This does not affect me as I have happily owned my P3P since May. But this new policy that DJI will not warranty drones bought from unauthorized dealers is very poor form. They are not the only company trying to maintain retail prices but they are the only ones I know who will not honor their warranty provided it is all original parts and has not been tampered with.  You can tell people of the benefits of buying from authorized dealers and offer longer or more extensive warranty services. This is just not a good statement about the company.

People have a right to search for the best deal they can get and decide whether the lower price is worth buying from an unauthorized dealer. Let the authorized dealers offer better service and added value if they want the higher price. DJI still does not seem to get the fact that it is doing business in the US. To reject the warranty of your own product due to the free market purchasing decision of the consumer should leave a very poor taste in the mouth of DJI customers.

Whether I buy a $2,000 Apple computer or a $20,000 Rolex Watch, these companies know how unseemly it would be not to honor their warranties. Do what they do. Limit your distribution, control gray marketing of your products, offer more for buying from an authorized dealer, provide expedited service but do not punish consumers for making a free market pocketbook decision.

As Mamy said in "Gone With The Wind", "it ain't fittin'. It just ain't fittn'.

Skipilot1 my question to you is will Apple and Rolex cover those products purchased through grey market channels?

Tahoe_Ed Posted at 2016-8-2 07:57
Skipilot1 my question to you is will Apple and Rolex cover those products purchased through grey mar ...

If they are not counterfeit, then they should honour the warranty. If they are the genuine article, then it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to provide a warranty on their products.

At the first place why will there be even a Grey Market? Where these sellers got the DJI products and if they are not counterfeit?

Why will there be even a Gary Market to start with? Where these sellers got these legit  DJI products from?

So, since a lot of us buy these on Amazon. Which I did as a Prime purchase, fulfilled and shipped by Amazon. It wouldn't be covered if I buy one as of today, through Amazon?? There are some online sellers on Amazon that are listed on the DJI site as authorized, but most customers are not going to look into this issue that deeply on a Prime purchase with Amazon.
Here's the email for any that didn't see it.

        

Dear DJI Creators, To provide you with ever better service, DJI will now only provide  warranty services for products purchased from Authorized Resellers.  Products purchased from unauthorized Resellers are not subject to  warranty services. This rule takes effect today. Customers who have already bought DJI products will not be affected. Before buying a DJI product, visit the official DJI website to find an authorized DJI dealer where you can make your purchase. When applying for a warranty service, the sales invoice of the product requiring warranty repair must be provided. North America aftersales services contact email: support.us@dji.com Best regards, DJI

   

Tahoe_Ed Posted at 2016-8-2 05:57
Skipilot1 my question to you is will Apple and Rolex cover those products purchased through grey mar ...

If it is their genuine product then they will honor their warranties worldwide. Grey market does not mean it is not a genuine product. Consumers have to be assured that the factory warranty will apply if it carries the DJI name. If something enters the Grey Market then it was sold by DJI to another party who bypassed the normal distribution channel for this country, but it is not illegal and the consumer who was not researched the background of the seller should not be penalized by buying a genuine DJI product where DJI made some profit in the first sale but now ignores its own product. Ultimately it was DJI who put the item into the stream of commerce. Either the DJI name stands for something or it doesn't no matter who sold it to the consumer. This can only harm the DJI name. Since every drone has a unique number, DJI should be able to trace who they sold it to and if the item ended up in the Grey Market, then they need to stop selling to that buyer. That is what Rolex did. Years ago you could find plenty of unauthorized sellers discounting from 25 to 30 percent off of retail. It took time but they shut it down which is why it is now difficult to find the product for more than 10 per cent off.

As I said before, if being an authorized dealer is important to DJI, then the authorized retailer should have some value added to the product to justify purchasing from them. That can mean expedited service, a longer warranty on the gimbal or batteries, registration in a database that would allow discounts on add-on products or any number of other creative ideas.

I had a large jewelry business. I was an authorized dealer for Rolex and Seiko watches and a lot of brands in between the two. As a mass marketer of a product that sold for much less, Seiko was not aggressive with its Grey Marketing problem. However, as an authorized retailer, I could offer a longer warranty, expedited service and discounted batteries for the life of the product. The solution was to add value so the consumer would want to buy it from me and not punish the consumer. No matter where the Rolex or Seiko was purchased in the world, the factory warranty was honored. If they did not buy it from me, then there was a handling charge added.

