"No Lemon" woes

[Tigress]

I got one from yesterday:

Mom and daughter came up to my counter as I was merrily tapping away the computer I was setting up. I greeted them and they promptly handed me a camera. They had a service plan. "Awesome", I thought. "I'll just put it in the system, have them sign the paperwork, ship it out and get back to my current mission."

Oh, how wrong I was.

Could I have it fixed today?
Um, no. We don't have the tools to take apart a camera and fix it. It has to go to our service center to be fixed.
But this is the second time it's been here and it's only a few months old!
I'm sorry to hear that. I understand it's frustrating, but this is how it is.
But we're going on vacation and we won't be able to have the camera with us!
Then why did you wait until the last possible second to bring it in? Since you've brought it in once already, you know the process takes a couple of weeks.
Can't you give us a loaner?
Um, hell no. We never did offer "loaner" cameras.
But we won't have a camera for our vacation! And this thing's only a few months old! Why can't you just give us a new one?!
Because the service plan doesn't work that way. We have to fix it three times.
Why can't we get a new one? No one told us you had to fix it three times.
It says so right in your service plan. (Proceeds to open the brochure, point out the "no lemon" policy and read it aloud to them.) I don't know what else to tell you. That's the way it is.

Eventually, I got the paperwork done and packed up the camera to ship out. Why is it that people only remember things when it's convenient to them?

[BookstoreEscapee]

Didn't she ever hear of a disposable camera? Maybe not the best picture quality, and you can't see them right away (assuming hers is a digital) but you can still bring a camera with you...

[Demonoid Phenomenon]

I've used one of those disposable digital cameras and they work pretty well.

[aurelemsrealm]

I would have suggested they get disposable cameras as well. My mother in law volunteered some of the guests at our wedding to get some candid shots during the ceremony and reception in addition to what the professional photographer took. Some of those disposable camera pictures turned out great.

I have a digital camera and a couple of manual cameras all packed in storage. My wife and I have been living in this house for six months, probably, and have barely unpacked still yet. Yes, I most often used the digital camera before it was packed for the move, but I always had the manual cameras for back up.

[powerboy]

I love my digital camera. I try to take it everywhere I go. The disposable cameras, are alright, but I do not really care for them. I sis have a manual camera, but I just could not get the film to load just right.

[Shironu-Akaineko]

My lil DigiCam Kotoko (I name my stuff) is a gem and only now can I make good pics with it (I found out how to take the flash off, yay me!), but a disposable camera makes great pics too when in need! You should see the pics I took in Cuba!

Sometimes, it's actually safer to bring disposable cams. Like that nobody'll be tempted to steal your fancy shiny coupla months old DigiCam.

[cinema guy]

There's a guy I work with, who, if he see's a disposable camera lying around, will take a picture of himself with a silly grin and put it back.

[Tigress]

Didn't she ever hear of a disposable camera?

But that would cost money. And the gods forbid that a SC have to spend money on a temporary solution. Why can't they get something for free for their inconvenience?

Geez, my cheapo $150 HP camera is two years old and it still works beautifully. And I still have my old HP as a back-up camera. But then, I take care of it and my other electronics.

[Becks]

I've used one of those disposable digital cameras and they work pretty well.

There are such things as disposable digital cameras?

[RentalRacer]

The sucky scammer thing to do would be to go to another store and buy a camera, make sure you save all the pics to a memory card, and when she gets home from vacation, take the camera back.

Not that I would ever condone such a thing.

[LadyAndreca]

The sucky scammer thing to do would be to go to another store and buy a camera, make sure you save all the pics to a memory card, and when she gets home from vacation, take the camera back.

Not that I would ever condone such a thing.

That's why there are such things as 'restocking fees'.

[Jack7957]

There are such things as disposable digital cameras?

Yes, though some of them are just a regular film camera that when they process it, you'll get your pics on a CD in addition to your regular prints.

Here's an article about a few that were on the market three years ago.