EcoTech Marine

We have provided our avenues that the customer could use to complete our warranty process in our first response Those are our terms and are not unusual as other large companies also doe the [redacted] type program The RFS option is also viable and with only a week turn-around is not bad compared to other companiesWe would be glad to provide the warranty per our set paths should the customer wish to do so The customer can contact us and let us know which path he would like I will notify service to let me know if any of them here from him, so I can follow through his productSince there is no specific request for what the customer is looking for beyond our warranty processes, we have nothing else to offer Otherwise, we respectfully submit that we will not continue in this banter back and forth because that is all this is

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the responseIf no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:
See my response in the attachment in Italics and thanks
Repeated here as well Actually units were received on 3/8/
at 9:30am as per tracking number ***
I sent three pumps for repairs Two were returned very noisy and one of the two was returned with wires exposed, a very
dangerous situation as these pumps are for a reef tankI sent them this picture in a full size showing exposed
wires
I
did mention that I have two more pumps (total of five that I own) and the other
two are noisy but much less
than those I sent and those two sometimes will be noisy and at other times were
notI elected not to send the other
two for repairs as I was not happy with the status of the items that they repaired Paying
six hundred bucks to repair three pumps that were returned with exposed wiring and noisy at a cost of
$I did not want to spend more on
repairs if they were going to
send me the pumps with exposed wiring and still noisy
I did not rotate the dry side AND I reject
being accused of fraudIt is possible I accidentally sent a rotated driver part but not the
dry side (that I am certain off)They asked me to take a working driver apart (which at first I said I would not
do that)and so I did to check the driver
is working or not, as per their directive. All is in emails that I can
forward with pictures
I refused the upgrade as I did not expect it
to be freeI asked the service person to go ahead and replace, if free, and he said if he gets one to repair
that has the upgraded part then he can do it for
freeI asked him to wait as long as needed to get my pumps working without
noiseHe just sent them back
noisy that same day we talked
I did take a zoomed in
video so they can see their equipment was resting on the floor and extremely noisy
If a pump is noisy on a solid floor it will be as noisy or noisier when mounted
on the glass of a tankI further explained that how the tank is build it is
impossible to be able to see the dry side of the pump in placeAnd sent them
this picture (or a similar one) that was
taken 3-years ago during the tank construction that demonstrates that you can
see the wet side of the pump and that the dry side is enclosed and cannot be
seenSo I could not take a picture of the dry side in placeI explained all
that o them in the email
I am EXTREMELY frustrated and seriously uncomfortable
with being accused of a fraudulent activity. Not sure what
"grommet" means I can resend
the video or take another one or as I offered in my email on Wed, Apr 5,
7:am and as follows:::
Pls
get someone who can either
1)
fix the two pumps already paid for
OR
2)
return the repair moneys of $for the two un repaired pumps
Or
3)
Send your rep or a local person you trust to listen to your pumps and fix them
I
suggest you talk to your repair person about him asking for
"upgrading" if I did not want noisy pumps back
sound
like he was asking for more moneys to repair the noise. I already paid
for such repairs and for more
You know you only quoted me the repairs price after you had the equipment on hand and
examined it
Regards,
*** ***