Companies like DJI that want to become a household name simply cannot afford not to honor a warranty on product that carries their name. They only cheapen their own product and drive people away. This is not a smart marketing idea.

wmcvey Posted at 2016-8-2 08:54
So, since a lot of us buy these on Amazon. Which I did as a Prime purchase, fulfilled and shipped by ...

My reading of this email is that even if you buy it from Amazon, unless you did the research and find out if they are authorized, you will have no warranty. DJI says that this is in order to provide you with better service. SERIOUSLY??

Geebax Posted at 2016-8-2 07:55
If they are not counterfeit, then they should honour the warranty. If they are the genuine article, ...

I am wracking my brain and trying to come up with a manufacturer of any product who will not honor a factory warranty based on where it is purchased.

skipilot1 Posted at 2016-8-2 11:09
I am wracking my brain and trying to come up with a manufacturer of any product who will not honor ...

I received the same email from DJI and my first reaction was that it was badly thought out and would most likely anger those who read it. DJI does not do itself any favours by making these rules.

At the opposite end of the scale, I make small items that I guarantee for life, because my view is that no matter where you bought it from, it should be high quality manufacture and it should not fail in operation.

So, I can buy a P4 from an authorized dealer, own it for a day, decide I don't want it, sell it on ebay, and now DJI won't warranty it for the new owner?

via Imgflip Meme Generator

It can't be legal for them to NOT honour a warranty for a legitimate product of theirs - no matter where you've bought it. I guess they'll throw it back to the re-seller and its their liability to fix or replace within the terms of the local market ?

I purchased my P3P from a dealer on Amazon in April. I researched the DJI website prior to purchase and found SEVERAL dealers on Amazon were authorized DJI retailers. From the perspective of buying a new, unopened aircraft, it is not difficult to meet this requirement on Amazon (even with a Prime purchase).

As far as a resale from one user to another, I submit this scenario --> If I buy any car from a private citizen and that car meets the requirement (less than 4 years, less than 50000 miles) it is still under manufacturers warranty. The product should be warranted if it meets DJIs mechanical requirements (no pilot error, crash...I'm sure you get the point.)

skipilot1 Posted at 2016-8-2 09:09
I am wracking my brain and trying to come up with a manufacturer of any product who will not honor ...

There's a lot!  I sell a LOT on eBay, and many many manufacturers will not honor the warranty because I am not an authorized dealer.  Many manufacturers don't care.

Hopefully, a DJI member will chime in here, but I have been told in the past (DJI telephone support) that the DJI warranty extends from the first owner to the second owner.  So

1.  Is that true?  Is the DJI one-year warranty transferable?
2.  Wouldn't that warranty in some way transfer from an "unauthorized dealer" to his buyer?

(Disclaimer:  I do not sell DJI Phantoms on eBay.  I'm even afraid to sell my used P2V+ or my P3P on eBay because I can see the new owner crashing it and filing a PayPal claim for a "faulty product".)

Baldo81 Posted at 2016-8-2 18:56
It's completely against the EU law!
DJI has to honour the warranty during 1 year at least (in some  ...

And that's why it says ... For customers in North America, please note: DJI products purchased after July 18th, 2016 are covered under warranty only if they are purchased from DJI authorized dealears.

If you are in Europe/Australia/Asia etc this does not apply

Flipperman Posted at 2016-8-2 16:28
It can't be legal for them to NOT honour a warranty for a legitimate product of theirs - no matter w ...

It is legal in the US provided they give notice. In order to meet that requirement they would need to put a very large and clear notice on the box.

My point in this thread is not to argue all the fine points. It just surprises me that for all all the talk of DJI improving its service and becoming a world class organization, they send out an email telling us that they are doing this in order to provide us with better service.

These are not cheap products. If they want to protect their authorized resellers then they need to crack down on who they sell their product to and not put the burden on the consumer.

dkruseski Posted at 2016-8-2 00:18
So, I can buy a P4 from an authorized dealer, own it for a day, decide I don't want it, sell it on e ...

That's actually not out of the norm, a lot of warranties only cover the original purchaser. And not if you buy something used from ebay or wherever. Some do, but some don't.

Baldo81 Posted at 2016-8-2 04:56
It's completely against the EU law!
DJI has to honour the warranty during 1 year at least (in some  ...

