magnetic camera mounts seem to have trouble holding the cameras in a fixed position without moving

[Hagasan41]

Sadly my first post here is about the lack of ANY kind of customer service I have received so far from multiple Netgear Specialists.  Long story short, I reached out to customer service regarding the magnetic mounts included with my Arlo Pro 4 pack camera system.  The magnetic camera mounts seem to have trouble holding the cameras in a fixed position without moving.  I was concerned about the possibility of the cameras falling and becoming damaged or becoming useless as a result of the viewing angle changing so I purchased the indoor/outdoor mounts to securly mount the cameras. The mounts seem to be weak and according to some members here unable to support the addiitonal weight of the Pro cameras.  It seems like I was not the only person to complain of the weak magnetic mounts, but I am unwilling to scuff the surface of the mounts or apply rubber strips to address the flaw.  

I first contacted Netgear on 12/10/16 and nearly a month later and several emails back and forth I still have no resolution.   As a note, I purchased a 2nd 4 camera pack system to give to my parents prior to the back and forth with Netgear Customer Service.  I also provided screen shots of my receipts to prove I was truly a loyal customer and simply wanted a working kit without spending more money to make it work.   

To this date they have not provided me with a solution. 

Still waiting Netgear...  

[mmoilio]

Hi.  I am hear to let you know Netgear is here to ignore you.  I had multiple problems with my arlo system, months of emails and calls to resolve the issue with Netgear online and staff here stateside, the guy that helped me stateside is a class act, Netgear is garbage.  After going through all of the hoops Netgear agreed to refund my money on the system.  They made me send it back with great urgency with the agreement that as soon as they received the unit they would mail me a check, that was 11.01.2016.  After calls, emails and excuses still no check.  I contacted my state attorney general and they are ignoring them too.  I am out the money and the unit.

[JamesC]

mmoilio,

I have reviewed your case and it appears it has been escalated and is currently being handled by the finance team. Please refer to your open support case for any additional updates.

Hagasan41,

I would like to offer assistance with this issue. Please provide the case number you have open with the support team and I will review your case and escalate as necessary.

JamesC

[mmoilio]

I received an email with the refund, but the amount was wrong on the low side, I emailed them with the correct and agreed upon amount.  Please see they check the email.

[Retired_Member]

Hagasan41,

     I found that, when mounting the mounts, if you screwed the screw too far in that it wouldn't latch and if you left the screw too far out that it wouldn't hold. I did, however, find that there's a nice sweet spot in the middle that holds the mount very firm and will totally support the weight of the cameras. Maybe you should play with it a bit.

That's my .02, anyway.

Thanks,

Dave

[Hagasan41]

Hi James,

My case number 27775494.  Again, I want to stress that the level of support every si gel Netgear representative has demonstrated thus far is unacceptable.  My issue has been bouncing around through several different specialists all asking the same information and offering nothing but scripted responses and apologies.   

I appreciate your quick response and any help you can provide. 

Thank you

[Hagasan41]

Thanks Dave but my issue is with the supplied magnetic mounts.  I mounted them fine they just didn't hold the cameras properly.  The indoor/outdoor mounts I purchased work properly, but I shouldn't need to spend an additional $60 dollars to ensure my cameras stay in position.  It's been nearly a month of lip service and no solutions from Netgear.  I've purchased several items from this company and most recently added an Arlo Pro system to my parents house.  My Dad is using one of the magnetic mounts outside so hopefully he doesn't experience the same issues I did with the mounts. 

I'm reserving recommending this company and any of it's products based on the lack of service and poor communication I've experienced so far.  I look forward to changing my opinion with a favorable response. 

[Retired_Member]

Hagasan,
I'm not sure but I still think we're talking about the same thing. You're talking about the ones included? Silver dome, surrounded by a white circle? Single screw? Those were what I was referring to. My pack also came with the multi-screw, screw-camera-on mount but I have yet to use it.

Dave (Mobile)

[mmoilio]

I contacted the three times and I was ignored again.  Please contact your accounting department and have them issue the remainder amount of $191.

[Hagasan41]

Still no response either.  

[Hagasan41]

James, I still have not been contacted. Every time I call it's a wait time of more than 5 minutes.  

[JamesC]

Hagasan41,

I have requested an update for your case. An agent will contact you soon.

JamesC

[Hagasan41]

James,

I apprecaite the support you are demostrating but my issue with Netgear continues.  All I have received is a set of redesgined mounts that I have no need for and a ton of lip service and generic responses.  Not one single "specialist" is willing to make my issue right and come to an amicable resolution.  To top it off now it seems my driveway camera is pixilating and I will need to get it replaced.   Below is my latest response to one of the many represenatives I've been working with.  

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Appology? I HAD to spend addditional money and purchase the indoor/outdoor mounts because the magnetic mounts included with my Arlo Pro kit were faulty. The cameras did not hold their poisition using the original mounts and allowed them to slip. It's been well over two months later and I'm finally sent redesigned mounts that I have no use for as I already purcahsed new mounts at $19.99 each. Returning the indoor/outdoor mounts to the retailer I purcahsed from is not an option. It's unethical and dishonest as nothing is wrong with the mounts I purchased.

So again, what can you do to make this right? Does it seem fair that I had to purchase new mounts at the cost of $60.00 to make your security system work? I don't understand the logic or the excuses. Obviously there is an issue as the new magnetic mounts I received are smooth and seem to hold the cameras much better. So what are you able to do to make this right and retain me as a customer?

