[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Kim Jisun] Amid persistent consumer complaints about home appliance brand Dyson's AS (follow-up management), Dyson issued an official apology and said it would strengthen its AS policy.

Rob Webster Dyson, general representative of the Asia-Pacific region, said in a statement on the 22nd, "We deeply apologize to our customers for their inconvenience in the process of repairing the product." "We will do our best to devote ourselves to customers who use the product, and as part of that, we will try to solve all the repair problems that are currently being delayed by the end of November," he promised.

According to the Korea Consumer Federation, the number of Dyson-related complaints filed at the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center until last month this year was 864, up 66.8% from the same period last year (518 cases). According to the analysis of 864 cases, AS-related reports accounted for 538 cases (62.3%).

According to the report, A, who purchased a Dyson hair dryer for 700,000 won last year, had an operation problem after using the product for eight months and paid 50,000 won to replace it before leaving it for repair. A month later, I asked Dyson, but the answer was that I did not know how long it would take, and there was no contact until five months later. When asked again, Dyson said that the AS policy had changed and that it would be replaced with a refurbished product that increased by KRW 90,000 or offer a 30% discount if the same new product is purchased.

B, who purchased Dyson AirLab for 580,000 won in 2021, asked for AS due to product failure in February 2023. B was told to wait for 4 months to replace it with a refurbished product. However, eight months later, Dyson announced a change in internal regulations and announced that the refurbished replacement had been discontinued, and that it would give a 30% discount coupon for purchasing new products.

The Korea Consumer Federation pointed out that Dyson's repair period was extended due to poor supply and demand of parts, and that it actually induced repurchase by offering discount coupons, citing the unilaterally changed AS policy after keeping consumers waiting for more than months.

In this regard, Dyson will proceed with free repair, new product exchange, or refund within the warranty period if it is not the customer's fault. It also plans to reduce the cost of repairing hair care products for up to two years after the warranty period.

 

[ⓒ AlphaBIZ. 무단전재-재배포 금지]