That might be the case in the EU, but in the states I'm not sure there's any laws about a company having to give any set warranty. It could be from 30 days to forever, it's up to them what is offered. You could file a report with the BBB, which has no legal weight or file a complaint with some trade agency (forgot their name), but that would be a very long wait to get a response. I'm just glad at this point we are all grandfathered in, post 8/1/16

dak162 Posted at 2016-8-2 05:52
I purchased my P3P from a dealer on Amazon in April. I researched the DJI website prior to purchase  ...

I believe a auto is covered by a whole different set of laws, not a good comparison. A better comparison would be a vacuum cleaner, cell phone or a laptop. Would these all be covered when sold as used? Maybe not if you don't have the original receipt, and even if you did, it wouldn't have your name on it.

well I find this another move from DJI that doesn't sit well...I bought a Ronin and Phantom3..both were damaged in firmware updates or never worked properly in the first place..both had to be returned and were covered. Paying to fix bugs and software issues while being forced to beta test this stuff is quite frustrating. So if I get a new drone from Ebay and have to pay twice due to factory defects?

This is not fun or good business DJI, if your defective/returned products are flooding the market, then find some other way to deal with it... I can't see another Ronin purchase anytime soon but was looking at a phantom 4 or bigger..
Once again a company with products I really dig(love!!), showing me they can careless about my use of this gear in a production environment. Also using community as a beta test source make us liable for your bad practices. I had to cancel a number of Ronin shoots due to mostly software issues. That real $$ out of my pocket!!

labroides@yahoo Posted at 2016-8-2 08:05
And that's why it says ... For customers in North America, please note: DJI products purchased aft ...

And how will it be handled as dealers are either added or removed from the list of authorized as time passes. Are they going to look back at the exact time a dealing as added or removed for the list and compare it to the date on your receipt? Maybe a dealer could be grandfathered in also, and past sales would be covered if added to the approved list. This never even crossed my mind when I made the purchase of my Phantom.

Tahoe_Ed Posted at 2016-8-1 14:57
Skipilot1 my question to you is will Apple and Rolex cover those products purchased through grey mar ...

Tahoe I bought my DJI Phantom 3a from a local hobby shop. That had been around allot longer then DJI has but their not on the list? If I buy a Gm from a ford dealer and if there is any warranty on the GM left will still honor the warranty.
The market is starting to get more competitors you would think DJI would what to keep their customer happy, You still did sale a unit.  

kontact@cox.net Posted at 2016-8-2 14:42
Tahoe I bought my DJI Phantom 3a from a local hobby shop. That had been around allot longer then D ...

I agree with most of what you said, but your the second person that's comparing an auto sale with the sale of a drone made in China. That's not anywhere the same type of product, and there's many laws regarding the auto industry that other products don't have.

wmcvey Posted at 2016-8-2 14:12
I believe a auto is covered by a whole different set of laws, not a good comparison. A better comp ...

If the manufacturer has a specific warranty, they should cover the defective product. I've experienced this, oddly enough, with a vacuum. I bought a 2 month old Kirby vacuum from a neighbor years ago, the motor in the vacuum drew to much current (flaw during manufacturing) and Kirby replaced the vacuum motor, as a warranted repair. The vacuum had a 2 year manufacturers warranty. I contacted Kirby and delivered it to an authorized repair center. The manufacturer should honor THEIR warranty on the product they sell, provided the defect meets THEIR requirements.  

The red tape of registering a product with the manufacturer should guarantee warranty service during the warranty period despite the seller.

The reluctance to do this brings doubt into the quality and intentions of the company at hand.

My 2 cents only...

wmcvey Posted at 2016-8-3 02:04
That might be the case in the EU, but in the states I'm not sure there's any laws about a company h ...

The only Federal Laws that apply are for cars. However, the packaging must clearly state in prominent lettering and set off from language the terms of the warranty. In DJI's case, they might just have to list all of the authorized retailers so the consumer can check before they open or use the product.

Even if they violate this, who are you going to sue? DJI is in China. This is another way of them getting out of their responsibility. Many manufacturers will set up a US office to accept products for US distribution and decide who is and who is not an authorized dealer. However, that office would now be liable in US courts for any possible suits or other claims. Right now, the US has no jurisdiction over a Chinese company with no US agent.

dak162 Posted at 2016-8-2 12:58
If the manufacturer has a specific warranty, they should cover the defective product. I've experie ...

