Surefire XC1: Buyer beware

[Steaz]

I called their customer service at 3:57 PM eastern time yesterday (that's 11:57 AM their time in CA) and did the typical thing where it captures your number, you leave a brief message, and they are supposed to call you back.

I have not yet been called back. They had literally the entire afternoon of their work day yesterday, a non-holiday run of the mill Tuesday, and didn't return my call.

However, this morning I responded to an email from the specific CS guy I dealt with the first time, wherein I requested a brand new light, and soon...I got this back about an hour ago:


"Hi ___,

We will get another UPS label out to you within 24 hours. When your XC1 was in for inspection, the repair technician could not find a problem with it. I promise to replaced as soon as it arrives.

Thank you,
Steven ____
Technical Support Supervisor
..."



So, I was right. They did literally move it to a different box and ship it back to me in exactly the same condition it arrived. I don't know what they did with it to look for a problem...but probably not much because it's pretty easy to have it mess up just playing around for 1-2 minutes. And why did it take a month to get it back to me if all they did was look at it, think nothing was wrong, and send it right back?

Seriously, what the heck

[psalms144.1]

But, in the end, you're getting a replacement, so that's good news, right? Or are you going to ragequit Surefire as a brand?

I'm not a SF fanboi, but they do make some good products. I don't have an XC1 because the switch is unworkable in my humble opinion, but if the XC2 has a better switch, I might drop the coin for one...

[orionz06]

But, in the end, you're getting a replacement, so that's good news, right? Or are you going to ragequit Surefire as a brand?

I'm not a SF fanboi, but they do make some good products. I don't have an XC1 because the switch is unworkable in my humble opinion, but if the XC2 has a better switch, I might drop the coin for one...

Wait, there's an XC2 coming? Is this the version of the XC1 that incorporates feedback from actual users?


Sent from my Nokia 3310 using an owl

[JR1572]

Maybe streamlight will produce something similar for half the price.

JR1572

[Hambo]

But, in the end, you're getting a replacement, so that's good news, right? Or are you going to ragequit Surefire as a brand?

Rage quitting always gets their attention.

For me SF's CS has been a bit fucked up, but in the end they've always taken care of the issue, sometimes with bonus parts thrown in.

[Steaz]

But, in the end, you're getting a replacement, so that's good news, right? Or are you going to ragequit Surefire as a brand?

I'm not a SF fanboi, but they do make some good products. I don't have an XC1 because the switch is unworkable in my humble opinion, but if the XC2 has a better switch, I might drop the coin for one...

I don't know of any other major manufacturer, whose product I would have reason to (generally) trust, that makes a WML that small. I tried a TLR1 several years ago but sold it and the holster after trying to EDC it concealed for awhile. Granted the holster wasn't the best so maybe I could try again with a better holster, IDK

And what's this about an XC2. Will it cost twice as much? lol. I'll treat the new replacement the way I treat my Fenix lights for a bit and if it holds up the way it should I'll carry it.

Maybe streamlight will produce something similar for half the price.

JR1572

I keep hoping for that but whenever I look up their plastic/polymer frame lights there are way too many reviews of them simply breaking with use, and the others are noticeably larger

[CS Tactical]

I have a buddy going on 1 1/2 hours on hold with them right now

[CS Tactical]

[Josh Runkle]

I called their customer service at 3:57 PM eastern time yesterday (that's 11:57 AM their time in CA) and did the typical thing where it captures your number, you leave a brief message, and they are supposed to call you back.

I have not yet been called back. They had literally the entire afternoon of their work day yesterday, a non-holiday run of the mill Tuesday, and didn't return my call.

However, this morning I responded to an email from the specific CS guy I dealt with the first time, wherein I requested a brand new light, and soon...I got this back about an hour ago:


"Hi ___,

We will get another UPS label out to you within 24 hours. When your XC1 was in for inspection, the repair technician could not find a problem with it. I promise to replaced as soon as it arrives.

Thank you,
Steven ____
Technical Support Supervisor
..."



So, I was right. They did literally move it to a different box and ship it back to me in exactly the same condition it arrived. I don't know what they did with it to look for a problem...but probably not much because it's pretty easy to have it mess up just playing around for 1-2 minutes. And why did it take a month to get it back to me if all they did was look at it, think nothing was wrong, and send it right back?

Seriously, what the heck

I really doubt they'd play with your light for 20 minutes to find a problem.

Also, think about how many people still need to be asked by IT services if their computer is plugged in and switched on, when their device won't turn on. There are most likely a lot of people who swear the light won't turn on, but the batteries are dead, or placed incorrectly.

This doesn't seem like much of an issue to me, personally. You got a return message within a month, within a week...sounds like you got it within 24 hours. Sounds like they're gonna replace it for free.

It sounds to me like the customer service you're getting is actually pretty great.

[Steaz]

I really doubt they'd play with your light for 20 minutes to find a problem.

Also, think about how many people still need to be asked by IT services if their computer is plugged in and switched on, when their device won't turn on. There are most likely a lot of people who swear the light won't turn on, but the batteries are dead, or placed incorrectly.

This doesn't seem like much of an issue to me, personally. You got a return message within a month, within a week...sounds like you got it within 24 hours. Sounds like they're gonna replace it for free.

It sounds to me like the customer service you're getting is actually pretty great.

20 minutes? What?

1-2 minutes, tops. Like, literally, 60 to maybe 120 seconds, maximum.

Of course, I say that, but I have yet to make it 120 seconds without having it fail. I couldn't even go 60 seconds without failure after it was returned.

I sent them a video of the malfunction before they sent me the first return label as well.

I don't know how you can possibly say this is great customer service. It's a faulty product, that is VERY easy to test and see the fault in, with video showing what the fault is, and they take a month to throw it in a different box and send it back to me, so it can fail within 1 minute of taking it out of the box?

Are you under the influence of a mind altering substance?