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the responseIf no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:Seller has made some assumptions in the previous message Please see supporting documentation accompanying this explanation. Customer rejected the $*** program on principal It is un-ethical business practice to charge a customer any amount (whether it is $or even $0.01) for a faulty out of the box product Should a fault arise after extended use then I can absolutely understand this *** program and would conform to the practice Furthermore customer asked to have the product returned via the traditional return/ repair/ replace procedure, however expedited shipping covered by manufacturer was requested which, given the circumstances, was by no means an unwarranted request Furthermore, after at least ignored phone calls from Alex Y*** (Customer Service Manager) he asked "**" (CSR) to return my phone call where customer was informed "If warranty process was refused or not executed within hours then the product will not be warrantied forever" Intimidation and ultimatums are not a proper way to deal with customers.Furthermore, I would recommend for EcoTech Marine to check their call logs for all numbers that customer has called from to determine that there were at least calls to EcoTech Marine in an effort to have this resolvedCustomer used his business lines and personal phone to make calls; ###-###-####, ###-###-####, ###-###-####, ###-###-####Customer has attached transmittal with Tim M*** (Owner) in which no response or action was provided The means of communications are not preferred as it was an unprofessional personal message sent through the *** personal message system, however customer is aware that Tim M*** was in receipt of message as Alex Y*** made a point to mention "Tim told me you messaged him" Please reference the attached images of message transmittal.My question is, since my claim was received by an owner, why did the Dir of Sales and Marketing not contact customer to break policy and make the customer happy since EcoTech Marine values customer satisfaction? Additionally, when customer requested to speak with an individual above Customer Service Manager, customer was told that there is no one in a higher position that can handle the complaint Why was customer not transferred to Dir of Sales and Marketing at this time?Assuming that a product is water damaged would be a foolish move for EcoTech Marine to make It is very important not to confuse customer error over customer principal.Please reference attached images and personal call logs maintained by customer
Regards,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
*** ***

The replacement has already been entered today for shipment We have spent the same amount of time on the phone with *** also trying to determine the location of your product In fact, they said last night that they realize this is their fault, but that doesn't help our relationship with
you Unfortunately, in the world today, we have to protect our company against fraud We have experienced many cases of fraud which puts us at a level, where we have to put layers of protection in so employees can't just ship out extra product I am not implying in anyway that you were trying to fraud us, I'm just explaining why we have to do what we do And unfortunately, some times our good customers end up being the ones who get put out.This morning, I approved for your replacement to be sent based on a picture of info you had on the *** website even though that was not what we were seeing We apologize for this inconvenience and will be reviewing this with our *** rep and our dissatisfaction of their service in this shipment because you are right that a shipment floating around for weeks is unacceptable

The *** ** is not a part that is sold by EcoTech Marine LLC Our Products are ***, *** and *** This complaint belongs to ** *** and while that is a sister company, the proper complaint does not belong here, they are legal separate companies.Sabrina
W***CONTROLLER

Based on the complaint and review of our documentation, our products are not being used according to the included instructions.  Despite this, damaged products were replaced under warranty for the customer.  This complaint is related to the same user error on on-replaced products and will...

not be covered under warranty.  Unless additional product returned and/or proof of setup is shown, the service case is closed.  No further action will be taken.

We have provided our 3 avenues that the customer could use to complete our warranty process in our first response.  Those are our terms and are not unusual as other large companies also doe the [redacted] type program.  The RFS option is also viable and with only a week turn-around is not bad compared to other companies. We would be glad to provide the warranty per our set paths should the customer wish to do so.  The customer can contact us and let us know which path he would like.  I will notify service to let me know if any of them here from him, so I can follow through his product. Since there is no specific request for what the customer is looking for beyond our 3 warranty processes, we have nothing else to offer.   Otherwise, we respectfully submit that we will not continue in this banter back and forth because that is all this is.

Review: Good evening,

I have been speaking with your representatives over the past couple of days about my concerns with the ability of the [redacted] product to deliver on expectations set by EcoTech Marine advertising. While I appreciate the communication that an update will be available to correct my specific concerns that appear to be related to the ability of [redacted] to control preset and UV intensities I find myself frustrated and questioning the integrity of EcoTech Marine as a company.

My concerns with integrity began when [redacted] was not available until several weeks after the advertised release date. I understand that supply and demand is difficult to predict and was willing to forgive the miscalculation until I received a product that did not deliver on expectations. In fact the two [redacted] products purchased function as if they are beta models with retail prices attached. I can only imagine my embarrassment had I not tested the product on my system and a retailer's system to confirm that it did not work before giving it as a gift.