Well said!
IMO there is only one reason for this company to do this. And that is to reduce their liabilities! How can it possibly be of a benefit to the consumer as they are trying to tell us????
Sad, but I have to admit it doesn't surprise me!

While I may not agree with the move, it is 100% legal - and even suggested to protect brands - in the USA.
I suspect they are doing it for a few reasons.

1. Try to make their dealers happier.
2. Try to keep the price steadier (a non-dealer will gladly make $50 on a unit because they have little investment in the brand).

They are not doing it to try and screw customers! In fact, the opposite might be said since a protected and valuable brand and a profitable DJI and dealers are probably good for consumers.

BUT, the real world can sometimes work out differently than intentions. Only time will tell on that. I see two problems here for DJI....

1. Many customers will still buy 3rd party - and when these customer need support there could be fireworks unless DJI doesn't enforce their statement.
2. DJI has benefitted from EVERY sale and, in fact, pushes dealers and distributors to buy as many as possible (as any good sales dept. does). THIS is largely why there are so many 3rd party sellers. So, if the dealers nand distributors can't resell them in quantity they may not be able to order as many as they did before.

On the other hand, since most sales will be through authorized sources, their sales should pick up.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

skipilot1 Posted at 2016-8-2 15:05
The only Federal Laws that apply are for cars. However, the packaging must clearly state in promin ...

I don't think you are correct on these matters!

Firstly, DJI already has a vast US Infrastructure - everything from lobbyists to lawyers to a new 75 person technical office in Palo Alto. They have 100's of US Employees and conform to all US codes and laws as far as all the FCC and UL (or equiv.) stuff.
If what you said was correct - heck, why should they be spending many millions conforming to US and Canadian law?

I'm no lawyer (but my daughter is), but am fairly certain you could "sue" DJI in the USA for warranty, consumer, liability and any other matters. This would apply to both state and federal situations.

Of course, lawsuits are expensive. Lawyers don't work for free.
The best course of action for those who dislike a product or maker is...don't buy it!

Knowing our society, there are probably lawsuits in progress against DJI as we speak. That is just the way things are in the USA.

Oh, it should also be mentioned that DJI is not fully Chinese. They have taken large investments from Silicon Valley. Those VC's aren't stupid. They are part owners...so if DJI hurts, they hurt.

When you really think hard about it DJI has the same goals as any real leader in the technology field. That is, to satisfy as many consumers as possible. There is no business case for screwing people...

DJI does come on strong. It is a very top-down company and when the word is given, everyone jumps to the tune. They make decisions like this and implement them.

Whether that is good or bad will be told in the years to come. I suspect, given my previous business experience, that being decisive is often more important than the exact subject of the decision(s). That is, the worse thing a company can often do is nothing...

Frankly speaking, I believe it will be a non-issue. DJI has made it know that further purchases fall under this requirement and previous purchases are grandfathered. There are a number of authorized (US) retailers and it is not really difficult to find one, even on Amazon.

The product DJI sales in is in demand and will only improve (technologically speaking). I believe this will work out to be a net zero effect for sales and disgruntled customers...only time will tell.  

wmcvey Posted at 2016-8-2 11:53
I agree with most of what you said, but your the second person that's comparing an auto sale with  ...

Are they also going to be chancing the wording on the boxes. That if bought from a non- authorized deal warranty is void.  

wmcvey Posted at 2016-8-2 11:53
I agree with most of what you said, but your the second person that's comparing an auto sale with  ...

Really it was the first thing that came in mind.

dak162 Posted at 2016-8-3 07:26
Frankly speaking, I believe it will be a non-issue. DJI has made it know that further purchases fall ...

The only point I would add is that some people (like myself) wouldn't even think about if a seller on Amazon is authorized or not, I didn't. So if I was to make the exact same purchase today, and not being on these forums yet would have not been aware of this policy. I could have a unwarranted drone, which would be a very big issue to me if I thought it was covered.
Edit: Amazon does have a declaimer about the DJI warranty now.

kontact@cox.net Posted at 2016-8-4 12:57
Are they also going to be chancing the wording on the boxes. That if bought from a non- authorized ...

