"I'm never shopping THERE again!" Share your story!

[Reika]

This originally started in the personal mysteries thread.

The ac-dc wall charger for my tablet disappeared. After a couple of days, mom finally fessed up to throwing out "a weird looking wire". So I tried all sorts of places, including Radio Shack, to get a replacement. No luck. I finally get in touch with the manufacturer over the phone (they never responded to my emails) and they tell me to mail a check or money order with a written request for a wall charger. No, they don't take orders over their website.

So over three weeks ago I mail my order with a personal check. I gave it a little time due to the upcoming holidays, but they couldn't give me any updates when I called last week.

Yesterday there's a voicemail from them saying "We don't accept personal checks, only money orders or cashier's checks."

I'm still trying to calm down before calling them back to say nevermind.

So I'm never buying another item from Craig Electronics again.

[Luci]

This originally started in the personal mysteries thread.

The ac-dc wall charger for my tablet disappeared. After a couple of days, mom finally fessed up to throwing out "a weird looking wire". So I tried all sorts of places, including Radio Shack, to get a replacement. No luck. I finally get in touch with the manufacturer over the phone (they never responded to my emails) and they tell me to mail a check or money order with a written request for a wall charger. No, they don't take orders over their website.

So over three weeks ago I mail my order with a personal check. I gave it a little time due to the upcoming holidays, but they couldn't give me any updates when I called last week.

Yesterday there's a voicemail from them saying "We don't accept personal checks, only money orders or cashier's checks."

I'm still trying to calm down before calling them back to say nevermind.

So I'm never buying another item from Craig Electronics again.

Breath deeply. Go to your happy place. Remember we all understand and sympathize.

And thanks for the tip.

[Reika]

Breath deeply. Go to your happy place. Remember we all understand and sympathize.

And thanks for the tip.

I'll be doing better tomorrow when the new one I got through Newegg arrives.

[magician5]

I found a charger for my "antique" electronic keyboard this way - bet you could find one this way too:

Google "charger [name/model of your tablet]" - it was just that easy, and cheap.

[Reika]

I found a charger for my "antique" electronic keyboard this way - bet you could find one this way too:

Google "charger [name/model of your tablet]" - it was just that easy, and cheap.

Tried that, no luck. Thank you, though.

[laud_shy_girl]

Can you use a Universal Adapter?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Universal-Adaptor-Converter-Variable-Voltage/dp/B004PZ3LC0

[Wulfie]

Not sure what model you have but when I searched Amazon, they had a couple of wall chargers for Craig tablet computers.

[Reika]

I've tried universal adapators and they didn't work. The ones I found on Amazon weren't for my model and Craig's customer service couldn't tell me if one for another model would work or not. Believe me, I went crazy trying to find a charger that would fit and work.

[Diane AKA Traska]

If you know the charging requirements (usually it will be something like "Output: 5V ---- 1A"), then you can search for the exact power requirements.  As long as the charger you buy has the proper connection, and has the exact power output you need, you'll be set.

[ica171]

If you know the charging requirements (usually it will be something like "Output: 5V ---- 1A"), then you can search for the exact power requirements.  As long as the charger you buy has the proper connection, and has the exact power output you need, you'll be set.

Or a lower output. We're having this problem with our Kindle Fire--Amazon's power adapters never last long and we need yet another new one. Our Fire is still under warranty so it should be free, but since they introduced the second generation Fire they don't make those chargers anymore--the second generation Fire comes with a mini USB cord and you have to buy a wall charger separately, which is "currently unavailable" from Amazon. They tried giving us a second generation Fire but I hated it, plus I thought it was stupid to replace a $200 tablet instead of a $20 charger. So they're sending a second refurbished charger (even though they assured me that they're all quality tested, the first refurbished one was so loose it literally fell out of the Fire) and I have to use my cell phone charger for now, which is half as powerful. It works, just much much more slowly. Not really a "never shopping there again" offense (yet), but I probably couldn't say that about Amazon anyway since we order so much stuff from them.

[Reika]

If you know the charging requirements (usually it will be something like "Output: 5V ---- 1A"), then you can search for the exact power requirements.  As long as the charger you buy has the proper connection, and has the exact power output you need, you'll be set.

I tried that, I really did, but the blasted thing wouldn't charge with the charger that wasn't made by the company. I tried 3-4 different chargers (once I found ones that would actually fit). And unlike any other device I've dealt with (including mom's cheapo smart phone), it won't charge off the computer.

[Diane AKA Traska]

If you know the charging requirements (usually it will be something like "Output: 5V ---- 1A"), then you can search for the exact power requirements.  As long as the charger you buy has the proper connection, and has the exact power output you need, you'll be set.

I tried that, I really did, but the blasted thing wouldn't charge with the charger that wasn't made by the company. I tried 3-4 different chargers (once I found ones that would actually fit). And unlike any other device I've dealt with (including mom's cheapo smart phone), it won't charge off the computer.

Yeeeah, that's definitely a deal breaker for me.  If the company goes out of business, I have a plastic brick.  NUH UH.

[ladyknight1]

I have a Belkin surge suppressor with both regular plugs and usb outlets on it. I use it to charge all of my devices. It is less than $12. I have had mine for nearly two years and use it all the time. We love it so much we bought another for DH and DS.

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Mini-Surge-Protector-Charger/dp/B0015DYMVO

[JenJay]

That's crazy, Reika. No wonder you're frustrated!! My DD's Nook Color charging cable broke after just 4 months and of course it's just slightly different from allll the many other micro USB chargers we have. The replacements are $20 and the reviews are full of people complaining how easily they break. Meanwhile my Kindle charger is still like new after 3 years and even if it broke all the standard chargers fit it just fine. Ten points for Kindle!

[Reika]

That's crazy, Reika. No wonder you're frustrated!! My DD's Nook Color charging cable broke after just 4 months and of course it's just slightly different from allll the many other micro USB chargers we have. The replacements are $20 and the reviews are full of people complaining how easily they break. Meanwhile my Kindle charger is still like new after 3 years and even if it broke all the standard chargers fit it just fine. Ten points for Kindle!

Have a Kindle 3G, I love it and hope it lasts my lifetime, including the original charger which just says "bring it!"

I would have gotten a Fire, but for some reason I didn't like it anywhere near as much as the 3G, so wanted to get something different. I did like my cheapo tablet, but the charger thing has driven me insane for almost a month now. A coworker even brought in his box'o'chargers. That's where I found some random ones that fit, were the same power output and it didn't power up.

Whenever I hook the blasted thing up to a USB cable of some sort (it has both regular and micro), and it turned on and off reproachfully that it didn't have power so couldn't connect to the omputer. While I had it hooked up to a usb charger in the darn wall outlet.

So I basically have a plastic brick, but one I don't dare get rid of because it does have some of my info on it and with my luck whatever scavenger found it would have a charger that would work.

However Newegg is my best friend and I got a replacement that was superior, but the same price thanks to the Holiday Whacky Season specials. And free shipping.

Unfortunately, it's being shipped by one of the banes of my existence: UPS.