I believe the goal of [redacted] is a valuable addition to any reef professional or enthusiast's system however I question whether it was ready to distribute or if EcoTech Marine bent to the pressure of competition over quality. It is not always best to be first to the shelf if your product does not deliver on promises particularly in such a specialized and close knit field. I am aware of several reef enthusiasts in the area that are struggling with [redacted] and sharing their experiences with other enthusiasts. That being said EcoTech Marine could have calmed my frustrations had customer service representatives listened to my concerns and considered that I may have a valid complaint rather than responding that there was no coding issue and the concern was caused by user error. Knowing this was not the case I continued to call customer service until I spoke with another representative who listened to my concerns and found the issue that led to notification of a software upgrade by the end of the week.

EcoTech Marine has put me in an awkward position as my only options appear to be; return $400 worth of product to my retailer whom I have a personal relationship with or wait and hope [redacted] becomes the product it was purported to be. I will wait for this update to come through this week and will test the system again however I hope you use this feedback as constructive criticism for future product and service strategy. If there are other options available to me that I am not aware of I would be happy to entertain suggestions from your company.

Thank you,

Sent from my [redacted]Desired Settlement: Refund or any phone call back would be nice

Business

Response:

December 26, 2013

To whom it may concern,

Specific to the claim regarding false advertising and product related issues.

EcoTech has a customer service policy that can and will correct an issue with a product under warranty or replace a product if it is defective. In the event that a product works as advertised but does not work because of specifics related to the users environment, computer, network, internet connection etc. that are beyond the control of EcoTech Marine, the best course of remedy may be to return it to the retailer that sold it for a credit (if possible}.

Specific to the claim that EcoTech is selling beta units to end users under the guise of selling production units.

This is flatly untrue. As the end user is probably aware - several hundred units were involved in a discounted beta test period prior to the commercial release. These units were clearly identified as beta units - were not shipped in retail packaging and had stickers indicating their beta status.

The purpose of said Beta release was to identify and correct any issues identified in the field that were not apparent in internal testing.

Any units purchased in retail packaging were sold after the completion of the Beta test and after FCC compliance was obtained.

Despite this, not every issue can be identified with a consumer related product prior to releasing it for sale, in the event that new issues are identified- as in this case -EcoTech makes every effort to remedy the issue. The issue with the [redacted] application slider was corrected within one week of notification of the bug by the end user.

The [redacted] application is provided at no charge. The issue on record in our service department that the rend user contacted us about was the absence of a UV slider in the [redacted] app. This was not an issue with [redacted] but rather the [redacted] specific version of software that can interface with [redacted] live.

The user filing this complaint acknowledges that EcoTech is making an update specifically to remedy the exact issue he was having with this software. This correction has long since been implemented.

Specific to the claim regarding the ongoing development of the product.

If the user wishes to actively receive new software improvements and faster resolution to bug fixes, EcoTech is willing to add the user to its Beta test list for software version changes.. This will enable the user to see reported bug fixes be corrected and participate in testing and review of the corrections prior to official release.

He may contact [redacted] at: [redacted] if he wishes to participate in this program.

Best Regards,

Review: I purchased 2 MP40 pumps that started making noise within a short amount of time running at full speed and then finally locked up. I also purchased 3 smaller MP10 pumps that did the same thing. I sent the 3 MP10 pumps to Ecotech to be fixed and they did and charged me approximately 300 dollars. It was not until I sent in the 3 MP10 pumps and insisted that something was wrong that they told me to deviate from the included directions and use an extra spacer to keep the pumps from burning up. When I contacted Ecotech they only gave me the runaround and then hung up.Desired Settlement: Replace my MP40 and MP10 pumps that locked up due to not enough space between the dry and wet side of the pump. The instructions need to be changed or customer instructed that the max amount of space should be allowed between the dry side and wet side of the pump in order to keep the dry side from overheating and locking up. Ecotech only told me this when the 5 pumps I purchased had overheated and locked up.

