Faulty Components Sold and Bad Aftersales Service

On 18 May 2021 I purchased from Matrix Computer Warehouse, Centurion Mall, three desktop computer components as per Invoice Number: ***8 MSI M510M-A PRO LGA 1200 motherboard Intel Core I5-11400 2.6 GHZ CPU Arktek Memory 16GB DDR 2666MHZ DES During the payment process, before I took delivery of the items the sales person removed both the motherboard and CPU from their respective packaging and attempted to fit the CPU to the motherboard. I was in the process of paying and did not immediately see that she was trying to fit the CPU to the motherboard. I looked around and saw what she doing and told her that I would assemble the PC myself. She responded, but I did not catch her full response, however she mentioned something about the CPU pins. From my online research and my understanding of the Consumer Protection legislation the seller is supposed to provide the purchasing client with a product that is in a sealed container. In this case it did not happen. The sales person was not authorised to attempt to assemble the motherboard and should also have provided it to me in sealed unopened packaging. I am Microsoft A+ qualified and therefore prefer to do all my own computer assembly since I then take full responsibility of my work performed. I did not authorise nor request anyone to assemble or attempt to assemble the components ~ in fact I had not even purchased a computer case into which the components could be assembled. She then replaced everything into their packaging and handed everything to me. I had purchased a tower case from another supplier. I went home to assemble the computer and took care to examine the CPU pins, however there are no pins on the CPU but in the CPU socket there are pins. I did not examine the pins, but simply fitted the CPU and all the other components. Whilst assembling the PC there was no M2 ***** or riser in the motherboard box, despite the fact that the motherboard manual mentions that they are included in the box. I had to provide my own. When I returned to Matrix Computer Warehouse to purchase other items, I advised the staff that there was no M2 ***** or riser in the motherboard box. Their response was that the items should have been in the box. The computer case I had did not have a DVD RW so I purchased an external DVD RW on 21 December 2021 from Takealot and I took delivery of the device on 28 December 2021. In the interim I returned to Matrix Computer Warehouse and purchased a Series 2 “Premium Sun” model C220BS Computer Case. At the time of purchase, I was informed that the case included a 450-watt PSU. At home upon opening the box I found only a 400-watt PSU. On or about 7 January 2022 I attached the external DVD RW to one of the USB ports. Just as I plugged the external DVD RW into the USB port, I suddenly saw a flash, then the PC died. I removed the DVD RW from the USB port and tried to switch the PC on again thinking that only the DVD RW was damaged. The PC would not switch on. I opened the case and inspected the PC in the hope of discovering the cause of not switching on. I did not see any obvious damage to the motherboard and then started exploring other causes. The PSU seemed to be faulty upon testing it I found it to be in order. I was able to power up the motherboard and the EZ Debug LED lit up but remained red to indicate that the CPU was faulty. I then decided that since I would need to remove the components one by one to perform further diagnoses, I should just as well assemble it in the “Premium Sun” case. I disconnected all power cables and peripheral cables and removed the motherboard intact with CPU and M2 SSD in place. Once assembled in the new case I found that the PC still failed to power up. I took it to Matrix Computer Warehouse ~ Centurion Mall ~ on 10 January 2022, knowing that the components are under warranty. When I handed the PC in and explained what my problem was the sales person ~ who incidentally was the same person who handled the sale and attempted to assemble the PC motherboard at the time of purchase ~ removed all the components such as the SSD and SSD M2 and memory chip. She then immediately removed the CPU and started to examine the CPU socket. She then mentioned bent CPU pins. On the same day I reminded the sales staff at Matrix Computer Warehouse that I had purchased the “Premium Sun” Computer Case and informed them that the case did not contain a 450-watt PSU; their simply response was to inform me that in their experience all such cases had a 450-watt PSU. One of the other sales persons gave me a receipt for the PC and said they conduct further tests to determine the cause of the PC failure. On Friday 14 January 2022 Matrix Computer Warehouse phoned me to say that they did not have a motherboard available to test the CPU and they had sent it to Benoni for further tests. From what I was informed by sales staff at Matrix Computer Warehouse I was left with the impression that the CPU was possibly damaged. On 18 January 2022 I was informed by Matrix Computer Warehouse that the PC was available for collection, but “Warranty void due to bent pins” However, when I collected the PC from Matrix Computer Warehouse the case and components were on a shelf in the shop, but the motherboard was not with it, it was still in its wrapping and had not been booked in since “it was received during the past half an hour.” I was left with the impression that the CPU was suspect; yet when I returned to the store it was apparent that the motherboard was being tested at their head office. For this reason I verbally informed the person who handed the computer back to me that I was unhappy with the outcome of the determination as to what was wrong with the PC. She telephoned her head office and spoke with a person who said that I was free to log a complaint in writing via email. The motherboard, wrapped in bubble wrap, was returned to me. The PC case with all the other components was handed to me. I placed the motherboard inside the case and carried it out of the store. Since I wanted to first deal with Matrix Computer Warehouse via the complaints process and I did not want to lose any of the components, once at home I reassembled the PC into the case. I found that the CPU had not been securely wrapped but had been lumped into the CPU box ~ unwrapped ~ with only three of the motherboard *****s and the RAM module was also not wrapped. The staff handled my PC components with utter disdain and no regard for the possible damage their careless behaviour could cause. Furthermore, there were only three *****s in the box despite the motherboard having been secured with at least 6 *****s. I’m am now totally confused as to what exactly is damaged since I was informed that the CPU pins were faulty, this led me to believe that the CPU is faulty. On returning to Matrix Computer Warehouse to collect my PC I was informed that the motherboard is faulty. Can I be sure that by replacing the motherboard I will have no further problems with the PC? Plus, the manner in which both the CPU and the RAM chip also makes me doubt that they are in working order. If the CPU was not damaged why was it not wrapped in such a manner as to retain its integrity, likewise the RAM chip. I feel aggrieved that the warranty had been voided due to no cause of my own. Firstly, the salesperson had neither reason or authorisation from me to assemble the CPU on the motherboard since I bought computer components and not buy a “to be assembled” PC from Matrix Computer Warehouse, and more importantly I was not informed by any sales person that they would attempt to assemble the PC. In any event who would assemble computer motherboard and components without a PC case in which to place it? Especially since the sales person was not authorised to assemble the PC instore, I cannot take responsibility for the PC having bent pins. Plus, the fact that at the time of purchase when she attempted to assemble the motherboard and CPU, she made mention of a problem with the pins this raises the question how she knew there was a problem with the pins. If indeed there was a problem with the pins, why was I not immediately given another motherboard and why was I not expressly informed of damage to pins. In the circumstances I believe that I was sold a faulty motherboard from the outset. In other words, a motherboard with latent defects, of which I was not made aware. I bought and paid for a new motherboard and should have been given a new motherboard without any defects. I did not purchased a cheap set of PC components or second hand components. The fact that there was no M2 ***** or riser in the box is further reason for me to believe that the motherboard had been previously opened and rejected by another purchaser and then sold to me in the hope that I wouldn’t realise there were problems. In view of the aforementioned I feel that regardless of the fact that “WARRANTY VOID DUE TO BENT PINS AS PER TVR” Matrix Computer Warehouse should as matter of good business practise replace the motherboard which I believe was damaged through no fault of mine. I have followed the complaints procedure as described to me by submitting an email to Matrix Computer Warehouse on 23 January 2022. Nine (9) working days have lapsed since then and I have neither received acknowledgement of receipt of my complaint nor any response to my complaint.