How to return a product to ESU

For the case you have an ESU article that needs to be repaired and you´d like to send it to our service department, please consider the following issues. If you bear these issues in mind, you will help us to accelerate the processing of your complaint. Thank you very much for your cooperation!

Important note for RETAILERS from all countries outside the European Union (EU) who return faulty articles back to ESU GERMANY:

Please always add a commercial invoice to the product. This invoice is for customs purposes only and may not exceed € 30.00 (!), what in fact applies to the real value of a faulty item. If you only send the original invoice a so-called import turnover tax becomes due and the whole customs handling would be a lot more complicated. ESU doesn´t accept to pay this tax, therefore the parcel will be returned to you unopened.

Important note for END CUSTOMERS from all countries outside the EU who return faulty items back to ESU GERMANY: Please return faulty items directly to your model railway retailer who is responsible for the claims management and transaction to GERMANY.

Please note: A proforma invoice in four copies must be attached outside ON each package. The note “RETOUR defekter Artikel” must also appear on the outside of the package.

A template for the proforma invoice can be requested at [email protected]

 

Please send your return to one of the following addresses:

For the USA & CANADA:

ESU LLC

- Service department -

3625 Betty Dr, Suite A

Colorado Springs CO 80917

USA

 

For EUROPE & all other countries:

ESU electronic solutions ulm GmbH & Co. KG

- Kundendienstabteilung -

Edisonallee 29

DE-89231 Neu-Ulm

GERMANY

 

 

If you don´t have a retailer, please note that we reserve the right to charge you with additional costs for shipping and handling. We ask for your kind understanding.

  • Please only send original ESU decoders to us, purchased by from a retail dealer. The warranty covers the first (1st) owner, known as "original owner", of any ESU product. Pre-installed decoders that come with a locomotive ex-factory (OEM), must be returned directly to the manufacturer of the locomotive or to your retailer.

  • Please use, if possible, the original box for packaging. Especially larger devices like the ECoS command station or the ECoSBoost are optimally protected within the original packaging.

  • If you are not in the possession of the original packing, please see that the item(s) are carefully and adequately packed. NEVER use a simple envelope to return a decoder! You need to protect it with bubble wrap; then put it into a sturdy bubble envelope of adequate size! A good many times we've received empty, perforated envelopes and the decoders were missing. Heavy devices must be wrapped into bubble wrap and packed into a large and sturdy box, which is filled with packaging film or cushioning material.

  • Please never send your own accessories with the return! That means no batteries, cables, PowerPack, speaker, sound chamber or similar items, in short: all items that were NOT INCLUDED in the original packaging of the item. (Except in cases where our technicians ask for it explicitly).

  • Please always add a description of failure which explains the problem as clear as possible. Don't forget to mention the ESU stock number of the product. Burnt decoders cannot be read out in most cases, so it is often impossible to find out the type of sound. We are not able to re-write a sound file to a decoder when the sound desired is unrecognizable. The sound file number or locomotive type must be indicated if this is needed!

  • Please consider that your name, address, phone number and e-mail address is legible on the covering note. These items are essential, if any queries should occur from our side. If you have already sent a return to us in the past, you automatically got a customer number with our company. Should you have your customer no. at your fingertips, please state it on the covering note.

  • Make sure that the parcel/box/envelope etc. is adequately stamped before you send it to us, since we do not accept shipments with postage due upon arrival. These will be returned to the parcel carrier unopened.

  • Please never send a whole locomotive, when only the decoder is broken or faulty. Pursuant to insurance law, we will return the locomotive to you unseen. Remove the decoder first from the locomotive and send the decoder to our company. If your locomotive does'nt come with a digital interface, you should additionally install a socket. This enables you to remove the decoder at any time later on.

  • If you intend to claim statutory warranty (within two (2) years after date of purchase) a proof of purchase is necessary. This could be a receipt or a copy of the invoice. In either case this invoice must be readable and include the date of purchase, the ESU stock number, and the name of the retailer. If these documents are missing, we reserve our right to disclaim the warranty. Please always keep any receipts and invoices within the period of warranty!

  • The North American office is no longer able to replace items for a fee for residents of the United States of America. If you are in Canada or Australia, and would like us to replace an item for you against charge, please check our different rates of service charges before you send it in. Don´t forget to explicitly state on the covering letter that you will accept any arising service charges.

  • Please NEVER send cash or stamps to pay the costs for the repair! If necessary, you will receive an invoice from ESU! 

 

Depending on the workload of our service department please note that handling times might take up to 4 weeks. Unfortunately, it might take even a bit longer when we have to replace (exchange) an article that is currently not on stock. We may ask for your kind understanding in advance! Of course, when you send items for repair we will try our best to help you as fast as we can.