall keep politics out of this). If Dish spent a buck and trained their CSR's then maybe CSR hopping wouldn't work. Dish created the monster they could fix it if they wanted too. Dish is making money, all those leased receivers are assists, as such it wouldn't surprise me if they aren't amortizing depreciation on each one for tax purposes...

Frankly, I am glad they are cutting out the credits and free upgrades. Pretty much the entire monthly service industry is going to the model wireless companies use... A free upgrade at the end of your contract, in exchange for another contract.

The difference is there are always "more better" wireless phones being introduced. In the last 18 months Verizon has turned over their entire line of phones at least twice. How many receivers/DVR's has dish put on the market in the last 18 months? I have a VIP722, I really don't consider a VIP 722K an upgrade unless dish includes the OTA module and I don't think they are going to do that. The only option would be an upgrade to a VIP 922 (I honestly don't want one anyway) for free and we all know that won't happen.

I now, flame me, flame me... Everyone wants something for nothing.

Of course we do, doesn't mean we will get it though!

Dish is a reasonably priced service provider. I have HD, a dual tuner DVR with an OTA module and my bill is around $50 dollars a month, before my Club Dish credit from referring a friend kicks in. There is no other provider I can get a 4 tuner box from with all those channels for that amount of money.

No argument here. Even with the excessive fees, price hikes and the frustration of not receiving all the channels i pay for Dish still costs less per month than the other sat provider.

Ross

 

[cditty]

My receivers came with the installer, who is a local electronics retailer, I have no idea who paid for the shipping of the receivers to his shop. Same would be true for cable, the installer brought the equipment to my house, they should come pick it up.


Of course they should make money that is what our free market economy is all about (unless...well we shall keep politics out of this). If Dish spent a buck and trained their CSR's then maybe CSR hopping wouldn't work. Dish created the monster they could fix it if they wanted too. Dish is making money, all those leased receivers are assists, as such it wouldn't surprise me if they aren't amortizing depreciation on each one for tax purposes...


The difference is there are always "more better" wireless phones being introduced. In the last 18 months Verizon has turned over their entire line of phones at least twice. How many receivers/DVR's has dish put on the market in the last 18 months? I have a VIP722, I really don't consider a VIP 722K an upgrade unless dish includes the OTA module and I don't think they are going to do that. The only option would be an upgrade to a VIP 922 (I honestly don't want one anyway) for free and we all know that won't happen.


Of course we do, doesn't mean we will get it though!


No argument here. Even with the excessive fees, price hikes and the frustration of not receiving all the channels i pay for Dish still costs less per month than the other sat provider.

Ross

I normally wouldn't do this, but thanks for posting your opinions in an intelligent debate format. I thought the wolves would come after me for that post.

Dish is just trying to get what they are worth now. One of the things I have always pushed to the team that sells advertisement on my radio station is to never 'under' value us. Once a client has a low perceived value, it is very hard to make them pay more. Dish is suffering for some of this, because they positioned themselves as 'cheaper' and were always 'willing' to give credits. Now, they are trying to get people to see there value and it is hard.

As far as new technology, I think a $200 upgrade to a 922 at the end of your contract is comparable to upgrading to a better smartphone at the end of your contract. If we keep with the cell phone analogy, the 922 is like an iphone 3GS running the first generation software, in that it has great hardware, but needs the software to live up to its full potential... For you Android folks, consider it an HTC Incredible with Android 1.6.

Anyhow, that is off topic and I won't do that, other than to say $15 is not too much to ship back that receiver. In fact, it is probably less than you could send it via your own shipping method.

 

[barnie]

Dish Charged me $15 to get a replacement unit when my 622 crapped out 2 week ago. It's their way of doing business, I don't like it. It's their unit and they charge me for it monthly lease fee and yet I have to pay when it dies. Really considering a switch from Dish, but not now with the WC coming up soon.

 

[kilon]

I cancelled my dish sub and returned 2 receivers about a month ago and was not charged to return them.