Business

Response:

Thank you for providing this report and the opportunity to respond.

With respect to the complaint filed by the customer.

EcoTech Marine provides a 1 year parts and labor warranty on all of its power head products. Additionally, EcoTech may at its discretion, provide no charge or discounted service in some instances.

EcoTech is well known in the Aquarium industry for providing excellent customer service and strives to continuously improve the infrastructure and mechanism to improve it further.

With respect to the initial two products (Mp40s) the customer allegedly purchased -(EcoTech did not sell these units directly) - the customer did not contact EcoTech until after his issue with his second set of products. Had he done so he would have received warranty support as he was entitled to at no charge. At present he may utilize one of two service processes to receive service on that equipment. He may be required to pay for parts depending on the issue.

All of this is outlined on our website and in our product warranty information as it is included with our products.

With respect to the secondary group of three products (MP10s) the customer's first interaction with our customer service was over one year from the time of purchase and therefore outside of warranty. As he points out he was charged for that service, the charge in total was at a discounted rate of $225. The damage to his units was deemed a result of excessive wear resulting from lack of usage of a spacer included with the pumps and explained in the instructions.

With respect to the instructions, EcoTech has thousands of this model of product in operation with end users and has not had issue with the instructions provided in the box.

With respect to the service charge, this is common practice and standard for all EcoTech end users.

Given our service team's commitment to customer service and their internal evaluations based on customer feed back - the claim that the customer was hung up on is unlikely unless he was using profanity and continued to do so after being asked to refrain. It is possible however the connection was lost which is not entirely uncommon due to the use of cell phones and VOIP by EcoTech Marine and its customers.

For the benefit of thoroughness. All policy, warranty and service information related to the customer is included below for review. As far as we at EcoTech are concerned there is no need to provide any further accommodation to the customer beyond offering him the same service alternatives offered to him before and to our entire customer base.

EcoTech Marine’s Warranty Policy

EcoTech Marine warrants to the original purchaser only that the VorTech Propeller Pump will be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use for a period of (1) year from the date of original purchase If the product is installed and used properly arid consistent with the User Manual. The VorTech Propeller Pump consists of a wet side operating unit that will be fully submerged in the aquarium and a motor and driver that must not be exposed to water at any time. EcoTech Marine's warranty shall not apply: (i) to any damaged VorTech Propeller Pump that has been subjected to accident, misuse, neglect, alteration, acts of God, improper handling, improper transport, improper storage, improper use or application, improper installation, improper testing or unauthorized repair, (ii) to any VorTech Propeller Pump where the motor and/or driver have been exposed to water or (iii) to cosmetic problems or defects that result from normal wear and tear under ordinary use, and do not affect the performance or use of the product. EcoTech Marine's warranty applies only to a product that is manufactured by or for EcoTech Marine and identified by the EcoTech Marine trademark, trade name or product identification logo affixed to the product. If you notice a problem with your VorTech Propeller Pump, do not attempt to repair it yourself. Any attempts at self-repair shall void this limited warranty. EcoTech Marine shall not be held liable for damage to any aquarium, aquarium life forms, or other personal objects due to improper use of the device. If the product develops a covered defect within the one-year period,

EcoTech Marine will, at its option, either repair or replace the VorTech Propeller Pump without charge, provided that the VorTech Propeller Pump is returned during the warranty period. The VorTech Propeller Pump operates at high temperatures

