Ingram rejects Seagate returns

Seagate resellers that sourced products through Ingram Micro still face difficulties in returning faulty goods, despite reassurances from the distributor that all warranty issues would be dealt with.

The development comes just three weeks after PC Dealer revealed that Seagate resellers that bought from Ingram Micro were unhappy about the distributor's alleged failure to adhere to its returns and warranty agreements (PC Dealer, 16 September). Seagate axed Ingram Micro in July.

On 14 September, Sandy Scott managing director of Ingram Micro UK said: 'We are dealing with Seagate customers and we will continue to process all genuine Seagate returns until Seagate asks us to refer them to another distributor.'

But a letter obtained by PC Dealer, sent to a Seagate reseller on 17 September by Ingram Micro's quality management department, stated: 'Ingram Micro UK Ltd is no longer trading with Seagate, therefore any warranty issues were to be directed towards Seagate.' The letter advises Ingram resellers that all warranty issues are now being handled by CHS Electronics.

Peter Rigby, marketing and communications director at CHS, said: 'We don't have a problem with processing warranty claims, but some resellers feel guilty coming to us when they bought the product from Ingram.'

Rigby called Ingram's offer of a '30-day window' to return any faulty drives a 'smokescreen'. 'Ingram doesn't want to deal with administration for a product it doesn't stock,' he said.

Mike Perris, purchasing manager at reseller Shannon Micro, said: 'I haven't heard anything official from Ingram about where to return faulty drives. Ingram said that it couldn't deal with them so I sent them back to Seagate.'

Ingram was unavailable to comment.