SMOKtech Groove Recall - Important Info for Our Customers

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dannoman

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SMOKtech has recalled the Groove due to recent information about possible shorts that can occur within the unit. This can be a VERY DANGEROUS problem and we are asking anyone who has purchased the Groove (either the black plastic casing or the metal grooves). The problem that was reported concerned the metal encased Groove but SMOKtech does not distinguish between the two here:

Groove Recall Notice from SMOKtech


I personally use the plastic encased Groove (two of them in rotation) and I have dropped it on at least a couple of dozen occassions and have had no problem. The case that was reported in ECF concerned a steel encased unit dropped three feet onto carpet that shorted out and started discharging. BUT the recall is for ALL Grooves. Please send your groove to:

GotVapes
c/o Max Wood
PO Box 5327
Wichita Falls, TX 76307

Max will then verify that you made the purchase at GotVapes and will then issue you a store gift certificate - please give your name, email address and phone number in a note in your package - this is imperative as we cannot verify AND send the gift certificate unless we have someone to send it to. You can use the gift certificate in whole or in part. This is better than issuing a coupon code as with a coupon code you can only use once for the full amount of the credit. Max will add $5.00 or whatever the shippign expense was, to cover any shipping charges - send first class or if needed, priority padded flat rate envelope.

When sending back please send back using the box it was sent in, remove the inner packaging and wrap the unit in bubble wrap, insert in that box and send back. You might be advised to use one of the Priority Mail padded flat rate envelopes. We will reimburse you for any shipping expense of course. Please only send the unit itself wrapped in bubble wrap inside the original box or a similar rigid box of some sort.

Thanks very much and we apologize for the inconvenience.

Daniel & Chris
 
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jimbill

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I wish i bought my mine from gotvapes but they where not in stock at the time so i bought mine from another popular vendor here on the forums and he said he would not refund the plastic ones which i think he should, but it goes to show you who the good vendors are who will not chance the safety of the end user.
 

mirthmgr

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www.kevinkratzke.com
Yeah, I'm feeling quite fortunate that I got mine from GotVapes! I can't think of any way they could have made this easier on their customers. The toughest part for me is deciding between the K200 and the MVP...

EDIT: I just noticed Danno's note on the K200 product page, so I think I'm probably going to end up picking that one... this time...
 
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Racehorse

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I wish i bought my mine from gotvapes but they where not in stock at the time so i bought mine from another popular vendor here on the forums and he said he would not refund the plastic ones which i think he should, but it goes to show you who the good vendors are who will not chance the safety of the end user.

Well obviously GotVapes is doing the right thing, sorry to hear about vendor who is not.

If the Groove has been recalled by the manufacturer, and they do not distinguish between plastic or metal Grooves, then your cranky "other" vendor is open to a lawsuit.

I would send that vendor a copy of the manufacturer recall. Send it certified mail and request a refund for this product that has a safety recall on it. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission takes these things very seriously, and I once had to contact them because a manufacturer recalled a product for safety reasons and my retailer refused to allow me to return the product. They were very helpful to me CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

If you purchased with a credit card, you may also be able to get a refund that way by sending them the formal notice of recall from the manufacturer. Explain to them that the retailer is refusing to take the product back.

Contact SMOKEtech and see what your options are. Also call your state's attorney general or consumer affairs and ask them what your options are when somebody who is selling an unsafe consumer product that was actually formally RECALLED by the manufacturer refuses to take it back.


I never heard of such a thing. Your vendor must be a real az

Doesn't matter if it was not expensive, I would have no problem giving that vendor a hard time because WE don't need people like this doing business with vapers.

The only time I have seen that sort of thing is when the manufacturer has gone bankrupt. In that case, the retailer cannot get a credit from the manufacturer. But this is not the case here. Your vendor will simply send the product back to smoketec and get reimbursed. These kinds of losses are included in tax / budget stuff at end of year anyway by the larger vendor I imagine anyone running a business.
 
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Factor52

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Originally posted by: dannoman
I personally use the plastic encased Groove (two of them in rotation) and I have dropped it on at least a couple of dozen occassions and have had no problem. The case that was reported in ECF concerned a steel encased unit dropped three feet onto carpet that shorted out and started discharging. BUT the recall is for ALL Grooves. Please send your groove to:

GotVapes
c/o Max Wood
PO Box 5327
Wichita Falls, TX 76307

Great that the vendor is standing behind the product they sold.. However is it advisable to put something in the mail that can short out explode whilst in transit? I'm thinking the community does not need anymore bad press... Just saying..
 

Harplayr

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Originally posted by: dannoman


Great that the vendor is standing behind the product they sold.. However is it advisable to put something in the mail that can short out explode whilst in transit? I'm thinking the community does not need anymore bad press... Just saying..

That's a good point. Is there a way to remove or discharge the battery prior to shipping?

I don't have a Groove, but I must applaud GV for being proactive and making all of us aware of this issue. They stand behind their products and by their customers. It's one of the reasons I shop GV.
 
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dannoman

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Of course anything that is sent back should have adequate wrapping. But these have been recalled. We can't recall them without receiving these back, making sure they are no longer being used, and then disposing of them safely. There has been one incident reported on a steel encased unit but it was well documented and we respect that it could pose a problem. Also SMOKtech says they actually took the units into their lab and confirmed there could be safety issues. The boxes that these were packaged in are large so we were hoping to make it easier to send back by just requiring the unit.

But this is a good point. Lets amend the return on these:

When sending back please send back using the box it was sent in, remove the inner packaging and wrap the unit in bubble wrap, insert in that box and send back. You might be advised to use one of the Priority Mail padded flat rate envelopes. We will reimburse you for any shipping expense of course.


Originally posted by: dannoman


Great that the vendor is standing behind the product they sold.. However is it advisable to put something in the mail that can short out explode whilst in transit? I'm thinking the community does not need anymore bad press... Just saying..
 
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keelalagirl55

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Jan 25, 2011
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what a shame...the groove has become one of my favorites. But i don't still have the original box and packaging....so is it ok to just wrap securely in bubble wrap for the return?

JB!!! :wub::wub:

it's okay not to have the original box, but if you have one similar that you could put the bubble wrapped groove into, that would be wonderful! I'm not even sure what the box looked like, but I do have several other PV boxes that I could send ya if ya need one ;)

BTW.....welcome home to TX, hon!
 
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