[oillogger]

Hagasan41, I have the four camera VMS4430 Arlo Pro system and also have an issue with the cameras slipping dome magnetic mounts. Did the new mounts help and what steps did you take to receive the new type magnetic dome mounts?  I agree with you it is not fair to have to purchase the indoor/outdoor mounts when the provided mount should have worked from the start.  The Arlo Pro is highly avertised as an outdoor system and should have been ready to go straight from the box.  Maybe Netgear is starting to learn from the Apple playbook on how to force the consumer to purchase a bunch of overpriced accessories with every product they sell.

While Netgear have attempted to answer a lot of the concerns and needs of customers with their Arlo product line unfortunately there are quite a few bugs that still need to be worked out.

[Hagasan41]

Oillogger,

Good post.  It's unfortuante Netgear has so many disconnects witthin the company.  Poor product quality and a substandard customer service department will certainly drop this entore product line right into the sale bin while loosing customers in a competitive market.  They are obvoiusly having issues with the original magnetic mounts when used with the new Arlo Pro cameras.  The revised magnetic mounts have a rubberized very smooth texture v.s the rough textured mounts that came with the system.  They have an opportunity to make it right and provide great customer service.  Instead they are simply choosing to reply in circles and mislead furture customers. 

The resposnes I've received from Netgear's representatives have been extremely dissapointing.  Latest conversation below.

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Hi,

We do understand what you are feeling right now and we really do apologize for it.

However, please be informed that we can only process a replacement on our NETGEAR - Arlo device that are proven defective and cannot process a refund on them.

The best option we can provide to get a refund on the additional magnetic mount you purchased is to return them to the store.

Again, we do apologize for the inconvenience it has caused you.

Regards,

May-Ann
Expert ID 46456
NETGEAR Technical Support

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The bigger issue is that I have yet to be contacted by anyone with a sincere applogy and willinglness to keep a customer. I'm unclear how you expect me to return the indoor/outdoor mounts to the store when it's passed the 30 day return policy because of the slow response and lack of service from Netgear.

I purchased a defective product and then was forced to spend $60.00 on new mounts to use my $600 camera system. I'm certain Netgear would like to keep a positive reputation as providing quality products and outstanding customer service. Passing the blame to the store is not an answer. What else can be done and who do I need to contact to make this right?

[oillogger]

Hagasan41, thanks a bunch!!!  The replacement mounts are headed my way.  Was not too difficult.  About a 30 minute adventure.  Hopefully this resolves the problem of the cameras slipping down and hopefully Netgear is shipping all of their Arlo Pro systems with the new mount so new customers do not encounter the same problem.

[BosGuy]

I had the same problem with the magnetic mount. I came up with a simple fix. I used one small piece of 3M double sided sticky tape at the bottom of the mount - this prevents it from turning when the camera is on it. I agree 100% that the current screw design is stupid and doesn't work - if a child had tested the product they could have pointed out the flaw to Netgear.

[oillogger]

BosGuy,  so you used the tape as a stop at the bottom or did you cover the dome and stuck the two together in place?  It is my understanding the new mounts will be rubber coated and may be enough to hold the camera in place.  If not then the double sided tape may end up as the solution path.

[jguerdat]

FWIW, I used a small piece of balloon (thanks, TomMac) between the camera and mount which worked fine and is easily removeable.  My cameras were replaced and I found they wouldn't slip so I no longer use the balloon trick.

[BosGuy]

I just put the double sided tape at the bottom of the mount on the back between the mount and the wall. This way the mount doesn't rotate from the weight of the camera.

[oillogger]

Oh, I see, that is a good idea.

[oillogger]

Hagasan41,

It appears they delivered the replacement mounts to some location in Memphis, TN and not where I live.  who knows what will happen next.  A quick question for you, did you have to send in your original dome mounts?  I cannot see why they would ever do that since Netgear is replacing a defective part.  All it would is create more ill feelings for the customer.

[Hagasan41]

Hello Gary,

We respect your feedback. However, it is really a NETGEAR policy that we cannot process a refund. Please see this link: https://kb.netgear.com/1113/Warranty-Return-Policy?cid=wmt_netgear_organic . However, we can give you magnetic mounts as a replacement.

Also, for phone support, here are the available numbers: (408)-638-3750 or 1-888-638-4327 . We are open 24/7 . Just get back you us and present this case number: 27775494.

Again, thank you for choosing NETGEAR.

Regards,

Daisy
Expert ID: 46174

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I understand you have guidlines but where does it say in your policy that customer issues will carry on for over 2 months without any resolution? Returning a non defective item per your company representatives advice is not an option as it's past the stores return policy, isn't defective and dishonest.

The issue is Netgear released a protduct that was not properly tested. The old magnetic mounts were not strong enough to hold the Pro cameras securely and as a result have been redesgined. Now how is Netgear going to provide good customer service to me as I was forced to spend aditional $60.00 on mounts that worked. Is this part of your idea of good customer service?

I've requested to have a manager contact me several times and to date my requests have been ignored.

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See above ^ 

All these customer service experts seem to do is cut and paste generic responses.  Where on earth does forcing the cutomer to spend additional money to fix a desgin problem make sense?  

Oillogger, 

No surprise they sent the mounts to the wrong address. I did not need to send the defective mounts back as CLEARLY they have acknowledged the problem by quietly redesgining the new mounts.  Best advice to you is don't let this drop and keep pushing until Netgear does the right thing.  It's unfortuante this issue continues and the customer service team is slow and unwilling to provide any help outside of the cookie cutter appology... 

[oillogger]

I received the new dome mounts via FedEx today.  I hope they will work for me.

[Hagasan41]

Case #: 28102797

Couild I get an update on the above case#?  Thanks