and produces forces within the aquarium that can cause extreme loading and fatigue. Due to this, caution must be used when installing this device on any aquarium Because the construction of aquariums varies from each manufacturer and the operating conditions of each individual aquarist is different, there is a possibility that the VorTech Propeller Pump may cause damage to your aquarium. Please contact your aquarium manufacturer to determine if your aquarium is properly built and recommended for VorTech Propeller Pump. If you notice any damage to your aquarium, including but not limited to crazing, cracking, bending, scratching, etc, immediately discontinue the use of the VorTech Propeller Pump. EcoTech Marine will not be liable for any damage caused to your aquarium resulting from the jse of the VorTech Propeller Pump. To obtain warranty service or technical support, please contact EcoTech Marine's customer service department at ###-###-####. You will receive instructions on how to return the product for repair or replacement. To take advantage of this Limited Warranty you will be required to supply an Original point of purchase receipt. ECOTECH MARINE DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY APPLICABLE LAW. NO IMPLIED WARRANTY OF FITNESS F(f)R A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR MERCHANTABILITY SHALL APPLY EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW. ECOTECH MARINE DOES NOT AUTHORIZE ANY PERSON OR BUSINESS ENTITY, INCLUDING ITS AUTHORIZED DEALERS, TO CREATE FOR IT AnI OBLIGATIONS, LIABILITIES, OR OTHER WARRANTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THI3 PRODUCT. ALL WARRANTIES ARE VOID IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE VORECH HROPELLER PUMP THAT IS NOT A RESULT OF A DEFECT IN THE MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP. THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR ALL CLAIMS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THIS PRODUCT, WHETHER] MADE OR SUFFERED BY YOU OR ANOTHER PERSON AND WHETHER BASED IN CONTRACT OR TORT, SHALL BE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE PRODUCT. IN NO EVENT WILL ECOTECH MARINE BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY OTHER ,PARTY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL,

CONSEQL ENTIAL, EXEMPLARY OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR

OF TO USE THE PRODUCT (INCLUDING; WITHOUT UMITAHON, DAMAGES

OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF INFORMATION

OR ANY C THER PECUNIARY LOSS, DAMAGE TO YOUR AQUARIUM OR ANY

VI INHABITANTS), OR FROM ANY BREACH OF WARRANTY, EVEN IF

KOTECH MARINE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN

NO CASE fHALL ECOTECH MARINE'S LIABILITY EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID FOR THE PRODUCT. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS DO NOT USE THE VORTECH PROPELLER PUMP.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages so the above exclusions may not apply to you. EcoTech Marine's warranty is governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, excluding its conflict of laws principles and excluding the provisions of the United Nations Convention on Contract for the International Sale of Goods. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights, which vary from state to state.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

The company is being less than accurate with regard to my particular situation. I did call the company after the purchase of my MP40 pumps and told them while they were in warranty that they were making a lot of noise and heating up a lot. I was instructed to follow the manufacturers instructions on the use of the spacer and not to deviate. I did this and the pumps kept making noise and finally locked up and failed. I was reluctant to purchase more pumps but went ahead and tried 3 smaller pumps which were the MP10 pumps. I thought if maybe I did not run them at full speed they would not make noise and heat up and lock up. The shortly after purchasing started to do the same thing the MP40 pumps did and heat up and then make noise and then fail and lock up. I did call the company while I was still in the warranty period and did speak with the company prior to the purchase of the pumps. I was instructed to follow the directions on the use of the spacer which I did on the 3 new MP10 pumps and they overheated and started making noise and locked up. I was so frustrated I put them away for a while and after figuring out all the money I lost on these pumps called the company to convey my frustrations. They were only willing to fix the pumps at my cost and then finally tell me to deviate from the instructions on the use of the spacer and to use the spacer even though the direction included with the pump and I have been told for years not to due to my thickness of acrylic on my tank. This was obviously the problem because when I use extra space by using the rubber spacer the 3 MP10 pumps are now not heating up and are not making noise. The information that I was given with the MP40 and MP10 pumps that I purchased were damaged due to following the instructions given by the manufacturer not to use the spacer due to the thickness of my aquarium acrylic. I did not want to do anything to deviate from what the instructions stated or the manufacturer was telling me to do to but this was actually the reason why my MP40 pumps and MP10 pumps failed. If you look online the company is not being correct because there are a lot of complaints about the pumps heating up and making noise. Now when you have a problem with your pump heating up or making noise the company tells you to use the spacer and not to follow any specific thickness of glass or acrylic to determine if you use the rubber spacer or not between the wet and dry side. It is sad that a reputable company in our country would not take care of a good customer of their product when the reason it failed was due to that company giving the customer instructions that would damage the product. I have 3 other pumps that I use on my tank that I have had for at least 9 years that are still working fine but the 5 pumps I purchased from this company did not work longer than about a year. This company even admitted on the phone to me that the reason the pumps heated up and made noise and locked up was because the rubber spacer was not used. Well it is beyond my control if I follow all verbal and written instructions and the product fails. I should have been given the correct information from the beginning and I would still be using the MP40's I purchased years ago. I am still requesting that my MP40 and MP10 pumps be returned to me in working order. I did call while the pumps were in warranty and was told to not use the spacer on the MP10 pumps and to follow the information with the pumps on the proper setting on the spacer for the MP40 pumps but if you do this on my thickness aquarium the pumps will overheat and lock up. It is not ethical that the company is fabricating untruths about when I called in and what I was told. Why would I want to waist my money on burning up pumps or make anything up as to when I called in and what I was told.

