Complaint Review: Thomson Consumer Electronics

I purchased an RCA DVD player 12/14/01. On 4/3/02 it quit working. 21 days after the 90 day full warranty. I called the 800 number in the manual only to find that to talk to a live person I had to call a non-800(toll)number. 1-317-415-4973. After going through the "whole deal" explaining the problem, and doing what they suggested to do, the unit still didn't function. I was told to hang on and they would get right back to me. she came back and informed me that the player did indeed need repair! They said I would have to pay for labor as it was past 90 days. I said how much? She said please hold. After a couple of minutes, she came back and said "I'll need your credit card information". I said yeah but how much? She says $116! I said your nuts! I only paid $179 to begin with! I told her that adding 179 and 116 would make this a $295 DVD player which it ain't! I told her that for that $116 and about $30 or $40 more I could buy a brand new unit, and it sure as hell wouldn't be an RCA! She says please hold I'll be right back. After a couple minutes she comes back and says "how about $69.95?" Now I start to wonder what's up with this? I say I don't think so, let me talk to someone else. She says please hold. After about 5 minutes I hang up! Like an idiot I call again and get a different customer "service" operator. After going through the "whole deal" again, this person suggests using a lens cleaner. I said I doubt that it's a dusty lens but I'll try it BUT, what if it doesn't work? He says just a minute please. He comes back and says it will be $116 labor! I say GOODBYE! I was on the phone a total of about 40 ($$)minutes! I came across a similar complaint on the RCA web site listed under "Thomson Consumer Electronics-Rip Off" and found you e-mail address, which brings me to this point.

Richard
Delavan, Wisconsin