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Best-Effort Service Policy

StarshadeRETRO provides only an informal non-legally binding warranty-like service on select products under a best-effort service policy (BESP). No legally binding warranty service is currently provided.

The following covered products are considered preassembled devices under the BESP:

The following covered products are considered kits under the BESP:

The following covered products are considered modded devices under the BESP:

The products above are covered by the BESP even if they were purchased before the policy was offered. That is to say, these terms are retroactive and the previous sales of these products, with which no warranty service of any kind was offered, are covered under these new terms.

FAQ

Why is there no formal/legally binding limited warranty? / Why only provide a promise of best-effort service?

  • This store is very new, run by a single person as a hobby, and personally funded. Most, if not all, of the money that is made from it is used to fund the same or similar projects. Most of the money is made off of the sales of a single product. As such, at this time, offering a formal warranty is too great of a risk to be able to realistically do. For instance, if a flaw was found that existed in every one of those products sold, it would not be financially possible to repair/replace all of them. If the store grows or becomes my full-time job, then I will shift to offering a real warranty. When/if this happens, just like the BESP, it will be retroactive. Overall, regardless of that, my goal is that by batch 4 or 5 I hope to at least offer a legally binding limited warranty on preassembled OSCRs.

If there is no "real" (legally binding) warranty service, why should I or anyone else buy from you?

  • It's a fair question. All I can say is I don't know of any other sellers offering a warranty of any kind other than the product not being DOA. If you bought parts from Aliexpress, which is the only other alternative to buying preassembled devices or kits, you'd effectively have no warranty anyway. Oftentimes I can't even get refunds for DOA products obtained from Aliexpress. If you prefer, you can treat a purchase as showing support/making a donation instead of buying a product, much like many people do with their favorite content creators.

Best-Effort Service Policy (BESP)

What does this best-effort service policy typically cover?

  • Kits:
    • Defects in components other than the PCB.
    • Manufacturing defects in the PCB.
      • Design defects are not covered.
  • Preassembled devices:
    • Defects in components other than the PCB.
      • (Because preassembled devices are fully tested before shipping, any covered manufacturing defects in the PCB would have been discovered during that process.)
    • Defects in assembly.
  • Modded devices:
    • Defects in assembly/installation.
    • Defects in non-OEM components.
    • Defects in OEM components.

What will be done to correct problems under this policy?

  • Preassembled devices:
    • I will repair the device and replace components as needed.
    • If the component with the issue can be changed without soldering, such as the display module, I may offer to send you the replacement part without you having to ship anything or to only send the specific part with the issue to help save on shipping costs. This will only be offered when no soldering is required to remove the part.
  • Kits:
    • I will provide replacement components as needed.
  • Modded devices:
    • I will repair the device and replace components as needed.

How long does the coverage last?

  • Preassembled devices:
    • One (1) year from the date of delivery.
  • Kits:
    • Six (6) months from the date of delivery.
  • Modded devices:
    • Non-OEM components added by StarshadeRETRO and the installation of those components:
      • Made by StarshadeRETRO, or if no manufacturer is listed (including the Pico):
        • One (1) year from the date of delivery.
      • Made by a third party, such as Laser Bear, RetroSix, etc:
        • Six (6) months from the date of delivery.
    • Components that were part of the original system, including any additional OEM accessories such as controllers, power adapters, etc:
      • Optical drives: Three (3) months from the date of delivery.
      • All other components: Six (6) months from the date of delivery.

What will never be covered under this service?

  • All devices:
    • Physical damage that was not caused during the initial shipment to you.
    • Any damage caused by improper use or accident.
    • Unauthorized repair which results in damage to the device.
      • This section is to differentiate from authorized repair, which is any repair done at my instruction. That is to say, if I tell you to attempt something that ends up further damaging the device, that additional damage will be covered. If some random person tells you to do something to try to repair the device or attempts to repair it themselves and that attempt causes further damage then that additional damage will not be covered. This section is not here to stop you from repairing your own device.
    • Any damage caused to other connected devices, such as controllers, adapters, cartridges, etc that were not included with the original device (unless that device was also purchased from this store).
      • This is because the products listed on this site are for use with technology that is, at its newest, 20+ years old. This creates two main issues. First, it's often difficult to figure out exactly what caused a device that old to fail. Second, some/many devices are worth orders of magnitude more than the product they are being used with, making the coverage of those products unreasonable.
  • OSCR:
    • Revisions to the PCB
      • Meaning that a new revision does not entitle you to warranty service, even if that revision was to fix an issue. This is a community project and the PCBs were designed by amateurs/hobbyists. Flaws are normal/expected.
      • If a major flaw is found, service may still be offered, but in general it shouldn't be expected.
  • Kits:
    • Damage caused during installation/assembly, such as but not limited to melted plastic, stripped screws, heat-damaged components, etc.

Who pays for shipping?

  • All devices:
    • You always pay to ship your device in for service.
    • Received by you within the last 30 days: I will usually pay for shipping the device back to you. The only exception is for shipments outside the continental United States, in which case you must always pay for shipping.
    • Received by you more than 30 days ago: You must prepay for the shipping back to you.

If the time has elapsed or the issue was something I caused, is there some way to still get service or replacement?

  • Preassembled & modded devices:
    • Repairs can usually be made. You will need to pay for the cost of the time spent on troubleshooting/performing the repair and/or the cost of any components, as needed.
  • Kits:
    • Replacement components may be available. You will need to pay for the cost of the time spent on troubleshooting/performing the repair and/or the cost of any components, as needed.
    • For instance, if you melted a component, you could pay for a new one to be sent to you if one is in stock.

How do I request service?

  • Use the contact form or send an email. You can also contact me on Discord. Try to provide as much information as possible.

First offered: 2024-01-17
Last updated: Never