Samsung TVs Tops in Sales ... and Complaints

Samsung monitors hard at work

First in sales, first in complaints?  Do the two always go together?

In the case of flat-screen TVs, that certainly seems to be the case.  NPD Group reports that Samsung, the world's largest flat-screen TV maker once again led the North American TV market in the first half of 2011, as demand for premium TVs continued to rise despite a poor economy.

Samsung held a commanding 35% of sales based on value of the units sold in the U.S. and Canada, NPD said.  

Could that be the reason complaints about Samsung TVs are such a hot item on ConsumerAffairs.com and other review sites?  We not only get hundreds of complaints but our Samsung pages are typically among the most heavily-viewed on our site.  We tried to ask Samsung that question but the company's media relations department did not return an email.

Samsung may not be responsive but the company's optimistic.  It says its dominance of the North American market is expected to continue as demand for its premium TVs remains strong.

Fried, frazzled

Ken of Atco, N.J. seems typical of the complainants, who seem to run into trouble at about the two-year mark.

"Purchased a 55" LED Samsung series 8000. TV is 2 years old. Base exploded 8/8. Contacted Samsung and waiting for the results. Looks like many have had this issue," Ken wrote Tuesday.

Kate of Mission Viejo, Calif., meanwhile, said her 42-inch Samsung didn't even make the two-year mark.

"We bought a 42-inch Samsung TV less than 2 years ago and yesterday it won't turn on anymore. Just called Samsung and they said that their 2008 models had problems with capacitators but their 2009 models are not covered or part of the problem!" Kate said. "All I know is, our TV should work more than 2 years. They told me to contact a service center to get it repaired. I've never had such an expensive product just quit on me. It's just unheard of."

Well, yes and no.  Flat-screen TVs may look like they're simpler than the boxy old cathode-ray tube models they replace but there's a lot of high-voltage circuitry on some very miniaturized boards.  That means lots of heat in a small space.

Ask your neighborhood TV technician, if you can find one, and he or she will tell you that flat-screen TVs need to be kept as cool as possible.  Ideally, they shouldn't be kept in cabinets that block the flow of air.

It's also important to have a high-quality surge protector to prevent damage from stray electrical spikes.

Samsung's advice

Although we couldn't get an answer from anyone today, a Samsung spokeswoman in July 2010 told our Chase Zacha:

"As a first step, we encourage customers who experience any issues with our TVs to call 1-800-SAMSUNG. Our customer service team will fully investigate and discuss each customers specific experience so that we can help identify the best resolution to fit each case. Customers' experiences with our products and service teams are of the utmost importance to us. When we see a problem frequently reoccur, Samsung takes the necessary steps to correct the issue."