WatercoolingUK is the poorest online shop I've ever dealt with.
WatercoolingUK is the poorest online shop I've ever dealt with.
Seriously.
I purchased a Phobya 1080 Rad bundle from there (the radiator, fans, mounting bracket and stand) thinking it was a solid offer. Upon receiving the radiator, I found that several of the fins were quite loose, making me uneasy about using it in case of leaks.
So I emailed them (after trying to find their phone number, which they didn’t have) asking if I could return just the radiator and receive a replacement. They replied that it would be okay and I sent it back, expecting a week or two for delivery.
It’s been almost two months since my first order with no radiator, no refund, and no resolution at all—so I’m quite frustrated.
What I needed was a replacement radiator so I could get my watercooling rig up and running. Since then, I’ve placed three orders with SpecialTech, all of which arrived before WCUK issues a replacement. I bought an EK 690 waterblock from them, opened it up, and noticed there were no mounting screws. The box was sealed, so I didn’t blame SpecialTech. I called them, and they connected me with someone who sent the new screws—even they had arrived!
In short:
- faulty radiator
- disappointing customer service
- missing contact info
- no replacement offered
- no refund
- over a month since order
...and I’m still waiting. Please avoid WCUK; there are better companies out there. It might cost a bit more, but you’ll get working parts and won’t have to deal with the same issues.
I'm aware of the email problems we've faced, especially since we had another Wcuk thread that I resolved for him. Still, I can see why you're upset.
I'll send a message to Rob tomorrow and include this thread so he can reach out.
Moto
Received a response from Rob this afternoon (I’m working nights so I can’t check until I’m awake).
The message was sent earlier today.
It explains that Lee, our returns manager, hadn’t kept the RMA status updated, causing delays in sending the item back to Germany for replacement.
Details of the situation are provided below.
RMA was opened on 30.08.12 and received on 14.08.12.
When Lee got the “Name deleted” email about a replacement on 15.09.12, notes from 17.09.12 in our system show that our warehouse had 4 units of the product with faults as well.
The same problem occurred before. We verify all RMA replacements before dispatch to ensure customers aren’t affected further.
Next, Lee escalated the issue to Phobya in Germany and sent back the 4 units plus 1 replacement unit for assessment, which arrived on 21.09.12.
We just received our latest Phobya order yesterday, and the 5 radiators were replaced for us... His RMA was processed around 3pm yesterday, explaining the delay in handling this return.
So LastVampyer found problems with every Phobya stock. Damn.
It seems they’re moving forward—hopefully they succeed.
I have received an email from WCUK, yesterday actually, explaining the situation. Apparently they had a faulty batch of those radiators and needed to send the back to Phobya in Germany. Now, I have no way of knowing if this is true or not so we'll give them the benefit of the doubt here...
Would it not have been easier just to keep me informed? Explain the situation and give a rough estimate as to when the issue might be resolved... Yes. Instead I was left in the dark, had no clue what was going on and that's the main reason I'm annoyed.
Also, the RMA dates are wrong -
" RMA was raised on 30.08.12
RMA received on 14.08.12"
So I raised the RMA on the 30th and traveled back in time to the 14th with Michael J Fox and my Delorean? Seems like a lot of effort
😛
When the radiator comes, I'll make sure it's alright and then update the forum post. Everything for my watercooling setup is here - the rad stand, pump, res, waterblocks... I want this project to be finished so I can enjoy it properly. I'm sure you understand.
No problem man,
I've heard about Phobya releasing some subpar stock, but this is the first time I've had such a direct experience.
I also noticed the dates and wasn't sure what they meant, so maybe it was 14/9/12?
Of course, I know that poor communication can be really frustrating, which is why I spoke up for you.
Anyway, I think you should be on your way to W/c Bliss soon—I hope so.
Let me know how things go.
Moto
Ok so my watercooling setup is all done and working now. The radiator arrived witch some bent fins but they aren't leaking or anything.
Managing a 3930K @ 4.2Ghz - 50c on load and the 2 GTX 690s aren't even hitting 45c on load so I'll be overclocking them at some point.
😀
Happy to hear things are sorted out alright, buddy.
What setup did the fans put together for you?
I’d prefer cooler temps than that on a 1080, just a little, but adjusting and settling might bring them down a bit if you’re open to it, not everyone’s that extreme hehe.
Moto