Regards,

Business

Response:

In regards to the follow-up response by **. [redacted] ID #[redacted] dated 8/1/13.

We have reviewed **. [redacted]'s response which we feel now provides further conflicting information. However, in another effort to try to resolve this issue, our Customer Service Manager reached out to him to try to resolve this issue. It seems the only resolution **. [redacted] was willing to do was either have us reimburse him for all his products or sue us. At that point, our CS Manager forwarded our lawyer's information and ended the conversation.

We do not wish to continue the debate back and forth and still stand by our original response. As we have shown before, we offer support to our customers through our Warranty program and our documentation clearly gives the user directions on use. We do regret that this will not satisfy **. [redacted]'s request.

Review: Ecotech Marine advertised a 10% back rebate offer on its [redacted] pumps bought during a certain date around Black Friday weekend from a valid dealer. I bought this pump in good faith that I would receive the rebate offer. The offer said to be postmarked by Jan 1, 2014. I mailed this letter with rebate form and proof of purchase toward the end of December. The inability of the US Postal Service during the holidays to postmark my letter the day or day after I mailed it should not be cause of denial of this rebate. I sent the rebate offer in before the due date, and Ecotech Marine has denied the rebate by emailing me of such. I have tried in two separate emails to contact them and they will not respond. I feel that this is false advertising of a rebate, denied to things out of my control like the inefficiency of the Post Office. I would not have bought this product if the rebate would not have been offer. I was pulled into their advertising and then denied the offer.Desired Settlement: I did what was asked of me to fulfill my end of this purchase. I simply want the rebate offer that was proposed to me in their advertising efforts.

Business

Response:

January 17, 2014

To whom it may concern,

In regards to the customer's complaint about our Black Friday Rebate Offer. We offered a 20% rebate for any pump purchased from 11/29 through 12/2. Consumers were given till December 31st, 2013 to have their rebates postmarked which was a generous 4 weeks from the end of the sale to send in the forms. This customer purchased from a valid retailer, within the correct date range however, unfortunately, this customer's rebate was postmarked January 2nd, 2014.

EcoTech believes it would be understood that legal requirements would not allow for us to give this customer his rebate and not all the others who also filed late or did not follow the terms and conditions. We have tried to communicate with the customer in a professional manner despite his continuous slander on Facebook and Industry specific online communities, including an email promising to "spread as much bad publicity as I can".

Included below:

• A snapshot of our ad as it was featured for the Black Friday Rebate offer.

• A copy of our Terms and Conditions on the webpage the consumer had to go to retrieve the form for the rebate.

• A picture of the customer's envelope showing the postmark date from the postoffice.

In addition, we would request this not be included as an item against our Revdex.com record as we have clearly shown our legal stance for denying his rebate by following the terms and condition of the offer as any company would do.

Sincerely,