Sony recalls are killing the bottom line

Look Sony, nobody's rooting for your recovery more than your pals at Engadget. But seriously, two major recalls -- first the $200+ million battery fiasco now 440,000 VAIOs -- in two years? No wonder your stock is at a 3-year low.

[Timo @ Sep 5th 2008 6:07AM]

maybe they want to play with the stock value.. perhaps now would be good time to buy some Sony stocks?

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Sep 5th 2008 8:12AM]

That's what I was thinking EXACTLY! Time to BUY BUY BUY so that the interest from us will push the stock higher and we all get rich. I for one am going to call my broker today.

[Techie @ Sep 5th 2008 12:12PM]

Sony stock isn't going to rise as much as you would think. I really think Sony stock prices will drop even lower because there isn't much products out there that Sony once offered. Sony used to kick butt in the CRT department but failed in the LCD and Plasma. Their only chance right now is the OLED department but with the insane prices of the OLED and Samsung competing with Sony things just look really dim so unless Sony does some incredible than don't buy any stocks from Sony. I have already taken Sony Ericsson into account but even that one save them.

[steven @ Sep 5th 2008 4:50PM]

Yes... keep on buying that Sony stock so I can sell mine.

[Poom @ Sep 5th 2008 5:00PM]

Sony's failing in LCD??? wtf are you talking about???

[Slim Jim @ Sep 5th 2008 6:19AM]

As long as it sticks to the TZ and my on order FW isn't affected it's all cool with me.

[GJCATL @ Sep 5th 2008 6:38AM]

If only Sony was handling this recall seriously. I have one of the recalled TZs...the only repair options are 1) send it in and wait up to 3+ weeks for the laptop to be returned or have in-home repair during their mon-fri 9-5 repair timeframe. They almost had an open repair timeframe for me in 2 weeks in my city, but their repair technicians are only authorized to go to the ZIP Code NEXT TO where I live, not my actual ZIP Code on that particular day - and the difference between the edge of the area where they are authorized to go on that day and where I live is LESS THAN ONE MILE!

When I told the CS supervisor that I couldn't be without my laptop for up to a month she said "Don't you have another computer that you can use for the month?" Yes Sony, I keep spare $2,000+ laptops hanging around for these types of occasions. Let me go get one of the ones propping up a wobbly table leg in my kitchen and I'll use that one instead.

Thanks Sony...

[404 @ Sep 5th 2008 6:56AM]

It sucks, but I don't think there's much they can do about the 3+ weeks waiting time. I doubt many companies keep enough repair staff on hand to deal with 440,000+ machines at the same time.

As for the ZIP codes, that's corporate bureaucracy for you. Makes you wonder what happened to putting the customer first sometimes. Oh wait, that's right, profits took over. Meh.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Sep 5th 2008 8:14AM]

I got one spare one that I use for toilet paper, it's kinda shitty but you can use that.




(i couldn't resist)

[Franksmith @ Sep 6th 2008 1:26PM]

That's the only thing a sony is good for

[Rob Bourne @ Sep 5th 2008 6:44AM]

Maybe it's just me, but that headline makes no sense.

[iEye @ Sep 5th 2008 6:53AM]

Some writers are not logical...

[Saad Rabia @ Sep 5th 2008 7:03AM]

Why so confused?

[zfurie @ Sep 5th 2008 7:08AM]

They are simply following a basic tech writer's template: _____ ARE _______

e.g.

All your base ARE belong to us
In Soviet Russia you ARE not you
I for one ARE a robot overlord.

[Rob Bourne @ Sep 5th 2008 7:17AM]

Ninja headline-correction.

Smooth :)

[zfurie @ Sep 5th 2008 7:25AM]

Ay caramba! Now I look like an idiot!

[Ryan Trevisol @ Sep 5th 2008 7:57AM]

I still read the headline as being reminiscent.

Sony: "Hey, remember that time we killed the bottom line? That was awesome."

[nebulus @ Sep 5th 2008 6:51AM]

Wow what a poor piece of journalism there Thomas, what is that headline supposed to mean?

[odemata @ Sep 5th 2008 7:02AM]

i dont get the headline

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ Sep 5th 2008 7:02AM]

Also, balls.

[Leo @ Sep 5th 2008 7:06AM]

All your base are belong to us

[meist3r @ Sep 5th 2008 7:07AM]

At least their games console doesn't break down every two minutes like some other platform.

Headline is simply missing a Colon and a question mark.

Sony: Are Recalls killing the bottom line?