Agree, but unless they (DJI) issues thousands of labels to add to the existing stock of boxes in warehouses and stores, their's going to be many boxes without this wording. Also when people order from online vendors, and a lot do. You're not going to see the box till it arrives at you door, and how many online vendors are going to promote that this purchase will not be covered by a manufacture's warranty.

I just got my phantom yesterday- purchased on amazon - I have no clue if seller is a authorized dealer-
I did not even think this was a issue till reading this-
If my phantom is not covered under waririnty I can assure DJI that I will Never buy another product from DJI-
I almost did not buy a DJI product to begin with after reading about Poor customer service-
I own 6 motorcycles and the maker of my bikes has exellent customer service-
it's the main reason I purchased from them-lots of companies have gone out of business  because of
Poor customer service - GM  is a example- so DJI maybe you better rethink your policy's
and get your customer service timely and on the ball-

No need to make idle threats against DJI.   They have brought us amazing technology at super affordable prices.

And they probably will remain firmly in control of the consumer drone market.

Overall they do an amazing job.

Cessna172 Posted at 2016-8-5 03:35
No need to make idle threats against DJI.   They have brought us amazing technology at super afforda ...

The problem with being on top is that there is always someone looking to overtake you. As important as great technology and great pricing is building brand loyalty.

The Japanese understood this when they started bringing in small cars that gave minimal profits but built brand loyalty with good product, fair prices and good service. They built brand loyalty over several generations of buyers who now are older and have no problem buying high profit luxury vehicles solely because of brand loyalty.

This is really the crux of this issue. No company that prides itself on its brand would ever deny a consumer the benefit of a warranty because of where they bought it. They would take pride in their name and brand and make the customer happy.  

Will DJI still sell lots of great drones and make money? Of course they will but without brand loyalty, buyers will leave the moment they think there is something better out there. Give great service and show you are loyal to all your customers and they will pay you back. Show the benefits of buying from an authorized dealer and  folks will pay for it. There are a lot of products and services out there with premium prices and they prosper because of brand loyalty.

Having had several drones, I cannot say enough good things about my P3 either online or to friends, but if DJI tells me that I have to buy from a more expensive source without adding value to the purchase but will punish me instead if I don't, then I will look elsewhere first. Build loyalty and I will pay more for technology that may not be at the leading edge but I know is backed up by a company who cares about its customers.

You can say it is no big deal. A few people leave but DJI will still sell lots of drones. There is a saying that a company goes downhill one customer at a time. In the 1970s American car manufacturers and Swiss watch manufacturers could not foresee their own implosion as they lost business one customer at a time.

7fastman Posted at 2016-8-4 14:42
I just got my phantom yesterday- purchased on amazon - I have no clue if seller is a authorized dea ...

First off here's the link to the page to see if your seller is on the authorized list.
https://www.dji.com/where-to-buy

But from my reading the forums, this one and others. Their customer service is not bad at all. It might not be the best of the best, but it's far from the bottom. Yes some companies will cover anything no questions asked and bend over backwards to help you, their the best of the best. But just because a company is somewhere in the middle (average), doesn't mean it's bad customer service. IMO

7fastman Posted at 2016-8-5 02:42
I just got my phantom yesterday- purchased on amazon - I have no clue if seller is a authorized dea ...

Hi, I would suggest you check the seller on Amazon, if it's something sold by Amazon itself, it's fine. If it's sold by 3rd party seller, email or call them to ask if they're authorized seller and if they can produce any evidence, for example, you can ask the name and location of their business, and check here https://www.dji.com/where-to-buy

Or ask if they have any documents from DJI authorizing them to sell. If they don't respond or can't produce any evidence, I would suggest you return it. And if they refuse, contact Amazon and they'll support your claim.

Then you can buy one from your local Apple store or Bestbuy, or DJI.com, just to get peace of mind.

I'm very sorry about the inconvenience

If you live in UK or EU your covered.  They will be breaching EU laws if they do not fulfil warranty for genuine products.  DJI agree to these terms and conditions if they sell in the EU market place.  Once more the standard "1Year" does not apply to goods sold in the EU, We have whats called the "Sales Of Goods Act" which states that a product must be of satisfactory use for an realistic time frame according to its purchase price or application.  So for example, Apple offer a 1 year warranty on their goods, but in the EU they offer 3 years if you claim under sales of goods act.