I apologise for the shameless bump, but I felt compelled to read through this thread earlier today and realised I left those who have contributed and subscribed in the lurch. I know it was a long time ago, but it does still play on my mind sometimes, so allow me to rant a little bit and provide some closure.
Ultimately... I gave up. The whole ordeal was exhausting.
My last posts in this thread were optimistic, as I had found a direct contact number for the Nintendo UK offices where the directors I was in correspondance with are based. If I could just talk with one of them, and make them directly address my issues without the opportunity for them to fob me off with shitty excuses or flat-out ignorance. I was confident this would work, and I even downloaded an app that would allow me to record our conversation, for prosperity's sake. I was very excited.
Four times I called. And each time I was put on hold, and then informed that Shelly Pearce was in a meeting. Four times. Perhaps I was being absurd. Would a director at Nintendo UK be willing to speak to a lowly member of the public like me? Well, perhaps not. But I was certainly going to try, and after our correspondance there was no way she didn't at least know who the guy on the end of the phone was. But after four attempts it was clear I was being fucked off. So my emails and letters continued to be ignored by the general manager and director of public relations at Nintendo UK.
Long story short, these guys absolutely refused to accept that I had a faulty unit despite every reasonable point I raised and no matter how many times I quoted EU legislation and their own company mantras at them. I was just an irritating fly buzzing around their heads, not a loyal customer who deserved the benefit of the doubt. And no, I'm not interested in your "deluxe" goody bag. That's not what I wanted.
I wasn't making it up when I told them that this issue would cost them more than the monetary value in question. I am no longer the Nintendo customer I once was, though admittedly Nintendo are a hard drug to quit. Since this incident, the only Nintendo game I have really played is Animal Crossing New Leaf, which I am very pleased to say I received for free. Admittedly, my missus boughht me a Wii U, but I've barely played it, honest! And I'll pobably get Smash Brothers. But my point stands! These guys ruined Nintendo for me. My gaming priorites lie elsewhere, for the first time in my life.
Nintendo UK are a waste of office space. I'm genuinely not sure what they do. They outsource all their customer services, do an appalling job of promoting their products here, and are home to some of the most laughable "PR" in the business. Though I suppose the work experience kid who copies and pastes all of Nintendo of Europe's tweets is doing okay.
I like to think I've been nicely composed throughout this ordeal, reasoning well, not "raising my voice", or being rude in any way. Well, I would like to close this off by saying: Nintendo UK, thanks for nothing and fuck you.