[Slim Jim @ Sep 5th 2008 7:10AM]

They prefer those to break the day after the warranty runs out.

[drumdbeat @ Sep 5th 2008 7:20AM]

That makes more sense, better.

[Rob Bourne @ Sep 5th 2008 7:40AM]

I'm sure I commented in here, along the lines of Slim Jim's response...

Ah well, at least someone said it

[dan @ Sep 5th 2008 7:30AM]

all ur base are belong to us

[Dobba @ Sep 5th 2008 7:45AM]

. . . and bad picture mock up. That there laptop on the left is a 15" Macbook Pro - not a Sony of any flavour.

[joel @ Sep 5th 2008 8:22AM]

The MacBook Pro's batteries were supplied/manufactured by Sony.

[Leindurstit @ Sep 5th 2008 8:23AM]

You must have missed out on this whole Sony battery fiasco when it was happening, so here's a quick little reason why there's an Apple laptop in that picture: Apple used Sony batteries, as did Dell, and several other major computer manufacturers.

[Dobba @ Sep 5th 2008 8:33AM]

Ahhhhh . . . . my bad. Yes, heard of that situation but obviously my brain isn't in gear today. It is Friday and I do have a wee hangover so I've got a wicked excuse to give to the teacher. Parp!

[Paul Maddox @ Sep 5th 2008 8:23AM]

The chart shown is laughably at odds with the point of the article: 'Sony's recalls are causing the stock to go down'. Yes, that would be the case if the stock went DOWN following the recalls instead of UP (in the first instance, we don't know about the second).

[John @ Sep 5th 2008 7:36PM]

Wow, a 3-year low is unexpected in today's market? Even better, it's because of a couple of recalls? Look at Dell, its stock is almost at its lowest point in 8 years. Same with Toshiba. The only company that hasn't taken a hit is HP because they make mediocre, cheaply built products that look good- the formula for massive profits.

[Kevin @ Sep 5th 2008 6:22PM]

Why exactly is Engadget rooting for Sony's stock recovery? I'm not sure why you would care unless you own some of that stock?

[The Fuzz 53 @ Sep 5th 2008 2:31PM]

We'd all be better off is Sony just died and went away.

[Jason @ Sep 5th 2008 5:02PM]

No wonder so many people consider sony to be an inferior brand.

[AFD @ Sep 6th 2008 1:42AM]

Note to TZ owners: Double check the Sony support website if your TZ wasn't originally affected by the recall. Dozens of new product codes have been added to the recall list today, and there have been consumers (including myself) that have been told by support reps that our models are not affected - even though they are now on the recall list as of today.

[Franksmith @ Sep 6th 2008 1:22PM]

Rooting for Sony's recovery?

Not here.... good riddance I say

[whormongr @ Sep 7th 2008 11:38AM]

hey man, I am doing my part to help- I got 2 psp's (1st and second gen may get 3rd as well), a ps3, a cybershot and buy sony stuff all of the time- but vaio's suck and always have.

[missg @ Oct 14th 2008 7:52PM]

Since English is not my first language, I cannot be as eloquent and witty as Skippy was describing my own ordeal with the Sony-tech-to-hire.
The contractor-technician of Qualxserv company came to my house to fix the "potential issue affecting my PC model" (TZ-150), as Sony presented it. After having opened the computer's guts he fixed the wiring around the hinge that was a presumed cause for unwanted overheating. Then, according to a numbered sticker on one component, he concluded that my webcam should be replaced. He took out my webcam device and looked in the Fed-Exed kit he brought with him to discover that a new camera was missing!
He re-built my computer and was ready to leave. Just before he left I noticed that the camera window was cracked!!!!
I called Sony customer service, waited on the line for ever and finally talked to an "escalation supervisor" who rejected any responsibility on the part of Sony. He wanted me to send my computer to the Sony laboratory, which I cannot do since I write my dissertation on it and have all my research done on it. He said that the TZ model is not one of the models that receive at-home reparation (don't quite remember the words he used.) Well... I pointed out to him that they did think it was important enough to send a technician for the "potential issue" but to no avail! The inexperienced Qualxserv technician is supposed to order the new camera and the camera window that he broke and call me then to reschedule. In view of the bad experience described by many others that went through the same experience as I did, I am honestly afraid to have this guy's hands back on my computer.
It is obvious that Sony is basically covering up its manufacturing/design mistakes of the model and is trying to prevent a collective class action. But I personally do not know how to solve the problem.
If any of you, like Skippy, managed to get Sony seriously respond to him, please comment on the forum and advise.
Thanks.