TiVo

On 23 October 2023 I purchased a Tivo Edge for Cable DVR and life-time subscription online from Tivo sales (order #AS000415816). After a price-matching discount, the cost came to about $400.

Both the DVR and subscription came with an advertised 30-day money back guarantee. On 31 October I phoned Tivo sales support to say my Tivo box would not work properly. After numerous attempts by the support person to correct the problem, she offered to send me a replacement box at no extra cost. No mention was made as to how a replacement might affect the 30-day money back policy.

Around 6 November a brand-new Tivo DVR arrived. However, it also did not function properly. I spent hours on the telephone with support staff at both Tivo and Comcast (my cable provider). The issue was not resolved.

Finally, and still within the 30-day refund window, I telephoned Tivo sales support and requested a full refund, under their 30-day money-back guarantee, for the DVR and the life-time subscription, approximately $400. They refused. They refused again when I called on 13 November with the same request, still within the 30-day refund window from the original purchase. They claimed that this clause in my user agreement voids the 30-day money back guarantee: Only initial activations of the TiVo Service Subscription are eligible for this offer (i.e.

... hardware replacements are not eligible). [emphasis added] This is not a credible excuse for many reasons. First, the 30-day money back guarantee is prominently displayed in all of their product advertising.

Their Tivo Edge product web page even states, Rest assured with our 30-day money-back guarantee. Nowhere in all the promotional mentioning of the 30-day money back guarantee do they also mention any restrictions or caveats. In addition, both the first and second DVRs came with printed Tivo Edge User Guides which boldly state: PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR DEVICE TO THE RETAILER. Having challenges with your TiVo EDGE?

Dont sweat it! Take advantage of our 30-day money-back guarantee... We can work together to make sure your TiVo story has a happy ending. [emphasis added] Second, it was Tivo staff that offered to replace my first DVR; I did not request it.

Nor did they say anything about a replacement voiding the 30-day return policy. Naturally I was operating under the assumption that we were dealing with the first, original purchase of 23 October and its 30-day money back guarantee. Third, the second, so-called replacement, DVR included a printed reference to the 30-day money back guarantee. This is totally inconsistent with the user agreements supposed exclusion clause.

Fourth, the referenced user agreement clause supposedly voiding the 30-day money back guarantee is both ambiguous and irrelevant. I was dealing with a new product, not a hardware replacement. The new DVR I purchase on 23 October did not work so they sent me another new DVR. They may have referred to the transaction as a replacement but that does not make it so.

Its ludicrous for Tivo to suggest that this is other than a one-time purchase of a new product to which the 30-day money back guarantee applies.

Tivos advertising of a 30-day money back guarantee is disingenuous and misleading at best and bordering on fraud at worst. I want my $400 money back guarantee refund.

It is hard for me to believe what I have been told by Customer Support.

I bought a TIVO Edge and had no problem setting it up and connecting using only the cable

provided by our internet provider and Linksys wireless router.

I bought the TIVO Mini Lux and cannot set it up using only the internet cable and router and was told that I need to buy a wireless adapter to make the Mini function wirelessly. Cost: $70.00.

Your TiVo Order # AS000267581

This seems really odd to me. It has been 10 years since I purchased a TIVO Bolt and Mini which were both set up in our Pennsylvania home using only the wireless router and internet cable without having to buy an adapter.

Am I to believe that some 10 years later with all the technical improvements TIVO has made that their latest Mini is not ready for wireless without an adapter?

By the way, I am sending to this email address because I could not find any other address that seems set up for customer issues.

Joe Ford