Computers missing drives/CPU after RMA

[londostuckey]

Hi all, new member here. I work for a company in Indiana that uses fanless box computers. Occasionally, these computers have to be returned to Taiwan to the manufacturer for repair. The computers come with an Intel core I-7 CPU, 4GB RAM and an Intel solid state drive. When we return one we box it up in the original box with everything that came with it. It is then sent to a facility in California and then on to Taiwan, then all the way back.

   We have had 3 or 4 now recently returned with missing components. The SSD, sometimes the RAM, and on 2 of the 4 the I-7 processor have been missing when we get the computers back. The manufacturer says the components are missing when they arrive, and they make note of it and continue with the repair, which is usually to the board . The manufacturer says its our fault, and we should remove these parts or make note that they were shipped with the computer. But they came with the computer.

   Has anyone ever heard of removing the processor when you RMA a box computer that came with said processor? Shouldn't we expect to ship a whole unit back and expect it to be intact upon return?

  Does anyone think the courier could be stealing components during shipping?

   Just looking to see if anyone has experience missing hardware.

Thanks for reading.

[rmac52]

Sounds like someone is stealing.

I wouldn't take anything out of the computer to rma if it was sold as a complete unit.  I might take out the SSD if it had personal or confidential information on it though.

In the future you should document that everything is included when doing a return.

I take pictures when I return things to prove they were there and not damaged by me.  For instance I just returned a monitor I bought.  I took pictures of the cables that came with it to prove I sent them back.